SWAPPING STORIES
What sparked your interest in Central Asia?
I worked in London as a bookseller, and to earn some extra money I got a job with a travel company based in Hong Kong, which was publishing lots of guidebooks on Central Asia. I worked on one focused on Tajikistan, and in 2009 I decided to go. It was incredible, especially since there were hardly any tourists back then. I started travel writing to fund more trips.
How did you make the leap to food writing?
The guidebooks I worked on always made out the food [in Central Asia] was terrible. I was so disappointed with this myth, because that hadn’t been my experience. When I ate in people’s houses, the food was amazing, and the markets were full of fantastic produce. Just because it’s not to our palates, doesn’t mean the cuisine isn’t worth exploring.
Why do you think this misconception exists?
I think there’s a lack of understanding. Because Central Asia was part of the Soviet Union — even though that collapsed in 1991 — people still have this idea of a lack of food.
