2. What or who has been the greatest influence on your cooking style?
I think the thing that has most influenced my cooking style has been my family; the fact that I have three boys who were always hungry. I have always love to cook for them and make them happy, so their preferences and appetites have pretty much driven my cooking style for the past few decades.
3. What is one of the best meals you’ve ever eaten and why?
One of the best meals I ever ate would be Christmas dinner as a kid, down the South Coast. We had a lobster pot which Dad would put out in the ocean every now and then, and we used to go prawning, so along with the Christmas ham we had beautiful fresh seafood and salads, all by the ocean.
4. You are known for your fun, family recipes. Many of our participants are busy working parents, any tips for easy meals?
Get everyone involved in the decision process, in choosing what to eat; when the kids are old enough, get them involved in the shopping, cooking and cleaning up as well. Serve food to the centre of the table and let everyone help themselves. Take the pressure off – not every dinner has to be a culinary experience, sometimes, it’s enough to put something simple on the table and just enjoy each other’s company.
5. What’s one ingredient from another culture that you absolutely love cooking with?
Only one??!? So hard to choose. Perhaps sumac, which is a signature flavour in Lebanese cuisine, which I adore.
6. What is the best piece of advice you’d give someone trying to cook a dish from another culture for the first time?
Enjoy it, embrace it, don’t be afraid of it! Despite the differences in origin, flavours, spices, food at its core is something we have in common the world over. Trying new ways to enjoy it is a pleasure and a privilege.
7. If you could invite three guests to a dinner party, who would they be and why?
My sons. And their dad. And their partners. And my granddaughter. And my extended family and my friends. I can’t only invite three people for dinner, there will be way too much food.
8. Why do you think food is such a powerful way to celebrate cultural diversity?
I have always said that food is an arrow into the heart of any culture. For me, the gift of it lies in what it illustrates: No matter how different we are, and how different our cuisines appear to be, we are all connected more by our similarities. We all need the same things; sustenance, shelter, safety, belonging. The food of our different cultures is a way to acknowledge what makes us unique, and at the same time, celebrate our similarities.
9. What dish would you bring to an A Taste of Harmony event and why?
If I were going to go hyper-Aussie in the summertime it might be a giant pavlova covered in seasonal fresh fruit. If I were wanting to gather everyone in with a dish like a big warm hug, it might be a rich, slow-roasted lamb shoulder. If I were going to bring my most popular BBQ dish over many years, it might be my creamy, decadent potato salad.
