Chilli Bitten started off in 2013. Thanks to watching Julie and Julia over and over again.

Originally the blog started off as a way to track my journey of teaching myself how to cook by my 30^th birthday.

Along the way, I changed direction and turned it into a culinary blog for all the recipes that I make, with no deadline in place.

30 came and went and the recipes are still being tried and tested in the kitchen.

I come from a family that loves to cook and loves eating delicious homemade food, that are rich with spices and flavours, so learning how to cook should come easy. NOT! Before I began my culinary journey, I could not even boil water without burning the bottom of the pot.

I am by no means a trained professional chef. I am just a self-taught home cook, who believe it or not, still burns things,  I have more flops than I want to mention and yes I still do cry when I see cookies spread instead of rising.

I am lucky enough to have parents that are from 2 different backgrounds. My heritage consists of Cape Malay and Indian, so the array of recipes that I grew up with is from all sides of the world.

The blog is dedicated to my parents who at times grumble and moan when I make them eat something that they do not enjoy, but they eat it anyway.

Chilli Bitten is also a tribute to my late uncle Ragie Naidoo, who became an Angel on the 18^th August 2019. He would always sit and watch me chopping away in the kitchen.

I thought I had a sweet tooth, but his sweet tooth was no match for mine. His love of flavours ranged from anything sour, such as sour worms, lemons to anything sweet such as chocolate cake and coke.

Speckled eggs was his weakness, actually anything food related was his thing, as long as it contained fresh cream he would eat it. Imitation cream was his kryptonite.