Step inside HOME and meet Hasan Semay, aka Big Has, in this short extract from his debut cookbook.
‘When writing this book, I wanted the whole thing to feel personal, not just for me, but also for you guys as the readers. I don’t feel like there are many personal touches in cookbooks nowadays. Yeah, we could have done this in a beautiful studio kitchen with props and backdrops, but like King Skeppy said, ‘That’s not me.’ I wanted to keep the whole thing super raw because food is about togetherness, family, security, comfort and most of all HOME (see what I did there?).
Now, from the outside looking in, you’re like, ‘Has has made it, my man’s got a book and shit.’ However, that doesn’t change a person’s perspective. I’m not all of a sudden gonna wear a lumberjack shirt and change the way I carry myself. HOME is a book that I never thought would exist – I’m just as amazed as you are. Shit, I hope you’re amazed, but thank you. I think being from the ends, we all have an underdog mentality. I was told I’d end up dead or in prison and I wasn’t even that bad. I gave up on education and I guess education gave up on me. There was always a part of me that knew that I’d make it happen, cause I always do. The ins and outs of my life/career have taken me from from the stationery lacking, untucked-school-shirt, no-GCSEs bad boy to being an apprentice with Jamie Oliver at Fifteen (the asbestos hands grill-section guy and pasta-shape specialist), and now a published author.’
This debut cookbook from talented chef and YouTube star Hasan Semay is a celebration of the dishes, places and people that have made him who he is today. He’ll talk you through the stages of lighting a BBQ and how to prepare a variety of dishes from small plates to Turkish Cypriot classics, home-made pasta to delicious desserts, as well as meat and fish straight off the grill. This is real food cooked right – no tablecloths or fancy china, just your friends, round the BBQ proper Sunday Sessions style, because food is a celebration of coming together. You can pre-order Big Has HOME now.
Don’t miss the chance to see Hasan Semay in conversation with actor Allan Mustafa (aka Seapa from People Just Do Nothing), celebrating the publication of his new book with an exclusive live streamed event.
‘A Night in with Big Has’ takes place on 17th August at 18.30.
Book your tickets here: https://www.fane.co.uk/big-has#book
