How my passion for cooking started

When I was growing up, I was one of three hungry mouths that my dad and mum had to feed, kid-wise. My sisters and I had different appetites, and my dad always delivered huge meals bursting with flavours. Ever since I could remember I always had a passion for all things food or cooking. I remember as a little kid I would be sitting on the high stall in the kitchen while dad was preparing dinner. Dad was always the one cooking in our kitchen at home, from stews to roasts to everything really. Every afternoon after school, I would go home and by 5 o’clock I would be ready and waiting on that high stall ready to help. I was my dad's sidekick chef, I would cut all vegetables and potatoes and he would cut all meat and peel potatoes. (all the jobs I didn't like doing). Watching him create a dish was my favourite thing to watch. Sometimes we would make it up as we go and that was the best part. Dinner was the main event in my house, we didn't have everything growing up including money but dinner was always on the table. As I started to grow up and start understanding techniques and flavours, I really understood how food works and how to really treat every produce right. Vegetables have always been a favourite of mine not only the health benefits but the flavours they realise in every dish is amazing.

One thing with cooking alongside my dad was you can never add too many vegetables or garlic. Which now I can't live without, and I'm talking ten garlic cloves in a stew haha … One thing he always said was “you can always add but can’t take away”. Salt was also our best friend but remembering never add too much at the start when you can add later more on. As my dad would also say. Having dad teach me what he knew in the kitchen is a favourite memory of mine. Our relationship got stronger and stronger everyday cooking together and it made cooking together so much fun.

Every day I am grateful for what I have been taught even if it is the basics. I don’t know if I would have so much passion for food without cooking alongside my dad growing up. Knowing the basics and teaching myself more each day I can say it has made my adult life so much easier and rewarding. So many friends of mine can't believe what I can cook at the age of twenty-two. But I always say you can too! Even if you haven't had the same experience as me or been taught the basics from a young age it doesn't mean you can't start now. Start learning now! Learning to cook is so much fun and I'm not just talking about taste testing but its the satisfaction and smiles on your family and friends face when they see what you can create and it can be easy and simple.