moose yaks: recipe for success
This week Neon Moose chats to blogger-chef-MKR winner Bree May about a few key ingredients for success…
As a curious toddler, Bree May would spend hours in the kitchen watching her mum make bread and finger buns (“My mother was an avid baker,” Bree starts). As a wee five year old, she would make scones for her mum (From ‘The Margaret Fulton Cookbook’ of course! I still absolutely adore this book!” she laughs). By age 11 she would hire cake decorating VHS tapes from the school library. 22 years later and she’s managed to scoop up the My Kitchen Rules title, co winning with friend Jess Liebich. And fire up her foodie blog, Food According To Bree. So what’s her secret recipe for success? Well, for starters, coming from a long line of talented cooks helps.
“I grew up in a very food orientated family. My mother is an absolutely amazing cook. Both my grandmother and nanna were amazing cooks. I am a European mix of French, German, Dutch and English. This cultural melting pot, definitely exposed me to different foods and flavours.”
Apart from Bree’s talented ancestry history, other methods for success include her unwavering passion (especially when it comes to cooking roasts!), unrelenting hunger and serious obsession about food.
“I love looking at it. I love thinking about it. I love eating it. It’s the best thing in the world. Food has always been in me; it’s in my blood.”
And of course, starring in a national reality TV show (cue: My Kitchen Rules) takes the proverbial cake. It was this once in a lifetime opportunity that has paved the way for turning her foodie dreams into a reality. And all thanks to her husband who nudged her to enter.
“I still can’t believe that I was picked, and I will never be able to comprehend the enormity of winning. Seriously mind blowing,” she says.
“My time on MKR was truly, one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given. I learnt so much about myself. I realized a strength inside of me that I never knew existed, I learnt to really believe in and back myself, and it has allowed me to follow a path that one year ago I could only ever dream of. It was also the most insanely challenging work, physically and mentally that I’ve ever undertaken.”
But the best success of all is when a career and a passion come together. Post MKR, Bree is now channeling two of her great loves – food and writing – and mashing them together in her endearing and candid blog, Food According To Bree.
“I love it. I get to constantly think about food and writing. I’m always dreaming up and testing new recipes, I’m always thinking up new stories and I’m starting to take better photos… but they are still pretty average!” she concludes.
