A QUICK WORD WITH NASHEN MOODLEY

The director of the Sydney Film Festival on learning to cook from the heart, loving cinema of all kinds and his favourite place to eat in Tokyo.

I grew up in Durban, South Africa with Indian heritage, so the food I was raised on was quite diverse. Barbecue, or braai as it’s known locally, is very popular in South Africa. It was one of my favourite things to eat before I came to Australia 13 years ago. I love barbecuing here when I can but it’s never quite the same. And of course the same is true of South African Indian cuisine, like Durban lamb curry or bunny chow, the taste of which is quite different to traditional Indian food.

When I arrived in Australia. I really missed some of the Indian food that I grew up with. So when I would go back to South Africa, I’d be sure to take lessons from my mum or from one of my mum’s nine sisters, who are all very good cooks with specialties in different things.