This article was extracted from little (FEB-APR 2020, issue 27) This article was extracted from

This article was extracted from little (FEB-APR 2020, issue 27)

C o o ki n g Up Fa m i ly Ti m e

Model-author and now kitchenware designer, Danielle Peita Graham shares how too many
cooks do not spoil the broth—if they are family.
words seah pei jun photos courtesy of danielle peita graham

Family time doesn’t only consist of overseas family trips or dining out at restaurants. The best
time to bond together can also happen in the humble kitchen at home. We speak to Danielle
Peita Graham, model and author of cookbook ‘On The Table at Home’ on her love for home
cooked meals and cooking together as a family.

Parental Support Is Key

Growing up in a mixed heritage household of a Chinese mother and Irish father, she was
exposed to the best of Eastern and Western food and its customs. From an early age, the
multi-hyphenate consistently helped her parents in the kitchen. “My mother would always
supervise with care, watching every chopping move. Food was my mother’s way of showing
her love for us,” Danielle explains. “My Dad’s delicious roast Sunday lunches were legendary.
I remember him cooking hearty roast lamb with potatoes of course and there were always
greens on a plate.”
A parent’s influence and encouragement in a child’s exploration of a new skill is paramount.
Growing up, her most poignant food memory was at age five, when her mother once came
to her school to cook Chinese fried rice for her classmates. “I was fascinated and so proud. I
think it was from that day that I fell in love with food,” Danielle explains. Besides the pride
in her parent’s cooking, her experience of helping them out in the kitchen as a girl helped

A parent’s influence and encouragement in a child’s

exploration of a new skill is paramount

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shaped her passion of cooking Asian and Western cuisine, “ When I was a child I remember
getting my hands dirty with my mother and helping her fill and wrap wantons. It was so fun
to be involved and I loved being in the kitchen with her.” Having been inspired by the positive
childhood experience, Danielle keeps the tradition alive with her daughter now helping her
whenever she makes the same chinese dish. Her Western influences has not been lost on her
as well. “My father first taught me to make mashed potatoes when I was about eight years old
and now it’s my son’s favourite thing to eat,” gushes Danielle who has a burning passion for
home cooking.
Picking On Picky Eating Habits
She also believes that involving her children in the shopping and cooking process helps them
enjoy their food more, in turn, this prevents unhealthy eating habits. “The children always
believe the food tastes better when they are involved in choosing and making it,” shares the
mother of two. Her children have now grown to love going to the market with her to shop
for fresh produce.
She nips the picky eating habits in the bud by introducing new foods mixed in with foods that
they enjoy. “It might be Western or Asian food or a mixture of both that I am cooking but it’s
good to get them involved and make their own healthy decisions. My son loves meat and I
always try to include some form of it on the table. Maybe it’s beef stew, spaghetti bolognese
or beef teriyaki. My daughter is a huge fan of vegetables and fish, so these are always around.”
Danielle shares how she was able to successfully introduce her children to different foods by
It might be Western or Asian food or a mixture of both
that I am cooking but it’s good to get them
involved and make their own healthy decisions...
establishing a daily family dinner routine when her first-born turned 3. “It quickly became
the best part of my life. I could never quite imagine the interesting and funny things that
would come out of their mouths. Or that general feeling of closeness and happiness we would
experience sitting around the table sharing a meal together.” By giving them options and
asking for their preferences, it encourages them to be interested in their food.
The family loves spending time cooking together and preparing a delicious meal from scratch.
The simple experience of being immersed in a project together, having fun and making
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something is indeed special. “It’s a wonderful way to feed their curious minds and tap into
their domestic sides. Recently the three of us made roast lamb for their grandfather’s birthday
lunch. My daughter was in charge of making the Asian mint sauce, while my son brushed the
glaze over the top.”
There is always soup on my table.
I make Chinese daily soups like ABC soup which is so
nourishing and tasty, or a vegetable soup which
is a great way to sneak in lots of goodness
Meals Made From The Heart
To mothers who are thinking of preparing home cooked meals for their children, she advises
to sneak in as much healthy food as one can in the dish. “With home cooked food you know
what is going into the dish, such as clean oil (for example),” says the advocate of home cooking.
When quizzed on the dish that she often makes for her family, she reveals, “There is always
soup on my table. I make Chinese daily soups like ABC soup which is so nourishing and tasty,
or a vegetable soup which is a great way to sneak in lots of goodness.”
The avid home cook ensures that her children eat her meals every weekday. With a focus on
fresh, wholesome food with few preservatives or additives, this helps to make sure they are
having a balanced diet with all the right nutrients. She makes it a habit of asking her children
what they want to eat, then gives them a few options to choose for their breakfast, school
lunchbox and dinners at home. “My daughter requests for corn fritters and vegetable fried
rice for her school lunch box at least once a week. These are great for meatless Monday where
we give our bodies a mini detox and load up on vegetables,” shares Danielle.
The talented author now has her own line of kitchen ware, Danielle by Danielle Peita Graham
which grew out of her wish to create a modern and long-lasting line of essential kitchen ware
for easier cooking. Her products echo her belief of including the children in the kitchen
for quality family time. “I came up with personalized engraving names for our adult and
children’s knives because I felt this would be something special to have and cook together in
the kitchen,” reveals Danielle.
On how she juggles the many responsibilities and challenges that she has faced, from her
choice of self-publishing her book to the many sleepless nights and deadlines to meet, she
wisely quips, “It is important to work hard, be patient and have a positive attitude.”
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