Azlin Bloor (Chef, Cookery Teacher, and Food Blogger in England)

Azlin Bloor creates wonderfully inspiring food and cocktail recipes, photos and videos. Even if you don’t try out any of her easy-to-follow recipes, her entertaining posts and beautiful photos alone will make you happier.

Azlin Bloor is the woman behind the popular website LinsFood.com and the LinsFood web series. This makes her one of the amazing people who are willing to share their craft, creations and knowledge online for free. Thank you, Lin! Of course, you can also pay her for catering and teaching – if you’re in England.

Today, Azlin lives in Bournemouth, on the south coast of England. But she was born and raised in Singapore. Growing up in a multicultural family and living on various continents has given her a rare mix of expertise in South East Asian, Middle Eastern and British cooking.

The sassy, funny and lively tone in her posts probably comes from the fact that she’s just cool like that.

We are so pleased that Azlin took the time to answer our questions about what keeps her going and makes her happier. Now we only hope that one day we can share a few of her beautiful cocktails together in the British countryside…

What do you do?

I am a chef and cookery teacher. My classes are conducted in my kitchen and most of my chef work is private catering, although I take up short stints in kitchens, for the excitement, and for keeping up my cheffing skills. The reason for this is because my biggest job is that of homeschooling my 4 kids.

Why do you do what you do?

I have always loved cooking, having grown up with a food crazy family, and with my granny who ran a food business. I was already helping in the kitchen by the time I was 9, and that was the start of a never ending journey of discovery. I used to be an English and Economics teacher, but my love of cooking was too overpowering and just blended seamlessly into my natural propensity to teach and boss people around! By the end of that phase of my career, I was already part-timing in kitchens and giving weekend cooking classes.

Azlin Bloor of LinsFood in her Happier Place: creating beautiful and delicious food in the kitchen.

General Happy Place category?

I think my overall happiest place is in the kitchen, wherever that may be, in my home or not. I love the challenge of catering to a huge number of people, as well as imparting knowledge. Feeding people and teaching give me great joy and satisfaction.

Specific Happy Place locations?

My dining room, at meal times with the family. Because we have so much fun. I love seeing the kids enjoy their food, and not! How my oldest is always trying to barter off his vegetables has become a long running family joke. And this is also the time when we end up talking about all sorts of things: from places, cultures, the solar system to why Spike never got his own series and Angel did (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer)!

Singapore and Malaysia. This is where most of my family is scattered, with the odd few around the world. When we go back to visit, the feeling is indescribable, especially seeing the family with the kids, who only see them once in a while.

What do you always bring out into nature with you?

Haha, that’s easy – food and drink! Anything that’s easy to prepare and consume without too much of a mess.

Happier Place tips?

View everything with a fresh mind, as if you’re looking at it for the first time. It allows you to appreciate the experience and the joy all over again. And who knows, you might even find new things to enjoy in that same old place or activity.

A dream destination (in space or time)?

Russia, without a doubt. I love the Russian language, even if I struggle with the alphabet, always mixing it up and getting it wrong. I adore its architecture and will one day feast my eyes on buildings like Catherine Palace and the Grand Palace. And who doesn’t want to see St. Basil’s Cathedral? I just love Russian food, and want to cook in a Russian kitchen. I want to drink tea made with a samovar!