opened up about the challenging process of collating recipes for his latest book following the heart-breaking death of his fellow chef and dear friend
The culinary world was left mourning after Dave died from cancer at the age of 66 last February. On a recent episode of hosts and sat down with Si to discuss the creation of his new book.
Si confessed to the audience just how daunting it was to filter their vast catalogue of dishes. He told the host: “JB I have to tell you, it was the most difficult process because we’ve got 30 odd books, over 23 years of broadcasting and publishing.”
Detailing the daunting task, Si revealed the rigorous process, adding: “We started with 1,200, and then we got stuck at 600, then we got down to 400 and 250. I said to the publishers, ‘It’s got to be 250 pages’. They went, ‘No, you’ve got to get it down to 100.'”
Hairy Biker Si King speaks out on ‘difficult’ decision in Dave Myers’ tribute (Image: BBC)
He managed to meet the publisher’s requirements but admitted the difficulty, especially after Dave’s death. Si reflected: “At that point, Dave had passed and we wanted to do the best of because it’s the last in The Hairy Bikers publishing.”
The remaining Hairy Biker also shared with Alex and JB that it was important for him to ensure the book paid homage to Dave’s legacy, leaving him to make some tough decisions on which recipes to include.
Alex probed into whether Si believed Dave would have agreed with the final selections made for the book, reports
The Hairy Bikers travelled the world together (Image: BBC/South Shore Productions/Jon Boast)
Acknowledging his late friend’s love for meatballs, he shared a touching anecdote. He added: “The publishers were going, ‘You can’t put another meatball one ()’. I said, ‘I’m putting it in, it’s Dave’s favourite, it’s going in.'”
Recounting the origins of their friendship, Si revealed that their bond formed over a curry during a film project, which eventually led them to globe-trotting adventures where they indulged in culinary delights.
Reflecting on standout experiences, Si remarked: “I think probably India, India was remarkable. We were there for four and a bit months.”
Dave lost his battle to cancer last year (Image: GETTY)
Si gave insight into their journey across India, explaining: “It was remarkable, just the alchemy that goes into that cuisine is remarkable. There’s 4,000 years and it’s so different and mostly vegetarian as well.”
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