JOSH Thirion is an award-winning chef and author at the age of 14.
Josh began cooking at the tender age of three when he started helping his mother in the kitchen, but his interest in culinary skills really got going about five years ago. He marked his 10th year with the publication of his first book, Cook With Josh.
This book won the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Award in Paris for the Best Children and Family Cookbook of 2013.
He followed this with another book, Bake with Josh, which won awards in China. However, Josh admitted he preferred cooking to baking, which he found a bit tricky. He is now refining his skills with the help of a chef, Michelle Greyling, who gives him weekly classes.
“Chef Michelle teaches me how to use one ingredient for different recipes,” said Josh.
He recalled a line in a book saying “food brings people together” and he aimed to do this with the food he cooked. This was why he enjoyed doing charity work, cooking for children.
As for his favourite dish, Josh does not have one!
“I don’t have a favourite dish because I make so many and fall in love with every single one of them,” Josh confessed. He also enjoys drama and is currently doing London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts exams.
Josh is also kept busy working on his third book, which he said would include recipes inspired by countries he has visited such as China and France, as well as South Africa.
You can see Josh as a guest judge in the SABC cooking show Yum.Me at 10am on November 27.