Tell us about yourselves.
Stefan: I was born in Germany and I lived in the UK and New Zealand before calling Australia home. I love food - cooking it, baking it, experimenting with new recipes, travelling for it…you get the idea.
One of my hobbies is collecting cookbooks; I love reading the recipes and imagining what the dishes taste like. My husband, Yash, and I are also searching for the perfect spicy salami pizza.
Yash: I was born on the west coast of India in the city of dreams – Mumbai (formerly Bombay). I grew up in a middle-class Indian family, which means that street food was always top of the list in our household.
From our first date, Stefan and I bonded over a love of Indian food and pizza. We've lived in Sydney for almost 10 years and have eaten at all the top pizzerias in the city. I take pride in all my friends being as passionate about food as Stefan and I are, which helps us explore many different cuisines.
ALL THE REASONS
Why Dishing It Up is the new must-see for home cooks
What is one fun fact about yourself?
Stefan: I enjoy cooking for other people more than cooking for myself. If dining solo, I am happy with a grilled cheese sandwich or a simple soup. When friends come over, I go into overdrive thinking about what to cook and how to make sure everyone feels included.
How did you end up being on a reality cooking series?
Yash: Food is where we forget all of our differences; it is what binds us together. Stefan and I have touched many hearts with our cooking since moving to Australia. Dishing It Up was another way to share our food stories with people outside our friendship circle.
It was also the perfect opportunity to cook food we'd never attempted, and at the same time, to share fun food stories from where we grew up – India for me, and Germany for Stefan.
What do you like or dislike about cooking?
Source: SBS Food
Stefan: Cooking allows me to share my love of food with other people and change perspectives. Making unexpected dishes for friends leads to broadening horizons and lovely conversations about heritage and the concept of "authentic" cooking.
Cooking allows me to share my love of food with other people and change perspectives.
Since meeting Yash, I have learnt that there is more to Indian cuisine than butter chicken and lamb rogan josh. The same goes for German cuisine. Yes, Germans are partial to a good bratwurst or a pork knuckle, but there are many different regional dishes too.
What was your funniest memory from the series?
Stefan: Hands down, setting off our smoke detectors while cooking Silvia's calamari dish. Rushing to open windows, switching on the fan, and waving tea towels to stop the alarm from going off was chaotic and fun.
If you could have any celebrity chef cook for you, who would you choose?
Source: SBS Food
Stefan: I am very partial to cooking with Nigella Lawson. I wouldn't want her to just cook for me as the best conversations happen while cooking and eating. So, I'd love to do both.
Yash: Stefan probably said Nigella Lawson, so I am going to pick Yotam Ottolenghi. I would love him to cook something with pomegranate molasses.
WHEN TO WATCH DISHING IT UP
Dishing It Up | Episode guide
What is your desert island dish?
Stefan: Pizza with spicy salami!
Yash: Dal chawal with aloo fry - a tempered lentil curry with steaming hot rice, accompanied by fried potatoes.
