She won Masterchef SA back in 2013 and now, Kamini Pather is finally back on our screens in her brand new show ‘Girl Eat World’ which premiered on the Food Network recently. The show sees her travel around the world as she meets up with food bloggers from different countries who take her on a culinary journey. I caught up with Kamini and she opens up about everything Girl Eat World.
You said ever since you won Masterchef that you want to have your own TV show. What is it about TV that draws you to it?
My first taste of being in front of the camera was on the Expresso Show. I was the Knorr girl for a few weeks, years before I had even dreamed of auditioning for MasterChef. Those inserts featured me cooking a meal with the Knorr products on live TV. I was so excited but also so bad at what I was doing. The rush of live TV, with no room for error, got me hooked. With each passing week, after watching and scrutinising my every gesture and annunciation, I got better at it in a short space of time. Those moments proved that I could actually be part of this type of media. Due to the massive appeal it’s also a powerful medium. And if you watch closely, you’ll see that power is definitely one of themes in my life.
Tell us how you came up with the concept for Girl Eat World.
The concept for this show evolved over time and many conversations between Lucky Bean Media and I. Even before MasterChef was over, I had made my intentions known. I wanted a TV show. The only points of reference I brought into those initially conversations was that I wanted this show to be internationally viable. The end product is based on me and the way I engaged with food media. I was a food blogger before MCSA and this show showcases my travels to 10 cities where I meet 10 bloggers who introduce me to their cities through food, adventure and friendship that started with a tweet, Instagram message or FB post.
Which destination surprised you the most?
Tokyo surprised me in so many delightful ways. I had never been before and I didn’t expect it to be quite so accessible. Japanese culture, the way that I saw it, is a beautiful mixture of eastern and western worlds. Besides the people and the intrigue they washed over me, the food is second to none. Each morsel is designed to be simple and purposeful where form and function meet effortlessly. For example, the standing sushi bars that serve nigiri style sushi to millions of people in train stations and building crevices around the city. The pope’s nose yakitori based in tare sauce and grilled on white hot coals was the most succulent piece of meat, encased in crisp, rendered fat of the most undesired part of the chicken, to those not in the know. Castello cake, made from roof top harvested honey, without layers or icing was perfect, exactly the way it was.
Which dish in the show challenged you the most?
The dish that challenged my taste buds the most was the Balat or 17 Day Embryo Egg I tasted in the Asian part of Sydney. Due to the Asian movement to Australia, there are places in the city that resemble streets in Vietnams or Malaysia or, in this case, thailand. The dish is a boiled fertilised duck egg that has been allowed to germinate for 17 days. When you crack it open, it’s a mix of soft bones and gelatinous textures. It’s about as gnarly as one could expect.
Now that you’ve finished filming the show, what have you set your eyes on next?
I always like to dream big. I want to shoot a second season (to start), write a book about the series and get onto the international demo circus. Reach for the stars, right?
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