Kiara can’t remember exactly when her love for cooking began, but she has always felt at home in the kitchen. One memory stands out: when she was about four years old, her family was snowed in and running low on food. Her mum Chriss brought out a children’s cookbook that her aunty had given her for Christmas. With her love of playing with clay and playdough, she decided to bake bread. She had such a fun time making it that she never stopped. Over the years, baking and cooking have connected her with people from all over the world. She’s grateful for the journey it has taken her on, but what she cherishes most is cooking for family and friends. Seeing them enjoy the food she makes brings her immense happiness.

Now a popular teen chef with 100K Instagram followers, Kiara has inspired many budding young chefs to try cooking at home. It’s particularly encouraging to see the younger generation embrace the skills of home cooking. In an age where food convenience is just an order away via online platforms, cooking at home with fresh ingredients, especially from scratch, teaches children patience, perseverance, and creativity in the kitchen while also improving their math and science skills through hands-on experiences. It fosters responsibility, independence, and healthy eating habits, and helps them develop an appreciation for reducing waste and practicing sustainability. Therefore, when it came to featuring a junior chef for my book Foodwise – a kid’s guide to fighting food waste and saving the world, I knew Kiara was the right fit!

Having a supportive mum like Chriss has truly shaped Kiara into the chef she is today. From a very young age, her mum included her in kitchen activities, fostering Kiara’s passion for cooking. With grandmothers from both Japanese and New Zealand backgrounds, Kiara spent a lot of time learning valuable cooking tips from them. I especially love the reels of Kiara cooking alongside her grandmothers, showcasing her deep connection to both culinary traditions. Kiara has been fortunate to explore these rich culinary worlds from such a young age. Living in Japan, particularly in Yamanashi prefecture, which is known for its abundance of fresh fruit and ingredients due to its unique geography, Kiara has had the opportunity to work with some of the finest local produce. A few years ago, she also had the incredible chance to go behind the scenes and make fava bean tobanjan with the team at INUA, led by chef Thomas Frebel, a former NOMA chef.

During my recent visit to Japan, I finally had the opportunity to meet Kiara and her family in person. For Who Does the Dishes, Kiara prepared her special ramen dish, featuring the creamiest, most delicious, and healthy slurp of broth.

“I have always loved ramen noodles and really wanted to try making it from scratch for the longest time. I tweaked the recipe adding ingredients I thought would give it a really rich and creamy texture. I like surprising people when I tell them that the secret ingredients are peanut butter and cashew nuts!”