Happy Birthday Sisi!

We caught up with Sis to chat Pasta parties, Olive Oil obsessions and her favourite London hot spots…

What’s your ultimate comfort food? The one thing you’d eat in your PJs on a lazy Sunday?
Probably a creamy, spicy tomato pasta, hits all the right spots! Can’t disagree

What’s the most surprising ingredient you’ve fallen in love with? Something you never expected to enjoy cooking with?
Doesn’t sound that surprising, but I’d never properly enjoyed Olive Oil until a couple of years ago. Any I’d tried were too bitter for me. Now I’m obsessed!

Did Richard have anything to do with that?!

What’s your ultimate cooking hack that’ll totally level up your kitchen game?
I really think that just being super organised and prepared beats anything else. Doing your mise en place and cleaning up as you go allows more space and calm for your creativity to flow whilst you cook. My food always reflects how I feel as I make it! Zen kitchen – couldn’t agree more!

You have a £50 budget at the supermarket to whip up a dinner party, what’s on the menu?
I’m going for a veggie mezze feast. I want family sharing style, and more importantly, a lot of it will be made before so I can just chat away to my guests! And an exciting flavour of homemade Ice Cream for dessert because who doesn’t love ice cream. I recently made a Toasted Malt Milk Ice Cream and it went down such a treat with my friends. Dreaming about that ice cream…

Sisi’s Ice Cream @creme__fresh

We all love a cheeky takeaway now and then – what’s your go-to spot in London when you’re too tired to cook?
I struggle with takeaways because although I love that you don’t have to do anything, the food is usually disappointing. I think Silk Road in Camberwell is my top spot at the moment. I’d usually dine in because I’m so close to it, but if I’m in a serious slump then I wouldn’t say no to ordering!

Imagine it’s your dream birthday meal – what’s on the menu, and where are you eating it?
I heard someone once did a pasta party – they served five types of pasta, each with its own sauce. That sounds super exciting because I love pasta. So probably that, with cocktails (my favourite being a whisky sour), and a huge tiramisu for pud. All of this with all of my friends at home just listening to great music in the sunshine. Perks of a summer birthday!  Count us in!

Are there any foodie rules or trends you think are just total nonsense? (Looking at you, gold-leaf on everything…)
Nothing I’ve seen recently – I think trends are great because they encourage way more people to cook for themselves from scratch! You heard her – trend away

If you could swap jobs with any chef in the world for one day, who would it be, and why?
Darcie Maher of Lannan Bakery in Edinburgh. Her food looks like art. And her bakery is beautiful. Minus the running of the business side of things, I’d love to spend a day in a bakery like that

Lannan Bakery pictured below

London’s packed with amazing restaurants – what’s your top hidden gem that we all need to try?
Not so hidden, but I’m going to Oma soon and I’ve only heard rave reviews. It’s new and it just got a Michelin star, so I can’t wait. Look forward to hearing your review!

Lastly, what is your food nemesis?
Probably deep frying oil – not because it’s unhealthy (the deliciousness outweighs that) – but because I may have been known to spill it a couple of times whilst trying to strain litres of the stuff after classes. A nightmare to clean. And I got it all over myself too. Shoes went straight in the bin! RIP shoes

Thanks for letting us peek behind the apron, may your birthday be full of dreamy pasta, ice cream inventions, and zero oil spills!