#foodzai

Many people out there don’t know it yet, but the World is full of kitchen superheroes. People dedicated to their hobbies and passion for cooking. The World deserves to know how amazing these people are. In our Kitchen Superheroes series, we sit down with some of these kitchen superheroes to find out more about their stories.

Today’s kitchen superhero is Aniko Takacs, the author of the food blog Multiculti Kitchen, where we are encouraged to linger for a while while Aniko nourishes us with her fabulous seasonal recipes.

Here’s what Aniko has to say about her:

I’m from... Hungary. I was born at the countryside then lived in Budapest, cultural centre of Eastern Europe. We have moved to England two years ago with my family. 

When I’m not blogging, I’m... with my family. I have two little adorable boys who are always in trouble :-) We like to travel around UK and Western Europe, too. Not only my husband but my sons are also interested in exploring new dishes and flavours in different cuisines. They inspire me tremendously. I even try to keep update myself in my profession, too as I haven't been working as a pharmacist since my oldest boy was born. So I'm really happy when I have some slots to read the latest articles about new medicines, especially in cancer treatment. 

I started Multiculti Kitchen because... I wanted to document my recipes and share it with my friends. But I a few months later I realised that the recipes alone are not enough any more. I started to take more and more attractive food photos, and developed my photo equipments, photo programs, and my skills as well. I participated in a professional Food Styling and Photography Workshop by Meeta Wolff, the author of What's for Lunch, Honey blog and several online courses. I'm still in learning phase and I'm absolutely convinced it's a never ending story in my life. 

My favourite recipe is... tea smoked duck breast. It's quite special, and it takes plenty hours in the kitchen to make, but absolutely worth it. My suggestion is to do it outside otherwise you can easily burn the whole house and smell the smoke for ages. 

Cooking inspires me to... create. Creativity is one of my strengths and I always think of how I could give a twist to a classic dish. I love to experiment with new ingredients and match them with regular flavours. 

The best food photography tip I've learned in the past year... light is everything and your best friend! But before taking any single shots, you have to get to know your camera properly. That's crucial, so if you have read the manual once that's not enough. You have to know well all the buttons on your camera how they work, what they do. 

A cookbook that changed my life... Sunday Lunch by Gordon Ramsey. I love his creativity and passion in the kitchen even though his attitude and temperament would be quite different to mine. His achievement is incredible and his work, to my mind, is the exception rather than the rule here in UK, where it can appear that a lot of people are too busy to acquire the skills of cooking. So I never assume that something I would consider to be an everyday recipe such as a roast potato dish would necessarily be self-evident for beginner cooks. But with time everyone can gain confidence around the kitchen, taking more risks and becoming more adventurous. 

Many people out there don’t know it yet, but the World is full of kitchen superheroes. People dedicated to their hobbies and passion for cooking. The World deserves to know how amazing these people are. In our Kitchen Superheroes series, we sit down with some of these kitchen superheroes to find out more about their stories.

Today’s kitchen superhero is Adora Ding, the author of the food blog Adora's Box, where Adora shares gorgeous asian inspired recipes.

Here’s what Adora has to say about her:

I'm from... the Philippines.

When I'm not blogging... I am simply a Mum to my two kids.

I started Adora's Box because... I wanted to compile my recipes. I have amassed a collection of recipes through the years, some of them inherited, some learned and some created. Most of my recipes are easy to make and straightforward, usually leaning on Asian flavours. Having them broken down in steps take the guess work out of cooking. As a Mum, I know that at the end of any hectic day, a delicious dinner would still be expected at the table. Quick and easy recipes make it possible to have wholesome home cooked food everyday.  It is very fulfilling to know that other people are are cooking and enjoying the food from my blog.

Cooking inspires me to... learn more, to create new recipes and to share them with other people. Although I like classic and traditional recipes, I always think of new variations and twists to apply to them. 

Living in London inspires me to... explore the cuisines of different countries. London is a treasure trove of ingredients, all readily available and within reach. It is so wonderful to discover new tastes and experiment using them in recipes. I am lucky to have shops and markets in my area that allow me to cook whatever I'm in the mood for.

My favourite recipe is…I don't have a single favourite recipe but I love long slow cooking because it gives me time to relax while its on. The reward at the end is great, too. Roasts, stews and soups are on top of my list. 

A film that changed my life…I can't say that a film has had an effect on me so dramatic, that it changed my life. Documentaries about poverty affect me a lot. I recently saw a short clip called "Pagpag" which was set in the Philippines. The story revolves around people digging into the trash of fastfood chains for leftovers. This is not a unique situation as we know that this happens worldwide. The story doesn't end there and the foraged food is not eaten as is. It is washed and cooked again with other ingredients to make a tasty meal for poor people who would pay a few pesos for the rehashed food. The people enjoy the food, fully aware but unmindful of the source of the ingredients. Desperate times call for desperate measures. The search for ingredients, the cooking process, the thought for flavour somehow equates to what I do but on a very different level. If people with so little go to such extent to survive, they must value life so much. I can't help but be touched.

Many people out there don’t know it yet, but the World is full of kitchen superheroes. People dedicated to their hobbies and passion for cooking. The World deserves to know how amazing these people are. In our Kitchen Superheroes series, we sit down with some of these kitchen superheroes to find out more about their stories.

Today’s kitchen superhero is Filipe Silva, the author of the food blog Chef Malhadinho where Filipe shares quick & tasty recipes for everyday foods but also for delicious gourmet meals.

Here’s what Filipe has to say about him:

I'm from ... Viana do Castelo, Portugal (although, for 4 years I've been dividing my time between Braga and Viana do Castelo).

When I'm not blogging, I'm a full-time... man of all trades ! Between the university, my masters degree, the associations and cultural and recreational activities, my time has to be very well managed, not forgetting of course my girlfriend, my family and friends.

Chef Malhadinho is ... a project that was born from an incentive to share one the experiences that I appreciate the most: cooking. On my blog People can easily find two types of dishes : dishes a bit more elaborate, without any doubt  for special occasions, but never forgetting quick and tasty recipes for everyday and for those times when you do not have much time for cooking !

When I was a kid I wanted to be ... economist ! As a child I loved the daily bustle of this area! Maybe as a result or not of the circumstances of recent years, this idea has been losing momentum and nowadays I dedicate myself to International Relations, having found here my true identity.

Cooking inspires me to ... share ! Probably what I love more in the kitchen, besides all the flavours and new experiences that we can constantly think about, is the fact that we can bring all those people we love together around the table and offer them our work. Cooking and all it involves is undoubtedly synonymous with sharing and dedication.

My favorite recipe is ... Bacalhau à Brás (cod with scrambled eggs and fried potatoes...a traditional portuguese dish)! That simple and comforting Bacalhau à Brás .

The film that changed my life ... I can not say that there is a movie that has changed my life, but I'm a big fan of Sherlock Holmes since childhood, whether its movies, books or TV series inspired by it!

Many people out there don’t know it yet, but the World is full of kitchen superheroes. People dedicated to their hobbies and passion for cooking. The World deserves to know how amazing these people are. In our Kitchen Superheroes series, we sit down with some of these kitchen superheroes to find out more about their stories.

Today’s kitchen superhero is Lucy Parissi, the author of the food blog Supergolden bakes where Lucy shares recipes for indulgent desserts and beautiful homecooked meals.

Here’s what Lucy has to say about her:

I grew up... in Athens, Greece but moved to England to go to Art College. That was over 20 years ago and now I call London home.

When I’m not blogging, I’m...A freelance book and magazine designer.

I started Super goldenbakes because...I had been reading and cooking recipes from food blogs that I found through Twitter and Pinterest, and they inspired me to start my own. Initially, it was a way to document and share recipes I made, but soon enough I was developing my own recipes and experimenting. As a freelance designer I have designed quite a few cookbooks and assisted with food shoots, so the blog also gives me the chance to indulge the frustrated photographer and prop stylist in me.

Cooking inspires me to...be creative and experimental. I enjoy combining different flavours and techniques to create something new. Each recipe ignites a spark which leads to an another idea.

Living in London always inspires my to...experience different cultures and flavours. It is a very exciting place to live - not just food-wise but for every aspect of culture.

My favourite recipe is...I don't think I can limit myself to a single recipes. But this triple layer chocolate mousse cake which I made recently was visually beautiful and tastes even better than it looked!

A book that changed my life...Again limiting to one book is hard. I would say the books I read (and re-read countless of times) as a child probably made the biggest impact. I was a huge fan of the Moomins and all books by Astrid Lingdren. Food-wise, 'Starting Over One Cake at a Time' by Gesine Bullock-Prado is both very funny, inspiring and full of exciting recipes.

Many people out there don’t know it yet, but the World is full of kitchen superheroes. People dedicated to their hobbies and passion for cooking. The World deserves to know how amazing these people are. In our Kitchen Superheroes series, we sit down with some of these kitchen superheroes to find out more about their stories.

Today’s kitchen superhero is Yolène Dabreteau, the author of food blog Crème de Citron where Yolène shares simple but elegant recipes and stunning photos. 

Here’s what Yolène has to say about her:

I’m from... France! But I moved away more than 9 years ago to Ireland, Australia and then back to Ireland. So at this stage, I feel that I can say I am from Dublin, Ireland, for now.

When I’m not blogging, I’m a full time... photographer. I do portrait, lifestyle and theatre photography, but my main focus is food photography.

Crème de Citron is... my little food blog I started a bit more than a year ago. Because as much as I love photography, I do also love food and combining those two things is wonderful! On the blog, I share some of my own recipes and food experiences. It is also a great little platform for my food photography portfolio.

Cooking inspires me to... be more creative with ingredients, try new flavours and also be more relaxed.

I dream of a day... when I will be making a living of food photography and hopefully get to travel to photograph food around the world.

My favourite recipe is... a simple filet of duck (preferably one from my French hometown Challans) with a raspberry vinegar reduction.

A book that changed my life... “Mr Vertigo” by Paul Auster. I have read it many times. I find it inspiring and the message I get from it is that I have to work hard to get to where I want to be but once I am there, it will feel like a great achievement.

A convite do Foodzai, abri as portas da minha casa e cozinhei para a câmara uma lasanha vegetariana de pesto. Quem filmou foi a talentosa Ana Luísa da Starling Film e o resultado foi este! :)

Espero que gostem!

Para breve, a receita detalhada da deliciosa lasanha. 

Photo Credits: Mónica Pinto

This week we have a great interview with Mónica Pinto, the author of a stunning food blog called Pratos & Travessas. And what a treat it was to interview Mónica Pinto!

Mónica is a Photographer, food stylist, cook and blogger. You can spot all this straight away when you visit her blog. Her beautiful blog is mostly filled with Portuguese and rustic recipes as well as little stories of her own life. In 2012, Pratos & Travessas was the first portuguese blog ever to be nominated for the prestigious Saveur Magazine Best Food Blogs Awards and the only blog that year to be nominated for two photography categories. Her work has been published for international renowned publications like Huffington Post, Fork Magazine, Eat and Meet Like a Men, just to name a few publications. Check more about her work here.

1. Hi Mónica. So, first up- in one tweet (140 characters or less)- what is a good food photograph, to you?

Dynamic photography, that is capable of holding a viewers glaze and wakes up emotions.

2. How did you start your blog Pratos e Travessas? 

It all started quite naturally. I grew up surrounded by good cooks, with very different ways of looking at food and over the years I absorbed everything they were teaching me through a show me by example approach. Every gesture and every little detail. So, very early I ended up discovering that I really liked cooking, and of course, also eating. Over time I collected recipes and stories, and at some point, when my children no longer needed me 24 hours a day, and as I was in a period of indecision about my professional life...came the desire to share all those experiences stored for so long. And that was when Pratos & Travessas was born.

3. We’ve seen your work being published in renowned publications like Huffington Post and Fork Magazine. Do you have any story to share about the years of hard work prior to the point where you are today?

I still remember the day when I received an email from Saveur Magazine letting me know that Pratos & Travesses was nominated for the Best Food Photography awards of that year (2012). At the time my work was starting to be recognized internationally but a nomination for the Best Food Blog Awards (BFBA) was something (almost) impossible. It was fantastic. Pratos & Travessas was chosen from over 40,000 blogs worldwide and was the first Portuguese blog to achieve such a milestone, and also that year, it was the only blog to be nominated for the two existing Photography categories. More than ever, all my choices made sense. Anything was possible.

4. You have an Art and Design degree. How does that impact your creativity when you’re working as food photographer/stylist?

It has a tremendous impact. When I studied art, I truly worshiped (and still do) Rembrandt’s work. His chiaroscuro, the light, almost golden and the gorgeous red tones and the dramatic contrasts of brightness he used in some of his paintings. Part of my work reflects the search and personal taste for those classic details. Then there’s the influence of design applied to the images...which although it ends being more of a result of my personal taste, it also turns out to have influences from my Art and Design studies.

5. What is your favourite food city?

Porto. From tascas (traditional portuguese Taverns), to the most sophisticated restaurants, the city is packed with fantastic food offerings.

6. What dish/dessert is your guilty pleasure?

It is hard to choose just one :) Can I choose a sweet and a savoury dish? Okay, so for sweets my choice is a chocolate mousse cake with whipped cream and wild berries, the savoury has to be a good cozido à portuguesa (a traditional Portuguese stew of different meats and vegetables).

7. What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out as a food photographer & stylist?

Be authentic and consistent.