World Food Awards 2012, Part 2: Comfort Food

Lenny Henry

Remember the post about my time at the World Food Awards? Well, here are the answers to Lenny Henry’s, José Pizarro’s, Levi Roots’, Anjum Anand’s and Silvena Rowe’s favourite comfort foods.

Lenny Henry – Actor and Comedian
Jamaican bun and cheese and hard dough bread with no butter. He says growing up the family used to shout  “give me a big slice of hard dough bread the size of a bread van”. But mostly it’s the food that his mum (who sadly passed away in 1999) used to make that was the most comforting, especially her ‘Saturday soup‘ or ‘red pea soup’. He says that he once burst into tears when he had ‘red pea soup’ in a London restaurant that was just like his mums.

He talks a lot about food on his Tweeter feed @itislennyhenry.

José Pizzaro – Restaurateur to José and Pizzaro
Baguette with crisps inside was his favourite back in student days. Now, after a long day in the kitchen he veers towards light, simple salads, never anything heavy and always with a glass wine. The baguette still makes an appearance from time to time.

Anjum Anand – Food writer and TV chef
Baked beans with chilli, garlic and cheese. Also, Indian food that reminds her of the past specifically spiced lentils, rice and chicken.

Levi Roots – Entrepreneur, owner of ‘Reggae, Reggae’ sauce brand.
Ackee and saltfish, and dumplings. He gives a top tip of not kneading the flour for the dumpling too much or else they will go hard.

Silvena Rowe - Restaurateur to Quince
Foods from the Middle East especially soups and rice pillaf.