This is not a recipe post. This is something special — something I never expected, but am so happy to share with you.

I have been nominated for a Sunshine Blogger Award!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Ella, for recognising my blog and nominating me. Go check out Ella’s incredible food blog The Wacky Spoon for stunning farm-fresh recipes and countryside insights.

What is a Sunshine Blogger Award?

It’s a peer award, where bloggers give recognition to one another and share a list of their favourite bloggers with their readers.

It’s a way of telling a fellow blogger, “I like what you put out there. Keep it up!” Isn’t that wonderful?

Do you want to nominate someone’s blog?

There are a few rules to follow:

1. Thank the bloggers who have nominated you and link to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions you were asked.
3. Nominate 11 new bloggers and ask them 11 questions.
4. Inform the bloggers of their nominations by leaving a comment on their blogs or contacting them via social media.
5. Display these rules and a Sunshine Blogger Award image in a blog post.

Here are my 11 answers.

Why do you blog?

I am a copywriter by day and self-proclaimed chef by night. Blogging about my cooking is a way for me to stretch my writing muscles on my own terms, in my own style — uninhibited by deadlines and client expectations. It’s a way for me to do what I love, whenever and however I want.

What has been the most interesting/discouraging thing about blogging?

The most interesting thing has been the love I have received from total strangers. It gives me all the feelings when someone comments that they tried my recipe and loved it — and want more! I didn’t expect it to be so rewarding.

The most discouraging thing about blogging is trying to live up to a reader’s expectations. My advice is, just don’t do it. Write for YOU.

What is the piece of advice you would offer to new bloggers?

Read my previous answer again. Write what you want and do it the way you want to do it. There’s no grammar police in blogging — it’s your playground. Have fun!

Would you do a TV food challenge like “Chopped”, why or why not?

Absolutely! I love a challenge and often get most creative when I’m under pressure, so I might just win it. 😉 And who doesn’t like winning?

What would be your last meal and why?

Anything made by my mom or dad. Literally anything. Everything I know about cooking, and my immense love for flavour and experimenting with food, is because of them. There is no one’s food I’d rather be eating than their concoctions.

What/where is your favourite restaurant and why is it special to you?

At the moment it is Casa Bella in Somerset West. Their food is authentically Italian, fresh, wholesome, flavourful and simply moreish! But it’s not just the food — it’s everything about their restaurant and the people who run it. It’s a real gem. And they don’t charge corkage, which is a win for this wino.

What is the most interesting, disgusting, or intriguing thing you have ever eating?

I once ate a big dried cricket-looking insect in Thailand. It was crunchy and kind of plain — nothing to write home about.

Who would you most like to share a meal with?

Gordon Ramsay. I’d like to share a bad meal with him and just swear the shit out of it.

Who/what inspires you?

What a difficult question to answer. I am inspired by music, art, nature, literature and design on the daily.

But my mom is probably the biggest subliminal inspiration in my life. She’s just an absolute powerhouse — always positive, resourceful, creative, stylish, intelligent and composed. I hope to be like her when I grow up (which may take a while).

What has been your favourite vacation to date?

No, there are just way too many! Our very first family vacation to Mauritius will always be special to me, but my trip to Amsterdam with Vincent a couple of years ago was spectacular too.

Honestly, I’m a bit travel-crazy. I love exploring new places, meeting interesting people, learning new languages, eating weird and wonderful foods, soaking up the history and culture of a place. It’s funny, my happy place isn’t one place — it’s exploring new places.

If you could do one thing to impact the world, what would it be?

I would ban single-use plastics for good. I know it’s more complicated than that, but that’s what I would do if I could.

I would like to nominate these wonderful bloggers for the Sunshine Blogger Award.

1. Sip and Feast
2. Williams Sonoma
3. The Wacky Spoon
4. Emerging Adult Eats
5. Orchids and Sweet Tea
6. Lindsay’s Cooking Adventures
7. Naturally Ella
8. Masala Chilli
9. Skinny Spatula
10. Joy Filled Eats
11. Whole Food Bellies

These are my 11 questions you need to answer.

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. What advice would you give to a new blogger?
3. If you didn’t write about food, what would you blog about?
4. What is one thing your readers don’t know about you (yet)?
5. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of the year, what would it be?
6. Who is your favourite chef?
7. What or who inspires you?
8. What is the best advice about cooking you ever received?
9. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
10. What country’s cuisine do you love most?
11. Which recipe of yours is your all-time favourite?

Thank you for reading my blog.

It’s not often that I get to thank my readers, but it really does give me life to know you read and love the recipes I post. I’m not stopping anytime soon, so keep your potatoes and your eyes peeled for more scrumptious concoctions.