Monica Galetti
The restaurateur and chef on her childhood in Samoa, Omani spice and guinea pig cuisine
I NEVER HAD HOLIDAYS WHEN I WAS A KID because my parents couldn’t afford them. But every day of my childhood felt like a holiday – I grew up on a plantation on the island of Upolu, in Samoa, and my days were spent climbing trees, picking guavas, pineapples and cocoa pods, and playing with the chickens and pigs. It was idyllic.
MOVING TO NEW ZEALAND WAS A REAL SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM. I was eight years old and I remember how cold it was. I felt constantly itchy from having to wear jumpers and found it very hard to adjust to the food – everything seemed to have added sugar. For me, sweet treats were fruits from the plantation. Even now, I’m not a huge fan of dessert.
MY FIRST TRAVEL EXPERIENCES WERE AROUND NEW ZEALAND. The South Island is one of my favourite places in the world – the scenery is stunning at Milford Sound and Potts Glacier. I remember how clear the waters were on the ferry ride over there. It feels untouched.
THE MOST BIZARRE THING I’VE EATEN ON MY TRAVELS IS GUINEA PIG. I was in Peru, filming an episode of Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby with Giles Coren, where it’s a delicacy. They cut up and served mine nicely, but
Giles was presented his whole – it looked like a frozen rat, which wasn’t nice. It tasted like fatty chicken.
I’LL ALWAYS HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF MY TIME IN GUERNSEY. I lived there for three months in 1999 and loved walking all over the island. I’d take my SLR camera,
some food and water and a map,
and disappear for hours.
WHEN I TRAVEL, I WANT TO EAT THE LOCAL FOOD from street-food vendors and markets. I love to immerse myself in the culture. I’ve stayed at Giraffe Manor in Kenya – it’s a crazy hotel where the giraffes wander around, sticking their necks in through the windows for
snacks. But, actually, my most memorable moment from that trip was being cooked a meal by the head chef at his house, among his family. We bought the ingredients at a market in Nairobi and he cooked ugali, which is like cornflour, and sukuma wiki (Kenyan collard greens).
MY WORST TRAVEL DISASTER WAS NEARLY MISSING MY DAUGHTER’S 10TH BIRTHDAY PARTY because my flight home from Peru was cancelled. I was forced to return to the hotel but the taxi driver got lost and the 20-minute journey ended up taking an hour. I then managed to get another flight out a few hours later and arrived home on the morning of the party. But unfortunately I ate something dodgy on the plane and came down with food poisoning!
THE FOOD CULTURE THAT HAS MOST IMPRESSED ME IS OMAN’S. I learned to make an amazing spice mix that they rub into goat and fish meat, and ate the best flatbreads.
THE MOST IMPRESSIVE HOTEL I HAVE EVER STAYED AT WAS MASHPI LODGE, in the cloud forest of Ecuador, for an episode of Amazing Hotels. It’s an eco-friendly property, run by the ex-mayor of Quito and staffed by former loggers, who teach locals about the importance of preserving the rainforest. I loved the ethos, and it was just a stunning place. I remember seeing so many beautiful butterflies.
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, I TRAVELLED EXTENSIVELY – about 10 times a year. I’m happy to take short-haul
trips now that restrictions are easing, but I’m not sure about long-haul. Wearing a mask for that long would be uncomfortable. Your ears start pulling at the sides after a while – I swear we are all going to end up with cauliflower ears, like rugby players.
THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES ON MY BUCKET LIST. I’d like to go back to Samoa, as I haven’t been for seven years, and I also want to see my family in New Zealand. I’d love to spend a bit more time in Spain and immerse myself in the culture of Japan, too.
Monica Galetti’s new cookbook, At Home: My Favourite Recipes for Family and Friends, is published by
Aster (£20)