If you are a regular visitor to Cakeyboi, you may remember my trips to the BBC Good Food Show Scotland over the past couple of years.
Year one of Cakeyboi, I visited and sampled the delights of what Scotlandhad to offer. Then last year I was lucky enough to be a Good Food Show official blogger. This meant I got to meet and interview James Martin and get front row seats to his show in the ‘Supertheatre’.
This year’s visit was a little bit different for me however. Earlier in the summer, I was contacted by the lovely Katy Truss who organises the Good Food Show and has a fab blog (Fabulous Food Finds). Katy asked if I would like to be involved in the show again this year and would I like to be interviewed on stage about my blog?My initial thought was ‘has she asked the wrong person?’ then ‘I hate speaking in public’, but I thought more about it and realised what a great opportunity it could be. So, I agreed, although filled with a bit of trepidation.
Then, my picture appeared on the ‘Chefs and Experts’ page of the show’s official website alongside, Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry, John Torode, James Martin et al. Very, very surreal!
So, the months passed and before I knew it the BBC Good Food Show had arrived in Glasgow. Sadly, due to work commitments, I couldn’t attend the first day of the show. Such a shame as there were fellow bloggers there who had a great time, had their picture taken with Paul Hollywood and got to see the grand opening of the show. Read all about the opening day over at Janice's blog 'Farmergirl Kitchen'.
But Saturday was the day I was asked to appear on the Interview Stage. Disneyboi and I got up at the crack of dawn and made our way through to Glasgow. I was set to be on stage at 2pm. I admit I was nervous. I had never been interviewed before on a stage, but I comforted myself with the thought that hardly anyone would want to come and see me talk about my wee baking adventures!
We got to the SECC in Glasgowand settled ourselves into the PR area of the show. I was then introduced to the lovely Lotte Duncan whom I have been a fan of for years on the Food Network and other TV cooking programmes, and who would be interviewing me! She was lovely and we chatted a little about what the interview would involve.
Disneyboi and I then had a wander around the show, got our bearings before heading to our first Supertheatre session. We watched as John Torode made a lovely steak then a pineapple upside down tart and chatted to the audience about his cooking.
We then had another wander and purchased a few bits and bobs (which I will be mentioning a couple of soon) before heading back to the Supertheatre to see Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry ‘do lunch’! The audience had a chance to decide what dish would be made – Paul’s Shepherds Pie or Mary’s Spinach, mushroom and chicken dish. Of course, the audience wanted to see Mary’s! The pair are so funny together and you can see what a great connection they have.
They also made some cookies and a lemon posset. It all looked divine. But I wasn’t feeling too hungry at this point as I knew my turn on the Interview Stage was occurring very soon.
Disneyboi and I headed over there just before 2pm and met up with Lotte again. Then the music started and Lotte was introduced first. She then brought me up on stage and what happened next I can’t really remember very well!
All I do know, is that it went very quickly. The interview was so relaxed, chatting about my love of baking, the Clandestine Cake Club Dundee, everything from American Froot Loops, my lack of knowledge about Arbroath Smokies and Mary Berry being made a Dame (or should be!). Lotte put me at so much ease (a nip of limoncello also helped!) and I forgot I was chatting in front of an audience.
And remember I thought no one would want to come and see little old me? I was wrong! The audience was huge and I was very surprised and touched that people would want to come and see Cakeyboi!
People kindly queued up to meet me after the interview and I handed out a few of my cards and I even signed an autograph!!
We then had another meander around the stalls before we packed up our buys and made our way over to the exit, heading for the train back to the center of Glasgow.
It had been such a brilliant, nervous, adrenalin-rush of an experience. And one I won’t forget. Who would have thought that just a couple of years ago, when writing about my experiences in baking, I would end up on stage at the BBC Good Food Show? – certainly not I!
