Tell us about your favourite food memory from your childhood…

I am really lucky that my mum is an amazing cook and she would always get us all involved in the kitchen. Standing on a chair in the kitchen, podding fresh peas, licking the cake bowl clean and helping her pick vegetables from the garden.

My mum is militant about the ritual of Sunday lunch, she does the most amazing roast chicken and every Sunday without fail it would be a feast. It’s something that’s been so instilled in me, that Sundays without a proper roast for lunch just don't feel like Sundays.

Roast potatoes would always feature, obviously. And in Winter it would be buttery peas and carrot batons, creamy leeks with cannellini beans and home made bread sauce. In the Summer it’s a lighter affair, where the roast chicken and roast potatoes would be accompanied by a crisp green salad with a shallot spiked vinaigrette and a garlicky mayo. Just heaven.

What would your advice be to someone who is new to cooking and is looking to put more love into the ritual of preparing food at home?

Don't overcomplicate things! I’ve been a chef for over a decade, I’ve worked in restaurant kitchens and cooked for some demanding clients and yet the food I want to eat at home is simple. You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen, you don’t need recipes that require an overwhelming number of ingredients, and it doesn’t need to be stressful.

I’m about to launch a newsletter on exactly this kind of cooking, one complete meal delivered to your inbox a week for an easy mid week week. Minimal washing up, maximum results for minimal effort as I think that’s the kind of thing we all need inspiration for and it’s the food I love to cook the most. You can sign up on the website if that sounds like something you’d be interested in - I’m really excited about it!

Tell us about one of your cooking rituals at home...

I’ve got two small girls and I love cooking with them. Saturday mornings we tend to make pancakes for breakfast and there will always be some sort of baking over the weekend. They love all the usual suspects - banana bread, cookies, cupcakes. And we often make our own pizzas which they love. That’s the best kind of cooking - where everyone’s just gathered in the kitchen, it’s relaxed and fun.

What’s your favourite thing about having friends and family round for dinner?

I love having friends over for dinner. I love thinking of what they’d love to eat and decorating the table. It’s a chance to clear away the baby stuff and get out a gorgeous tablecloth. There are always fresh flowers, and candles.

My mum always instilled in me that we eat with our eyes first, so even for a really simple supper, I make an effort with the presentation as it just changes the whole feel of it. Cooking for other people is definitely my love language and it feels good to put energy into making something nice for other people.

Tell us about one of the most memorable meals someone important in your life has cooked for you…

The first meal my husband ever made me was nothing glamorous or fancy but it’s something I think about all the time. We were 17 and it was the first time I had been to stay with his parents. He made me porridge for breakfast, piping hot with thick Jersey milk - the kind where the cream sits thick and heavy at the top of the bottle. He served it bubbling hot with a spoon of soft brown sugar melting on the top. It was so simple and utterly delicious.

QUICK FIRE:

Taste that most makes you think of home:

Roast chicken.

Favourite song to cook to:

I love a bit of Aretha Franklin, Norah Jones, Billie Holiday or Elton John!

When you're feeling low, what do you cook for comfort?

I think nostalgic dishes are the best for giving comfort. My mum makes a very simple tomato butter pasta with mozzarella torn in and fresh basil leaves - it’s perfect.

You have friends coming round for an impromptu dinner, what do you cook?

Crispy chicken thighs - plenty of Maldon salt, olive oil and pepper and bunged in a hot oven for 50 minutes and they're perfect every time. Some garlicky puy lentils with pancetta and a crunchy green salad.

Your proudest career moment to date:

Having Desert Island Dishes reach the top spot in the iTunes chart for top food podcast was a real pinch me moment. But honestly, it’s every time someone sends me a photo of a recipe of mine they’ve cooked or sends me a message to tell me they made something and loved it. I get so many messages throughout the day and honestly, it’s the best thing about what I do.

Best place for a cosy dinner in your local area:

The Anglesea Arms

Favourite autumn dish:

Autumn is the beginning of pie season. A delicious chicken and tarragon pie with a puff pastry lid served with buttery mash and peas. Just heaven.

The ingredient you’re most looking forward to incorporating into your dishes this season:

Beetroots are at their best. Nothing better than a gorgeous balsamic roasted beetroot, served hot from the oven with a little pomegranate molasses, some green leaves, goats cheese and walnuts.

Follow Margie: @desertislanddishes
Listen to the Desert Island Dishes podcast, where our very own co-founder Laura Jackson has shared her absolute favourite dishes with Margie.