Listed: Georgina Hayden on Food, Family & Feeling Calm In The Kitchen

 

Georgina Hayden is a familiar face from all of your favourite cookery shows. Having previously worked alongside Jamie Oliver for 12 years, she shares his philosophy of simple food that tastes great.

Growing up in North London spending most of her time in her grandparents' restaurant, she learnt how food can bring people together, in both good times and bad. Her celebration of her roots and her family is reflected very clearly in her food and in her work. Medesque is her latest cookbook and embraces the many different flavours of the Mediterranean with simple, weeknight recipes designed to bring everyone to the table.

We chatted to Georgina about family, food and, of course, got all of her recommendations of what to eat around the Mediterranean. Quite frankly, it's got us booking flights and dreaming of a rosé in the sun.

Georgina Hayden is Listed.

 

We spoke to Georgina before her visit to Guernsey for the Guernsey Literary Festival. Hear her speak and taste her food at a special lunch event on Saturday 2nd May, 12pm at The OGH. Book your spot here.

Image credit: Laura Edwards

Medesque follows on from your previous best-seller Greekish. We’ve seen you describe it as the cooler little sister (Love that!). What can people expect from it and what would you love people to experience from the book?

Thank you! I’ve hopefully channeled all the ease, fun and playfulness of Greekish into Medesque, but with just a broader landscape. You can expect more weeknight meals, a pasta subsection, simplified dishes such as a one pan moussaka, lots of great breakfast options such as a churros Dutch baby and Turkish eggs florentine, and one of my favourite recipes - a basil vienetta. 

I guess I would love people to enjoy it, and have fun with it. To make the recipes their own and become a part of their everyday repertoire. For me that is the dream really, that a recipe is something everyday, achievable and becomes part of people's weekly menus.

We're sold! Family & nostalgia is clearly a huge part of your life, as well as your identity in your work and food. What’s your favourite family food memory?

Having grown up with a family restaurant, I have so many! But I think it would have to be any big celebration - Christmas or Easter Day or NYE in the restaurant was always the most fun. It was chaotic and loud and delicious. Tables groaning with meze, with everyone grazing slowly on lots of dishes made by my grandparents. I’m not into formal dining - there is nothing better than table conversations and sharing meals with loved ones. NYE was always my favourite and I have many happy memories of falling asleep under tables or on a chair while everyone ate and drank into the early hours.

 

"Working with Jamie Oliver for 12 years meant so many incredible opportunities: making wedding cakes in Amalfi, cooking on a fishing boat in Malta, learning to make pastry in Morocco… I feel very lucky."

 

Where do you find inspiration for your recipes? And do you have a favourite from Medesque?

My family, but also my love of travel. I’ve been lucky to work all over the world, and have spent most of my time in the Mediterranean - lots of time in Italy, France, Spain, Greece etc. Working with Jamie Oliver for 12 years meant so many incredible opportunities: making wedding cakes in Amalfi, cooking on a fishing boat in Malta, learning to make pastry in Morocco… I feel very lucky.

Let’s open your little black travel book. For those planning a Mediterranean summer, can you tell us your favourite places to visit for good food and good times? 

Oh my goodness, I don't even know where to start, and wouldn’t want to offend anyone! I’m going to start by saying Sicily, because I just love it so much - the food is unreal, the people and all the good times. And as much as I adore the Greek islands I'm going to opt for Thessaloniki here, the food scene is insane. Great cafe and bar culture too. And lastly, another city, I’d say Palma. I love a city break and you could spend a few days happily eating and drinking around Palma. We’ve had some outstanding food there.

That gets us excited for summer! And nothing beats summer on the Mediterranean. What would be the ingredients for your perfect day in the Med - from breakfast to night cap. 

I’d have a lazy start in the South of France, with a croissant and a coffee. Reading the paper and people watching. Then I’d head to the main square in Marrakech for a bit of shopping and a light lunch - there is a stall there with an egg and potato roll that I still dream about. Seasoned generously with cumin salt… I’d then head to Puglia for a long leisurely dinner, mortadella laced parmigiana and cime d rapa orecchiette. Then for a nightcap I’d hit Athens, and head out for some bouzoukia (live music), mastiha and dance until my feet hurt.

(Wow! Can we come?!)

 

You have said countless times that food doesn't have to be complicated to be impressive. What’s the best advice you could give to someone who wants to start to cook more, but is maybe intimidated?

It’s an obvious thing to say I guess, but start simple. Don't start by trying to make a whole roast dinner, or choux buns. Try a few one pan dishes, or tray bakes. In Medesque, I’d say things like the pan fried gnocchi with sausage and broccoli, or the chicken and dirty rice… And my biggest tip, let things colour, whether in the pan or in the oven - don’t be afraid to let it catch. Colour equals flavour. 

The sun is out, friends are coming round for the afternoon, it's a casual rose on the patio kind of day. What are you cooking?

I’m doing le grand spread: so 3 dips (herby aioli, a spicy feta pepper dip, and a mojo verde) with lots of crudite. Then lots of small plates - gildas, slices of melon and prosciutto, bowls of olive oil crisps, charred padron peppers… salty, moreish snacks and a chilled drink is pure bliss in the sun.

 

"I’m not into formal dining - there is nothing better than table conversations and sharing meals with loved ones."

 

There is something beautiful about the popularity of physical cookbooks in the digital age.

Do you have a favourite well-thumbed cookbook that you still dip into?

SO many! We genuinely need to move house, so I can have more space, the bookshelves are groaning! But one of my most loved books has to be Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros. She’s been a constant inspiration to me, and Falling Cloudberries made me want to write my own books.

Around your first book Stirring Slowly, you spoke about cooking for the soul and through emotional times and immersing yourself in a dish.

Your passion overlaps so much with your work (we get this so much!). And yet you put so much of yourself and your life and story into your work. Can you still enjoy cooking as a means to switch off and enjoy the moment? Or do you still find yourself wanting to make notes/take pictures as you go?

That is such a great question.

Yes, I can and do, but not very often. I’m usually working on a project - a book or a column, so I am constantly developing recipes. But on weekends, when I host, I try hard to just switch off and cook for fun. I find when I cook outside in my wood oven or BBQ it is when I am most instinctive. 

To end, we always ask people what they love about living in Guernsey, but let’s switch it up for you - What excites you most about coming to Guernsey? Looking forward to an island escape? (We’ve got A LOT of excellent food momentum at the moment!)

I am SO excited about coming to Guernsey, and not just because a night away on my own is such a treat! I’ve heard such gorgeous things about - my sister has friends there and raves about it. I’m excited to try out the food scene, and I know it's an obvious thing to say, but to try the milk! 

 

Medesque by Georgina Hayden is out now (Bloomsbury, £26).

You can hear (& taste!) more from Georgina at the Guernsey Literary Festival on Saturday 2nd May at 12pm at The OGH. There are a couple of tables left here.