A Hampstead Garden Suburb woman who is set to grace TV screens in cooking competition Masterchef is using her culinary talents to produce healthy soups for vulnerable, unwell and self-isolating neighbours during the coronavirus pandemic.
Samantha Lhoas, 49, who has only just moved into Heathcroft but has lived in the Suburb for seven years told the Ham&High she had been motivated to use what she is good at to help people struggling in these difficult times
She said: “At the moment I am going to do Monday, Tuesday and Friday. I’ll see how that goes!
“The motivation came from the point of view that I wanted to think what would be helpful for me if I had to isolate. And having a lot of time on my hands I thought I could do with a project.
“My cooking is definitely the one thing I am good at!”
Samantha is also inspired by watching from afar as her in-laws experience lock-down in northern Italy.
“I looked around where I live an I thought if somebody had done the for my in-laws in Milan, what a difference it would make.”
The mum of two was set to appear in her first episode of the hit BBC show the same night, Monday March 23, as beginning her soup kitchen project.
She is working with her eldest child, a daughter of 13, in order to cook, all the while taking extensive safety precautions such as wearing a mask and gloves to cook and simply leaving orders on the doorsteps of her vulnerable neighbours.
She added: “I’ve already got some people I am delivering to. For example there’s a lady in her 70s here who keeps an eye on two other neighbours in their 90s. It’ll be great to help them.”
As for how she does in front of the Masterchef judges, Samantha won’t tell. “You’ll have to watch,” she said.
Samantha, who used to work in media before having her second baby just two years ago, added she was hoping to cook vegetable soup on Monday, vegetable minestrone soup on Tuesday and kosher chicken soup on Friday, all being well.
If you live close to Heathcroft in the Suburb and are in need of soup on these nights, contact Samantha at Lasoupekitchen@gmail.com
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