Five questions: Sarah Tuck

For me the essence of food is that it is made for sharing – I have always been passionate about entertaining and bringing friends and family together around the table to share a laugh, debate, (occasionally sing) and ultimately to form bonds that last a lifetime.

How did you turn that interest – and considerable skills – into a career?

About six years ago I was given the opportunity to work for Annabel Langbein, developing recipes and styling them for shoots. With a history in publishing (from my pre-children days) I decided to learn photography so that I could package my skills into a one-stop shop.

The most surprising thing so far has been the incredible support, encouragement and faith I have encountered along the way. The generosity of spirit I have experienced from my peers has been extraordinary. I really haven’t had many bad parts to reflect on – perhaps only my frustration at wanting to hone my skills at a rate that was faster than actually realistic.

I’m a sucker for a quick easy pasta dish, with a salty, sweet, earthy, crunchy combo that I just love. Living alone, I often cook up  a big pot of brown rice or quinoa that I package up into small bags in the freezer, then I roast up trays of vege combos like kumara, red onion, broccoli and cauliflower with cumin seeds – throw on some toasted nuts and I’m happy! In summer I swap the roast veg for steamed asparagus, fresh greens, avocado and pesto. Either way I have quick, easy, nutritious meals ready in five minutes.

I love the variety of dining that is available, the different ethnicities, flavours and ‘vibes’ that abound. Something I would like to see change is the idea that vegetarianism and veganism are short-term fringe movements, I believe they are truly here to stay, with younger generations much more educated and passionate about their food choices than perhaps some realise.

Conversely I’m not a massive fan of short-term fads driven by Instagram – rainbow, glitter, unicorn, monster shake anyone? Ultimately I think my opinions on food tend to be pretty open-minded rather than evangelical. I quite often find the simplest things the best, and love having the opportunity to enjoy food created by inspirational chefs and home cooks alike.