Interview with with celebrity chef Kylie Kwong

My earliest food memory is my mother’s delicious, comforting Cantonese-style fried rice.

I keep myself looking good by having good quality and decent amounts of sleep each night.

People would be surprised to know I like to spend enormous amounts of time in quietude – to balance out the hectic-ness of our modern-day lives – and that I eat extremely simply at home.

My most amazing discovery is organic bananas … there’s nothing more delicious!

My contribution to keep the planet intact is the quality of produce my restaurant (Billy Kwong) offers. Locally grown, organic, biodynamic produce is life-giving food that makes you feel, think and sleep better.

When I’m not reading cookbooks I read books on Buddhism and on sustainability in business.

My favourite accessory is my Mont Blanc pen, which my staff gave me for my 40th birthday!

When I’m in need of some time out I go to Sydney’s Centennial Park and walk to the duck pond and meditate.

My wish is to help raise awareness of the importance of eating ethically. In my new book It Tastes Better (Lantern, $69.95), I talk to extraordinary and uplifting Australian sustainable food producers, who look after our precious planet.

My secret indulgent food is tomato sauce!

An ingredient I couldn’t live without is salt.

My never-fail cooking tip is only cook what you love to eat. It will taste so much better.

I’m grateful for waking up every morning. Just being alive is indeed a miracle.

As told to Kathy Buchanan