The power of food in community | Shelina Permalloo | TEDxSouthamptonUniversity

This talk describes the power of food: to educate and change a community; to engage, empower and ultimately nourish us, body and soul. With mouth-watering descriptions, the speaker transports us to times when through eating together, we can express kindness and connect with one another. The speaker invites us to sit with different people and share a meal, and share stories, happiness, disappointment. And through that, create or strengthen relationships. After winning BBC's MasterChef, Shelina worked on various TV projects such as Lorraine, This Morning, Sunday Brunch and The Food Network. Her first book, Sunshine on a Plate, was published in 2013 and contains recipes inspired by Mauritius. It won Gourmand Book Best in Africa cookbook. Her second book, The Sunshine Diet, was published in 2015.
Shelina opened her own restaurant, "Lakaz Maman", a Mauritian Street Kitchen in Southampton in 2016. The Telegraph described it as ‘very heaven’ in 2020. Shelina is passionate about diversity and equality, and she is very proud of her restaurant's all-female management team. Shelina is chair of Southampton's 2025 City of Culture bid.
Shelina has appeared on John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, Saturday Kitchen and Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas as well as being a regular judge back on MasterChef. She is also a panellist on the esteemed Radio 4 The Kitchen Cabinet chaired by restaurant critic Jay Rayner. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx