A BIT ABOUT ME
From pain grew passion.
I was once really quite sick and my beautiful boy was suffering too. There were many, many doctor’s visits for both of us, it became pretty clear to me that I needed to take control of what I could, and so commenced an adventure of discovery. I tried a million and one things, some very conventional, some akin to having two fish smacked over your head whilst someone sings Kumbaya (honestly).
Throughout this time, I began to think more about the power of food, not just from a potentially medicinal and healing point of view but also from a place of connection, of joy, of happiness.
As the pain subsided my curiosity and interest turned it into a passion. Food would end up being my savior, I love cooking for my family and my friends – I love understanding other culture’s cuisine’s and the stories behind their incredible dishes.
As I delved further into forgotten food practices and the love associated with the sharing of food, I had unearthed GOLD and I have never looked back. Neither has my boy who is now a very healthy man.
In May 2018 I set off for Tennessee to a Fermentation Residency with a most beautiful human, Sandor Katz. Off the grid camping in spectacular wilderness, sharing the experience with a wonderful group of people from around the globe.
This residency was the chance to learn from a world authority – and that cemented my love for fermenting.
Upon returning home to Adelaide, South Australia I made the decision to apply for MasterChef Australia 2019, holy crap…. what a spectacular ride.
Somehow I got an apron with my name on it, and while Mystery Boxes, and Team Challenges aren’t exactly the optimal conditions for a long ferment or slow cook, it was another amazing experience with a stack of gorgeous and talented humans.
I wouldn’t swap that time or experience for all the fermented tea in China. I would love to have achieved and learnt more, but I had a bad cook - didn’t trust my gut (weird for a fermenter) and I ignored instinct, and as they say in the classics “the rest is history”.
Time to start writing the next chapter, time to get fermenting!