Meet Amanda

If I'm not in my kitchen cooking, I’m at Woolworths dreaming up new recipes and cruising the aisles for ingredients.

My love affair with food began when I was 12. On weekends, I would return home from boarding school to spend most of the time creating and experimenting in my mother’s kitchen.

I love food because it brings people together; it nourishes our souls, solidifies friendships and evokes magical memories. Food has helped me venture around the globe. When I was an apprentice chef, I completed my trade papers and headed to the UK where my work as a qualified chef funded my travelling experiences.

I’m fairly sure I inherited my cooking genes from my late nana. She was an amazing cook. She was born in the early 19th century and pretty much had no choice but to cook with very limited ingredients. Seriously – she could whip up a prize-winning date scone or a hearty meal for the masses in just minutes.

These days, my son (my universal rock), who is an eating machine, keeps me on my toes. He is my number one taste tester – I swear he has holes in his shoes. Any recipe that doesn't pass his standards goes back to the drawing board.

I eat and cook just about everything, but I must admit I’d be totally satisfied with a gooey brie cheese, dukkah-loaded hummus, a creamy avocado, and – to finish it all off – a baked cheesecake.

From me to you, my top foodie tip is this: there's no such thing as “can’t”! Keep practising, be inquisitive and – most of all – enjoy!