Everyone who identifies as a foodie knows Nigella Lawson, the English TV personality starring on many of our favourite food and lifestyle shows. Every time she welcomes us into our kitchens with her elegant yet effortless dishes, she presents them with such grace and passion, which makes her ultimate cooking #goals for many of us! There’s no doubt as to why she’s dubbed as the queen of food, as her charm and charisma definitely transcends our screens. It comes as no surprise then that she’s captured avid viewers worldwide! So for those fans who look up to her, here are some fun facts to know about Nigella Lawson, aka the domestic goddess.
7. Nigella’s bag must-haves: a tube of English mustard and Typhoo teabags.
Nigella carries them in her bag at all times, especially when she travels! She won’t leave without them.
6. Her idea of a perfect night out? Eating by the beach.
Nigella notes that one of her most memorable experiences was eating at the popular restaurant Icebergs at Bondi Beach with the waves splashing savagely outside.
Sounds like a great idea to us, too!
5. She is first and foremost a writer.
Nigella started writing about food at 25, as a restaurant critic for UK magazine The Spectator. She also wrote a food column in Vogue, and worked with Bón Apetit and Gourmet in the United States. Of course, Nigella has also written 10 books on food, which has sold over 10 million copies worldwide!
4. Nigella did not even pick up a cookbook until she was 15.
Before she’s been known to constantly slay our TV screens with her picture-perfect dishes, Nigella didn’t even read a cook book until she was a teenager. In her own words, ‘”I am not a chef. I am not even a trained or professional cook. My qualification is as an eater.” It’s a different story now though, as she has a collection of over 3,500 cookbooks in her library!
3. Nigella Lawson’s first show was Nigella Bites in 1999.
After her first book got published to critical acclaim, it became the basis of her hit TV Series, Nigella Bites. It averaged 1.9 million viewers and won her the Television Broadcast of the Year at the Guild of Food Writers Awards and the Best Television Food Show at the World Food Media Awards in 2001.
2. She went to Italy at 19, even working as a chambermaid.
A huge part of Nigella’s journey with food was her time in Italy, with her book Nigellisima as her love letter to the country! Nigella once worked as a chambermaid in Florence, and even claims to have learned to cook by watching the old nonna in the pensione where she was employed!
1.Nigella learned all about pasta from the Italians.
She says, “I have to say that living in Italy revolutionised the way I felt about pasta, and certainly changed the way I cooked it. The first thing I noticed is that portions were smaller, and that the pasta itself was respected and not treated just like a vehicle for the sauce. It was a real partnership between the two elements, and the pasta wasn’t swamped with too much sauce.”
Though the Italians have strict rules on cooking pasta, Nigella says to have fun with it! “But even though there are rules, I think it’s very important in cooking to be able to trust your own instinct, and cook in a way that pleases you, whatever the rules say!
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If you’re a huge fan of Nigella Lawson, then we have great news for you: She’s here in the Philippines! That’s right, Nigella is in the country for a huge and exciting announcement. Stay tuned on When in Manila for more updates!
