Imogen Royall answers the BRiMM Life Questionnaire

Latest low-impact life reset that’s brought you joy
“Being married and working together is hard, because work is all consuming [Matt Kenyon, Imogen's husband, is co-founder of Northern Pasta Co.]. So we made a little change to our routine – now we make sure we walk the dog at least a couple of mornings a week, with no distractions and try our hardest not to talk about work. Sometimes that means telling each other to ‘STOP’ mid-sentence but mostly it means actual connection. Some weeks this is the only time we truly get to be – and actually ‘be’ – together, so it has become hugely valuable.” 

Favourite planet-positive products and why
"Seep, Who Gives a Crap, Smol… it's just brilliant to have everyday products you can switch up so easily, making an impact in your routine life – brilliant!"

Tell us your all-time top second-hand find
"I have a fab pair of floral vintage shorts, I think they are old Ralph Lauren. My husband absolutely thinks they look like wallpaper from a Nan’s house, which is all the more reason to love them."

Favourite walking route  
"I am beyond lucky to live in the Lake District so I have many routes with many memories. Spring has finally landed [we spoke to Imogen back on 27 March], the lambs are out, the blossom is blooming, it is the most beautiful time of year here. The other weekend we did a ridge run, and went up to one of our fave fells: High Street, the loop is beautiful, you can see across to the Helvellyn Range, the Kentmere Horseshoe. The way down takes you past an idyllic tarn [a small mountain lake], the perfect spot to cool off." 

What’s your most joyful weekend moment
"A run with friends, often ending in a visit to a bakery for a much needed cinnamon bun and iced coffee."

Plant-based dish of dreams
"Right now [March] I have just got wild garlic on my mind – the woodland near us is full at the moment and it smells incredible. So I am thinking of a simple wild garlic pesto tossed through our Casarecce with a generous grating of sheep’s cheese. Preferably devoured while sat outside in the sun."

Song that lights you up and the story behind it
“‘Sofa King’ by Royal Otis. What is it about this song?! I just can’t stop smiling when I hear it. It’s the feeling of running down the hill at the end of the run, feeling like you’ve conquered the world.”

The independent coffee shop that makes you happy 
"Chesters By The River at Skelwith Bridge. It is the best place after a day in the hills. A gorgeous vegan cafe but you wouldn’t know that it was anything other than delicious. The bread is next-level. I have been going here forever and I am always so grateful it exists. Plus it is the only place I can get my Momo Kombucha fix in the Lakes!"

Indie book store tip 
"In Ambleside there is this little book shop, Fred’s, that I remember going to as a kid and it just felt like this Aladdin’s cave – and it still does. It has the best selection of books, and, although it is tiny, you could get lost in there on a rainy Cumbrian day."

Second-hand store or market worth a mooch 
"I LOVE second-hand shopping. The thrill of purchasing something that has its own history or story to tell. Holidays will always revolve around food and vintage shopping, some of the best I have done has been in Copenhagen. Closer to home I am always refreshing our local Sell and Seek for furniture we do not need for a house that can’t fit anymore in.

Fave film or TV series
“Kendal Mountain Festival is an epic event in Kendal and every year there are incredible films and speakers to watch and listen to. Every time I come away with a greater respect for the world and the people in it. Last year the film that stood out for me was Painting the Mountains, about a bunch of incredible guys skiing things that should not be skied in Patagonia. Being transported to that landscape, seeing it through their eyes, how they listen to it, engage with it, learn from it – you come away in awe of nature. And by watching somebody else love something so immensely you share in that too. Their deep respect and love for these mountains is infectious. A reminder that our world is vast, beautiful and fragile.”

Podcast that makes you happy
"I do love Angela Hartnett, so I don’t go a week without listening to Dish. It is pure food joy and I love that, although it does make me incredibly hungry so I have to time it right."

Quote to live by and who said it
"'You are not the voice in your head. You are the awareness behind it.' Eckhart Tolle."

What gets you every time 
"I read this and three equally emotion-provoking things popped into my head. Dogs: no need to explain, cute, four legs, what’s not to love. A good view: the best way to get perspective. And a killer sandwich: a multi-layered, carb-enclosed, preferably-with-excessive-mayo, sandwich."

What is love
"It is a place you got to where you surrender in trust, accept the now and let go."

Which issue do you care most about changing? 
"I often feel so bombarded with the extent of issues I go numb. I think it is really important to try and avoid this state of overwhelm, for the purpose of protecting your mind but also to prevent inaction. 

"What helps me is focusing on my immediate world, my people and my environment around me. My passion is food. Having overcome some very big challenges with it, now I want to share the joy of food with as many people as I can. I care about helping people understand where their food comes from, how it was made and what it’s doing for (or to) them. Not in a calorie-counting, glucose-spike-monitoring kind of way, but in a way that helps us connect more deeply to ourselves, to each other and to the world around us.

"It can help us understand cultures, empathise with people we’ve never met, and care more about the land and systems that feed us. Food tells stories, brings people together, and makes the abstract feel real. That’s the kind of connection I want to help people find."

Northern Pasta Co. items can be found in our Pantry Essentials Reset Box now. Read on for more on How a New 
Food System Can Heal Us and The Planet in our Journal