This Mother’s Day, Melbourne My Style would firstly like to acknowledge and celebrate all mothers and Mother figures.
Today we share with you our up close and personal interview with Mother and Master Chef favourite Kishwar Chowdhury.
Kishwar is a mother of two beautiful children, son Mikayle who is 12, and daughter Seraphina aged 5. As I stand with Kishwar and the family in her kitchen at home it’s easily noted that her children are also masters around the kitchen. Her son Mikayle boils the kettle and asks me would I like to join them for a cup of tea, as the little sister also brings a stool over to join in and help him.
Family traditions in the Chowdhury household are celebrated with food and the joy of cooking together. Kishwar says, “My food is how I tell my story. This is the food of over 200 million people from the Bay of Bengal… and I’d like to share that with the world.”
So how will the Chowdhury family celebrate Mother’s Day? Kishwar says, “it’s always about breakfast in bed for me and homemade cards by my children. I will never forget the year my son Mikayle made me toast with vegemite, tomato sauce, and cheese. He knew these were things I enjoyed eating so he thought he’d put them all together.”
Cooking with mum is loved by Kishwar’s children and has been passed down through the generations of her Bangladeshi family.
Daughter Seraphina says, “I love making fluffy scrambled eggs for mum, and I can do it all by myself.”
Son Mika as Kishwar calls him, loves to make Tofu noodles for the family and a special chicken dish. Kishwar says, “he has a fire in his belly to cook ever since I finished Master Chef and makes a mean dish with Buffalo Wings.”
This year Kishwar and her family will keep the tradition of all heading out and celebrating Mother’s Day with an early Sunday morning, Yum Cha. Yum Cha is a great way to enjoy the traditions of Chinese flavours and culture and brings people together.
Kishwar Chowdhury has risen to the top of the culinary world since her first appearance as a MasterChef Australia top 3 finalist in 2021. Kishwar has since become one the most renowned names in the Southeast Asian food scene after a life-changing decision changed the course of her life and saw her enter the hearts and minds of people across the globe on MasterChef as she brought her love for Bengali food to Australian and international audiences.https://10play.com.au/masterchef/participants/season-13/kishwar-chowdhury/pa210414syqod
Following her successful residency at Tonka, Kishwar has headlined events in Las Vegas, USA, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, receiving standing ovations after her events and high praise from international ambassadors, members of parliament, heads of industry, fellow chefs, and national artists. Kishwar is also actively working with the United Nations World Food Programme and Asylum Seekers Resource Centre in Melbourne. This year, alongside Darren Purchase and Adam D’Sylva she was Feast for Freedom Ambassador 2022.
In 2024, Kishwar plans to release her much-anticipated cookbook, containing her most cherished Bengali recipes. A continuation of the legacy of Bangladeshi cuisine she wishes to impart to her children.
Interview by Melinda Sullivan
Photography Sam Tabone
