Why Adam Liaw has been in tears on The Cook Up ‘many, many times’

Introducing the sixth season of The Cook Up With Adam Liaw, the congenial host dubs the SBS Food weeknight staple “a nightly news program”, adding, “But all the news is about cakes!”

The return episode, “Fruity Bakes”, which includes McLaren Vale chef Karena Armstrong and entertainer extraordinaire Eddie Perfect, may be all baked comestibles and pleasant conversation, but heavier topics are not strictly off the menu in this kitchen studio.

The Cook Up With Adam Liaw was SBS’ largest ever commission. It has now entered its sixth season.

“We’re more than happy to be serious,” says Liaw, during a break in shooting an upcoming cookbook for the series. “We do get into some very difficult conversations. I’ve been in tears on The Cook Up many, many times.

“In some ways, it’s a very easy style of show, but we don’t think of it as light entertainment. Dare I say, we’re probably more bold in our conversations than you would be at the average dinner party. Sometimes people have important stories to tell.”

The series again marks Refugee Week (June 17-21), with guests including refugee advocate Asif Sultani, who fled Afghanistan at age 16.

“A lot of these stories that we talk about in Refugee Week are tough to listen to,” says Liaw. “I’m going to go home tonight and spend the evening with my kids and cook them dinner, and here are some people who haven’t seen their parents for decades, and aren’t even sure if they’re going to see them again. You can see the scars of that.”

New this season are segments beyond the studio with producers such as cheesemakers and beekeepers. Fridays are reserved for “Easy Entertaining”, with an Eid al-Fitr special on April 5 marking the end of Ramadan. For the first time, there is a children’s episode, on May 6.

“The earlier you learn to cook, the better you eat for longer,” says Liaw. “We have a couple of very young kids on The Cook Up. They’re spectacular cooks at the age of 10 or 11. Their parents aren’t chefs. They’ve not been trained. They’re just kids who enjoy cooking.”

Adam Liaw on the set of his nightly show The Cook Up with guest Michael Mosley.

Since the series – the largest ever commissioned by SBS – launched in 2021 with an initial 200 episodes, the famous and the little known, the culinarily gifted and the humblest of home cooks have joined Liaw to share recipes from the heart. There is no formula for pairing guests – one or none might be from the food industry. But there is one rule for professionals.

“To the chefs we say, specifically, ‘Don’t cook me something that’s on the menu in your restaurant. Cook things that you would make when you have the night off’,” says Liaw. “There’s a difference between the way that people cook in restaurants and the way people cook at home. It’s not that one’s better than the other. We just try to show people how good home cooking can be.”

Among this season’s biggest non-foodie names are actor Rachel Ward, musician Clare Bowditch, garden designer Jamie Durie and British health presenter Dr Michael Mosley.

“Michael Mosley approaches The Cook Up like he approaches his shows, in a very scientific way,” says Liaw. “The episode we filmed with him was all around sleep, and sleep is something that I struggle with. So I was picking his brain the whole time, like I do with all my guests, trying to work out how I can sleep better and sort out the fact from the fiction. It’s really about eating healthily and making sure the portions aren’t going to keep you up all night.”

Inundated by requests from people wanting to be on the show, The Cook Up is not about to run out of talent any time soon. But while guest spots are limited, Liaw cannot name a public figure he would flatly refuse.

“We take all kinds of cooker!” he says, laughing. “As long as you like cooking and you enjoy eating, there’s always a place for you on The Cook Up. You’d be surprised how many people have had a secret desire their whole lives to be on a cooking show.”

The Cook Up with Adam Liaw returns at 7pm on Monday, February 26, on SBS Food.

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