About - A Flavour Affair

Hi, I’m Katya!

I love to cook and enjoy exploring new flavour combinations. My goal is simple: to make daily meals a little more fun. I do that by mixing and matching the usual ingredients in different ways, often with the help of spice blends, herbs and condiments from around the world.

I want to inspire home cooks of all abilities to get more creative in the kitchen and not to be afraid to experiment. With my recipes, I aspire to show how easy it is to transform a usual dish into something new with just a little twist here or there.

One doesn’t have to be a pro chef to craft delicious meals. All we need is an open mind, a bit of guidance and a little creativity!

a little more about "the why":

What does “we are what we eat” mean? Is it really just about keeping a healthy body by making healthy food choices? I don’t think so. I firmly believe it is largely about sparking curiosity, opening our minds, taking risks and embracing novelty. With my blog and my recipes, I try to demonstrate that there can be much more to cooking than an act of preparing and serving a meal.

When I make a new dish, the greatest reward for me is not to hear ‘Oh wow that was amazing’. It is when my youngest, who is still a bit of a fussy eater, takes her first bite and her eyes widen: “I didn’t think I’d like it! But this is actually really good”! That means she has just learnt a few things. First, things aren’t always what they seem. Second, assumptions are limitations. Third, it is worth taking a risk and keep an open mind. And that’s just to name a few!

I hope you join me on this flavourful journey of learning and discovery. Thank you for stopping by!

A Bit More About Me:

I was born and grew up in Moscow, my husband is Danish, and we have two children who are now teens. Felix was born in Moscow, Olivia – in Hamburg, and since 2012 we have been living in Dubai. Years back I worked in international shipping. In 2016 I quit the corporate world and have since been engaged in various projects, most important of which was and remains my family. Together, we love to play board games, go out for nice meals, travel and watch movies together on Sundays. They are my rock, my inspiration and a source of indefinite love.

My cooking journey started during Covid. I vividly remember March 2020: it was all about dealing with the shock of the drastic, sudden change as things were moving very fast down here in the UAE. That’s when I started to put an extra effort into transforming our daily meals into something special. It was an attempt to create a bit of novelty and excitement to help us all cope with the monotony of our new routine. Little did I know that it was also the beginning of a new chapter in my life!