Hove teaching assistant impresses judges in MasterChef heat

Hove teaching assistant Lulu D’Souza has been impressing the judges on MasterChef, the TV cookery competition, on BBC1 this evening (Thursday 18 April).

And her school, Blatchington Mill, tweeted its support: “Congratulations to our very own Ms D’Souza, who is competing in this year’s
@MasterChefUK competition and will be appearing on BBC One at 8pm this evening. This is an absolutely phenomenal achievement and we can’t wait to see her on screen. Well done!”

The six contestants were aiming for a place in the quarter-finals and the show – series 20 episode 6 – will also be available to view on iPlayer.

Here’s what the she told the BBC in a Q&A.

Location: Hove, originally from Tanzania.

Bio: Forty-five-year-old teaching assistant Lulu was born in Tanga, a town in north east Tanzania. She lived there with her parents and brother until she was 20 years old. She then lived in Mombasa, Kenya, and Seychelles before moving to England in 2004. She now lives in Hove, with her fiancé, one of their four children, and their cat BooBoo.

How would you describe your style of cooking?

“My style of cooking is East African fusion with a twist of Swahili, Arab and Indian, which reflects my mixed heritage. My cooking is inspired by the strong women who raised me, my mum Aisha, Grandma Amina and Aunt Saadah. Tanga is a multi-cultural city so there are always new ingredients and dishes to explore and discover.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to travel and live in some beautiful places, which has influenced my style. My cooking heroes are Delia Smith, Marcus Wareing, Martin Yan and Ina Garten aka the Barefoot Contessa.”

What is your earliest cooking memory?

“My earliest memory is helping my Grandma Amina cook my favourite fish dish, anchovies over a coconut chip wood fire. She would coat them in tamarind sauce, garlic and chillies and would sometimes steam or fry them instead. We would wait for our local fishmonger to cycle around the streets with the freshest catch of the day.”

MasterChef turns 20 this year – What are your earliest MasterChef memories? What kind of impact do you think it’s had on you or the country’s approach to food?

“I hadn’t been in the country long when I watched Thomasina Miers win the 2005 series. I have watched every series since then. Some personal favourites are Dhruv Baker, 2010 Champion, that year’s runner up Alex Rushmer and 2012 Champion Shelina Permalloo.

“I think MasterChef has encouraged us all to try new cuisines, cooking practices and techniques. It has inspired us to be brave and bold with flavours and, in my case, to follow my dream. It has taught us to think seasonally and to shop locally. It has also encouraged us to be less wasteful and use all parts of a plant or animal – I had never seen a banana cake made with the skins until I watched the last series!”

Why did you enter MasterChef?

“I love to cook and food is my passion. My kids are grown up so this is the time to do something for me. I applied because I wanted to challenge myself to learn and see how good I can be. I also want to showcase East African food and learn and improve through the judges’ and food critics’ feedback. My fiancé and children think I’m good enough to enter MasterChef – they are my biggest fans when it comes to my cooking.”

Congratulations to our very own Ms D’Souza, who is competing in this year’s @MasterChefUK competition and will be appearing on BBC One at 8pm this evening. This is an absolutely phenomenal achievement and we can’t wait to see her on screen. Well done! pic.twitter.com/EIPc0rFnYl

— Blatchington Mill (@BlatchMill) April 18, 2024

What is your food dream?

“My dream is to have my own business, maybe a pop-up kitchen serving East African cuisine fused with other flavours and ingredients inspired by my travels and my friends, neighbours and family. I’d also love to write a cookbook some day with all my food knowledge and experiences to share with the world.”