Getting to know you

Michelle Wilkinson is the owner of The Very Lovely Sauce Company, producers of incredibly delicious, award-winning caramel sauces

Go-to ingredient?

Sweet potato. It’s completely delicious and can be used to make almost everything.

Your house is on fire, what one item do you save?

My handbag as it contains everything I (and the whole family) would need to keep normal life going until the house was sorted out.

Last meal on earth?

Lobster Thermidor followed by a slice of delicious cake.

Hardest thing you’ve had to give up?

City life, although it was so long ago now, my memories of it are all in sepia and I love, love, love, the countryside.

Dream dinner party guests?

My husband and children with Jarvis Cocker, Barack and Michelle Obama, Jo Brand and Gary Barlow.

First thing you’d do if you won £1 million?

Build our house. We bought some land but have yet to break ground.

Quiet night in or big night out?

Both. I love quiet nights in but think a liberal sprinkling of big nights out is entirely necessary.

City break or weekend in the country?

City break. Preferably to New York.

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl. It’s a habit developed since having children, as everything had to be achieved once they had gone to bed. They are a bit older now so there’s no excuse for heading to bed after midnight – it’s something I’m looking to change.

Save it or spend it?

A bit of both.

Couch potato or fitness fanatic?

I’m not a couch potato, as I’m always active – just not in a fitness fanatic, gym-going-type of way.

Home or abroad?

Home with a bit of abroad.

Rebel rebel or teacher’s pet?

Neither. Small sigh.

Early or late?

Late, but not through choice. I believe there is a universal conspiracy network that successfully prevents me from being early. It is headed up by my children...

Cats or dogs?

Cats.

Sweet or savoury?

Both, depending on what I fancy at the time.

What are you proudest of?

My husband and three children.

Q Who do you admire most?

My mum.

And who do you detest?

Nobody.

If you could turn back the clock what one thing would you change?

I would check whether I was taught correct apostrophe use in school because I would swear it wasn’t covered at all. Sometimes I restructure an entire sentence to avoid apostrophe misuse. I think it would possibly be easier in the long run for me to look into teaching myself the way of the apostrophe.

Who would you like to thank?

My mum.

Could you save someone’s life if they were dying in the street?

I could give it a good try.

Do you give money to beggars?

Yes, always.

What’s your motto?

I have two. It’s nice to be nice and the devil is in the detail.

What keeps you awake at night?

Nothing at all. I could snooze anywhere and at any time.

City break or weekend in the country? City break. Preferably to New York

Picture: Getty Images. A sea-salted caramel sauce Michelle made at home was behind her decision to set up her own business.