The dessert craze is here. Images of decadent and lavish, chocolate dripping, caramel covered, buttercream iced confections, are everywhere, but most of all on social media. Be it, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat, we all want to show what we’re eating and where we're enjoying it.
Epic milkshakes, garnished with towers of donuts have been snapped in Canberra, Australia; fancy macaroon ice-cream sandwiches in South Korea; gourmet cupcakes of all kinds, show how dessert trends have changed over the past few years. With this movement, private chef to the stars turned business owner Sheba Anvari , of Local Sauce Food in London, UK, can’t be more enthused.
RACHAEL: Hi there. What are you up to today?
SHEBA: I’m actually preparing for a private dinner for a client turned close friend.
RACHAEL: Oh, fun. So is this pretty much a day in the life?
SHEBA: No. I wouldn't say it’s necessarily typical. I juggle between events, weddings, catering for movies and making fun cakes!
RACHAEL: Is there one over the other you prefer to do?
SHEBA: I don't prefer doing one thing over the next. I've recently been catering for the cast of a movie which I really enjoyed but also it highlighted to me the flexibility and creativity I have in the event work that I do. What they both have in common is the project element which I thrive on. The difference is that the events I cater tend to be centred around what people want to eat and for movies it's also important to consider what an actor needs to look a certain way.
RACHAEL: Keeping things creative must have become a challenge after a while! What films have you worked on?
SHEBA: So the thing is - that when you work for the film industry you have to sign disclosure agreements. So I’m not really allowed to speak about who I’ve cooked for and what they like to eat. But what I can say, is that I cooked for Vin Diesel when he was filming for the Fast and Furious 6 movie and a Warner Brothers Super Hero film that’s coming out soon.
RACHAEL: How did you get to where you are now? Is your family in the business?
SHEBA: No, it didn't start like that. My Mum and my Dad both can’t cook, however it was my Grandma that enjoyed hosting, she was a great cook and did all types of homely style food. I loved what she did, she was an amazing cook. The first thing she ever taught me was how to make meringues. Honestly, the idea of hosting must have stuck from those family experiences because when I was studying viola at University, I always preferred cooking and having people over for dinners instead to practicing. It was then, that I decided that want I really wanted to do was cook.
RACHAEL: I’m sort of fascinated by the way you’re so versatile in your business. You cater for parties, weddings and also do fabulous cakes. Do you have any training?
SHEBA: I studied at Leiths Cookery School, The French Method, and apprenticed at a couple Michelin starred restaurants. Now that was an experience!
RACHAEL: What was it like working at a Michelin starred restaurant?
SHEBA: It’s very stressful, I couldn't believe how long the hours were - and that was my first experience working in a restaurant. Originally when I wanted to do cooking I wanted to work at a restaurant, so it really changed my options after working in that industry. People who work in restaurants are amazing heroes because the hours they do are just so hard. Everything needs to be perfect. It feels like so long ago since I worked at those places, but I learnt so much about food that I wouldn't have learnt from anywhere else. Even just the way they peeled vegetables or the way they graded peas.
RACHAEL: What was it like cooking for people in their homes? Any interesting stories?
SHEBA: My first client was this author, who also does musicals, and then I met her friends. A lot of my clients become my friends. It's important in this industry because you are going into people’s homes, you don't want to cook for people you don't like. I haven't had that experience so much, but if you're working with people who are mean or not appreciative then it's not worth it. After all, I feel like it's a very creative field, very giving and that’s the joy in doing it.
RACHAEL: How do you think Instagram has changed the food industry?
SHEBA: Back when I first started 8 years ago, it was very different. There wasn't as much street food. How people eat, what they want to eat. The standard of cooking has changed as well - for the better!! Nowadays there’s a huge focus on being extra healthy: eating vegetables as a main thing has become much more popular, and making vegetables a tasty important element of your cooking has become almost the norm. Everyone is so aware of what others are eating all the time, and there is so much more nutrition information and understanding than there ever has been. What you should eat to have this figure or that one, everyone wants to know what everyone else is up to! Food is something that everyone is involved in (as long as they eat...) it's visual and people want to know and learn from each other.
RACHAEL: It must be a pretty busy time coming up, wedding season and all?
SHEBA: I have five weddings before July and 8 cakes in the next 2 months.
RACHAEL: That’s busy! You make insane cakes. How did you get into that?
SHEBA: Honestly, I saw on Instagram the hype of people doing all these cool cakes and I said, I can do that. So now the cakes have become an integral part of my business. They're being booked both independently and as a central feature of our fully catered events.
RACHAEL: What would you say is the most fulfilling part of what you do?
SHEBA: That’s a toss up. I’d have to say I really enjoy teaching children how to cook, they are so thrilled to learn and everyone is a kid again during that moment.