Down to earth mum of two Rose Dann may have famous family connections, but it's her sense of humour and engaging personality that has seen her social media followers soar as she presents and creates wholesome family recipes that anyone can cook at home
As a young girl, Rose Dann’s dreams were as specific as they were ambitious. ‘I wanted to be a children’s presenter, a cook and an actress, all of them together,’ she laughs from the hub of her little Cornish cottage. Such aspirations and eclectic mix of interests aren’t surprising given Rose’s lineage: her father was the BAFTA award winning children’s TV presenter, Brian Cant. In addition, Cherry Britton Cant, Rose’s mum, is a successful television writer and the daughter of actor Tony Britton and continues to be the drive behind the whole family. Oh, and for years Rose’s aunt, Fern Britton, hosted the hugely successful Ready Steady Cook.
That’s quite a pedigree, isn’t it? No wonder Rose is now also developing a name for herself in the food world. And her acting skills aren’t going unnoticed either. But let’s go back to her childhood to discover how it all began.
Born in Buckinghamshire, Rose attended the Jackie Palmer Stage School before embarking on a BA Hons in Acting at Bournemouth Arts Institute (now University). ‘It wasn’t a surprise for us to follow in our parents’ footsteps in some way,’ she recalls, ‘and Dad was the proudest father in the world if I was doing a show or had written a sketch. Mind you, he also wanted me to follow a more reliable career.’
Although enjoying her course, at the end of her second year Rose received a call which would eventually put her on new personal and career paths. ‘My Auntie Fern phoned me and said she had some friends in Cornwall who needed someone to work at their bar for six weeks. I jumped at the chance and packed my bags! That summer I met Jason and even though, once I returned to university, we continued our relationship, eventually the long distance wasn’t sustainable so 12 years ago I moved to Cornwall.’
As the couple were settling in Treyarnon Bay, this period coincided with Rose having second thoughts about the instability of the acting world and the limited use of her acting skills in her adopted county, so she decided to try something new and completely unexpected. A pitch on a beach had just come up so the couple bought a vintage van for £50, painted it pink and green and for the next eight years it became the ice cream destination for locals and holidaymakers. Rose recalls these years as not only a ‘fun and happy experience’ but the van also became her ‘stage,’ embedding her love of food and hosting, having already spent much of her adult life cooking for others.
Indeed, motivated by her father’s praise of her ‘miracle meals,’ suggestions she write a cookbook began to surface. Then, a year ago, encouragement from a friend gave her a new incentive: the bubbly 34 year old would use social media to showcase her recipes. With an added twist.
‘I started filming myself cooking recipes as a way of documenting them. Being dyslexic, I found this an easier option plus it made the content more engaging for my followers.’ Humour comes easily to Rose, so it wasn’t surprising when she began to add comical voice overs. These went down well and her Instagram following grew to four figures, encouraging local brands to contact her asking her to endorse their products. As Rose’s confidence flourished, her followers were regularly treated to both her culinary and acting skills.
The essence of @mumonmuddylane isn’t complicated. Very much of the ‘whatever’s in the fridge’ approach to cooking, Rose is intent on enabling people to realise that anyone can cook simple but tasty meals without having to buy special ingredients or spend hours in the kitchen. ‘My food is accessible and not pretentious, just comfy, nostalgic meals you can make at home.’ As well as creating several new recipes each week and championing local brands such as The Cornish Food Box Company and Baker Tom’s bread, Rose is having a whale of a time indulging her humour in the form of Celeste, as she chuckles: ‘When someone suggested I needed an agent, I thought I’d invent my own. Celeste is basically a pair of glasses, a phone and a red lipstick but the joke is that she’s Christopher Biggins’ and several other celebrities’ agent too!’
Despite the lack of formal culinary training, and the inevitable imposter syndrome that lurks, Rose’s career continues to peak. At the end of last year, she was invited to be part of the Padstow Food Festival line up alongside the likes of Rick Stein and has already been invited back for this year’s event. Are there similarities between live cooking and acting, I wonder? ‘Remembering the ingredients is just like remembering the lines to a play,’ she muses while continuing to appreciate the reception she has received from “legitimate chefs”. The mum of two adds, ‘I’m so grateful for the kindness that local chefs have shown me, saying ‘hi chef’ when we all know I’m just a mum in front of her Aga, pinny on.’
Meanwhile, as Rose continues to focus on her goal of writing a cookbook, she is thrilled to be a Best Foodie Mama finalist in this year’s GLOMAMA Awards and also has her sights set on ‘an occasional stint on Sunday Brunch - that would be cool; being part of the live experience is exciting.’
Alongside a full time devotion to her self-made career, this talented creative always finds opportunities to appreciate her adopted surroundings with her young family. ‘Every day,’ she says, ‘I am totally in awe of Cornwall. Once you cross the Tamar, there’s magic, history and mystery here. And as much as I love cooking, I enjoy eating out; one of my favourite places is The Doghouse at St Merryn where delicious wood fired pizzas are served in a relaxed atmosphere.’
With ongoing accolades on Instagram and some suggesting she is ‘The next Nigella,’ Rose Dann remains refreshingly down to earth. But more than that, she is living proof that with hard work, patience and a good sense of humour, you can achieve your dreams.
