Debbie Hannibal

Bangers ‘n Smash’ is not a meal you’ll find many real ‘foodies’ admitting to serving but, as my (sensibly) non-complaining husband will confirm, this was once my definition of quick and easy.

My late mother was my first culinary inspiration and, determined to recreate the flavours and fragrances of my childhood, I enrolled at Hotel School. The catering industry followed and expecting something entirely different, I was soon bored by talk of budgets and stock sheets, and subsequently lost all interest in the kitchen. Let’s call these my Smash years.

A dynamic cooking instructor, Lisa Brink, was the catalyst for ‘all things COOK’ when I attended her creative classes, and suddenly knew exactly where I belonged. I launched ‘COOK’ culinary studio in Honeydew, Johannesburg with an audience of family and friends and, within months, classes were filled to capacity.

Once ‘COOK’ was established, I contacted Lisa who’d emigrated and established a thriving, culinary school in Tel Aviv, to thank her for acting as my kitchen muse. Given our mutual love for food, crafts and, most importantly, SHARING, we soon formed a close friendship and Lisa became my virtual ‘koeksuster’.