Interview: Kasia Jamieson (Bikini Chef) - February 2021

Websites

Bikini Chef Instagram Bikini Chef Facebook Bikini Chef YouTube

Bikini Chef website

Profiles

Food Cafes Eastern Suburbs Coogee Coogee Beach Mind, Body and Spirit

Coogee Pavilion. Coogee, Sydney, Australia

What's your main mission and purpose?

To eliminate eating disorders and stop people from dieting. Instead, I focus on intuitive eating, whole foods overall well-being including physical and mental health!

How, when and why did you become the Bikini Chef?

There are a few ‘layers’ to it.

Surface as Bikini is my favourite clothing garment, I love nature, and I’m an ocean/beach addict.
Digging deeper, I suffered from an eating disorder, I called it an intermittent bulimia. Wearing a bikini and looking fit doesn’t always mean you have no food/weight related issues. I’m trying to get a message across that it’s not always as it seems!
Finally, I used to be extremely shy, probably up to the age of 17 or so. Wearing a bikini on camera is a way of showing that you can change, gain confidence and simply be Yourself!

Tell us more about the massive challenges you overcome including the eating disorder that formed part of your pathway in becoming the Bikini Chef, while maintaining your love of food?

I believe it’s an ongoing process, even now! I could compare it to suffering from alcohol addiction... the only thing is that you can’t say I’m not going to eat any more, instead I’ve worked on the relationship I have with food. I faced a number of challenges.. Including divorce, bad break ups, numerous countless desperate relationships including one where my ex struggled with mental health issues.. That forced me to dig deep in my own childhood traumas. I seeked professional advice. I realised it wasn’t only my father issues, he was a person who never seemed to care even tho living under the same roof, but also my loving yet perfectionist and very demanding mum who antagonize my dad! Probably one of the biggest challenges to date, yet it made me truly resilient. I talked to people, friends and complete strangers, read a lot listened to podcasts, all continues till now. I’ve moved countries I lived in the US, the UK, the Philippines.

Explain health mind, healthy body?

Without one there’s no other.
When you are healthy physically you and happy in your own skin you feel good mentally. When your mind is well it also shows on the outside. You radiate! You feel good you look good. Lack of confidence due to issues shows, when you physically and mentally healthy you simply glow exude positive energy...??

Your peanut cookies are delicious ... explain how you learned to cook so well?

Haha! Glad you liked them! Only 4 ingredients!

Hmmm... must be my mum. Always cooked at home. She made us breakfast packed lunch to school and dinner every day, every single day. I remember I didn’t eat out once until I was in high school. I think the first time my mum and I ate out was when I already lived in England.... home made simple food! My mum was an organising wizard, she always has things prepared the night before the morning before to cope with handling with growing teenage girls, mostly by herself. I see anyone who can read, or watch videos can most certainly cook. It’s good to start with some recipes, work with your favourite whole food ingredients and get creative once you know the basics.

Have you also been a chef on a commercial basis, and if not, would you ever consider?

No not yet but I had a trial in the local cafe to be a kitchen hand to begin with. Let’s see, never say never. It’s so much different than cooking for 2 or 4 friends. Fascinating!

You like to eat out in and around Sydney’s Eastern Beaches... do you often get spotted, and do you know if other chefs, cafes or wait staff ever feel extra pressure when they notice you are diving there, as recently happened at Barzura at Coogee Beach?

Hahaha! No not really I do like eating out but prefer simple places nothing fancy and definitely no pressure I’m very understanding. I only seem to pressure some of my friends when I get invited for dinner. I have no idea why, I always appreciate simply someone making an effort and inviting me to their home and sharing food. I’m not a fussy eater at all. I understand that I used to be the same and was quite insecure about my cooking skills. That’s why I started organising dinner parties to get over that mindset. Exposure therapy Ha!

How is the new camera and tripod like device, the Gimble going for you, and what are projects are you mainly using it for?

They are awesome! I love testing out new gear. I learned about the gimbal from my best friend and I was truly impressed. So small compact and makes a huge difference to video stability, also follows you so you can do shooting by yourself. I’m a one woman show so it definitely comes in handy. I use all my toys for shooting recipe videos and pictures, and also daily stories! Photography is my passion and also use it for collecting personal memories.

Name your top 3 cafes and restaurants in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs?

Coogee

Steve & Marli’s hidden Coogee ?? !
San Antonio Bakery
Can’t go wrong with Coogee Pavilion pizza or a Fishbowl on a lazy weekday night
Bangkok Bites at Bondi for Thai

You still have your great accent from Poland in Europe...how did you come to live in Sydney?

Yeah, I love my accent, I used to try to get rid of it and was told I would never teach English as a result. I moved to Sydney from England I was there for six years prior to that I lived in the US for eight months. That’s when I fell in love with the ocean. In South Carolina. I lived in Cambridge in England, which has buckets of charm, but I was just drawn to the ocean and the sun, hence the decision to move down under ha ha hah it was love at first sight! ??

What’s your motto?

Less is more.


What’s your star sign?

Aquarius.

Other than cooking, what’s another great love of yours?

Beach volley and fitness. I’m a long-standing member of Coogee Beach Volleyball Association. I love dancing photography, design whether it’s interior or graphic or clothing and jewelry. I’m also fascinated by psychology. Oh I’m a secret nerd love science, hence my nutrition studies. Also I enjoy learning languages, talking to people, digging deep sometimes from the get go. Property and renovations... Variety or my nonsense ??

What’s been your experience with social media and websites been like relating to the food, hospitality and food news and broadcasting industry?

It isn’t as easy as it seems, it’s surely fun but like with any relationship things need to go both ways. Sometimes it feels like you put so much effort but not getting much in return. But it’s an amazing learning curve, not only am I learning about social media, the Internet, keywords, marketing strategies advertising but also a lot about myself hopefully inspiring others to be true to themselves. The world of media has always been interesting, I don’t know much but my dream job would be to have my own cooking show on TV! I’d love to show people eating delicious nutritious food can be very simple and effortless!

How or what inspires you?

I get inspired by people who are authentic, vulnerable, intelligent and kind ahhh fuuuun.


What do you love at the Coastal Walkway through the Eastern Beaches of Sydney?

Ivor Rowe pool, Wylies for coffee, thou not in Covid, Gordon's Bay, South Coogee stairs for sprints & views. Maroubra to Malabar walk, and my secret spot... Browns Rock around La Perouse! Every week I go for a run alternating between Bondi and Maroubra, never gets boring!

That's your definition of success?

Great question. Success is a journey it’s not a destination... it’s being aligned with your true self which means doing things you love, being surrounded by people who inspire, support you. It’s being honest with yourself and others coming from kindness and care. Success is helping people, seeing them transform and listening to their stories, people relating to you then opening up, being brave! Success is being persistent, failing and trying again, learning from it. Success is being kind when you don’t feel like it, overcoming your own or societal limitations. It’s asking for help when it’s hard. I believe life is the biggest success!

Interview

Kasia Jamieson (Bikini Chef). Video interview

Barzura Restaurant Bar Cafe