Chris Gordon interviews Alice Zaslavsky

Chris Gordon chats with local foodie Alice Zaslavsky about her new fact-filled, kid-friendly cookbook.


Alice, it’s all going on for you! You must be super busy with your new book, your television show, your new business, being the face of Prahran Market – and goodness, do you have time to relax?

Ha! When you put it like that, it does sound like I should have way less time on my hands. I’m pretty sure that most of the people I meet on my daily dog beach adventures with Leopold Tolstoy (my Rhodesian Ridgeback) just assume I’m a uni student because I’m there so often. As for ‘relaxing’, everything I’m doing for ‘work’ these days is actually just stuff I find enjoyable and happen to get paid for every now and then, so I don’t ever feel like I’m working hard enough to need a break.

You seem like a really fun woman. I’ve heard you described as zany, fun and infectious, but how would you describe yourself?

Well, the latter is also used to describe the flu, so not quite sure how I feel about that one! But thank you! I actually find it harder to accept the description of myself as a ‘woman’ than I do any of those other adjectives. It’s probably why I got along with my students so well as a teacher. I’ve never truly come to terms with the fact that I’m not a kid anymore. Mind you, I am turning 30 this year so it might happen (but I won’t be holding my breath).

And how would you describe your completely ace cookbook? As a mum of a son that loves to collect useful facts, I just know he will love this one. (And I love that it is targeted at kids.)

Oh yay! I hope he does. I’m exactly the same – a fact collector. Nothing makes me happier than imagining someone opening my book and storing away some little tidbit from it every now and then. I love that it’s targeted at kids too! It was never even a question of whether my book was going to be for kids or grownups – it was more: What to write about first?

Did you have much to do with the layout?

When I first started writing the book, I included ideas for little pictures and even set it out with textboxes and arrows. But my publisher Sue Whiting (who is a legend!) reassured me that they would handle all of that and I should just focus on making the content really strong. To be honest, I still found it hard to let go of but I was in the best hands. My art director, Gayna Murphy, has worked on so many incredible cookbooks over the years – you can really tell that she has an eye for what foodie types are looking for. The layout is super fun but also super clean, which means that you don’t start to feel overwhelmed as you’re flipping through the pages. This is no mean feat considering all of the information within. As for the illustrations from Kat Chadwick, they’re exactly what I was hoping for when I wrote my early suggestions in those little text-boxes. Food pun perfection.

The food you’ve highlighted in your book with your top tips and recipes are accessible and delicious. What’s your favourite recipe from the book?

Hooray! I love how accessible and delicious the recipes are are also. If I had to pick one, it would be the borscht (beetroot soup). I’m always proudest when I’m able to share my family’s recipes and this one is a cracker. Mum would make up a big batch at the start of the week and it would see us through as an after-school snack until Friday afternoon.

Imagine it’s Sunday night and it’s been a huge weekend. Now your mates are coming over for a relaxed meal. What do you serve?

I try to change up my spread if we have guests – but it almost invariably includes some sort of slow-cooked meat like lamb shoulder or a roast chook and some form of bright and luscious salad. I love set-and-forget cooking whereas my husband Nick is all about the intricate and labour-intensive kitchen tasks. That’s why I leave dessert (and washing up) to him.

Thanks so much for your contribution. I think it’s about time that a book like this came along.

Thank YOU for having me! I used to wish that there could be a book like this to recommend to curious students when I was teaching, but there never seemed to be anything out there. I believe Étienne penned it best – if you want something done right, do it yourself. Of all of the opportunities that have come my way following my pirouette out of the MasterChef Australia kitchen in 2012, this is the one that I am the most grateful for.


Alice’s Food A-Z is now available in-store and online.

Cover image for Alice's Food A-Z

Alice’s Food A-Z

Alice Zaslavsky (Author)

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