If you are a fan of cooking shows, chances are you are familiar with British celebrity chef and author Nadiya Hussain.
She became a household name helming BBC Lifestyle shows like “The Chronicles of Nadiya”, “Nadiya's British Food Adventure”, “Nadiya's Family Favourites”, “Nadiya Bakes” and “Nadiya's Time To Eat”.
For those unfamiliar with Hussain’s journey, she baked her way to fame as the winner of season six of “The Great British Bake Off” in 2015.
A second-generation British Bangladeshi, the 38-year-old mother of three has also penned several books“Nadiya’s Kitchen”, “Nadiya’s British Food Adventure”, “Nadiya’s Everyday Baking” and, more recently, “Cook Once, Eat Twice”.
She also wrote “Bake Me A Story”, blending updated versions of fairytales with recipes, and “Nadiya’s Bake Me a Festive Story”.
That’s not to mention her autobiography, “Finding My Voice” and her first novel, “The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters, in which she was assisted by fellow author Ayisha Malik.
Hussain is a self-taught baker and cook.
Within the culinary realm, her influence mirrors that of the late Fatima Sydow in South Africa, showcasing her profound cultural impact on the industry.
In a recent virtual interview, she said: “My cooking style is influenced by being raised in an immigrant household.
“I grew up with parents who were frugal. We ate Bangladeshi food. They tried very hard to source or grow those ingredients in our home. I suppose I’m a split between two worlds because I was born and raised in the UK so when I went to school, I didn’t eat food like I would do at home.
“So somewhere between the two, I’ve created this grey area where I cook the way I want. It’s not in any way purist, it’s not in any way traditionally Bangladeshi or traditionally British, it is my own style.
“I call it the grey area but it is not grey, it’s very colourful and delicious - it’s a mix of the two cultures.”
On what inspired “Cook Once, Eat Twice”, Hussain revealed: “It’s about getting in the kitchen, cooking for the week or weeks ahead. I’ve got recipes in there for ready meals so you can make a huge meal, split that up and pop it into the freezer. That way, you know you’ve got instant meals ready.”
She continued: “I’ve got a chapter in there for the most wasted ingredients, things like milk, bread, bananas and how to use that up in really fun, creative ways.
“You’ve got things in there where you can use up waste ingredients like potato peels, which you would normally throw away. I’ve got ways of using that, like to thicken soups.
“It’s homing into the way that I love to cook. Coming from an immigrant household, wasting was not an option. You had to make use of everything.
“I think that mentality has fed into writing this cookbook. It’s such a privilege to share that with people because more and more these days, we want to be better for the environment, and ourselves.
“We want to save more money, we want to waste less. I think anyone wanting to get into that kind of mindset, this book will really help them.”
Having travelled extensively for some of her shows, her biggest takeaway has been the people and hospitality.
She added: “Everything I do is centred around food. It’s beautiful to see how wonderful food can be and how it can really bring people together. And that is always something I try and relay when I’m doing my shows and my cookbooks, it has to be friendly, welcoming and inviting.”
Hussain pointed out: “Apart from the fact that I meet incredible people who love food, I also get to learn new techniques, new ingredients and that is always really, really exciting for me.
“I will cook something, write it down and cook it when I get home.”
Of course, finding testers for her culinary creations isn’t difficult.
She laughed: “Luckily, I’ve got big lads growing up, they are big eaters and always happy to test the food. My husband runs for miles and miles just so he can eat cake.
“I’m also lucky in that I’ve got wonderful neighbours. I would say to them, give it a go and see what you think.”
Her latest show on the channel, “Nadiya’s Fast Flavours”, feeds off her book.
The six-part series looks at clever and efficient ways to prepare flavourful daily meals.
She added: “The reason why I love doing my shows is that it is one thing to write a cookbook. On the show, it’s about hand-holding, it’s about giving people confidence because, often, people pick up the book and still feel, ‘Well, how can I do this, I’m not confident in the kitchen’.
“The show allows me to connect with them in a more personal way. It brings the book to life.”
And if anyone gets meal prep, it’s Hussain, who has it down to an art form.
“I’m very into batch cooking, stocking the freezer, making sure I’ve always got food on hand for the days when I’m not around and the kids themselves are busy.
“They can just pop something out of the freezer and put it in the oven or reheat it. The reason why I can be on top of the cooking shows, my books and things like that is because I’m always planning ahead.”
When it comes to her ultimate comfort food, she admitted: “If I’ve had a long day, nothing will comfort me more than a big plate of curry and rice. Never at the dining room table.
“Always on the couch, with the kids around me or in front of the television.
“I’m very much an eat-together kind of person. I hate to eat on my own.”
When the interview wrapped up, she added: “Hopefully, I can come to South Africa sometime soon.”
When she does, she will be glad to find that we share the same beliefs of breaking bread together!
∎“Nadiya’s Fast Flavours” airs on BBC Lifestyle (DStv channel 174) on Tuesdays at 8pm. “Cook Once, Eat Twice” is available on Loot for R545.