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Nigella's 'Pleasure Palace'?‍♀️

(99 Posts)
ixion Fri 06-Nov-20 13:35:43

Chef Nigella refers to her kitchen as a 'pleasure palace'. (BBC trailer for her new series). Does anyone else feel such an affinity with their 'place to cook meals in'?!

Missfoodlove Sat 07-Nov-20 12:34:00

I am a very keen cook, I am currently in my “steamy palace” making bread, Jerusalem artichoke soup and leek and potato soup for the freezer.

I don’t watch cookery programs other than Nigel Slater, I would rather stick pins in my eyes than watch Nigella, she is a preening posing princess whose recipes are really not that good.

I love my kitchen it’s big with doors opening to our garden we also have a snug at the end and a scrub top table in the centre so it’s very much the heart of our home, the living room and dining room get very little use!!

Cherrytree59 Sat 07-Nov-20 12:37:34

I like a nice clean and tidy kitchen,
but pleasure Palace?
Nope, I'm in and out as quickly as possible.
DH on t'other hand loves abit of chopping and slicing.
Freezer kept in order and well I won't even go there with his Tupperware obsession storage ?.

Nigella aim is to sell her books especially at tChristmas
Her team has dreamt up a phrase for the public GN to latch onto.
Think it might have worked?

blue25 Sat 07-Nov-20 12:52:05

Nigella’s great. A very talented woman who’s been through a lot in her life.

She doesn’t take herself seriously unlike some people on here. There are so many mean comments. Women can be so nasty about each other, it’s sad.

Buttonjugs Sat 07-Nov-20 12:58:18

I see her as someone that uses sex to sell, much in the same way as singers wearing very little on stage. It’s almost like seventies innuendo and I find it excruciatingly cringeworthy.

kittylester Sat 07-Nov-20 13:02:53

I echo paddyanne and FannyCornforth.

I'd forgotten about the gorgeous James Martin. How could I!!

MagicWand Sat 07-Nov-20 13:39:25

DH & I love watching Nigella, I’m sure for different reasons, he does at least realise it’s a cookery programme! I’ve used her recipes and yes her cookbooks are beautifully written.

I vividly remember our son’s incredulous response watching her for the first time - he was in his early 20s. I think his words were ‘What is this woman doing?! She might be able to cook but she should get someone else to do the voice-over!’ Didn’t ‘get’ her at all.

Aepgirl Sat 07-Nov-20 13:49:51

None of these TV chefs do much of their cooking. They each have a team of preppers, choppers, weighers, cleaner-uppers, etc.

Why does Nigella always have that supercilious grin on her face all the time she cooks? I try to avoid her programmes as much as possible.

Nanna58 Sat 07-Nov-20 13:50:25

I am envious of the ‘ liquorice box’ she brings out from time to time; I love and I want one !!!!

Gwenisgreat1 Sat 07-Nov-20 14:28:06

A 'Pleasure Palace' conjures up an image of anything but a kitchen!!

Newatthis Sat 07-Nov-20 14:34:56

Whether she cooks or not or indeed can cook, she is earning millions doing what she does - the rest of us do it for nothing - sometimes many of you don't even get a thank you I'll bet!

Ramblingrose22 Sat 07-Nov-20 14:38:12

I think many chefs or their publicity agents dream up phrases to attract attention so the new words may not have even been Nigella's idea.

I rarely watch her programmes as I find her manner irritating. These days I prefer Nadiyah - a very enthusiastic and engaging character whom I enjoy watching even if I don't like all her recipes.

MissAdventure Sat 07-Nov-20 14:43:23

I prefer Les Dawson if I want to watch gurning.

flump Sat 07-Nov-20 14:54:54

I agree, Ramblingrose. Also, I no longer cook as my lovely DH took over all cooking when he retired. He also said he'd take over the shopping too! He is a wonderful cook and enjoys it much more than I do. Haven't cooked Christmas dinner at all throughout our marriage. Lucky me. I do the clearing, tidying up and any pot washing.

merlotgran Sat 07-Nov-20 14:57:05

I like Nigella. She happily plays up to the box that she ticks in the culinary celeb world. By her own admission she's a cook not a chef. I've seen her in one of her 'evening with' shows and she's warm, witty and showed an equal amount of enthusiasm to all during the Q&A.

She talked movingly but reservedly about losing her mother, sister and husband to cancer - all three at an early age. Definitely not a TV personality who cashes in on life's challenges, unlike some.

I do think her new series is oddly named though. 'Cook, Eat, Repeat' sounds like you need to stock up on Rennies! grin

tictacnana Sat 07-Nov-20 14:57:45

She really gets on my nerves. All that breathy pouting and flirty smiles to camera. Come back Delia !

Gma29 Sat 07-Nov-20 15:33:31

I love her books, I really enjoy her writing, and own several of them. Watching her is another matter entirely, it may well be a persona adopted for the camera, but I really don’t find it appealing.

My view of the kitchen is certainly more down to earth - I enjoy cooking, especially for other people (a distant memory now!), but pleasure palace? Definitely not ?

Paperbackwriter Sat 07-Nov-20 15:47:34

Kryptonite

Only if I'm making cakes. I don't mind Nigella. I did read that the 'friends' at the end are complete strangers.

They're not strangers (why would they be?). One of the usual ones is her PA and the main cook, Hetty Potter (who I've known from when she was a teenager), another is often Olivia Lichentstein, a writer who is an old friend of Nigella's. Often her grown children are there too.
I like Nigella - her recipes are simple and delicious and it's not her fault she's attractive!

Kim19 Sat 07-Nov-20 15:56:52

Bennydian, ?.

Catterygirl Sat 07-Nov-20 16:37:42

She's very attractive, seems clever, lost close family to the dreaded big C and walked out from her second husband with a few old battered pans. Not sure about the bank account but not my business. I knew Charles but not Nigella but she seems like a survivor. I subscribe to her website and store just the recipes that appeal.

GrammarGrandma Sat 07-Nov-20 16:39:24

I like the kitchen but it isn't "my" anything. I enjoy cooking there and so does my DH. Wouldn't call it a pleasure palace, though. I went to a lunch cooked by Nigella once; it was good and she came in at the end to accept applause. I don't really watch cookery programmes though I did catch some of Jamie's Veg series - the accompanying book wasn't so good.

Mapleleaf Sat 07-Nov-20 16:39:26

Well, I like Nigella. Of course, all the posturing and inuendo is all part of the act. I find her amusing to watch, though most of it shouldn't be taken seriously. Having said that, some of the recipes I have tried have been successful, others I've tweaked a bit.
To be honest it must work because she has sold millions of books and plenty of people watch her programmes, so it's making her a very wealthy woman. Good luck to her, I say.

Spinnaker Sat 07-Nov-20 17:11:15

I think she's wonderful - so does DH wink.
Who can forget listening to the late great Terry Wogan waxing lyrical the morning after her show on Radio 2. He loved telling everyone about how wonderful Nigella's puddings and dumplings looked grin. Wouldn't be allowed now though sad

Harris27 Sat 07-Nov-20 17:15:25

Yes it’s my place!

grumppa Sat 07-Nov-20 18:33:02

Oh call back Delia, bid time return!

What’s Nigella ever done for her local football club?

FannyCornforth Sat 07-Nov-20 19:06:08

Oh my word!
'Let's be 'avin' you!'
Poor Delia
That was sooo embarrassing.