Shape I’m In: Donal Skehan, cook

“I have a bottomless pit of a stomach. I will try everything once,” says cook Donal Skehan.

“I love offal and crazy things — when we travel, I’ll be the first person to try a chicken’s foot.”

The adventurous gourmet has one exception — liquorice. “I love aniseed as a taste, but I never think I’d love some liquorice now. My mum used to buy bags of Liquorice Allsorts but I wouldn’t go near them.”

Piling on the pounds is often an occupational hazard if your world revolves around food. Not so for this TV cook, food photographer and blogger who believes in forward planning.

“We’re testing beef recipes this week, so, knowing I’m going to be assaulted by beef, I need to make sure I am going to have porridge in the morning and a little salad goes a long way,” he says.

Aged 27, he lives in Howth, Co Dublin, with his girlfriend Sofie Larsson, who works full-time with him. “We’ve a very small team. The control you have in terms of content is very important to me.”

* Donal Skehan is an ambassador for the Great Irish Bake in aid of Temple Street Hospital.

What shape are you in?

I go for a walk everyday. And if it’s not a walk it’s an energetic jog. We’ve a little rescue dog Max — a cross between a Border Collie and a Jack Russell — and he makes sure we pretty much get out for a walk every day.

Do you have any health concerns?

No. I haven’t been to the doctor in a few years. We have a mentality of fixing a problem when we have it rather than using our diet to prevent sickness and illness. Keeping a healthy diet and regular exercise keeps me out of the doctor’s surgery. The one thing is forgetting to relax a little from work — we work quite long hours with a lot of travel involved.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

Salad leaves — I have a little veg box outside the kitchen, they are so easy to grow. Whatever I cook I always serve a big bowl of salad with it.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?

My dad used to put a call in from work on the way home and ask if we wanted anything from the village. My request was always a Tangle Twister and continues to be. I love it.

What would keep you awake at night?

My worse habit is to go back to the computer after dinner. So by the time I go to bed my brain is still buzzing and I don’t get to sleep until about midnight or 1 am. I try to get eight hours’ a night.

How do you relax?

Blogging and cooking were my hobbies. Now blogging and cooking have become my job, I’ve started to look to other things as my hobby and I’ve started growing vegetables.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Jamie Oliver, I think he is a proper legend; Nigella Lawson, Nigel Slater; the Two Fat Ladies and maybe Julia Child, along with friends and family.

What’s your favourite smell?

Freshly baked bread in the house.

What would you change about your appearance?

I could be a little more well-built and pump a bit of iron in the gym.

When did you last cry?

When I watched that ridiculous movie Marley and Me. I had a Golden Retriever, Skellig, that died when I was about 10.

What trait do you least like in others?

Lack of manners.

What trait do you least like in yourself?

I’m too easily apologetic.

Do you pray?

Not in the religious way but I believe in positive thinking.