Following Masterchef, it is about time I got in touch with you all!
Welcome to my blog, which will keep you up to date with all the great things I am doing with MasterChef live, Sara@StJohns Dining Club, cookery schools and much more. I will be sharing recipes and tips to be a great success in the kitchen… because to cook great food you needn’t necessarily be in a professional kitchen!
The show really has changed my life and wasn’t just a telly programme!
I have been through a few tumultuous months in which I quit my job, had a state of the art kitchen built, lost my beloved father in law, fixed my shoulder with surgery and set up a new business with my partner in crime and husband David.
Hence Sara@StJohns: a dream come true.
The idea was to have a fine dining establishment at home, share my passion for cooking fine food, meet the many fans who had followed me on MasterChef, meet new people (both fans and foodies alike) and, two months on, more than 200 people have now eaten at the Dining Club. Hence the silence on the Blog front!
The venture has proven to be extremely successful with return customers, empty plates, no disasters in the kitchen, appreciative cards and flowers, invitations to clients’ houses (so I don’t have to cook), customers exchanging emails, wine being shared, converting olive and aubergine haters and, thanks to a fixed menu, getting people to try new things.
Fine food and conviviality, the Dining Club’s ethos, have worked and is more successful than we ever imagined! So much so, bookings are being taken from January 2012 onwards.
Upcoming events include the York Food Festival where I shall be, for once, a judge at the Wannabe a Masterchef competition and have the honour of cooking for the Lord Mayor at York’s Mansion House and, with autumn upon us and needing a break from my kitchen, I shall be foraging in the hills of the Cinque Terre and come back to you with recipes and tips on my beloved porcini!
Hi Sara,
We just saw the end of MC 2011 last week on Belgium Television. (Until then I couldn’t look anything up on the internet. Didn’t want any spoilers) The final was really thrilling. You could all win.
But eventhough Tim won, I’m glad to read business is going well for you. So nice to see someone’s dream come true.
Wish you and your partner an ongoing succes.
Great to see the blog launched! Looking forward to seeing the recipes and tips!!
Dear Sara
Your cooking gave us so much joy over the many Masterchef weeks – we could smell and taste ‘almost’ your wonderful dishes.
My husband an Australian who loves Italian food fell in love with you – and your eyelashes.
Thank you so much – if you are ever in Australia giving a master class we shall be in the front row.
And if my husbands heart gives him a flutter I know you will be able to take care of him.
XxX
Thank you Christine, maybe one day I will get to do an international cookery tour! Please come by the blog again soon Sx
Hey Sara
we have just finished watching Masterchef in Australia on Foxtel. We had you tipped for the winner all the way through the show and we loved your cooking , your flair and committment, you were a pure joy to watch! Your facial expressions were wonderful too, all your feeling were written all over your face and made us laugh, never take up poker! it was so tense at the end (we would hate Greg and Johns job..) and although we loved both Tom and Tim, we wanted you to win…..but regardless you will be a huge success . Good luck with your new venture!
xxx
Thank you for the kind words Sue, a real pleasure to hear such great compliments all the way from Australia!
Sara keep up the good work! You are an inspiration! Your food is so beautiful.
Warm regards from Canberra Australia
Thank you so much! Please swing by the blog again, we’re just getting things up and running – lots more to come! Sara x
I loved watching your creations on the show, and the passion in which you cooked. One of my new goals in life is to meet you, give you a hug, and eat your food at your new Dining Club. If there is anyone who can make me an aubergine convert, it will be you! Your food looked simply AMAZING! So happy for your wonderful success, as you seem like such a warm and beautiful person. Thanks for giving my Tim all those nice hugs on the show – it warmed my heart!
Love to you from Wisconsin!
Nancy
Thanks a lot for your delightful message Nancy. I had the pleasure of having Tim here in York at the dining club last Sunday ! (he mentioned you and aubergines…. saying that you don’t fancy them much, and afterwards, I get this message…..life is great!)
Masterchef was an amazing experience, and I learnt more than I ever thought I would .
It changed my life , radically, and I can think of a long list of things I will keep with me forever.
The best thing I got from it is that I made new friends especially Tim and Tom . Tim is a delightful guy, gentle and polite full of ideas and a great talent, a joy to have around. I am very fortunate to have met him and to share such passion for food!
Tim mentioned you and your husband will be in Birmingham this month so I hope we will meet even only for a few minutes! I am sure you are very proud of Tim , and I believe his talent and great family support is the perfect combination for a successful career in food. I am very proud of him too!
Thanks for your message, it made my day!!
Sara