Fashionably delicious bush reality cooking

She is fabulous, fresh, funky and a fashionista with a passion for good food made in the wild.

Callie-Anne Gavazzi opens the door to her Ballito home wearing a classic white blouse, black skirt, gladiator sandals with her long hair draped just so in loose pig tails.

Besides her duck egg nail varnish, sparkling eyes and contagious smile, the most striking thing about the Zimbabwean born home cook is her electrifying personality.

“This moment is one of the biggest in my life, my heart is exploding with joy,” said Gavazzi, talking about the Africa launch of her new TV show, Callie Anne Cooks Into the Wild.

The reality show is set in Mozambique at Panyame Lodge owned by her father, Simon Rodger.

“My cooking flair came alive in Mozambique, because I was allowed to experiment and had free rein in the kitchen,” said Gavazzi, who was the lodge’s head chef.

“I really wanted to do a cooking show and I wanted to do it now,” she said, admitting to being obsessed with cooking shows.

She was put into contact with New Vision Pictures, pitched her African reality cooking show idea and two months later, they started shooting in the wild.

“This show is fresh, vibey and very different. I am not a primadonna in the bush. I gut the fish myself and really get hands on, while keeping it stylish.”

What makes the show so authentic, is that Gavazzi does not follow a script.

“I love being able to just be myself, there is no acting and no lines to learn,” said Gavazzi, who studied film in New York, but did not enjoy pretending to be someone else.

The homemade pasta addict is also passionate about keeping the show local to Mozambique.

“I use ingredients from the area, go to the villages and respect the villagers’ food culture,” said Gavazzi, who lived at the lodge for four years.

For the trendy foodie, cooking is about being confident with ingredients.

“I am a super chilled cook and most of the time I just wing it. People always think cooking is about a method, but for me it is about having fun and experimenting with flavours.”

Her culinary muse is the one and only Jamie Oliver.

“I love what he stands for and what he believes in. He can go from gourmet chef to home cook and create mouthwatering dishes every time.”

Joining her in front of the camera is the cutest member of the show, Panyame or simply “P”.

“My husband, Greg, found a baby elephant abandoned in a village and so we adopted him about four years ago. He is named after the local river. He is such a sweetie.”

The first season has already got Asian fans begging for more and Gavazzi said season two will soon be shot closer to her Ballito home.

Africa is about to get a taste of the Gavazzi life with the start of season one on channel 123 (ITV Choice) at 8.05pm on October 8.