Michael Barker
Barker’s of Geraldine is renowned for its traditional jams, chutneys and condiments. But Michael Barker, the firm’s executive director, says his father, Anthony, who started the business, was also an inventor and held an international patent for the Kent Log Fire.
What is your favourite childhood food memory? Dad planted at least 40 raspberry and currant bushes under a permanent netting canopy. It was our job to pick the berries and to eat them smothered in cream and icing sugar.
Is maintaining your health and well-being an important business imperative, given that Barker’s bears your name? When I was younger, I tended to put work first and assume my body would last the distance – a traditional rural male approach. But I’ve always kept reasonably fit and eaten a balanced diet, not for false vanity but because my job has required me to understand healthy eating, interpret food trends and apply insights to our product innovation.
How would you describe your diet and lifestyle?
I work and live in the country, so unless I’m travelling, I can stick to a good routine. It’s 8km from the farm to the nearest Geraldine cafe. Hours are long, but the view of the mountains is great.
What is your typical breakfast? Eggs on toast with Barker’s Chipotle Sauce.
My workday lunch is … a sandwich.
My evening meal is … delicious, varied and tasty, with minimal carbs – prepared by my wife, Brigitte, who is a very good cook.
What is your favourite family dinner? A roast with all the trimmings.
My guilty pleasure is … raiding the kitchen in search of hidden treats, including chocolate.
What about snacks? I love cheeses with a variety of our chutneys and relishes on home-made cracker biscuits, with a glass of wine.
What is always in your shopping trolley? Competitors’ products and other interesting things. My wife finds me very frustrating to go shopping with. What happens when you dine at other people’s houses? I find it interesting and insightful to look in other people’s fridges and pantries, usually with permission, and to ask questions about why they choose certain products and how they use them. Most people love to share, but sometimes I’m lucky to get fed. What is your idea of food hell? I’m starting to struggle with dehydrated meals when I go tramping.