Food Show: Nici Wickes

Nici Wickes. Photo / Supplied

Claim to fame?
Having cooked in restaurants, run a catering company, been formally trained as a chef and now presenting my own travel and food show, World Kitchen as well as being Viva's eating out editor, I can honestly say that food - eating it, growing it, cooking it, writing about it - is my obsession.

Career high?
For the first episode of World Kitchen the director and I did a sneaky "recce" to the legendary Paul Bocuse's three Michelin star restaurant in Lyon the day before we were due to film there. We were spotted hovering outside (like a couple of scruffy backpackers) by the maitre d', who insisted we come in and have lunch. They sat us both at a table in the corner of the main kitchen and we were able to watch the slick team of 26 handsome French chefs while they fed us four courses of the most incredible food - that we later tallied up was worth well over $300 each.

Influences?
Travel has always influenced the food I cook. From a young age I set off to explore the world, but it was not the museums, art galleries or famous ruins that I was captivated by. It was the street food, the markets, the incredible array of dishes and the people behind them that fascinated me.

Signature dish?
I make a bouillabaisse that has elicited marriage proposals from men, so it must be good.

Always in the pantry?
Lots of food in case of a famine.

Guiltiest pleasure?
Having left-over puddings for breakfast. I stop at nothing - creme brulee, tiramisu, pavlova with stale cream, I love them all as breakfast items.

Ultimate aim?
That every teenager in this country knows how to cook a basic dinner from scratch, including a pudding.

When you're not in the kitchen?
Snowboarding, mountain biking, surfing or something else physical to help counteract the weekly food intake my job demands!

* Appearing Thurs 4.30pm & Fri 4.30pm