Durban - Jenny Morris loves interacting with an audience and, as one of the country’s favourite food fundis, she will be in her element at the Good Food and Wine Show here at the end of the month.
Known as the Giggling Gourmet, Morris will be appearing at various food theatres and stands, including the Celebrity Chefs Theatre and Romancing the Stove.
She has the distinction of being the first South African chef to host her own show on the international Food Network television channel.
Morris is delighted to be back in action at Romancing The Stove, where couples are invited to join her for live cooking lessons where they are shown how to create food that lifts moods, celebrates special occasions and adds a bit of spice to their love lives.
“Food is a love affair in the true sense of the word, one that employs all the senses,” says Morris, who admits that for her touch is vital. “Feeling your food is important. Caress it, stroke it and know it intimately. How you eat your food will reveal what kind of lover you are. You don’t want someone who eats a sosatie with a knife and fork.”
Morris’s formula for success is to “entertain informatively and inform entertainingly”, something she does with flair. Although she has cooked for dozens of celebrities and royals, (including Prince Charles, Thabo Mbeki, Kenneth Kaunda, Charlize Theron and Al Gore), Morris remains down to earth, and when she’s not wowing the public, she can be found kitchen stirring something delicious.
Morris also encourages audiences to come to the Good Food and Wine Show on October 31, where the World Cup rugby final will be shown on giant screens. “It will be a jol. I will be giving out free champion boerewors rolls on a first come, first serve basis. See you there.”
The show takes place from October 30 to November 1 at the Durban Exhibition Centre in association with Durban Tourism. There will be book signings with celebrity chefs.
Q&A with Jenny Morris
Does Durban have fond food memories for you and what are they?
I was born in Durban and my love of food was developed in my parent’s vegetable gardens. We grew and ate only our own veggies; that’s when I fell in love with food that is fresh and seasonal. I still have family in KwaZulu-Natal and visit them when I come to Durban for work .
How has the city contributed to South African cuisine?
Durban has a wonderful mix of nationalities so the food is quite global, but I always associate it with bunny chow and a darn fine curry. In fact, when I visited my son Wade when he was in London, the first thing I had to make him was a Durban curry.
You do everything from TV and radio to cookery tours, demonstrations and writing books. Do you have a favourite?
They are all my favourites, how can you ask me that. I love to travel to new places, this gives me the inspiration to write my books and share my stories and experiences with the wonderful people who attend my demonstrations.
What else do you still want to achieve?
I want to watch my children grow and prosper; I want to inspire and nurture young chefs going forward; I want to write more cook books, travel and taste the world, and make more TV shows; I want to live to an old age with my husband. I want a grey tomcat too.
What utensils can you not live without?
A really sharp knife, my pestle and mortar, and my microplane (grater).
Tell us a what’s hot in SA at the moment when it comes to food trends?
I think Asian food is here to stay, tapas is going to be in for a long time, and watch out for Korean food, I just love it, and I think people are also looking for a meal that is well priced and plentiful; value for money is what I hear on the streets.
How as a chef do you stay on top of what’s popular, or do you determine what is popular?
I have my own style and I create my own dishes and flavours, but I listen to people and I like to give them what they want as well.
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