Meet the family

Paula

Middlesbrough

About Paula

Paula grew up in Middlesbrough and has spent much of her working life cooking for other people. Her career has included kitchen roles in schools and government-run day centres, where dependable home cooking, timing and feeding people at scale all mattered.

She is known in the family for parmos, chillies and curries, especially when everyone is gathering. She is not keen on Chinese curry, so she would usually choose a chicken balti or a simple chicken and rice instead. Her other favourites include keema pie and corned beef pie. She has also cooked for weddings and other events, so she is as comfortable planning for a crowd as she is cooking at home. Paula is Chris's mam and Fiona's mother-in-law.

A favourite dish

Illustration of a chicken parmo with cheese and sauce

Paula's top five

Homemade

  1. Chicken parmo
  2. Beef chilli
  3. Chicken curry
  4. Sunday roast
  5. Homemade pie

Takeaway

  1. Parmo and chips
  2. Fish and chips
  3. Chinese curry
  4. Kebab
  5. Pizza

Restaurant

  1. Indian curry
  2. Steak and chips
  3. Carvery
  4. Italian pasta
  5. Afternoon tea

Paula's recipes