What do you tell yourself to help cope with nerves in the competition?
I was great at school exams so I guess it feels a bit like that. Except it’s all one giant chemistry practical combined with a theatrical performance. The boys are super seriously competitive. That's freaking me out. I'm used to being top of the class.
What are you learning about yourself during the competition – any strengths or weaknesses you were not aware of?
I love the challenges. They're my best thing. NOTHING fazes me about cooking in a pro kitchen or dealing with a Mystery Box challenge. I'm loving them. Forget being in a band, my inner teen has been unleashed in the restaurant kitchen! That feels like a rock star adrenalin rush. I want to hang out with the dudes in the kitchen and cook like that.
I'm reliving memories of all the TV cooking shows I watched as a child. From Delia to Nanette Newman's Fun Food Factory to the Galloping Gourmet. I feel I should have the chance to pluck a handsome Don Draper type from the audience to eat my food.
Do the heat four cooks have what it takes?
I'm also naturally quite bossy and organised. I think this makes for interesting encounters with my fellow contestant Keith ‘Cheggers’ Chegwin, who is a childhood hero. My husband's school once won Cheggars Plays Pop so this is insanely exciting to be on with him.
Personality wise I am wondering if we are channelling Fanny Craddock and Johnny? I feel like Cheggers and I have the makings of a George and Mildred style 70s sitcom whatever happens on MasterChef.
But it's the coming up with my own menus that I'm struggling with. I've been cooking and entertaining all my adult life and getting great praise, but the idea of showing off for John and Gregg? My natural instinct is NOT to show off with food. And certainly not to do stuff that I've never done before. And clearly you need to do both those things.
What is the secret of good cooking, for you?
Big portions of fantastic tasting food. No fancy presentation. Lots of nice flavours. Anything Indian, Moroccan or Korean. No boring baby vegetables on the side nonsense. I don't do fancy and I don't do show off. But if you came round to my house you'd have an amazing time.
Also there's nothing that my tin of Indian spices can't improve. Even baked beans. Oh and rhubarb. I love rhubarb. I can't get enough of rhubarb.
What’s your best cheat tip in the kitchen?
There is no cheating. Practice practice practice in advance. But perhaps think ahead about timesaving with any processes you could speed up. Like using a food mixer instead of hand mixing that chappati dough.
Samira Ahmed is a journalist and Celebrity MasterChef contestant.
Celebrity MasterChef continues on Thursday, 9 July at 9pm on BBC One. Each episode will be available in BBC iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast on TV.
Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.
