Clarissa Feildel is set to delight audiences once again as she brings her heartfelt home cooking to the screens in the latest season of Better Homes and Gardens. Her journey from a jewellery brand employee to a television presenter is a tale of culinary passion and serendipitous encounters.
An Unexpected Meeting Sparks a Culinary Partnership
Back in 2011, Clarissa Feildel, then known as Clarissa Weerasena, found herself in a Sydney nightclub where a friend made a bold introduction to a handsome stranger. "I think my friend is a better cook than you," the friend declared, unaware that the man was none other than renowned French chef and TV personality Manu Feildel.
At the time, Clarissa was working for the Western Australian jewellery brand Linneys and had built a legendary reputation among her social circle for her kitchen prowess. Interestingly, she had no idea who Manu was or that he was famous for his culinary skills. "I didn't know he was a chef when I met him. I just thought I could cook, and he couldn't," she recalls with a laugh.
From Encouragement to Television Stardom
The pair quickly discovered shared interests and eventually married in 2018. Manu and his chef friends were consistently impressed by Clarissa's home cooking, often encouraging her to pursue a career in food. "A lot of the time when we do have people over, it is his friends who are chefs, and people in the industry, and it's always me cooking," Clarissa explains. "I get a lot of encouragement from them that I should do something with my so-called 'home cooking' skills."
This encouragement led to her hosting a cooking segment on the popular lifestyle show Better Homes and Gardens. Now in her third season, which premieres on Friday, Clarissa continues to share recipes that are deeply personal and accessible.
Multicultural Influences and Accessible Recipes
Clarissa's cooking is a vibrant blend of her Sri Lankan and Malaysian heritage, combined with influences from her husband's French background and even some Italian flair. She emphasises that her goal is to demonstrate that excellent home cooking is achievable for everyone. "The recipes I cook on Better Homes are exactly the recipes I cook at home," she states. "I'm a home cook. I'm a mum. I'm busy, I'm a normal person, and it's recipes I think anyone can do because I'm in the same position as they are."
She addresses common misconceptions about Asian cuisine, noting that while different condiments are used, it doesn't necessarily mean the dishes are difficult to prepare. "It just means you have to buy some of the ingredients you may not buy normally," she adds, encouraging viewers to expand their culinary horizons.
A Self-Taught Journey Rooted in Homesickness
Clarissa taught herself to cook after moving to Perth from Malaysia to study at Curtin University in her early twenties. Craving the tastes of home, she found that local Malaysian restaurants, while excellent, didn't quite replicate her mother's or grandmother's dishes. "That's where I really kind of found the love for cooking, because I just wanted to have mum's food and grandma's food, so I started to cook myself," she reflects.
Her early experiments at university became legendary among friends, who still reminisce about her dishes today. "Everyone at university liked my food, and still today they say 'I remember you cooking this and that!' I experimented a lot on my friends at uni," she shares with a smile.
Embracing Culinary Diversity and Kitchen Tricks
Having lived in Australia for over thirty years, Clarissa has witnessed a significant expansion in the country's culinary landscape. "It is so much more diverse, so many more people are much more daring and more adventurous about tasting and having different cuisines in their homes," she observes. "That's what gives me joy when I'm on Better Homes and Gardens, is actually talking about the love of cooking different cuisines."
One valuable tip she has picked up from her famous husband is the magic of butter. "Butter, it really does make everything taste good. Put a knob of butter in something and it elevates the taste," she advises, noting that even Asian dishes can benefit from this unconventional addition.
Clarissa believes in making recipes her own, encouraging home cooks to adapt dishes to their tastes. "My recipes are not completely traditional. They are my versions of recipes so I do make it the way I like it or my family like it," she says. "I think cooking can be changed and swapped to your taste. I think people get too afraid to mix the ingredients, and that's how you learn."
Sweet Treats and Exciting New Content
In the upcoming season, Clarissa is placing a greater emphasis on sweets, promising delightful new recipes. "I do a sweet slice that had everyone fighting over who gets the bigger piece," she reveals. "There are going to be new recipes, new DIYs, it's going to be a great, great season."
Better Homes and Gardens continues to be a platform where Clarissa Feildel can share her passion for cooking, making multicultural cuisine accessible and inspiring viewers to explore new flavours in their own kitchens.
