Females in Food Collective blog ‘What’s Cooking’

5 September 2017 By

In this interview with the Females in Food Collective, I talk about the women who have influenced my cooking, the joy of feeding people and what inspires me.

A maker of concentrated pastes, condiments and chutneys, Latasha, is the owner and creative director of Latasha’s Kitchen.

The youngest in a family of nine, Latasha was born in the state of Johor in southern Malaysia, although her roots through her parents are from Kerala, India. Later she moved to Perth, Western Australia.

From about the time Latasha was 12, until she grew out of her teenage years, she was thrust into cooking and says, it “did not happen by choice”.

Many women along the way have influenced Latasha and her cooking. Over the years she spent time with her ex-sister in-law, her own sister and her mother in-law. All who taught her traditional methods and flavours of Indo-Malay cooking, and imbued her “desire for slow cooked foods”. Interestingly, the 1990’s edition of the Australian Women’s Weekly played a part in her tutoring too!

Find out more about Females in Food VIP member, Latasha, and what inspires her below …

Name: Latasha Menon

Business: Latasha’s Kitchen

Based: Perth, WA and Sydney, NSW

How would you describe the business you are in?

Spiritual, based on honesty, integrity and passion. I have a deep-seated desire to bring to life my pure joy of cooking and feeding people.

What do you love about your work?

The fact that I enable people to cook. I also love being in a position where I get to meet and engage with people from all walks of life at various food and social events, in-store product demos and farmers markets.

What part of your work would you gladly give away?

Driving, overthinking and social media.

Who or what has been the biggest influence on your career?

My husband as well as my family history. 

If you were starting out in business again today, what advice would you give the younger you?

Confidence to hear my inner voice.

Tea or Coffee?

Coffee

Sweet or Savoury?

Savoury

Sunny-side Up or Down?

Up

Red or White (meat or wine)?

Red

Well Done or Rare?

Rare

What is your go-to snack?

Soft or hard boiled eggs

Do you have anything further you would like to add to inspire our readers?

Cooking comes in many forms and techniques – some simple, others complex and a few which are ridiculously hard. But whichever style or approach used, I believe when you cook for others you inadvertently imprint a part of yourself into the dish. Being a food manufacturer creating products for the masses is I believe a blessing and one I don’t take lightly. I’m very grateful and work within a spirit of generosity in all aspects of my business. Inspired by women doing it for themselves. If you think you can, you can.

Download the article from Females in Food.