Q&A With Instagram Chef @come.grill.with.me
For my next Q&A interview session, I have the honor and pleasure of interviewing my good friend Irene Sharp, AKA @come.grill.with.me from Melbourne Australia. Irene is an awesome Instagram Chef, and I have been following her for the past year, and don't recommend to see her cooking on an empty stomach. Absolutely amazing, mouth watering cooking pictures and videos, loaded with tips and techniques for cooking meals straight out of her home and yard kitchens. I love in particular when she cooks Surf & Turf, which I can always recognize her unique style in the thumbnails. She manages to capture crisp pictures of her cooking, with amazing contrast and picture composition, always mixing vegetables with the meats, making everything pop out, totally mouth watering. She is also the sister of another amazing Instagram Chef I follow, Desi Marie Longinidis AKA @healthycook4champions Thank you so much Irene for being an amazing friend, for giving me a chance to get to know you better, and for inspiring me to cook new exciting dishes all the time!
Q. You are an amazing cook, and have an awesome Instagram profile. Can you please tell us a little bit of where you are coming from, and how you obtained your cooking passion and inspiration?
A. Thanks. I started cooking with my sister Desi from about the age of 5. We have always loved entertaining for family and friends. For the last 15 years, I’ve been doing majority of my cooking outdoors. Grilling outdoors is my way of unwinding after a stressful day at work. Listening to the birds chirp and the magical sound of the BBQ sizzle. That’s one of my happy places.
Q. Tell us a bit of your Hardware: Grills, Thermometers, Smokers, Special gear…
A. I have a large collection of grills these days. My favourites are Space Grill, Weber Q, Traeger Pro 22 Grill and Weber Kettle.
I always use my Thermopen thermometer.
Q. What is your favorite meat to cook, and why?
A. I love grilling big juicy steaks for my family and friends. I’m a pescatarian and love grilling all seafood. It would have to be my specialty on the grill. So I’m constantly preparing Surf and Turf platters.
Q. What is your favorite way to cook, and why? Oven/Stove/Charcoal/Propane/Pellets/Sous-Vide/Dutch-Oven…
A. I love charcoal grilling, gas when I don’t have time and pellet cooking when I’m smoking Meat/Seafood. Hard to pick one favorite.
Q. Can you share your favorite dry-rub/marinade/sauce recipe?
A. I like a simple marinade of dried oregano, ground sweet paprika, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Q. Can you share your #1 all-time favorite meat dish and recipe?
A. Tomahawk steak... grilled indirectly using charcoal. Quick sear right before it reaches your desired temp. (Editor note: One can never go wrong with a monster Tomahawk Steak!)
Q. What non-obvious cooking tip can you share?
A. If you struggle grilling seafood, fish or octopus in particular use a thermometer. Grill the seafood until the internal temperature reaches 130f (55c). It will be perfect every time.
Q. Life Goals - What do you wish you could cook in the future? A whole cow? Crossed Lamb? Giant Paella…
A. I haven’t tried a humongous turkey in my Traeger yet, so I’d say that.
Q. What will you never ever cook or eat and why?
A. I will never grill kangaroo. It’s my country’s national emblem (Australia). I can’t stand the thought of it.
Q. If you could take to a deserted island with you only one commercial sauce/dry-rub/marinade, which one will it be?
A. Definitely Code 3 Spices Seadog Cajun Blend.
Q. Must Have, can’t live without Grilling Accessory? Digital or non-Digital.
A. My Thermopen thermometer. They’re incredible and have never let me down! (Editor Note: If you don't have a digital thermometer, go get one now!)
Name 5 awesome inspiring cooks we must follow on Instagram and feel free to elaborate
My beautiful sister, who’s an amazing cook - @healthycook4champions
My beautiful sister who bakes gorgeous cakes - @divinecake.designs
My beautiful friend who’s an amazing cook - @prettyinthekitchen
An awesome Aussie BBQ team @thesmokingjoint
A pitmaster - @kendrick_bbq
A very talented and beautiful cook @judyrichardson4
Sorry I can’t only pick 5. Let me add a few more....
Awesome on the grill, my friend @meat_with
My beautiful friend Christie from @girlscangrill
My awesome friend @wildbourbbq
Awesome wood fired cooking by @greekwoodfiredcooking
My beautiful friend and wonderful cook @mscatpan