Your go-to martini?

I love a martini, as dry and as cold as possible, with salty olive brine and occasionally a small pickled onion, Gibson style. 

Being both a chef and an entrepreneur must bring its share of stress - how do you inject a bit of calm into your day?

I have 20–30 minutes each day I call my activation. It mainly involves breathing, stretching, some yoga that my daughter Sadie taught me, and a bit of Tai Chi. It sets up my day, and I feel very grateful for being alive. It’s a good way to enter the day. If I need time during the day, I walk.

Tell us about your daily rituals - are there small habits you do every day, no matter where you are?

I live on a sailboat, so my morning tea when I’m on board is a ritual. It’s always brewed in the same pot, a Mariage Frères one my friend Neil Borthwick gave me. I like Birchall’s Great Rift tea or loose leaf from the Algerian Coffee Store on Old Compton Street. I always have Jersey milk in it, and I’m either looking at a sunny day or a wild, windy one from the cockpit of the boat.

We’re plunging headfirst into winter - darker days, longer nights. Do your habits or rituals shift with the seasons?

I like to be on board more, and I use a slow cooker so I can pop a curry on and look forward all day to getting home and enjoying it.

Tell us about your at-home cooking rituals.

I moved onto a sailing boat a year ago. I went from a house with an open grill in the kitchen to mainly stovetop cooking and a small grill in winter. I make things last – a handful of veg goes a long way – and I preserve what’s left. I eat simply and like radio or audiobooks while I’m cooking. I particularly like Asian food.

As the season of hosting begins, what does it look like when you host supper at home - what’s on the table, what’s in the glass?

Usually my children come round to the boat to enjoy boat chilli! I don’t really drink on board - the boat is a sort of retreat from alcohol - but I do enjoy a whisky from time to time.

How do you approach hosting in your restaurants? Are there any touches you always insist on being done a certain way?

I’m so into detail! I insist on a welcome for everyone and a goodbye and thank you as the main things. Guests will always remember how you made them feel, and isn’t that why we go out – to escape our realities and be in another one? It’s our role as restaurateurs to create wonderful times for people.

You’ve taken over an iconic space in Lyme Regis - how’s it going so far, and what’s on the menu?

It’s been brilliant. I’ve always loved it under Mark’s tenure and was overjoyed to get the call from him to take it on. We renovated it with lots of wood but really just kept the charm of it. Menu-wise it’s a full-blown Rockfish - people seem to love it - and Mark and I are cooking there soon. I think the old magic still remains.

What would be your perfect Black Cow + seafood pairing?

A plate of Cantabrian anchovies and a bone-dry martini.

Tell us about your end-of-day routine - how do you unwind?

I listen to a book or read. I usually find I’m asleep fairly quickly, especially if it’s stormy – the boat moves about, the wind whistles and the rain hammering down makes me feel lucky to be warm and protected. I try to avoid my phone, as once I’m on it there’s no sleep.

Next thing you’re working on that you’re excited about?

Our online seafood market. I want people in Britain to enjoy the best seafood in the world, direct from the coast – no waste! I think what our team does is brilliant.

Quick Fire

Favourite song to cook to: The Sandinista! album by The Clash - banger after banger.
Favourite local restaurant: Darts Farm - The Farm Table.
Favourite cocktail: Whisky Sour.
Taste that most reminds you of home: Any kind of braise.
What makes you feel most at peace: Being at sea or with my granddaughter, children and their wonderful partners.

Explore Mitch’s restaurants, recipes and seafood market at rockfish.co.uk