This week we’re celebrating Christmas – with a twist! I’m joined by the wonderful and charismatic food writer, Tom Parker Bowles. Some may know his mother – Queen Camilla, some may know his brilliant writing, and some may have purchased one of his NINE books!
Tom popped round for a coffee and chat and spoke all about his favourite Christmas traditions, what Christmas looked like in the Parker Bowles household as a child and what his mother still puts in his stocking!
I, of course, had to ask about Christmas at The Royal’s! He told me about his time with the Royal Family last Christmas, what they eat, drink and of course how they celebrate! This was a fascinating conversation discovering a little about our incredible King Charles and his love of food, tradition and family. Thank you Tom for coming on!
This is also sadly the final episode of Season 12 – and what a season it’s been! Thank you to all of my guests and to all of the listeners and viewers; this has been the best season yet and I appreciate every single one of you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and I’ll see you in 2026 for another season!
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
I’m joined by Sadie Frost for this week’s episode! Sadie is an actor, producer, director, fashion designer and now a qualified yoga teacher. Making a name for herself in the 90s, Sadie was part of a pop culture movement during the hedonistic Britpop era. These days, she’s more likely to be found in a jivamukti studio, eating clean and plant based, and living a life somewhat slower than the noughties! It was so great to catch up on her life, how food has played a part and what the future holds!
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
Today I’m joined by my dear friend and star of The Real Housewives of London, Amanda Cronin! I’ve known Amanda for about 15 years now and seeing her light up my screens as the stand out star of Hayu's first-ever original series has made my life so much better!
From an idyllic childhood in Hampshire, to the bright lights of London, Amanda is a go-getter, a strong, fierce, determined and resilient woman.
She’s the CEO of Amanda Caroline Skincare, a mother and entrepreneur and now a TV star! In the episode we cover it all; her days as a model in the 90s, her love of caviar (and her caviar dealer!), her experience on the show, her issues (or are there?!) with Paddington!! IYKYK. And of course, her food memories, her specialities in the kitchen…. And her favourite crisps! Enjoy!
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
I’m joined this week by the gorgeous Sian Welby. She’s the host of the Capital Radio Breakfast Show, appears regularly on This Morning, and is a real bundle of joy and positivity! She popped over for a chat over a cuppa (apparently I made a good one!) and talked all about her upbringing in the East Midlands, her hustle from a young age to become a presenter (she filmed her first online show in the dressing room of New Look!), her time as Channel 5’s weather girl (obsessed with this!) and what it felt like to get the call from This Morning – her dream job!Sian is also a new mum like me so we really bonded over how we’ve tackled being working mums, especially in the same industry. I left the conversation feeling really inspired and full of happiness. Sian is a real girl’s girl and I absolutely love her energy! Enjoy.@sianwelby@crazysexyfood@hannahharleywww.crazysexyfood.comMusic by @casnova____I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
This week I’m joined but one of the most inspirational women I’ve ever met; Fatima Whitbread. As an Olympic javelin champion, and world record holder, Fatima’s lifestory is one that will blow your mind.
Behind all the global success, Fatima’s start in life was not for the fainthearted. She was abandoned by her birth mother as a small baby and subsequently spent her childhood in the care system before being fostered. She has experienced it all, but has used her platform to fight for a better care system in the UK. Through her charity, she tirelessly campaigns for changes to be made, sheds a light on the realities of children in care and undertakes extreme challenges in order to raise money and build awareness.
Fatima is resilient, strong and a force to be reckoned with. This conversation was raw, honest but also full of hope. Please support all that Fatima does by visiting: https://www.fatimascampaign.com and help support where you can.
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
This week I’m joined by Jussie Smollett; actor, singer and all-around creative soul. Jussie is no stranger to the spotlight, since his first big break back in 1992 in The Mighty Ducks. He’s most known for portraying Jamal in Fox’s Empire, however, Jussie has also faced the dark side effects of fame. In 2019, Jussie was the victim of a hate crime in 2019, but he was then charged and found guilty of staging the attack himself, getting 150 days in jail before the guilty charge was notoriously overturned in court.
In this chat, we cover it all; life as an actor-singer, his time playing such a breakthrough role on Empire (he played a black, gay man), his new music and album (which is out now!) – but we also address the situation he found himself in, in 2019. This is a sensitive topic in which we had to be careful how we discussed it, but I hope it gives you an insight into Jusssie’s thoughts and feelings, the experiences he endured and how he has reclaimed his life back. This is a conversation about growth, reinvention, truth and love. Enjoy.
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
The gorgeous Helen Goh joins me this week on the sofa. As the pastry recipe developer extraordinaire, and long time member of the Ottolenghi family, Helen has been creating delicious bakes for over twenty years.
As a trained psychologist, originally from Malaysia, Helen marries culture, heritage and childhood memories in her recipes. Her first solo cookbook, Baking and the Meaning of Life has just been released and is not only full of fantastic recipes, but also stories and ideas behind the link between psychology and baking.
We discuss her childhood growing up in Australia, meeting Yotam Ottolenghi, and she gives her baking tips and tricks. Helen is such a joy to be around, so I hope you love this episode as much as I do!
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
This week I’m joined by one of the greatest voices this country has produced, Alfie Boe! As one of Britain’s most celebrated tenors, his career has spanned opera, musical theatre and pop. He’s won a Tony, played Jean Valjean in Les Misérables too many times to count, and has performed at sold out arenas around the world.
Alfie came over to discuss new music, the life of an operatic singer, how he broke into the industry, and – wait for it – he tries to shatter glass through the sound of his voice in my house!!
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
This week I’m joined by Laurie Woolever. You may not recognise her by name but you’ll definitely know the man she worked for! None other than Anthony Bourdain. As Tony’s assistant for many years up until his passing in 2018, Laurie has worked in the culinary world for decades as a food writer, recipe tester, cookbook author and also as the assistant to the infamous Mario Batali.
She joined me earlier this year in London, whilst on her book tour. She released her memoir, Care and Feeding, which details her hedonistic life in the New York food scene. She led a life of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, before finding sobriety. Laurie is very open about her past, and we go into real detail about her time working with Anthony, what he was like behind the scenes and the memory he’s left imprinted on this world. Enjoy this episode, it’s a good one!
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
This week we have culinary royalty on the podcast! Michel Roux Jr popped round for a cup of coffee and a chat. Coming from such a prestigious family dynasty, we bonded over trying to prove yourself in a family business and the fact we are addicted to routine!
Michel opened up about making the difficult decision in shutting Le Gavroche in 2024, his childhood growing up in the kitchen and his pride and joy for the success of his daughter, Emily.
We also delved into his media career and his appearances on Masterchef: The Professionals, what it takes to be a judge on these shows, and his hobbies – running marathons! This was a really indepth and honest conversation so I hope you feel like you’ve got to know Michel even better after this!
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
Pinch me! I cannot believe Estelle came to my home, sat on my sofa and spent some time chatting all about life with little old me! I was – and still am – a huge fan of Estelle’s; she really defined the UK music scene in the early noughties.
Fresh from LA, Estelle joins me this week to talk all about her new music, life growing up in London as one of NINE siblings, and the chance meeting she had with John Legend and Kanye West, which changed the trajectory of her career.
I love Estelle’s laid back attitude to life, she’s bringing that real LA living energy to the episode, so I hope you love this one as much as I do.
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
Welcome back and welcome to Season 12 of the Crazy Sexy Food podcast! I took a little break this year to focus on other exciting parts of the brand, but I’m back bigger and better than ever! We have a new set up, an array of incredible guests and exciting, meaningful conversations all around food, life and everything inbetween.
We kick this season off with Emily English – aka Em the Nutritionist. She’s taken the world by storm with her easy to follow, delicious recipes, her two Sunday Times bestselling books and her incredibly informative nutritional knowledge.
I’m a huge fan of Em’s and have interviewed her several times now. In this episode we talk all about her journey to getting where she is now, her childhood working in the kitchen of her grandma’s restaurant and her stint in the fashion industry. Importantly, we discuss nutrition deeply and explore the reasons we struggle with poor nutrition. This is a must listen! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did hosting it!
Music by @casnova____
I’m so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk for season 12! Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So, get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk.
It feels good to be back! You're in for a treat this season. From leading global chefs, actors, musicians - and a few special surprises, Season 12 is going to be the best yet!
I’m also so excited to be working with Wayfair.co.uk on this season!
Why? Because just like great food, a beautiful home should be full of personality, quality, and joy. Wayfair has everything to bring your dream space to life, at prices that make it simple. That’s why I’m proud to partner with them. So get it out of your head, and into your home with Wayfair.co.uk
Today I’m double dipping with Bettina Campolucci Bordi. Since she came on the podcast back in 2020, we’ve remained firm friends. Just shows you the magic of podcasting! Bettina is a chef, recipe developer, cookbook author, culinary wellness expert, and she hosts incredible retreats around the world! What a job she has – if you can call it that! We’re at Osteria Angelina to try out some of their delicious dishes, and have a girlie catch up!
Today I’m double dipping with Jose Pizarro. As the godfather of Spanish cooking in the UK, it may come as a surprise that he very nearly became a dentist rather than a chef! Just over 25 years ago, Jose arrived in the UK not speaking a word of English, worked his way up the ranks and is now the chef-owner of several critically acclaimed restaurants around London. He’s a true gem in the culinary world and I can’t wait to Double Dip with him!
Today I’m double dipping with Francesco Mazzei. Considered one of the most renowned Italian chefs in the UK, he champions the cuisine of Southern Italy. He came on the special season of the podcast I hosted in partnership with Taste of London and I’ve considered him a friend since then. I love his generosity and Italian patriotism and can’t wait to Double Dip with him!
Today I’m double dipping with Sami Tamimi. As the co-founder of Ottolenghi, he has helped bring Middle Eastern food to homes around the world, changing the way we eat and think about food. Although we haven’t seen eachother in a while, he’s been as busy as ever. He’s released a new cookbook, Boustany, which focuses on vegetable led dishes he grew up with in Palestine. Sami is incredibly talented, and I feel so honoured to be back in his presence again.
Today I’m double dipping with, Sarit and Itamar, the husband and wife duo behind one of my longstanding favourite spots, Honey & Co. They joined me on season 1 of the podcast and we delved into their backgrounds, the journey they’ve taken to opening and running such brilliant restaurants, and what influences their dishes. I’m here today to see what they’ve been up to over the last few years!
I am joined by the beauty that is Gizzi Erskine! Gizzi has been in the industry for years and she’s not just looks – but also substance! She trained at Leith’s, cut her teeth in many restaurants around the city including St John. Her knowledge of food is unmatched as well as her understanding of hospitality. She has owned and run several pop-up restaurants, written for many publications and has her own cookbooks! What can’t she do?!
Today I’m joined by the godfather of French cooking. Pierre Koffmann is chef royalty in my eyes. His career spans over six decades and some of the biggest names in the culinary world have worked under him; Gordon, Marco, Marcus.. the list is endless. He’s a 3 Michelin starred chef – he won the stars for his restaurant, La Tante Claire, and is renowned as one of the most important French chefs of our time.