Here, Ruby opens up about her girlfriend, her ongoing struggle with anxiety and why Harry Styles will always be her hero…
It’s safe to say you won’t find Ruby Tandoh sipping mushroom tea with clean-eating crusaders Melissa and Jasmine Hemsley any time soon.
Back in May, the former Great British Bake Off finalist slammed the phenomenally popular ‘wellness’ craze spearheaded by the sisters, blaming it for an increasing obsession with eating ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ foods – known as orthorexia.
Neither the Hemsleys nor fellow clean converts like Ella Woodward responded to her outburst, much to Ruby’s relief. ‘I’d never want to talk to them in a million years,’ she tells Grazia. ‘I’m no good at standing up to anyone, or having a row. I’m not that kind of person.’
In that notorious blog post, Ruby, 24, argued that a strict gluten and sugar-free diet is far from nutritious. She also confessed that a past ‘clean’ spell of her own was an eating disorder in disguise, saying: ‘I became fearful and thin. I had found “wellness”. I was not well.’
Backed by kitchen goddess Nigella Lawson, Ruby’s critique quickly went viral. ‘I was surprised anyone wanted to read it,’ she says. ‘But the response was amazing. People were so supportive, which is rare for me. I’m more used to upsetting everyone.’
Hopeful that the tide is slowly turning against the cult of clean, Essex-born Ruby will keep pushing her message. ‘There’s still so much snobbery about food. I hate how people on already limited budgets are told to buy things like buckwheat flour and coconut oil, for no good reason. The assumption is that these things are healthier, but they’re just expensive fads. It’s misinformation which reinforces class division.’
There’s nothing remotely faddy in Ruby’s new cookbook Flavour, which focuses on glorious, guilt-free eating. Recipes include blueberry fritter doughnuts, sticky BBQ wings and pretzel peanut butter pie.
‘It’s about enjoying the foods you really want, without any shame,’ she explains. ‘It’s very personal to me.’ As you’d expect, the book is full of mouth-watering photos, but miles away from the clean-eating variety clogging up Instagram. ‘I’m so bored of those pretentious photos of smoothies with “wellness” hashtags. I don’t believe they even taste nice. And I feel sorry for people who document every meal in pictures. It’s not good if your diet takes over your life in that way.’
Equally weary of Instagrammers’ glamorised gym-bunny shots, she adds, ‘I’ve seen it a lot recently, and I’m worried about the idea that “strong is the new skinny”. There’s a creeping sense of what we should be, of what’s ideal. We’re not getting rid of horrible body standards that make people unwell, but continually moving the goalposts. It’s wrong.’
Bulimic in her teens, Ruby says her recovery hit a setback at university.‘I started to eat really clean, cutting out meat, fish, gluten, dairy, sugar, fish and eggs. I didn’t recognise it as an eating disorder until I got more into cooking. Now, lots of people get in touch with me and I see they’re channelling eating disorders through clean eating in the same way.’
She adds hastily, ‘Wellness doesn’t cause anorexia, but anyone can fall prey to limiting their diet or spending loads on foods they’re told are healthy. It’s not just teenage girls – all of us are vulnerable.’
Admitting her own relationship withfood is still not plain-sailing, Ruby says, ‘I like to remind myself I could become unwell again, to keep me on my toes. I’ve always been anxious, and if I’m worried I don’t feel like eating. So I make myself sit down at the table, because when there’s a meal in front of you, you usually enjoy it.’
Her anxiety still ‘comes and goes,’ she says. ‘I’ve had panic attacks in the past, but mostly it’s an underlying nervousness that permeates everything I do. I get a pounding heart and tightness in my chest. Breathing exercises help, and I’ve got better at recognising when I need to take time out. It’s really important to be able to say, “No, I can’t do that today”.’
Her own experiences mean Ruby is a firm advocate of more open mental health discussion. ‘It’s an illness. You wouldn’t criticise someone for saying they have a cough – anxiety and depression should be no different.’ Given her struggles, it’s surprising Ruby found the courage to take part in 2013’s Bake Off at all. ‘It’s weird,’ she says. ‘It was out of character for me to apply.
There were times I found it so tough that I wanted to leave.’ Shy, quiet and frequently in tears on screen, she split viewers’ opinion. While many found her desperation to please the judges endearing, she was accused of playing them – and even of wanting to ‘bang’ Paul Hollywood to boost her chances.
Ruby had her say on that matter last year, when she took to Twitter to reveal she was gay, branding those behind the Hollywood jibes ‘massive sh*tting misogynists’. But her joyous moment was eclipsed when he tweeted to ask why she brought his name into it. ‘That was awkward,’ she says. ‘But the whole thing was gross from start to finish. He’s old enough to be my dad.
Regardless of my sexuality, it should’ve been taken as a given that I wasn’t trying to get ahead in that way. It’s shocking.’ Looking back, the online abuse sparked by Bake Off was a steep learning curve. ‘Being called a “filthy slag” was hurtful at the time, but it made me more resilient. I can’t decide how people feel about me. I can only try and be a nice person.’
These days, she’s more likely to be sharing One Direction gossip than fending off Twitter trolls. ‘Harry Styles is my absolute hero. He’s everything,’ she says. ‘I was gutted when he cut his hair. It was so beautiful. I hope he grows it back.’ Ruby’s new book even contains a recipe in his honour. ‘It’s called Harry Styles’ Dutch Baby and is a cross between a Dutch pancake and a Yorkshire pudding.
It’s his favourite dessert, so I’ve done my version.’ Ruby tried out each recipe at home in Sheffield, with her partner of 18 months, Leah, proving a willing guinea pig. ‘She loves food as much as me. She makes me so excited about cooking and trying out new things.’
After struggling with her sexuality for years, it was Leah who encouraged Ruby to come out. ‘Before we met, I spent a lot of time by myself. It’s surprised me how easily I’ve found room for someone else in what I thought was an insular life.’
Although marriage and kids are ‘off-radar’ for now, a dog (‘a miniature Schnauzer’) is on the wish list. The pair are also hoping to buy their first home – ‘with a kitchen big enough for all my pots and pans’ – and a small garden they can grow herbs in. ‘We’re in it for the long-term,’ Ruby smiles. ‘I’m not even worried I’m jinxing it by saying that.’
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