Reza Mahammad
So your new show, Reza’s African Kitchen, started on Food Network UK on Monday. For those who haven’t heard about it, tell us a little about the show.
That is a very good question, where do I begin? It’s all about African cuisine, I go on horseback, safari, tiger fishing, I get friendly with ostriches, all in my endeavour to uncover the diversity of flavours and fabulous ingredients.
Have you had a good reception to the show so far?
Well I don’t know! I’m quite worried and not sure what to expect. I’ve been watching it myself for the first time and I thought ‘oh my god!’. It’s very difficult to watch yourself, I keep thinking that it can’t be me, I keep the TV on but I leave the room!
What was it that attracted you to African cuisine in the first place?
I’ve been going back and forth to South Africa for the past six years because I do things all over the place. Because I’d been going back and forth I thought the obvious thing to do would be to dig into it a bit deeper and to delve into things and learn more about the food and where it comes from.
What was your favourite part to film of the series?
Oh gosh, it’s such a difficult one! There was so much, Africa is very beautiful and the landscape is so diverse from one region to the next. Getting on horseback and getting up close to elephants, meeting up with the locals, going from remote locations to places like Johannesburg which is a bustling city.
I met up with the personal chef to Nelson Mandela, she showed me the recipe for Nelson Mandela’s favourite dish. I met with 7th generation farmers who showed me how to make ostrich dishes. I saw the Zambezi river, the most scenic places, Zambia was gorgeous!
Namibia was extraordinary because it has this landscape that is like being on the moon, basically, I’ve never seen anything quite like it, it was extraordinary to look at!
We know that food is in your blood, your parents owned a restaurant, but was being a Chef something you always wanted to do?
That happened by default because I was still in school, I was fond of music and arts and I never thought I was going to go into food. Although I loved food and liked cooking, I didn’t realise that it was going to become a career.
Because my father passed away when I was 16, I came back to England and I got involved in the family business and that’s how I learned, through the restaurant.
You’ve done so many amazing things in your life, is there anything that you really hope you get the opportunity to do?
I’ve never thought about that, that’s a new one! To tell you the truth I’m setting up a cookery school in France, so that is the plan. It’s all coming together but it’s taking time. Hopefully I’ll be starting day courses in June for the locals.
I want to create a lovely, interesting lifestyle. It’s in the future, plus I have other ideas and want to try different things but it’s all in the pipeline and I don’t want to talk about it yet until it actually happens. All will be revealed in due course!
If it was your last day on earth, what would your last meal be?
Oh god, people do ask me this and I keep changing it! One minute it could be a pie and the next it could be roast chicken. I don’t know, it could be something Thai, Indian, Italian, French, I don’t know, whatever takes my fancy on the day!
You cook a lot of exotic foods but what has to be your favourite comfort food?
I love pies, I love any pie with creamy mashed potatoes – something comforting! It’s got to be creamy and delicious. Anything that can hit that spot and that gets rid of all anxieties!
Easter is fast approaching, so what would you say is your favourite chocolate recipe?
Oh gosh. I’ve got so many, I love chocolate, now you’re talking! In my new book I’ve got this chocolate panna cotta, and it’s even in the series. It’s the dark chocolate panna cotta with cardamom and rose syrup.
It sounds so good!
Oh, darling, I tell you it is. It’s the wobble and the feel of it going down your throat, enhanced by the rose syrup and some pistachio nuts!
So what’s next for you Reza?
I’ll be back in South Africa again for the food and wine show later in the year. I’m also hoping there will be another series to do, I don’t know where I’d be going but that would be interesting. It’s all very open at the moment, who knows what’s going to happen!
It all depends on how the current series goes and what’s going to happen with that. What I love doing is travelling and learning more about the country, the history and the food and putting my slant on it.
I should do Around the World in 80 Dishes? You never know!
Reza’s new show, Reza’s African Kitchen, is showing now on Food Network UK. You can catch it on weeknights until the 22nd March.
Have you been watching? Tell us what you thought by commenting below or tweeting us @FemaleFirst_UK