A food blogger from Kilburn has proven she is the recipe of success after scooping a prestigious award for her website.
Kerstin Rodgers AKA Ms Marmite Lover won the best online writer category at the Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards last night.
The chef’s blog msmarmitelover.com has been heralded for revolutionising the way people dine through its introduction to the supper club underground movement.
Now in their second year, the awards celebrate the very best in writing, publishing and broadcasting on food and drink.
This year’s winners includes TV’s globe-trotting duo, the Hairy Bikers and The Food Programme on BBC Radio 4.
Ms Rodgers said: “I started the blog in 2008 and at that time blogging was in its infancy.
“Food is such an important part of my life and the blog took off partially because I started the supper club underground revolution and I got a lot of publicity for that.”
The blog contains a mixture of recipes, sound bites, recommendations and articles about food and travel.
“I learnt to cook from travelling and I’ve been to Botswana and South Africa this year to explore food,” Ms Rodgers said.
“I met fruit farmers in South Africa and it was interesting learning more about their industry.”
The mother-of-one, a pescatarian for the past 30 years, said scandals in the food industry such as the discovery of horsemeat in every day food products came as no surprise to her.
She said: “There’s no way properly reared meat would be that cheap. You buy eight burgers for a pound what do you expect?
“We as a nation eat far too much meat. The amount eaten has doubled in the last 50 years which is bad for you.
“If you must eat meat and fish people should try and ensure it is ethically reared.”
When Ms Rodgers isn’t making delicious meals in her flat she likes nothing more to indulge in a bowl of pasta with tomato sauce and garlic oil.
She said: “Italian cuisine is my favourite. Its peasant food and I’m a peasant. It’s nice and simple.
“I love curries too. One of the best places to enjoy a curry in Brent is Vijay, a south Indian restaurant in Willesden.
“The venue isn’t fashionable, it’s not chic and the décor is stuck in the 1970s but the food is amazing which is why it always packed out. They do unusual meals like banana curry.”
Last year msmarmitelover.com was named the Guild of Food Writers Food blog of the year winner and has won a string of other foodie accolades in the last six years.
She released her first book Supper Club in 2011 and her second Ms Marmite Lovers Secret Tea Party will be out in August.
Explaining what the secret to a successful food blog, Ms Rodgers said: “There are so many blogs out there and many close after three months so my advice to anyone setting up a blog is to have passion and also an interesting angle.
“Quality content is a must have.”
To see Ms Rodgers’ blog visit msmarmitelover.com.
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