The food chain Josceline Dimbleby and her son Henry, founder of healthy fast food chain Leon

Josceline Dimbleby, 73, one of Britain’s best-loved food writers, has published more than 20 cookbooks and won many awards. Her childhood, as the daughter of a diplomat, inspired a love of travel that has infuenced her cooking and writing. She has three children with her ex-husband David.

When Henry was about 12, we all went to India after Christmas. We knew a woman who ran a hotel and she put us up for free. Henry realised ‘free’ meant free food too, and ordered huge amounts of room service.

I was really bad at letting my children cook because when they were young I was always doing cookery books. It’s very laborious, in the kitchen by yourself, writing down every single ingredient. The children came home from school and I’d say ‘GO AWAY!’. But we had very foodinstructive meals. There was lots of talk about the food and if there wasn’t, I made them talk about it. I still can’t bear cooking when people just eat it up and don’t say a word. I think family meals are terribly important – to sit down at a table and have proper conversation. It’s not all about the food, but the food spurs it on.

Henry was defnitely infuenced by me because he’d had those early experiences. He also has that incredible Dimbleby energy, which he puts to very good use. Whenever he does any TV or The Kitchen Cabinet (the BBC Radio 4 culinary panel show), I think he’s very natural and funny.

Henry leads an incredibly busy life. He’s never been one for writing letters like my daughters. To this day, if I want him to reply to an email or a telephone call, I make it about food – then I can ask him whatever else I want to ask him.

I was very fattered when Henry decided to make his career in food because I felt it was something to do with me. I also think he’s a wonderful broadcaster. I am very proud of him.

Josceline’s book, Orchards in the Oasis: Recipes, Travels & Memories (£25, Quadrille), won a Guild of Food Writers Award in 2011.

Josceline & Henry Dimbleby

No matter how busy they are, Josceline and her son Henry always find time to discuss food

Clockwise, from above left: Henry and Josceline; Henry (centre) on a family holiday to Spain in 1977; and with his father, David

‘Mum has a real passion for favour and sensation. She’s passed that on, as well as always being very experimental’

Henry Dimbleby, 44, is co-founder of the healthy fast-food chain Leon and has co-written several cookbooks. With the School Food Plan, he campaigns to support head teachers in providing better food for pupils. He and his wife live in London with their three young children.

When I was a kid, we used to decamp to Devon for the whole of the summer holidays and have these very noisy suppers and picnics on the beach. Mum has a real passion for favour and sensation. She’s passed that on, as well as always being very experimental. She broke the mould in so many ways.

Mum was brought up in Syria and Peru, and she always was quite adventurous with the food we had at home. She never let us in the kitchen though, she always shooed us out. She was always working and writing things down. But she trained our palates. You can learn the mechanics of cooking, but to learn about favour so early on is a massive advantage. Leon is all about big, bold favours – Mum was brilliantly diligent in the beginning, she would endlessly go into Leon and give me detailed thoughts about what worked and what didn’t.

I’ve never felt any pressure to compete with Mum. I can have Michelin-starred chefs round for dinner and I won’t feel pressured at all, I just enjoy it. The value is in whether or not you enjoy entertaining people. It’s about being round the table, about talking and sharing life.

I cook with my children all the time. Last night we made parsnip fries. With a little help from me, my two-year-old daughter, Dory, used a knife to peel and slice them. She ended up pouring a whole packet of polenta on the foor. They all love to cook. There’s something about that kind of communal spirit. When I’m with my boys, I have much the better conversations with them when we’re standing side by side, chatting over peeling something.

To read about the School Food Plan, visit schoolfoodplan.com.

Don’t miss next month’s on sale 27March