COVER: GREATSTOCK,
Meet Christoph and Diane Heierli, a nomadic couple who spent three decades hopping planes, trains, dhows, ferries and bikes to explore the world with their son, Luca. Their self-published travelogue cookbook, Let’s Meet in Paradise, documents their food
You two are quite the power couple – both talented photographers, both excellent cooks. How did the match come about?
Diane: Back when we were students, Christoph was having a photography critique. He was on top of a wooden platform and I was at the bottom with a friend. All of a sudden, the wind blew one of his prints over the edge and it fell at my feet. I thought, ‘Gee, this is quite nice!’. Then I looked up and saw Christoph and thought, ‘Oh, he’s not too shabby either!’ Christoph: She still likes me only for my photography! [laughs]
When did the travel bug bite? Christoph: We’ve always been adventurous. We had no money, but we were always on the road. Diane: When our son, Luca, turned five and the threat of malaria could be combated with tablets, we thought, ‘Now we’re going!’ So Zanzibar is where the book starts, and where our adventure begins.
‘Our travel is less about ticking off the fancy restaurants and highdensity tourist attractions and more about trying to use food as an inroad into a culture.’
You prefer to keep travel arrangements to a minimum. How does that work? Diane: We book our tickets and accommodation for the first night, then we go. We don’t usually plan beyond that. We would explore during the day and decide if that was where we’d want to spend the night.
Christoph: We surrendered to the universe a lot. We believe that humanity is actually quite great, if you don’t read the news. If you surrender to that philosophy when
you travel, it’s amazing what can be done and the doors that can be opened. You have to be a little open to being out of your comfort zone sometimes, and that’s not always a bad thing! Diane: We talk to the locals, find out where the markets are, and find those really nice hole-in-the-wall spots.
How do you decide where to go next? Christoph: We choose based on the experiences we want to have, like exploring a new country on a motorbike – we got to do that in Morocco. We also take turns deciding on where to go next.
How did food become such a central part of travelling for you? Christoph: Our travel is less about ticking off fancy restaurants and highdensity tourist attractions, and more about trying to use food as an inroad into a culture. We’re always amazed at the food offered at markets and on local food scenes.
Diane: We spend a lot of time doing food tours. When we come back home, I research the recipes that inspired us, find out the foundation on which they’re based, then recreate and tweak them based on what is available in SA.
You dedicated the book to your son, Luca. Your story began when he was five, and by the end of the cookbook, he’s a young adult. What was his response to Let’s Meet in Paradise? Diane: We gave him a copy of the book for his 21st birthday. He’s super proud. It’s as if everything has come full circle. He was a real trouper, putting up with his food photographer parents. Poor
Luca could never just eat his food. He always had to wait until it was photographed. He’s only ever thrown two wobblies, once shouting, ‘Why can’t we be like normal people and just eat it?!’
Do either of you have a favourite destination?
Diane: We would say Madagascar. It is wild, rough and untamed; you are totally out of your comfort zone. Christoph: Imagine turning the clock back 100 years – in some regions your currency is diesel, rum and rice. Your dollar doesn’t mean anything there. It’s a dream of a tropical island. The beauty of Madagascar is the sea. Diane: However, our favourite food can be found in Vietnam.
Christoph: They use a lot of fresh herbs in their cuisine – bun cha (chargrilled pork and noodle salad) is the best street food we’ve had.
Any travelling tips?
Diane: Pack your suitcase, then take out half the stuff and repack it.
So where next?
Christoph: Mexico is an amazing food destination; we’d like to go there next. Diane: The Philippines is on my list!
Let’s Meet in Paradise is available from The Book Lounge, Cape Town (R600). Or email Diane at info@cdphoto.co.za to order a copy (free door-to-door delivery within South Africa).