SILVIA COLLOCA ‘THERE’S NO FORMULA – BEING A MUM IS CHAOTIC’
JUGGLING A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AND CHASING AFTER THREE KIDS KEEPS THE COOK BUSY
With a strong work ethic instilled in her from her own mother, Silvia Colloca has made a name for herself as a successful television cook, and she does it all while raising three beautiful children – Raphael, 14 Miro, 10, and Luna, 4 – with her actor husband, Richard Roxburgh.
When it comes to juggling the responsibilities of being a mother with a full-time career, Silvia tells New Idea that “there is no formula”. “It’s quite chaotic, and there are times when it’s impossible to manage on my own,” she says. While she does admit to occasionally getting help in, Silvia, 43, says that for the most part, she and Richard, 59, “divide and conquer” their duties.
“At the end of the day, we do a head count and if there are three children and a dog at home, we have done our job,” she adds with a laugh.
While managing such a busy household can be hectic at times, Silvia says they always make time to enjoy dinner together.
“We try to have a sit-down meal every night, or maybe five nights a weeks, no matter how frugal it is, even if it’s just a bowl of soup,” says the Simply Italian author.
The kitchen really is the heart of the home in Silvia’s household, and she loves to get her children involved in cooking to help teach them
about her Italian background.
“I love cooking with my kids because I know that I am passing on a heritage for them,” she says. “They may not be fully aware all the time that it’s happening, but every time I cook a family recipe with them, I’m not just cooking a meal, I’m doing something that’s much deeper.”
Her passion for Italian food is also something that Silvia is showing the world in her new SBS series Cook Like an Italian.
“I love sharing all my family recipes and the stories that they come with,” she adds.
While cooking for her family is one of Silvia’s greatest joys, she says “the cuddles” are her favourite part of motherhood.
“The cuddles are just unparalleled love and I have made a rule that you can never cut a cuddle short,” she says, fearing one day her kids will no longer be interested.
As Mother’s Day approaches, Silvia has no qualms in admitting that she is “100 per cent ready to be spoilt”, as she reminisces about her favourite Mother’s Day, when Richard and her sons learnt a song in Portuguese and performed it for her – adding, “I loved it all so very much!”