Anna Barnett today joins Melissa Hemsley in her east London kitchen, resplendent with built-in wok and teppanyaki grill, to discuss the pleasures of dining alone (and not just to chat up the waiters), how the vibrancy of Filipino cuisine is having a moment, reusing leftovers, and the importance of a well-stocked freezer should you find yourself in A&E after a tumble down the stairs. The only thing standing in the way of Anna’s hand-crafted sandwich this week is an uninvited spider Melissa finds in our host’s hair.

TOP QUOTES

“Cooking for yourself from scratch is a wonderful way to nourish yourself; physically, mentally, emotionally.” Melissa

“(My mum) didn’t teach me how to cook so much as taught me not to throw away.” Melissa

“What’s the first meal I’m going to have when I get out of A&E?” Melissa

“If you cook, you don’t have to clean. And while I’m cooking, I’m also always eating.” Anna

“If I could sum you up as a food, Anna, you’d be a cold press olive oil.” Melissa

RESOURCES

www.melissahemsley.com

www.bora.com

www.riverford.co.uk

www.silolondon.com

www.felixproject.org

www.heckfieldplace.com

www.risefierce.com

www.boroughmarket.org.uk

www.hodmedods.co.uk

ABOUT THE GUEST

Melissa Hemsley is a self-taught chef, food columnist, author, real food activist and sustainability champion who is passionate about spreading the power of feel-good food. Melissa grew up in Kingston, London with her sister Jasmine and their parents; an energetic Filipino mum and an army dad. She has written 4 best-selling cookbooks the latest of which is ‘Eat Green’ released in 2019.

ABOUT THE HOST

Anna Barnett (www.annabarnettcooks.com) is a chef and food writer. She moved to London to work in TV and enjoyed a career at both MTV and Channel 4 before moving into fashion. Life has always been experienced through the lens of good food, however, and she released her debut cookery book ‘Eat the Week’ in 2015, after which she spent several years writing ‘The Reluctant Vegetarian’ blog for the Independent newspaper whilst also contributing to Vogue magazine. She went on to write the food pages for Grazia magazine; she now has a weekly column writing for The Evening Standard online. In 2019 Anna wrote and styled ‘How to be Gluten Free and Not Lose Friends’, her second cookery book. Anna regularly hosts pop-up restaurants, collaborates with brands, caters private events as well as hosting cookery classes at her home in east London.