Firsts & Lasts with... Pippyeats
First & Lasts
It is said that the two most important moments in a restaurant are the moment you walk in the door – the hello – and the moment you leave, the last bite you take, the last person you speak to – the end/goodbye. But so much of our life is shaped by first and lasts, so here we profile amazing women of the industry, talking about some of their first and last moments...
Pippa Middlehurst, AKA Pippyeats, has been obsessed with Asian food since childhood, when her grandfather first took her to a dim sum restaurant in Liverpool. In 2018, she won BBC 1’s Britain’s Best Home Cook, and has since become the go-to gal for all things noodles and dumplings. She recently quit her day job in cancer research to work in food full time, and hosts regular workshops in and around Manchester. We were lucky enough to hear her story at our recent L.O.R In Stories event at Trove.
Pippa Middlehurst, aka Pippyeats, photographed by Giulia Zonza.
First kiss: I was a late starter when it came to boys, compared with my peers. I used to use the classic fib – and say I’d kissed a mystery boy on holiday to save myself from potential embarrassment.
I had my first real kiss with my first boyfriend, when I was 14. I had a couple of other ‘firsts’ with that same boy in later years.
First cocktail ordered on a night out: Currently, as I’m eight months pregnant, a virgin mojito! I will always have a fondness for a cosmopolitan though – SATC is ingrained in my soul.
First food poisoning: Norovirus, about four years ago. At a large family gathering, 21 out of 27 of us ended up with it. One by one we dropped like flies. I lost 1.5 stone and looked like a skeleton– that was not fun. We still haven’t identified what caused the outbreak.
First job in hospitality: I worked in a busy local gastro pub as a waitress when I was 16. It was my first job. I had to wear a red waistcoat. The clientele there left a lot to be desired in terms of respect – I was frequently ogled and heckled. It’s quite sad that I thought it was just the way men behaved in that environment and therefore it was somehow acceptable. My older female colleagues backed up this mentality. I’m glad things seem to have changed since then.
First thing you do to unwind after work: I’m terrible at unwinding. My cats help.
First thing you do in the middle of a hellish service/day at work to stay level headed: I’ll think about the first thing I’m going to eat when I get home – it spurs me on!
First thing you do when you wake up: Brush my teeth and have a cup of Yorkshire tea in bed.
First thing you do when you plan a holiday: Look for the most exciting things to eat and the best hiking in that area.
Last thing you bought at an off license: It was actually bubble bath!
Last three favourite places you ate in:
A roast duck place in China Town called Jade City.
Honest Crust at Mackie Mayor (my go-to).
The Laughing Heart in Bethnal Green. The bread and butter almost had me in tears.
Last song you listened to: Bedroom by Litany.
Last podcast you listened to and what did you take away from it: My Favourite Murder, minisode 142. I will say one thing – Slug Man.
Last glass of wine you really enjoyed & where: A chilled Gamay Beaujolais at Orasay in Notting Hill.
Last time you had a proper day off and what did you do with it: IKEA meatballs and decorating.
Last time you exercised (body or mind): Short pregnancy level hikes in the peak district and short breathing exercises/meditations with my partner at NCT class.
Last review you read and agreed with: I loved Jay Rayners recent reviews of The Sparrows and Kala.