Paul Callaghan on cooking, gardening and surviving recession depression

How do you go from being the stereotypical ‘Breakfast Roll Man’ to growing and cooking your own vegetables and writing books about it?

Take a sharp economic nose-dive, followed by a helping of fully-fledged recession, add the earth-shattering loss of your successful company and a generous dollop of depression. Simmer gently before adding a heart-to-heart with your big sister. That should do it.

Back in early 2008, 29-year-old Paul Callaghan was a self-employed plasterer running a successful company employing several tradesmen. “I started as a plasterer at the age of 18 and set up my business around the age of 24. There was plenty of work,” recalls the Armagh native, now 34.