Iconic 80s pop star Kim Wilde reveals the three foods she always keeps in her fridge and her favourite Cadbury chocolate
My first food memory growing up in Chiswick, West London, was my mum Joyce’s egg on toast with tomato sauce, one of the few dishes she knew how to cook at that time. She was only 20 when she had me, so our early years were hit and miss. But she became a good cook and quite decent at doing a Sunday lunch.
Growing up, I did a bit of cooking and liked making cakes. I remember winning first prize, aged about 11, at the Royal Horticultural Society show in the village hall in Hertfordshire [where the family moved when she was nine] with my victoria sponge cake. But I didn’t learn how to cook properly until I left home, aged 23. It was mainly pasta. Rather too much pasta.
I remember school food being delicious. I was a real foodie, not one of those kids who turned their nose up at stuff. I loved all of it and really enjoyed liver and bacon. I was the only kid who went back for more. In fact, I ordered it in a restaurant a few weeks ago and it brought back great memories.
I did a lot of travelling touring ‘Kids in America’ in the 1980s. It wasn’t always easy to eat well on the road. But I also ate in some of the best restaurants in the world, like La Coupole in Paris. I’ll never forget going to Fatburger for the first time in Los Angeles, too. That was a big deal. And having sushi in Japan. I fell in love with it and started trying to cook Japanese food. But I made a sukiyaki [Japanese hotpot] and everyone got ill. I didn’t make that again.
I never eat in the four hours before I go on stage. These days I’m sensible about what I eat, but in the past I was less so. I probably make better choices now, which is one of the few advantages of growing older.
I’ll eat absolutely everything, as long as it’s well cooked. Give me beans on toast rather than something poorly made. It’s all about quality.
LA’s Fatburger restaurant were a revelation for Kim in the 80s
The last thing I cooked was some lovely pork, stuffed with sausage and wrapped in bacon, from my local butcher, The Farm Butchery in Codicote, Hertfordshire. I didn’t have to do much to it. I just made some vegetables and kept it simple.
I haven’t drunk for about nine years, but my favourite hangover cure was a bloody mary, the spicier the better. I love chilli, and anything hot and spicy. If I have an Indian meal, I want it to come in fighting. And probably come out fighting, too!
She finds fruit and nut chocolate hard to resist
I would find it hard to turn my nose up at a buttered crumpet. That’s my perfect comfort food.
I always have Ramona’s hummus in my fridge, along with cottage cheese and parmesan. And something green and fresh. As well as carrots for the dogs as they get one every morning for their breakfast. And full-fat milk. Controversial, I know.
I’m a big fan of Cadbury Fruit & Nut. I like 70 per cent dark chocolate, too. I’m less partial when it goes up to 80 or 90 per cent, as that’s hard work. My favourite chocolates of all, though, are those violet and rose creams with the coloured fondant inside. Once they hit the deck, that’s it. They’re gone.
I don’t get the point of garlic crushers. I mean, who needs one when you can chop it up? Why bother with all that faff? They’re a nightmare to clean, too.
My last meal would be a laksa soup filled with prawns, vegetables, chicken, lots of noodles and all that beautiful broth. And seeing that it is my last meal, despite not having drunk for a while, I’d swill it down with some warm sake.
Kim is playing the York Barbican tonight and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Tuesday. For tickets, go to kimwilde.com
