Renowned Australian chef and cookbook author Stephanie Alexander sits comfortably in a wicker armchair within the dappled light of her garden along the Yarra River in Melbourne's inner suburbs. "The single biggest problem with food, for people who don't love good food, is anxiety," Alexander declares with the authority of someone who has spent decades transforming how Australians approach cooking.
The Cook's Companion Legacy
It has been exactly thirty years since Alexander released her monumental work, The Cook's Companion - a nearly 1,400-page culinary bible that has guided generations through everything from sautéed abalone to zucchini soufflé. "I think people trust it and they trust me - that I'm not just trying to be fashionable," Alexander explains when asked about the book's enduring popularity.
The comprehensive kitchen resource covers practical techniques like preventing cut apples from browning while explaining the nuanced differences between fresh and dried yeast. In the intervening decades since its publication, Alexander has established a charitable foundation, received numerous national honors including being made an Officer of the Order of Australia, and continued publishing additional cookbooks that have cemented her status as a culinary institution.
A Riverside Sanctuary
Alexander's garden overlooks the swiftly flowing Yarra River, shaded by tall river gums that create a peaceful retreat just moments from Melbourne's urban bustle. "I just love the fact that I look out on gum trees," she says, her shoulders visibly relaxing as she describes the transition from busy tram rides to this tranquil space. "Late in the afternoon, you get the most beautiful light on the greens. It's just a very beautiful place to live."
The garden itself serves as both sanctuary and pantry, featuring a "very luxuriant" sage bush that Alexander frequently uses for cooking. "I love fried sage, and so I have that with eggs or with fish," she explains, describing how she recently crisped sage in oil to accompany john dory for dinner. Rosemary, chives, thyme, lemon verbena, parsley, and potted tomatoes complete her edible landscape, alongside olive trees planted primarily for shade rather than fruit.
Family Traditions and Early Influences
During the interview, Alexander serves Mieze's plum cake with cream - a recipe with deep personal significance passed down from her mother, who learned it from a German refugee friend named Mieze after World War II. "The whole of my life, my food life, was really influenced by my parents," Alexander reflects. "The model of sharing food and welcoming newcomers and welcoming differences was, I think, a very important part of my growing up."
These childhood experiences directly inspired Alexander's establishment of the Kitchen Garden Foundation in 2004, a not-for-profit organization that teaches children in schools and early childhood services about growing, harvesting, and preparing food. "I really believe that the earlier you're introduced to the idea of food being a positive, wonderful, joyful thing, the more likely you are to be a food lover for the rest of your life," she emphasizes.
European Inspirations and Sensual Dining
Alexander's culinary philosophy draws heavily from European traditions, particularly through the influence of British cookery writer Elizabeth David, whose books sparked Alexander's lifelong passion for French culture and cuisine. A year spent in France during her twenties cemented this appreciation, with Alexander recalling that period with particular fondness.
She describes herself as a "sensualist" who values the aesthetic experience of dining as much as the food itself. "I believe in a certain amount of celebration with your food - that the food is important, so it needs to have a bit of presence," Alexander explains. This philosophy extends to her strong advocacy for family meals, despite acknowledging the challenges working parents face. "If it's a family priority, it'll happen sooner or later," she insists.
Rejecting Modern Wellness Trends
When the conversation turns to contemporary wellness culture and diet trends, Alexander's expression darkens noticeably. "I just get so enraged at the idea that to be healthy has become a trend, as opposed to just saying, I know what my body needs," she states firmly. "Protein shakes and things like that I've got absolutely no time for."
Alexander expresses genuine concern for those caught in what she perceives as food anxiety perpetuated by wellness trends. "I think they're scared of it," she says of people embracing extreme dietary approaches. "I feel sad for those people. I feel they don't know what they're missing out on."
Instead, Alexander champions the holistic benefits of preparing and sharing quality meals with loved ones. "Preparing and sharing good food with loved ones satisfies a whole lot of things, not just appetite," she explains, suggesting that shared meals naturally foster conversation and connection that can help counter modern loneliness.
Her advice remains refreshingly simple: "If you love food, you look forward to your meals and you choose them with care. If you only have a tomato for breakfast, you want to have a nice tomato." As The Cook's Companion celebrates its thirtieth anniversary with a newly revised edition, Alexander's message continues to resonate - advocating for joyful, uncomplicated relationships with food in an increasingly anxious culinary landscape.
