One of the highlights of The Vogue Festival in 2012 was the Nigella Lawson Women and Food discussion, a fascinating on-stage conversation between Kirsty Young and Nigella Lawson, which I was fortunate to attend. What follows is the piece I wrote at the time.
It was written in 2012, yet revisiting it now, in January 2026, I am struck by how many of the themes still feel very relevant.
Nigella Lawson Women and Food – Interview April 2012
I have seen the lovely Nigella in person on two previous occasions and met her once at a book signing, and the thing that always strikes me is how consistently natural and relaxed she is. Witty and self-deprecating, as one of the most recognisable figures in cookery today, she was the perfect person to discuss the emotive topic, ‘Women and Food’.
Photo credit Guy Harris (2008)
As Nigella took to the stage wearing a black dress, black hose and some fabulous short red boots, it was impossible not to notice that she has lost weight. She’s still lovely and curvy, but there is definitely much less of her. Refusing to take much credit for the weight loss, she said that she really hasn’t been eating any differently. “I have just had less opportunity to eat,” she smiled. Nigella also put it down to bunion surgery on her foot making it impossible for her to walk to the fridge for a few weeks. “You can ask someone to pass you a slice of cake but it’s a bit embarrassing to ask them to pass you a second slice!” Nigella also does Pilates and works with a personal trainer.
Thin Doesn’t Always Equal Healthy
When it comes to women and food, Nigella stressed her belief that “thin doesn’t always equal healthy”, and talked about her late mother who was a wonderful cook but “had various eating disorders”. It is Nigella’s opinion (and I totally agree) that “Denial makes women have such a difficult relationship with food – thinking that you don’t deserve it. You have to think that you deserve to eat something good“.
“As long as food is real food and not processed, it’s healthy,” Nigella continued.
Comfort Food
Describing comfort eating as enjoying a treat that has pleasant associations or reminds you of someone – such as the piece of coffee and walnut cake that brings fond memories of her late Grandmother – Nigella feels that eating too much of something and then feeling bad about it was often discomfort eating. This seemed to strike a chord with the audience. Her statement that “I’ve had more dinners than I’m going to have so I don’t like to waste the pleasure of eating” was a refreshingly candid and thought-provoking take on eating mindfully.
Nigella said that she likes to know what she is going to eat for the next few meals, and tends to “panic if I don’t have supplies”. Her inspiration for her recipes? “What I want to eat.” Her zest for food – and life – really shone through in this Nigella Lawson interview.
Nigella’s Cookbook Collection
When Kirsty Young asked her how many cookbooks she owned, Nigella admitted to “about 4,300 – there may be a few more”. While she is inspired by cookbooks, she likes to put her own spin on everything. “Until people invent new ingredients there are no new recipes,” she said. I am certain I was not the only writer of a blog to hope that mine might be one she looks at when she said “I can be reading food blogs on my iPad for hours at night”.
Dinner with Nigella and Her Favourite Dish
Kirsty Young asked Nigella if she is often invited to dinner or if people are too intimidated. “I think it is more worrying for me to have people for dinner at my house,” she replied. “I always worry that I will give them normal, home cooked food and they will be expecting something amazing. But now that you mention it, maybe I’m not asked to people’s houses that much!”
When asked by an audience member what her favourite dish was, Nigella said she found it hard to choose but that she loves her mother’s Praised Chicken and makes it often.
The Heart of The Home
Sadly the time went by too fast and there were many hands still up when Kirsty Young reluctantly said it was time for the last audience question. Asked what room she considered to be the heart of her home, Nigella, who is in the process of purchasing a new home, did not hesitate a second before replying.
“My new home is a kitchen – with a few rooms round it,” she smiled.
A Timeless Conversation
Revisiting this conversation in 2026, I’m reminded how timeless so many of these thoughts are. Food, home, connection, the things that bring us joy — these are ideas that never really date. In fact, they feel just as meaningful now as they did when I first wrote this piece.
Nigella-Inspired Recipes
Over the years since attending Women and Food at The Vogue Festival, I’ve continued to cook and adapt many of Nigella Lawson’s recipes at home (always with full credit and so much appreciation). If you enjoy the themes in this interview, you may enjoy some of these Nigella-inspired recipes I have shared on the website.
Nigella Lawson’s Tarragon Chicken – a classic French dish made easy.
Nigella’s Italian Breakfast Banana Bread – an espresso-spiked loaf perfect with morning coffee.
Chocolate Pear Pudding Cake – my twist on this rich, comforting and quick to make pudding-meets-cake.
Cherry Almond Loaf Cake – my version using fresh cherries – perfect with a cup of tea.
You can find out more about Nigella, her recipes and cookbooks on her website.
My Favourite Nigella Cookbooks
If you enjoy Nigella’s approach to food and storytelling, you may enjoy some of her cookbooks. I have linked to a few of my favourites below. (These are affiliate links.)
How To Be A Domestic Goddess – my all time favourite (so far!)
Kitchen – Recipes from the Heart of the Home – deeply rooted in the idea of home with practical, satisfying recipes I cook again and again
Feast – recipes for celebrations and events that captures both the seasons of life and the rhythm of the year
Cook, Eat, Repeat – Nigella’s most recent book, full of delicious inspiration
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