Meet the Home Cooks

Sarj, 68

Retiree, SA

Malaysian-born retiree and empty-nester Sarj moved to the UK after marrying at 21. Disappointed by the ‘endless roasts and potatoes’ in England at the time, she began trying to recreate the flavours of her mother’s Malaysian Indian cuisine. Fast forward nearly five decades of cooking for family, friends and community, Sarj has developed her own generous style of cooking built around flavour and instinct. She now calls Adelaide home, and is involved in ‘community-minded cooking’, running market stalls and regularly cooking for international students. She says the latter ‘reminds me of my own mother cooking constantly for nine children. It inspired me to give them that joy of home.’