In conversation with …O Tama Carey
Eat Well|Issue #32, 2020
O Tama Carey never had any aspirations to be a chef, but an accidental stint in a London restaurant began a journey that would see her work through an impressively diverse roster of kitchens, from French training at Bistro Moncur to a stint at Japanese restaurant Uchi Lounge, on to Billy Kwong and finally at the helm of Italian restaurant Berta as head chef.
In conversation with …O Tama Carey

In 2018 she began her first solo venture, opening Lankan Filling Station in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. An ode to the food of her heritage, the restaurant was born partly from a desire to bring Sri Lankan food into the city’s mainstream, and partly because Carey simply wanted to eat hoppers every day.

Here, EatWell talks to Carey about sustainable eating, balcony gardens, and the secret to making the perfect hopper.

O Tama, tell us about your journey into the food world. Where did it begin and how?

My introduction into the food world was a bit of an accident! I was travelling overseas after high school, to Sri Lanka, then London, and all over Europe. When I arrived in London I got a job in a kitchen through a friend and I thought it was just for a kitchenhand, but it turned out I was properly in the kitchen, and then I didn’t leave! That was that, pretty much.

There seems to be a growing trend for Sri Lankan food in Australia. What inspired you to open Lankan Filling Station and cook the food of your heritage?

I think it’s really great that there’s suddenly a lot more Sri Lankan food around. I think it’s partly because the war is over in Sri Lanka; for so many years there were travel restrictions and government cautions, but now more people are traveling there. And partly because people have decided Sri Lankan food is cool!

Denne historien er fra Issue #32, 2020-utgaven av Eat Well.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra Issue #32, 2020-utgaven av Eat Well.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA EAT WELLSe alt
ARE YOU TO FU enough?
Eat Well

ARE YOU TO FU enough?

Love it or hate it, everyone has an opinion about tofu. Tofu is a very popular plant-based protein for vegans and vegetarians, but now this humble bean curd is starting to shine for meat lovers too as an alternative source of protein.

time-read
4 mins  |
Issue #47
Sweet TRAYBAKES
Eat Well

Sweet TRAYBAKES

Whether you want to feed a group of people or make a batch of treats for the week, traybaking is a no-fuss way to cook up something sweet and easy that will please everyone. Your family and friends will love you when you offer them some of our: cinnamon scrolls; fruity chocolate; espresso brownies; lemon & coconut slice; or ginger cake with brown butter frosting.

time-read
10 mins  |
Issue #47
ROLL UP
Eat Well

ROLL UP

When you roll food, whether in Lebanese bread, a thin pancake or whatever you choose, you can create a parcel of nutrition that is perfectly suited to your own tastes and needs. Here are some roll-up recipes that will suit every occasion including: mango, snow pea, & sprout rice paper rolls; oat crepes with coconut yoghurt & mixed berries; or beef meatball & tzatziki flatbreads.

time-read
7 mins  |
Issue #47
RICE BOWL Lunches
Eat Well

RICE BOWL Lunches

If you are working from home, or even enjoying your weekend, and lunchtime rolls around but you have no plans for lunch, then a rice bowl is an ideal saviour.

time-read
10 mins  |
Issue #47
PLANT-BASED PIES
Eat Well

PLANT-BASED PIES

Pies are a piece of gastronomic brilliance: a filling with a case and lid you can eat is food genius. The first pies date back to Egyptian times and there is a recipe for chicken pie that was carved into stone more than 4000 years ago. For millennia, however, the pie casing was mostly used to cook the filling, but for around 500 years or more we have been eating the pie crust too.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Issue #47
20 FOOD CRAVING HACKS
Eat Well

20 FOOD CRAVING HACKS

Decipher the deeper causes of your cravings and discover tricks to curtail them.

time-read
5 mins  |
Issue #47
Eggplant (Solanum melongena L)
Eat Well

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L)

Eggplant is a wonderful option for vegans and vegetarians, extremely nutritious and highly versatile in the kitchen.

time-read
3 mins  |
Issue #47
5 PANTRY SAVIOURS
Eat Well

5 PANTRY SAVIOURS

Whether you're cooking a simple breakfast or something more exotic, here are five pantry food staples you should have on hand to cook plenty of delicious meals in the comfort of your own home.

time-read
4 mins  |
Issue #46
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
Eat Well

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

Cucumbers are delicious fresh but they also offer plenty more options in the kitchen.

time-read
3 mins  |
Issue #46
Our Chefs
Eat Well

Our Chefs

Meet the chefs who bring this issue's recipes to you: Lisa Guy, Georgia Harding, Lee Holmes, Sammy Jones, Raquel Neofit, Naomi Sherman and Ames Starr.

time-read
6 mins  |
Issue #46