UPFROnT
Interview Si Hawkins Illustration Bill McConkeyASK A SILLY QUESTIOn
Simon Church and one of the older lads- Steve Sidwell, I think – shouted out,
“Brian, you should bring Robson-Kanu
on board – he holidays in Wales.” He
looked at me, asked, “Do you holiday
in Wales?” and I said, “Well, yeah, my
grandma’s Welsh...” The rest is history.
We love the surprise in Brian’s voice
there, maybe indicative of a man who
spent one too many rainy afternoons
in Aberystwyth. You went to Tenby –
pretty thrilling as a kid?
I can’t wait to go back there! Beautiful
views, white sands, fishing – one time
on a fishing trip, we caught over 100
mackerel. That was really cool. And my
gran would make an incredible coffee
cake: coffee sponge with coffee icing in
the middle... ah, we used to love that.
You must be hard to buy presents for,
footballer turned entrepreneur. Do
your loved ones have to go leftfield?
I tend to say socks and aftershave. I’m
trying to remember the weirdest thing
anyone has ever given me. My brother
bought me some water balloons once.
I was well into my twenties by then...
Is haute couture a passion, too – ever
blown a huge wad on a monstrosity?
No, I’m fairly standard. I get the mickey
taken out of me by my wife, because
she says I dress like Steve Jobs. I wear
the same thing: lots of different pieces,
but all in the same style. My morning
preparation time is, what, 10 minutes?
Have you picked up any lifestyle tips
from other business bods, then: your
Bill Gateses, your Elon Musks?
I saw something about Nikola Tesla; he
slept for two hours a night, then split
his day into what he was passionate
about: innovation, technology, energy.
Margaret Thatcher would brag about
sleeping for only four hours. She did
seem quite tetchy, though.
You try not to nod off during meetings - that’s not effective. I sleep for four or
five hours every night, get up early and
work late. I power through.
Thanks for chatting, Hal!
Cheers!
Hal is the founder of The Turmeric Co.
For more details, visit theturmeric.coHAL ‘SPICE BOY’ ROBSOn-KAnU
“MY WIFE ALWAYS TAKES
THE MICKEY, TELLInG ME
I DRESS LIKE STEVE JOBS”
Hi Hal. You’re now a top entrepreneur
turning people onto turmeric – what
made you become a spice merchant?
Hi! When I was a teenager, I realised
that my body had adverse effects to
standard medications, so my dad and
I went on a research binge down the
library, studying natural remedies like
pomegranate, pineapple, watermelon,
ginger... and turmeric!
It sounds like a refreshing smoothie.
Well, it’s more of a shot format – you
have it in one go. It’s a potent product.
From when I was 17 up until a decade
later, we probably ruined dozens and
dozens of blenders; every kitchen top
that you can imagine...
If we order huge tikka masalas every
night, with loads of turmeric in it, can
we become international footballers?
In a curry you’re having it in powdered
form, but the key is to have it in its raw
form and mix it with other ingredients.
The blend is the unique thing.
So, Euro 2016 and your Cruyff turn to
fool Belgium... was down to turmeric?
Everything was. I wouldn’t have been
able to do it, physically – the surgeon
told me I’d never play without pain and
restriction again. So my whole career
is down to it, really.
You’re a national hero in Wales. Have
you tried out that ‘never need to buy
a drink’ thing when entering a pub?
I have. And it does work!
Apparently Jack Charlton would pay
by cheque in Irish restaurants, as he
knew they’d frame it and not cash it.
[Laughs] I’d never thought about that;
I think he’s cracked it there. I still have
a chequebook actually...
People joked that Jack picked players
who’d holidayed in Ireland, but isn’t
that how you got selected for Wales?
Ha! That was at Reading. Brian Flynn,
the under-21s manager, came to see
Wales’ Euro 2016 superstar talks turmeric, water balloons, sleep deprivation and mackerel majesty