In the Kitchen With

MY FOOD In the kitchen with FEATURE Hayden Quinn Hayden Quinn captivated many South African hearts in his adored role as a contestant on season three of Mas- terChef Australia. His youthful flair and boyish antics had viewers’ eyes flirting with their television sets on a daily basis. Hayden has since been gracing our shores in his latest series on SABC 3, Hayden Quinn South Africa, in which he shares his unbound passion for travel, food and adventure. We talk to Hayden about these passions, and find out what affords him a smile and personality that competes with the first sunrise of summer. “Good food should always be surrounded by stories and friends.” – Hayden Quinn WWW.WEIGHLESS.CO.ZA 45 MY FOOD A SEA OF PASSION most treasured moments with the show up until now, “One of my most favourite moments shooting the show recently was sneaking away FEATURE Born and bred in Australia, Hayden is no stranger to the hot, baking sun and beautiful beaches that he now experiences in his latest television from shooting on the Garden Route on one of our days off, and heading series in South Africa. His first love was the ocean, and this is immedi- up to J-Bay for a bit of surfing. This was one of those moments where ately evident when he reveals the fondest memories of his childhood, “I you see and hear so much about a place and then you actually get the just loved spending time down at the beach. It was the meeting place, chance to experience it. It was incredibly surreal for a young guy from the dinner place, the family space, the surf spot; it was my whole world Sydney.” when I was growing up.” Hayden so loved the ocean that he eventually made a career out of it, by becoming a professional lifeguard and Having spent a fair amount of time in South Africa, Hayden has even then also pursuing a degree in Marine Biology, “I really enjoyed being grown accustomed to one of the country’s favourite, traditional meals, on the sand, submersing myself in the water and doing it all with my “I absolutely love Poitjke!” he exclaims. “I really savour low and slow family and friends. It just feels like my home, it’s what I love and it has cooking. The first Poitjke I had was with some big burly farmers in the allowed me to follow my dream.” Karoo. That was such a memorable moment,” he says. Besides the food he has come to experience and learn to cook in South Africa, he While the ocean served his heart from a young age, he ultimately found notes that his highlight of our beloved country is meeting new people his utmost passion in the art of cooking. Hayden recalls, “It began in and submerging himself in the cultural cauldron that our country rep- my family kitchen; mum was an incredible cook and worked in the food resents. Hayden explains, “Having spent so much time in South Africa, world when I was young. Her passion and love for healthy, wholesome I love getting back and catching up with friends and having a beer or food that the whole family could tuck into really hit home for me.” He wine with them. I also like to explore while I am here. Travel has been grew incessantly interested and curious at what his mother was doing, a part of my life since I left school ten years ago; it feels like I haven’t and would ask an array of questions until he eventually started cook- stopped! Being able to see new things and meet new people is really ing himself, “I was a super curious kid (and still am), and would just ask special to me.” question after question and want to know more and more, until I was old enough to start cooking myself.” Hayden’s passion for food was THE GO, GO, GO LIFESTYLE finally realised when he entered and contested MasterChef Australia, in Although Hayden appreciates the opportunity he has been presented which, for three months, audiences were introduced and came to know with to do what he loves, he does admit that it often takes its toll, “My his lovable nature and diverse collection of talents. life is quite hectic and is always go, go, go, so it takes a lot of planning to make sure I get the balance that is needed to live healthily,” he says. A SOUTH AFRICAN OUTBACK While he is on the road, such as when he is travelling or shooting for the Hayden has recently spent time travelling South Africa in his latest show, Hayden says he generally finds it hard to achieve this necessary television series, Hayden Quinn South Africa. He combines his passion balance. “The days are long, and I sometimes feel that I am too far for cooking, traveling and living life, together with recipes from his away from my family and friends for lengthy periods of time,” he says. (one of three) cookbook(s), to take his adoring South African audience This doesn’t allow him to feel as healthy as he hopes to be all the time. on the ultimate foodie’s road-trip through South Africa. Hayden’s ad- “I most definitely live a healthy lifestyle, but there are also moments venturous personality fills his journey with fun-loving activities, while where I don’t feel that healthy. It generally comes down to working too staying true to his WWF ambassador roots. Hayden shares one of his hard and not having the right balance of healthy food, exercise, time with family and friends, and work,” he explains. Hayden does however note that, “I eat well most of the time and regularly exercise.Two very close friends and I own a gym on the Sydney Northern Beaches (in Australia) called The Cube Gym, so fitness and health is very much a part of my life.” Hayden follows his life phi- losophy of ‘live life, eat well and travel far’ to the tee, and this is so embodied in everything he does. Catch the colourful persona that is Hayden Quinn at this year’s Good Food and Wine Show where you can expect, as told from the surfers mouth, “Lots of fun! Lots of laughs! And hopefully, you will come away learning something, not just about the food I will be cooking, but also about me, my story, and my love of healthy living, South Africa and travel.” Sources: www.haydenquinn.com.au; www.haydenquinnsouthafrica.com; Hayden Quinn www.haydenquinnsouthafrica.com; Sources: www.haydenquinn.com.au; 46 WWW.WEIGHLESS.CO.ZA MY FOOD FEATURE Zuchinni Scrambled Eggs This is one of my favourite breakfast meals, and something I cook regularly in the morning to kick-start my day. I recently shared this dish with the amazing team (family) from Buena Vista Farm on the South Coast of NSW, Australia, when filming the second episode of my mini-series Unrefined. Check it out here: http://youtu.be/ r3J0rKKty7s 1 SERVE = 2 Protein + ½ Veg + 1 ½ Fat SERVES 2 – Good Choice recipe 1 tbs olive oil 1 small red onion, finely sliced 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 medium zucchini, cut in half and finely sliced 3 eggs 1 /3 cup ricotta ½ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped Salt 1 lemon, juiced Olive oil, to serve Parmesan cheese, grated Pepper, to taste 1. Heat a heavy based skillet / frying pan (I am obsessed with cast iron) over a medium-high heat, adding oil, onion and garlic. Sauté for 1-2mins to soften. Once softened, add the zucchini, and stir. 2. While the zucchini is cooking, bring together the egg mix by combining eggs and your choice of dairy (milk, cream or ricotta; whatever you have in the fridge), with a pinch of salt. You can also leave this out if you wish; you just won’t get those amazingly super fluffy and creamy eggs. 3. Pour egg mix over zucchini along with chopped basil (or if you have fresh pesto, even better). Gently stir the eggs until they set and become light and fluffy. 4. Spoon out onto plates and serve by adding a drizzle of lemon juice, olive oil and a generous grating of parmesan and pepper to taste. 5. Enjoy for breakfast with your most favourite person in the world!.

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