Name: Henry David Firth
Job title: Founder and co-CEO
Company: Bosh
What was your first job? After a paper round, being a potwasher at Yankees in Sheffield and a short stint in door-to-door double glazing, I ended up as a bartender with my co-founder Ian at the Sheffield Marriott.
What’s been your worst job interview? Chef on a dive boat in Australia after a week’s trial. Turns out seasickness, the Pacific Ocean and cooking don’t mix. Shocker: I didn’t get the job.
What was the first music single you bought? Halcyon and On and On by Orbital on vinyl. Still a great tune! Now sits gathering dust with thousands of other house and jungle vinyls from my mis-spent youth.
“Act like you’re cooking for your own kids and make food that keeps people healthier for longer.
Surely that must be the future of food?”
How do you describe your job to your friends? I run a hybrid food/media company. We make recipes, videos, cookbooks and products that get people eating more plants. And every now and again I cook on TV!
What is the most rewarding part of your job? Messages from people who cook our food and feel better for it – lately from shoppers discovering our new chilled meals and pizzas in Tesco. Seeing those land in busy weeknights is why we do it.
What is the least rewarding part? My mega-commute. Two hours each way on frequently-delayed trains. I love the team and the bustle of London, but it’s a mission!
What is your motto in life? I’ve loved this quote ever since I was a kid, by Goethe: “Anything you would do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”
If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? I’d like all my housework to be magically done (by AI robots maybe?) so I can have fun with my family, cook, train, write etc…
Do you have any phobias? I really don’t like looking at things with lots of holes in them… yuck.
If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? More healthy food. Act like you’re cooking for your own kids and make food that keeps people healthier for longer. Surely that must be the future of food?
What luxury would you have on a desert island? The difference between hope and despair is a good night’s sleep. So I’m bringing a ridiculously comfy hammock, an eye mask and a mosquito net.
What animal most reflects your personality? I’m very sea turtle right now. With a young toddler and a young business, I’m floating with the current, trying to stay calm amid the swells and nudging things in the right direction.
What’s your favourite film and why? Interstellar. Awesome film – makes my jaw drop. Makes me want to fight for the planet and our kids. Also the perfect soundtrack for focused work sessions.
Read more:
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Plant-based progress: why the UK must double down on innovation
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Bosh launches vegan ready meals and pizzas into Tesco
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How ready meals can drive positive change on health and sustainability
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Squeaky Bean adds plant-based pies featuring fermented veg
What has been the most embarrassing moment in your life? My 30th at the Snowbombing festival. Too much tequila, dressed as a parrot. The end.
Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? Brian Johnson, the longevity guy. I love the monk-like discipline and the data. Let’s run the tests on me and then turn the insights into tasty meals for real people.
What would your death row meal be? Christmas dinner with the whole family: all the trimmings, course after course of deliciousness and a massive Bosh Mushroom Wellington as the showstopper in the middle!
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