LEYLA KAZIM
Leyla Kazim is a presenter, broadcaster, host, journalist, writer, speaker, and digital creator. Leyla specialises in travel and food, and she has been part of the core presenting team on BBC Radio 4’s award-winning weekly show, The Food Programme, for the last 4 years.
Leyla is one of the regular guest judges on BBC1’s MasterChef and later this year the tables will be turned on her as she is challenged to compete against follow critics as she takes part in a MasterChef Christmas Judges Special. Leyla is also a judge for the prestigious annual BBC Food & Farming Awards.
Leyla is building a big reputation as an infectious and natural presenter, as evidenced in her recent presenting role on BBC1’s new food series Coast to Coast. In this new food show she explored the secrets of farmers and food producers across the UK. This was quickly followed by her being part of the live broadcasting team on the BBC’s Royal Coronation coverage.
A natural and dedicated writer, Leyla has launched her own Substack, A Day Well Spent, which became a bestseller in just five weeks. Each week, Leyla publishes articles and columns on a wide range of subjects, discussing self-empowerment, slow and sustainable living, personal fulfilment, and growth.
She comes from a science education with an Astrophysics BSc from University College London and has a mixed-heritage Turkish Cypriot and Mauritian background. Having been brought up surrounded by exceptional cooking and appreciating the huge range of flavours available in the culinary world, Leyla travels to eat and spent 2015 on one big trip, eating her way around the globe and documenting the experience. She drew on this catalogue of culinary experiences to co-create Lonely Planet’s book The Ultimate Eatlist, The World’s Top 500 Food Experiences.
Leyla has completed a two-week residential Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course at world-renowned Findhorn Ecovillage in Forres. As an avid urban gardener, Leyla is keen to inspire as many people as possible to have a go at growing their own and has launched #PotToPickle across her social channels. A series of grow-a-long, back-to-basics video tutorials for the novice urban vegetable grower, the tutorials guide her audience through the entire growing season from seed sowing to food preservation using fermentation.
A big first step into world of food and media came with her blog, the influential and internationally read The Cutlery Chronicles. The success of which gave Leyla the confidence to dedicate her career to all things food and travel related.
As a content creator, Leyla combines her expertise in presenting, reporting, photography, words, video, and social media to produce tailored content designed to meet a wide range of specifications and briefs, from video presenting and speaking events to articles for national press and social media travel campaigns.
Leyla is also an ambassador for Practical Action, a development charity helping people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality.
Leyla’s work and profile has been featured in leading publications including The Guardian, The Times & Sunday Times, Sainsbury’s Magazine, Delicious Magazine, Olive Magazine, Evening Standard, Tatler, Daily Mail, Huffington Post, Business Insider, Good Food Channel, Great British Chefs, The Culture Trip, The Caterer and more.
