I’ve often said things happen very serendipitously for me, especially as far as this blog is concerned. One afternoon I was strolling through Woollahra and I decided to pop into the Donna Hay General Store. I enquired about Halloween decorations (as I tend to do) and the salesperson said that she’d go downstairs and ask Donna. My head did a swivel. Was Donna Hay in the actual store? It turns out she was! She came upstairs with Petrina her business manager and when I mentioned needing the Halloween decorations for my blog they said “Oh you’re Not Quite Nigella?”. You could have knocked me over with a feather. They knew who I was? “We were just talking about you!” they said. It turns out that they actually read my blog!
Donna was dressed casually and she is small in height-I always assumed that she was quite tall from her appearance on Masterchef. They even mentioned taking down the prices of the macarons and making them bigger after reading my comments on it and how for the next 5 days after reading that they asked the customers in the store about how much they’d pay for a macaron! We also discuss her brush with Nigella Lawson – literally, as Nigella rushed past Donna while exiting a London Department Store and getting into a waiting car (she has good manners and apologised for bumping into Donna) and it is with reluctance that I leave as it felt like we could have chatted for a long time.
Rum & Craisin Ice Cream Puddings using a Donna Hay recipe
I had to dash so I chalked that up to one of those funny coincidences and wonderful moments that happen in the food blogging world. Fast foward a few days later and Donna had happily agreed to an interview! So without further ado, here is a Q & A with Donna Hay!
How did you make the transition from a food stylist to food editor at Marie Claire to a cookbook author? Was it hard? What obstacles did you face?
I have had a love of cooking and magazines for sometime, after college I was lucky enough to get a job in the Women’s Weekly test kitchen and that really kicked things off. It was important to me that the food became the hero and that allowed me to develop my own style of presentation. It has always been about simple fresh food that looks good and tastes great.
Hay Hay It’s Donna Day is an international blogger event started in 2005 and is run every 2 months where people cook one of your items. What do you think of whole HHDD idea. What do you think of food bloggers?
I LOVE HHDD it is so flattering to think there is a group of people out there having such fun. It’s great that we can now use the internet as a food forum to chat to friends about recipes and share great ideas. I have been a fan of food blogs for a long time
I have a question from the HHDD people: 1) Where do you pull your creative ingenuity from for your recipes? Do you come up with most of them before they hit the test kitchens?
I have a wonderful team and between us we develop the recipes and then workshop them in the test kitchen. It’s great when we have our Monday meetings – anyone can chip in with their experiences from the weekend or travels, something they may have cooked themselves or eaten, can be a great spark.
What are your favorite types of dishes to make yourself? Sweet? Savoury?
I love nothing more than simple food, as we come into spring lamb on the BBQ and a crisp salad are perfect.
You were a judge on Masterchef. Tell me about that experience. You were saying that some people thought that you were responsible for Chris being ousted. What do you say to that?
I thought Masterchef was such a great series and I enjoyed being a judge on the one episode. I was one of four judges charged with judging the food on the day. Chris is a great talent.
What did being named one the ‘Magnificent Seven’ cookbook authors by the judges of the Gourmand World Cookbook Award in 2007 mean to you?
I was flattered and humbled to be included in this wonderful group of people. We are so busy moving from project to project it was terrific to be recognized.
Apple Tarte Tatins based on Donna’s recipe
Which cookbooks are the most well worn on your shelf?
My Grandmothers common sense cook book.
What do you do during down time?
Food blogs!! Actually I do spend a lot of time on line.
Do you travel a lot? What’s your favorite holiday destination in the world and why?
Paris by myself and the beach with my family.
Tell us about your kids, Angus and Tom. Are they good eaters? What’s a typical meal at Chez Hay?
Kids keep you on your toes. One night broccoli or corn is the favorite and the next….
You have a lot of success internationally, do you have any plans to go overseas and open up stores there?
The books are translated into 9 languages and sold in 17 countries. The magazine has subscribers from 42 different countries – so we experience a lot of interest from overseas. Of course it makes sense to look into international markets and Sydney will always be our home.
The props ribbon drawer
A little later I came by their offices to meet with Donna and Petrina and got a tour of the studio and testing kitchen where people are busy making delicious smelling dishes – the one I see is a chicken dish being prepared. Petrina shows me the kitchen in which they shot the latest book “No Time To Cook” as well as the ribbon drawer – yes how very cool, I collect ribbon for props as well but my collection isn’t quite as big as Donna’s which is packed with fantastic things that you see popping up on the various pages.
And because I know we had so many people entering the Donna Hay Market Tote Bag competition I should take the opportunity now to announce the winner. Drumroll please… the winner of the Donna Hay Tote Bag which will arrive with a note from Donna herself is:
Kylie
Congratulations on your prize and please check your email! 
So tell me Dear Reader, what is your most memorable celebrity encounter and why?
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68 Comments | Add your own
Lucky you! What a fun interview. I’d love to visit her shop in Sydney and wish she’d open one in Austin!
I would literally die and go to foodie heaven if I see Donna Hay and get to interview her! I would love to even sit next to her, hoping that she’ll brush off some of her creativity to me. Heehee!
How wonderful!! I have seen Donna hay demonstrate at the Akl food show on three separate occasions – the last one in July this year was fabulous. I would LOVE to go to her general store. great interview
I honestly don’t think I’ve had one. On the whole I really don’t want to meet the famous people I adore because I feel sure I’d be disappointed. It must be so odd to be famous and have people with such strong feelings for you but you don’t know them at all. I was pretty excited/jealous for my friend when I heard she was going to have yum cha with you Lorraine!
Gosh! When I do bump into someone famous or celebrity, I will be too star struck! I was sitting next to Bill from Bill’s when I was last up in Syd. and I just sat there. Did nothing….. ughhhhhh
What a happy coincidence and fun opportunity!
The rum and raisin ice cream puddings look absolutelt amazing!
You’re famous! I need an autograph so I can say I knew you when!
Fabulous interview- I love Donna’s relaxed approach to food- very refreshing. Can’t wait to go visit her store.
P.S lOVE THE RIBBON DRAWERS!!! I HAVE RIBBON ENVY
How fantastic! So jealous right now, Donna Hay is absolutely lovely and I love her cookbooks!!! What a great job to be apart of the test kitchen, I once saw an ad for something like that in the paper and very much considered going for it. I love the drawers of props too (maybe I need to go and buy some ribbons…
).
so FREAKING cool!!!
i love donna’s taste in food and style. all her food photo shoots make me green with envy – i wish i lived in her magazines.
You’re famous!
I’m so jealous you got to meet her, haha. I love her magazine, and always make it a point to buy it. The photos are truly beautiful and a class above the rest, in my opinion.
And I love her ribbon drawer! I only have a ribbon box. Obviously time for an upgrade…
oh and my most memorable celebrity encounter? probably meeting isla fisher at roselands shopping centre circa 1995. height of cool!
Great interview! I admire Donna Hay – she has great taste – in both food styling and the blogs she reads!
I would be incredibly starstruck if I had the chance to interview Donna Hay. That was a great interview Lorraine.
Great interview! That first picture of Donna is gorgeous.
Isn’t she lovely? I do like Donna Hay – saw her live at a Food Show a couple of years ago, and used to buy her magazine until I decided I had too many food magazines and I had to let a couple go. Now I just buy it if I like the cover recipe
Gee, I haven’t had too many celebrity encounters, and none were that memorable. Most recently I saw the lead singer of Eskimo Joe at Sydney Airport with his wife and child (he’s tiny in reality!!), once lined up behind Andrew Gaze at a 7 Eleven (yep, he’s as tall as you might imagine a basketball player to be), and my friend had a conversation with Peter Everett about a dog at Gaia in South Yarra while I looked on (she didn’t know who he was!).
I love stories that start with a bit of serendipity! That’s great you got to talk to one of your food idols. I’m still waiting for the day I meet Rick Bayless…
I must visit DH shop soon, I have driven past several times, I will make an effort soon,
My most memorable encounter was my brush with Royalty, meeting Princes Anne – she came to a sport complex where I was working during my school summer break and I had to curtsey to her wearing a swimming costume of all things. I was also supposed to have been meeting with her Dad The Duke of Edinburgh the same day to receive my gold award but had to write and explain that I could not get away from work because I was meeting with his daughter.
Mine has to be walking past Nigella herself on Regents Street in London, closely followed by having Anthony La Paglia and Eric Idle on the next table at the fab Uyen Vietnamese Restaurant in Waverley
my friend has a ribbon fetish and she would go nuts for these drawers!!!
I too was one of the lucky ones recently – thought I had died & gone to heaven on entering her delightful store when I heard what sounded like a familiar voice…. Yes, she also was in store the day I visited as well – what a lovely lady, so willing to share the things she loves with others & I thank her for amusing my bewildered ‘other half’ whilst he enquired the use for cute little felt ‘boiled egg bonnets’… she told him you can also use them as finger puppets when you are bored!!! The shop is a visit to your wildest imagination & more. A MUST SEE & you never know you too may bump into the ‘cookbook queen’ as well….
A great interview with Donna. As the originator of HHDD I am really pleased with how well it has done internationally. Denise and Lenny are doing a great job as the new facilitators. Donna was aware of the event from the early days. I met her at the Auckland Food Show in 2006. The celebrity I’m most excited about meeting was Tetsuya. He sat down in front of me in the audience of a presentation. He was the next presenter and I was there to see him. I tapped him on the shoulder and gushed and gushed about how wonderful he was.
Wow, this is nice…a nice interview
How cool was that? Great post (again):)
Next time you meet Donna Hay you can tell her even in Brazil she has admirers!
Great interview. I love her cookbooks and her magazine. It would be great to work for her.
The Apple Tarte Tatin caught my eye as I was reading this so I went to the recipe. I had some apples but no puff pastry on hand or time to make some. I decided to make them with homemade whole wheat biscuit dough. They turned out to be quite delicious although not as good as yours with the puff pastry. Thanks for sharing such great recipes and beautiful images.
Duane
What a marvelous “coo” for you! Thanks for sharing her with us all via your interview!
Stay Cozy, Carrie
Oh wow, I’m surprised that she’s actually in her store!! She seems so lovely, lucky you
How cool!! I love her cookbooks because her recipes actually work!
I don’t have any celeb memories to share but Gwyneth Paltrow ran (yes, literally) into my husband at Pike Place Market a few years ago
Ohhh!!! your so lucky!! Great interview!
Always been a big fan of the DH styling – secretly wishing I could work at the mag. Lucky you with your celeb encounters – truth is, I wouldn’t recognise a celebrity even if they’d bumped into me! So who know how many I’ve “spotted”.
Oh wait! I remember – saw Angry Anderson once – he was getting a pizza, does that count?
SOOOOOOOOOOOOO JEALOUS!
How nice to meet Donna Hay by chance! I love her prop collection, and being sorted by colour seems so characteristic. It’s exciting to hear she reads blogs!
Serendipity to be sure. I am doing my first interview this week with Lael and Guiliano Hazan, son of Marcella Hazan the book I use for cooking italy. How? Lael followed me on twitter. All week I’m thinking what to ask and of course there you are giving me good ideas.
Congratulations on your interview. It would make sense that they would read you.
WOW!!! Donna Hay!! You must have been SO thrilled to find out that they read your blog…but I’m not at all surprised! This is SO awesome!
nicee! You must be a seasoned celebrity chef/cook interviewer by now – great interview!
Waw,…you met Donna hay & she loves your blog: how neat is that???
Congrats!!! The interview is a lovely one & you so interview people very well!!
Enjoy!!!! I love meeting professional chefs in their restaurant! I met my idol who has 2 Michelin stars!! I chatted with him & I was so proud!!!
What an opportunity! Thanks for posting the interview and about your visit to the DH nerve centre. I have yet to visit….
Lorraine, thank you. I have never really come across too much information and background about Donna Hay, apart from the obvious “job progression” history. This is a great lens to understand more about this woman, and the amazing accomplishments she has made. I particularly love her focus, and her clear vision. It’s inspiring to see a woman be able to maintain her determintation to make something happen. (Thanks, Donna!) And thank you Lorraine for having the reputation in Sydney to bring this to us!
Great interview! It’s not fair that you keep bumping into these people… tetsuya and now donna hay! lol!!
Fantastic interview, I love the simplicity of the styling in her magazine, everything looks so clean and fresh. My best celebrity encounter is with Tetsuya after a meal in his restaurant and photos to prove it!
Ahhh great interview very entertaining
hee hee you are as famous as they are 
How serendipitous indeed! Donna Hay is a bit of a heroine of mine – just love her clean sense of style.
And a great interview, Lorraine, your questions are the ones I would have loved to ask her, too!
Great interview and how exciting for you to be ‘known’ by famous people, good for you Lorraine! I bought Donna Hay books and magazines well before she became the celebrity she is now, the clean food styling makes you want to try and eat her recipes.
Recently at the SIFF I was lucky enough to pose with Kylie Kwong and Poh from Masterchef and they were both lovely and obliging. I also chatted with Sean Connoly from Astral about his SBS series. A few years ago my husband and I stayed at the W at Wooloomooloo for our anniversary and while eating breakfast looked across and saw Sir Richard Branson from Virgin. Many , many years ago while holidaying in New York and walking along 5th Avenue I saw Wil Ferrell, who would have thought how popular he would become!
wow! pretty amazing!!
Thanks for sharing – I’m so addicted to your blog!
Ahhh Donna Hay herself! Lucky you!
Hmm, before you become too famous to get in touch, I should dine out more with you and take numerous pictures together LOL
Are you planning on doing anything special for Halloween this year?
Wow, how awesome is this! congrats on having donna hay read your blog. you’re becoming our little celebrity food blogger too aren’t u
…. my most memorable celebrity chef encounter was meeting Donna Hay with a Donna Hay brownie smeared all over my shirt… I still have not recovered
hello, apple tarte tatins. would you like to get in my belly?
what a great opportunity! i’d love to speak with this clever and seemingly down to earth lady. thanks for a great read!
That is so cool! How awesome that she reads your blog
What a great feeling! You should check back over your comments to see if you’ve had any from any “Donna’s” – could’ve been her!
Great to find more about Donna Hay, I see her recipes all over the blogosphere. Very neat interview!
What a great story! The part about how you got the interview is almost as good as the interview itself…And that’s one impressive ribbon drawer.
Gosh! aren’t you one lucky gal!!! that’s wonderful, and kudos to you and your blog:)
the pudding looks delicious; I came over to invite you for my sweet celebration contest running on my blog. Send these puddings as they look great!:)
What a wonderful interview. I especially love how Donna Hay was talking about your blog.
what a great post – love that ribbon drawer – and donna sounds lovely – I am so impressed she loves food blogs and what a thrill to hear she loves yours
Oh, how nice! Great interview with Donna. I love having a look through her books whenever I’m in a bookstore (can’t justify buying any, unfortunately because I don’t have any money & I don’t cook! LOL)!
Hmmmm…most memorable celebrity encounter. That’s a tough one…I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a few famous people (even if they’re only famous in Australia!)…as much as I’d love to say Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes (just coz he’s so darn good-looking), and we took a photo together (literally – he held one half of my mobile phone, I held the other)…I think my fave celebrity moment was with 70s Aussie rock musician Russell Morris. It was just before my HSC, and I was going to be performing a song of his for my music exam, and he gave me a huge hug & kiss on the cheek — and all the older women who were waiting for an autograph swooned!! It was hilarious! I was the only one who got a hug from him!
awesome interview!
im in love with donna.
ive 2 of her books. heehee.
BRILLIANT…just awesome. trust you to bring out the best & most fun interview with Donna. WOW!! i do wish we got her books in India!
Wow, talk about being in the right place at the right time! Very serendipitous. And what a fabulous interview.
Wow! I love love love Dona Hay magazine. The photography and styling is beyond amazing!
Hi Lorraine
I really like the ‘Nasi Lemak’, with the belacan chili paste….hmmmmmmmmm
great interview lorraine – gotta love a bit of serendipity. I’ve been avoiding donna’s store for fear of getting addicted – but now you’ve given me a great excuse to get in there
Jx
Good things come to those who eat…and blog about it! LOL Congrats, how awesome!
What a great post and great interview! I was hoping you’d ask her if she is ever opening a store in Melbourne…oh well.
Congrats to the winner too.
Hi lisa-Thanks! You should definitely visit if you come here!
Hi Trisha-Hehe it was lovely to meet her! Haha you are so cute
Hi Tammy-Oh fabulous, lucky you! Thankyou!
Hi Amy-There’s always that but thankfully I wasn’t disappointed by Donna at all. Hehe who was that?
Hi penny-Hehe it’s hard to know what to do isn’t it!
Hi Barbara-Thankyou!
Hi Gastronomy Gal-Thanks so much!
Hi Blond Duck-Haha I’m not but Donna is!
Hi sandra-Thankyou! Yes it’s great isn’t it! Such a lovely store too
Haha me too!
Hi Anita-They’re great aren’t they! I just got a copy of Seasons and it looks fab!
I loved seeing all the crockery etc too!
Hi A Girl Called E-It was thankyou!
Yes they’re beautifully shot!
Hi Su-yin-Hehe not me!
Yes I know, the photography and styling is so simple but gorgeous 
Hehe me too, I have a ribbon box but now feel I should have a drawer! Haha Mrs Sacha Baron Cohen is rather exciting now!
Hi Trissa-Thankyou! Haha I agree
Hi Katherine-Thanks! The thing is, she’s so approachable and friendly!
Hi Syrie-I agree, it’s lovely!
Hi Cakelaw-Ah I see! I don’t know if I’d even recognise Eskimo Joe! Haha!
Hi Brittany-It was so lovely and such a surprise! Oh cool, well it may just happen!
Hi Linda-Aww how sweet! That is so cute!
Hi Jen-Oh wow, what was she like? Wow, what a star studded restaurant! Both on the same night?
Hi Annna-Haha me too!
hi Tanya-Oh lucky you!
Hehe that is so true, they’d be rather cute finger puppets! 
Hi barbara-Thanks! Yes Tetsuya is such a lovely, approachable person!
Hi Juliana-Thankyou!
Hi Paula-Thankyou so much! I will!
Hi Divina-Thanks so much!
Yes it would, all that fab styling and food!
Hi leekfixer-You’re welcome and so glad that you liked it!
Hi Carrie-You’re welcome, it was quite a thrill indeed!
Hi Betty-I know, I didn’t expect to be there! She was so lovely
Hi Kathy-Aren’t they great!
Oh she ran into him while running you mean? 
Hi clekitty-Thanks so much!
Hi Shaz-Yes I love the clean crispness
Hehe the ones I don’t recognise are invariably sportspeople (except Tennis and Ice Skating, those are the two sports I follow 
) Haha that counts sure! 
Hi KymT-Hehe!
Hi Arwen-Yes I love that level or organisation!
Yes me too! So nice to hear 
Hi Angela-That’s fantastic! It’s quite nerve wracking isn’t it!?
Hi sophia-Hehe I was surprise believe me!
Thankyou! 
Hi Lex-Hehe not quite but thankyou!
Hi Sophie-I know, it’s amazing!
Thankyou so much 
That’s absolutely fabulous! 
Hi romaveronaI know! You’re more than welcome!
Hi Julia-You’re welcome! Yes she’s a lovely, candid person to talk to and I can see why she’s so successful
Aww you are too sweet! 
Hi Ellie-Haha I know! How funny is that?
And I saw Luke Mangan in Woollahra too!
Hi Moya-Thankyou! Yes it’s so lovely isn’t it! Oooh how fabulous!
Hi Ffichiban-Thanks!
Haha not quite! 
Hi Belle-I know! You do love your Donna don’t you!
Thankyou!
Hi Matilda-Thanks so mcuh! Haha it was a shock but a pleasant one
That’s fantastic indeed and wow you’ve certainly met your share of celebs! 
Hi Caz-Aww thankyou so much!
Hi Yas-Haha you are too funny Yas!
I sure am! 
Hi Jen-Thankyou!
Haha I don’t know about that! 
Hi Iron Chef Shellie-Haha that is so cute!
Hi grace-Haha Grace u are so funny! As a clever and down to earth lady I’m sure you’d get along! You’re more than welcome!
Hi Madelin-I know,mind blowing really!
Haha yes I should!
Hi 5 Star Foodie-Thanks so much!
Hi Helen-Thankyou!
Haha it was such a great experience I just had to share it! 
Hi Mansi-Thanks so much, you are so kind!
Hi Madeline-Aww thankyou! It was so amazing when I was standing in front of her. She’s as tall as I am!
Hi Johanna-Thankyou!
Yes it’s great to hear when people like food blogs 
Hi Liv-Thanks so much!
The new Seasons one is lovely and just scrumptious! Haha how cool is that? That;s wonderful!:)
Hi felici-Thankyou! That’s fabulous!
Hi deeba-Aww thankyou!
If you ever need a CP let me know! 
Hi Faith-I know!
Thankyou so much! 
Hi veggie wedgie-THat’s fabulous, it’s a great magazine isn’t it!
Hi Liny-Fantastic!
Hi jules-Yes indeed!
Haha yes it should come with a warning sign as there are so many cute things in there!
Hi Adrian-Haha thankyou!
Hi nellbe-I don’t know, the Sydney store is still quite new!
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