The very first dish I ever made was a toasted ham and cheese sandwich with a fried egg on top, when I was in primary school. I followed the recipe to the letter in a cook-by-pictures cookbook I'd taken out of the library. I didn't know that it was actually a famous French dish, croque madame. All I knew is that I was chuffed at the sandwich masterpiece that I'd created all by myself.
I've always loved food, but I only really pursued a career in food in my 20s after some encouragement from my dad. I quit my university law studies and headed to the UK to explore what being a chef would be like. That's where my journey began, as a commis chef in a brasserie in a little town called Knutsford.
Yes, the chef industry is dominated by men, but, because I chose to follow a path of food styling, mostly undertaken by women, I haven't had as big a struggle as a female working as a chef in a restaurant kitchen.
The best advice I can share for a young woman wanting to be a chef is to persevere and work hard. It's a tough job because you are working when other people are having fun, so you need to really be passionate about your craft and sacrifice a lot. Stick with it even when the times get tough, because doing what you love is the most rewarding thing in the world.There are so many elements of my job that I enjoy. I love cooking and sharing my passion for food on TV platforms, but I also really love food writing and styling as well.
The three women who have inspired me in my food journey are:..