Me On A Plate

Today is an opportunity for me to get a bit more personal in my writing because like it or not, after this week, there will be a lot more about me in the public space. So who am I?

A former classmate used the phrase, ‘the extroverted introvert’ to describe me a few years ago and that’s probably because for someone with a preference for introversion, I am not shy with my opinions, I do a fair bit of public speaking and I am confident in almost any situation. That’s not to say I don’t find some situations or people intimidating but I can hold my own if I care enough to do so.

A friend shared the book, ‘Quiet’ by Susan Cain and this helped me to better articulate myself instead of defending my preference for introversion when I often come across as an extrovert due to years of coping mechanisms. So yes I can appear to be extroverted but making an effort to be overly social takes its toll on me, I am content with my own company and have a handful of close friends.

I strongly believe that my personal preference for introversion should never be an excuse for not becoming all I am gifted and capable of becoming. I love to put my work in the public space but prefer to keep myself out of the public eye, preferring for my work to speak for me.

I am the young girl who had so much respect for ‘any life’ that I would bury a dead cockroach, putting it in a match box and burying it in the ground believing it deserved dignity even in death. I am the adult who would thank the plants in my home for the beauty they bring and have tears in her eyes at the sight of new life budding from my plants.

So it’s no wonder that I am passionate in the face of any form of injustice and would not hesitate to speak against oppression, unfairness, bullying and abuse of any form. Because I care deeply, I also hurt deeply especially when the hurt comes from people I trust and expect more from. I feel awful if I am unable to help someone in need.

I grew up with a father who exposed me to a variety of topics with the encyclopaedia taking its pride of place in our book shelves, and no topic was a taboo with him. He taught me about safe sex and family planning even when I didn’t want to have the conversation with him. He taught me about boundaries that should never be crossed and when to stand up for myself.

I learnt story telling from him and he did his absolute best to build my confidence enabling me to have challenging conversations with grown-ups using the daily newspapers as inspiration. He taught me how to change a flat tyre , check the oil gauge, battery and water levels and warm up the car before he drove it.

He gave me the opportunity to learn to cook by teaching me what he knew but more importantly trusting me to cook from when I was as young as six years old. My dad always had a farm when we were growing up so whenever he harvested his crops, he would give me any miniature produce that didn’t meet the expected size.

And if he caught any game, I got the smaller ones which I practiced my cooking with. He was always complimentary with his feedback wanting only to encourage whilst giving me tips to make it better. I learnt to be self-critical so I could see when he was encouraging me by softening the blow of the feedback. So I would tell him my assessment which would often be more realistic.

Food was important to my dad and whenever we had guests, he wanted to make sure they were well fed. At any function or event that we hosted, my father’s interest wasn’t how much we spent on the décor or clothes; it was ensuring people ate well.

So it is no wonder that I grew up with a love for feeding people and that includes people coming into my home or me taking food to the office, or to friends and neighbours. If I know someone is coming to visit me, it would be unthinkable for me not to have something for them to nibble on.

This love for food also means I read menus in a restaurant like a professor would read a research paper, I take my time ordering food as I only want to order food that I am unable to cook or want to learn to cook. During holidays, my focus is on the architecture and the food returning home with a whole range of ideas that I want to try.

After years of watching food shows, this love for food led me to apply for the UK MasterChef competition knowing the odds of getting on to the show. I was pleasantly stunned to get the call. Taking part in this show is going to put my life on public display for a few weeks with permanent evidence on social media space.

This is not ideal for someone with a preference for introversion but like I said, my preference will not hinder my goals or gifting. I am fully aware of my father’s influence as I embark on this new journey and no doubt there will be some emotional moments due to the weightiness of him not being around to see what became of his ‘baby’ chef. I know he will be proud that his ‘baby’ chef became a UK MasterChef contestant and that’s no mean feat.

This is Me On A Plate. And you will see more of me on every plate of food that I get to cook on the show which airs on BBC One on Tuesday 5^th of April 2022 at 8pm.

Thanks for reading and sharing my ‘unusual’ post offering a sneak glimpse into my usually private life.