FC: Hi David, can you introduce yourself and tell us the story behind “Salad Love”?
Hi I’m a graphic designer originally from Milan, Italy and I’ve been living for 8 years in London. I’ve been working for 6 years in a pretty corporate office in west London and at one point I was struggling to find any lunch appealing to me, either because it was not healthy enough, or not fresh enough, or tasteless and bland, or too expensive. I’ve started to make my own lunch at my desk everyday and I started liking the process so much that I carried doing it for 4 years.
FC: Salads are the ideal lunch/dinner, but most people end up doing the same boring lettuce with industrial caesar sauce… Could you share your process or some tips that any busy person could apply to quickly prepare delicious salads after a long day at work or even for lunch?
Get a bit organised, I always do my weekly shopping on a Monday morning and I keep it in the communal fridge and I have a mini kit of tools in my drawer (knife, mini chopping board, few nuts, olive oil and balsamic vinegar)
FC: Let’s get it out – what is the secret for an amazing salad? A certain Salad Love’s secret sauce?
In my 4 years of experiments I’ve found a formula that works 99% of the time, it gives you enough energy, taste and nutrients in order to have a satisfying meal and than carrying over working feeling light and energetic. Pick up a base, leafy or grainy (couscous, rice, quinoa or pasta), choose 2 veggies raw or pre-cooked, top it up with 50g of 2 proteins of your choice (meat, fish, cheese, eggs, pulses or nuts) and than always add a handful of fresh herbs and a nice dressing.
FC: There are millions of food blogs & books out there, but yours stood out quickly and your book has immediately become a bestseller. What helped you achieve that success?
The blog has been around for quite a wile before becoming known. I’ve been running it for a good 4 years… but I believe that the daily engagement and the constant focus on easy and healthy food has been driving my fortune.
FC: Can you share a funny/embarrassing anecdote you’ve been through since you started? (I’m sure you must have made a combination that turned out awful.)
One funny thing that happened was when I was chopping some raw beetroot and I had a meeting just after lunch and I stained my hands quite badly… so I turned to the meeting with bloody hands… I always use gloves now.
FC: What’s next for you? Any future projects you’d like to share with us?
I’m writing right now a new book about breakfast that will be out next year and I’m planning to start a premium salad office delivery in east London from May.
FC: A few last words for anyone who dreams about doing a project like yours but are too scared/shy, don’t have time/money, or simply don’t know where to start?
I had no money at all… The only real investment is the camera (few hundred quids) and your time, a lot of it.
FC: Thanks so much, David!
