We get up close and personal with GBBO's Ruby Bhogal's home truths
The Great British Bake Off finalist and author shares her homeware addiction and her pet peeves

The Great British Bake Off finalist and author lives in south London with her fiancé, BBC presenter James Stewart and their Maltipoo, Milo.
Where’s your happy place at home?
The kitchen, but it is also the place that gives me stress and anxiety. We’ve got a sofa in that room because I spend 98% of my time in there. If James is away for work, I won’t even go in the living room.
I’ll spend all my time in the kitchen, either baking or at the table working. In the morning, I’ll do admin and prepare for whatever task I’ve got in the afternoon. The easiest bit is the baking, which I can do with my eyes closed!
What's your homeware addiction?
James would go nuts if I buy another glass, which I seem to buy every time we go on holiday. I’ll also thrift them and buy new. H&M Home does lovely glasses. When we’re hosting in the summer, I like to have an array of different glasses in different heights to help to tablescape ever so slightly.
What is your home pet peeve?
The fact our house has wasted space. We’re renting a four-bedroom house and because there's only two of us, there are rooms we don't ever use. We jumped at the property because it’s brand new and I've got a thing about hygiene.
I couldn’t bear renting a property where someone else's bottom has sat on the toilet seat. I know that sounds daft!
Do you have a bad home habit you’d like to quit?
I never take the bins out. I try my hardest to fit as much into the bin as I physically possibly can. Even if I can see it's breaking the bag, I still won't empty it! I don't stay on top of that at all. James does it so well, I don’t want to take that role away from him!
What chore do you hate doing?
Cleaning my fridge. So much stuff goes in my fridge on the daily and don’t clear out and clean it as often as I should. Last week a tsunami of strawberry juice dripped onto the shelf, then all the way down to the bottom drawers. It wasn't fun to clear up at all.
Do you try your hand at DIY?
I love DIY. If anything needs to be fixed, it’s me doing it! Even though my dad's a mechanic, if anything needs doing at my parents’ house, Mum waits for me to go home to do it. DIY is very satisfying and gratifying. It’s also quite mindless so it’s nice to be able to follow instructions and make something from A to B.
Are you a good host?
I would like to say so. Coming from an Indian family, I really know how to feed people. It's part of our DNA to host! Even if someone isn’t very hungry, I’ll be forcing a slice of cake down their throat before they go! I got into cooking way before baking.
There’s a six-year age gap between me and my siblings so whilst they were at university, I spent a lot of time at home alone with mum in the kitchen and that's where my love of food came from.
What’s your favourite time of the day at home?
First thing in the morning, when my kitchen is spotless after a big clean down the night before. I'm normally up before Milo and my fiancé James, so it's nice to have a bit of calm and quiet before chaos ensues.
Before we have breakfast, James and I take Milo for a 45-minute walk in the park and it's the best way to start the day.
What's on your bedside table?
I have got into a good habit of not doom scrolling before bed, and instead, I love to read before I go to sleep so on my bedside table I’ve got three books - two new ones and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which I’ve read a number of times. I read it when I need a good dose of inspiration. I pick it up and read from any page that I open.
I've also got an eye mask and a lavender Aesop hand cream to restore my hands after constantly cleaning up the kitchen and washing up.
Do you have any routines at home?
I spend half an hour to an hour every night in the shower room. After a busy, long day in the kitchen I do all the skincare - cleansing, toning and moisturising every part of my body. I
’m in the shower until I’m a prune! In the shower, I don’t have to bother with emails, nobody can get hold of me and there’s no cake waiting to come out of the oven. It’s just my time.
What’s your favourite homeware shop?
Where I live near Clapham Junction there are so many independent homeware shops but if I’m looking for a larger high street brand, my go-to is H&M Home, where I bought all my plates, cups and saucers. They’ve got nice, quirky little pieces.
In the hot seat
- Shoes on or off? Off. I'm always barefoot.
- Eat at table or laps? Table.
- Lighting - bright or moody? Brightly lit. You can't do what I do in dark!
- Quick shower or long bath? Long shower.
- Colourful or neutral? Neutral with a pop of colour. I've got an orange rug downstairs.
- Neat or creative chaos? Neat freak. Other than the chaos when I'm in the kitchen, everything else has to be put away.
- Music, radio, tv or quiet? I used to bake with music blaring, but I found I was being careless so now I bake in silence.
Ruby Bhogal’s debut cookbook One Bake Two Ways is out now, available at all good booksellers and supermarkets
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