Food fundi shares tastes of the world
JOHANNESBURG-based food writer and now television presenter Kamini Pather, who captivated South African TV audiences as a contestant on SA Masterchef in its second season, is about to take food lovers on a journey to 10 different cities around the world.
Her new television show Girl Eat World will premier on the Food Network (channel 175) next Friday.
In it Pather, an avid food lover and blogger, travels around the world bringing to life the stories behind foods in 10 different destinations.
The gruelling schedule for the show has done nothing to diminish her love of food. “The making and the eating [of food] are both very much still part of my life,” she says, adding that she believes it allows people to gather. “It is quite magical what can happen when people are around a table to share a meal. Or even seated on the kitchen counter to be part of the preparation!”
Pather’s mission with her new television series is to discover how food changes the way people think about themselves and their city.
In the 10-part series Pather goes from one city to another, including Sydney, Australia; Bangkok, Thailand; Lima, Peru and Berlin, Germany to meet local bloggers who show Pather more than the average tourist food joints.
When asked which episodes and which cities she most enjoyed, Pather says it is hard to choose. “Lima was a fantastic city, really alive and with such insanely generous people. Berlin’s creativity is astounding. I met a Korean opera singer who followed a coach to Berlin. Like many creatives she found it difficult to make a good living as a singer so she started a food stall, which has since turned into a restaurant.”
Pather explained that while she had been to Dubai before, this time she “got to see and taste old Dubai, which is actually where the truth of the city lies”.
In her show she eats as the locals do, soaking up the history, culture and food story of each city. Along the way she meets the people behind these food revelations and makes new friends, proving that no matter the differences, there are few things that bridge gaps between cultures quite like food does.
“This is a food and travel show that will make couch cooks either want to book their next flight to one of these destinations or look in their fridge,” said Pather.
In the pilot episode, Pather takes on the streets of Tokyo and goes from eating sushi at a subway to catching her own fish for lunch. She said Toyko really piqued her interest.
“We got a full day off in Tokyo so I got to explore a bit more than some of the other cities I visited.” She explained that she took the opportunity to ride the underground, go window shopping in Ginza (the most expensive and exclusive shopping district), taste local beer and Japanese whiskey, and even eat whale sushi at a standing restaurant. “Everyone is so concerned about time and space that many restaurants don’t bother with seating,” she explains, adding “it’s deliciously firstworld while still being proudly Asian”.
While Pather’s life might look glamorous, taping the series in 10 different countries was sometimes less so – including sleeping at airports and gaining weight from eating and not exercising to name a few.
Although careful not to be a spoiler she confessed she didn’t fancy everything she ate, including a Thai delicacy, balat – a 17-day embryo egg.
“When cracked open the juice is not too bad tasting because it’s essentially a rich duck broth or stock. But the rest is pretty gnarly due to the soft bones and visibly formed beak and bones,” said Pather, adding that “tasting this once may be one time too many.”
In the episode on Bangkok, Pather says she was introduced to the wonders of fish sauce. “The key to this powerful aromatic is to balance it out with sugar and chilli. The Thais put it in everything. When I would go for morning jogs the air would be thick with the smell of fish sauce, so much so that I had to smell myself when I got back to the hotel to check if I too had taken on the extra seasoning,” she joked.
Pather has just moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg and says the reason for the move was that once she got back from shooting the series, she was restless. “This nine-week trip changed me and I was hungry for my next adventure. And what better way to do it than swop cities?”
Another reason was to be closer to Lucky Bean for the edit of the series. “I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Joburg over the past few years and enjoy the pace. Once I stop using my GPS all will be well.”
Pather’s hoping for a Season 2 of the series. “Once the digital aspect of Girl Eat World is done and we have a confirmed SABC launch, we’ll go into preproduction. “I can’t wait to go travelling again. We were a crew of 6, and we became a family. I can’t wait for another adventure with them.”