WHO AM I?
My name is Niamh. Now, don’t panic, it is just a name (an Irish one at that), and you pronounce it Knee-uv. I am an Irish ex-pat, based vaguely in London (well, I pay rent there at least), however, right now, I travel a lot, while still trying to keep up to date with the London restaurant scene.
I love to eat, cook and write about it. I love to photograph it too. In kitchens (mine and others), in restaurants, in markets, at street food stalls. Where ever there is good food, I am looking to find it. Food is much more than ingredients, it is also about people, place and culture and I like to dip into this as I go.
RECIPES
Most of the recipes are my own, some are shown to me on my travels (if this is the case I say so), occasionally some are from books that I find particularly engaging. If you try them I would love to hear how it goes. I love to hear from readers.
Comments are always welcome and appreciated. It’s lovely to hear from you, I know you’re out there but I have no idea who are! It makes it all very real and lovely when you announce yourself.
CLASSES & TOURS
I teach cooking classes and also give food tours (in London primarily). At the moment these are on an ad hoc / commission basis. If you would like me to teach a class for you, bring you on a food tour, let me know. I can do groups of up to 6 on a tour and up to 18 comfortably in a class, although I prefer 1- 12.
A sample tour that I have done many times is a tour of a London food market (with tasters), finishing with lunch in one of my favourite London restaurants. Please get in touch for details / prices. I know London, and I can show you it in all of its delicious glory.
FREELANCE/PAID WRITING
I write here, there and everywhere about food, drink & travel. I am always available for work, regardless of how busy I seem, so if you are interested in speaking to me about some freelance writing or blogging, I would love to talk to you, do get in touch here or email me niamh@eatlikeagirl.com. I have written for many people, including Guardian Travel, Stylist Magazine & Ocado Magazine.
COOKBOOK
I have written a cookbook (with a stonking 157 recipes in it), which was published in 2011 by Quadrille. It is called Comfort & Spice, and is available in some bookshops and on Amazon. It is only available as a physical book at the moment. People said “the writing is inspired… the food is double inspired… here is a book that has been lived in: it’s funny, smart and real, just like the grub it lovingly describes.” (John & Sally McKenna’s Guides, 2011)
REVIEWS
I review relevant products, books, hotels, travel destinations when an opportunity arises that is relevant to what I do, and only when it is relevant. All reviews are honest. I prefer to fill this space with the stuff that is awesome or worth recommending at least and tune out the rest. There is lots of stuff that you shouldn’t miss and I want to lead you to it.
SPONSORED CONTENT
May 2013 – After 6 years of blogging, and always rejecting sponsored content, I have decided to explore this as a means of keeping this alive. This does not mean that I have “sold out” or that you will be seeing endless advertorials here.
It means that I will occasionally be paid to write about something – always honestly, always fully disclosed, and always only written by me – it may be an advert and will be disclosed as such, it may be travel related, I will see as I go. I doubt you will notice much change at all. As for the last 6 years, you can trust me to be judicious and thoughtful about what I choose to post.
A good example of this is my recent Housetrip commission to explore the home cooking and restaurants of 6 international cities which results in recipes & city guides to post on their site and here. I was given a brief and a budget and free reign beyond that. It has been a wonderful project for both Housetrip and me. Sponsored projects like this open up possibilities, and I am going to embrace it. I want this to grow and not to become staid and tired as it has long moved beyond a hobby project to fill my evenings.
PLEASE NOTE – I DON’T HOST GUEST POSTS (sorry for shouting but despite stating it here I still get many requests every week).
If you want to get in touch about anything here please email me at niamh@eatlikeagirl.com or contact me via the contact form.
Thanks for popping by! :)
Niamh x
Press:
(last updated end March 2011 – lots more to add which I will soon when I get time (May 2013))
No 1 Food & Beverage Blog in the UK (according to Cision)
Interview with The Foodie Bugle
Ladies Who Tweet, Our Favourite Women to Follow on Twitter, Stylist Magazine, London, March 2011
Niamh Shields is a food writer, and one of the UK’s best known food bloggers. Her blog eatlikeagirl.com is a foodie’s delight, featuring original recipes inspired by her travels and some of her favourites from cook books, with plenty of gratuitous “food porn” photos. Follow Niamh if you’re an aspiring chef, love to cook, or are just a big fan of food (that’ll be us, then).
One of two blogs that were highly commended in the Observer Food Monthly Awards in October 2010.
The Best Food Blogs. Rose Prince, The Telegraph, 4th June 2010.
Niamh Shields shares do-able recipes and takes her integrity seriously.
June’s blogs of the month – Fiona Becketts Food & Wine Finds, June 4th 2010
An overdue mention of Niamh Shields Eat Like a Girl – not that she really needs one: she’s one of the UK’s best known food bloggers and was recently listed by the Times among their 40 bloggers who really count. I’m not sure how she finds time to work as she’s always popping off to have lunch for her new Posh Lunch Club feature, or going to tastings or writing up recipes or running a market stall or masterminding last year’s famous Blaggers’ Banquet but she’s a great girl.
40 Bloggers Who Really Count. The Times, May 1st 2010.
Primarily a cookery blog – if you’re after a recipe for slow-roast wild boar belly, look no further – but lately London-based Shields, who describes the blog as a “monument to pleasure and weight gain”, has been doing a lot of eating out. Recently, she organised a female-only carnivores’ night at Hawksmoor in Spitalfields (“Girl’s Just Wanna Have Steak!”).
Best of the Blogs. The Times, April 8th, 2010.
Niche: Obsessive food shenanigans from London-based Irish blogger Niamh Shields.
Log on: A heady mix of reviews, home cooking and community food initiatives.
Recent posts: Meaty reports from the first “girls’ steak night” at Hawksmoor and a butchery class at Allens of Mayfair. Photo-seasoned Posh Lunch Club reviews of Quo Vadis and the Ledbury.
Top tip: “Before roasting, pour some boiling water over the scored pork belly skin to encourage fantastic crackling.”
Taster: Gastro fun is the main theme. Popular recipes include roasted pork belly and courgette carbonara.
Most commented: Despite all the carnivorous capers, ELAG’s “veggie days” recipe for butternut squash, chickpea and spinach curry gets the thumbs-up from dozens of readers.
Top 10 food blogs from around the world, The Times, November 27, 2008.
More like “Eat Like a Baby Elephant” as Irish ex-pat Niamh Shields shares delicious recipes on the few occasions she is not dining out.
Listed in The Independent in June 2009 as Grub 2.0 food blogs to devour.
Eat Like a Girl
Great for: home cooking
Niamh Shields, an Irish ex-pat in London, writes witty and personal recipes for everything from chorizo burgers to Israeli couscous with onion squash, haricot beans and pumpkin seeds. Even her photos of each dish are enough to make the mouth water.
Listed on Time Out’s list of “London’s Best Food Blogs and Websites” in February 2009.
Inspiring recipes from London-based Irish blogger Niamh. There are a few restaurant reviews, but we come for the home cooking – the majority of the recipes are Niamh’s own. If you’re stuck for ideas, check out the post on Israeli couscous with onion squash, haricot beans and pumpkin seeds.
Log on because we’re not the only ones who rate it – ELAG was voted as one of the best food blogs in the world by the Times Online site.
She says ‘If you want me to do anything, bribe me with pork belly.’
Number 2 on the Wikio Top 100 Gastronomy blog rankings.
Featured on “Best of the Web” in Saveur, August 2009.
Featured on the fab 5 blog list on Fuel my Blog on the 30th July, 2007 and Blog of the day on 29th March 2008.
Israeli Couscous with onion squash, haricot beans and pumpkin seed was featured on Slashfood on November 19th, 2007. A Sunday Afternoon in Marylebone was featured on March 14th, 2008.
Andy Hayler: Refreshingly written food blog by an Irish girl living in London. Mainly recipes but some restaurant reviews also.
Described as a spectacular food blog on Random Creative.
Watch a video interview with me on Trusted Places.
Other bits:
All rights reserved for content and photography. Eat like a girl blog photos are grouped on flickr. If you would like to use any photos please email me.
I discovered your food blog through the Observer’s article on Indian food and I just wanted to say that it’s one of the most lip-smacking I’ve seen. I really like your use of courgettes, broad beans (my favourite) and the salmon fish cakes were great. I have a sort-of-foodie blog which used to bang on about restaurants in Budapest (I used to be a resto critic there) but now seems very occupied with graffiti in Bruxelles where I now live (a very food-obsessed city). Cheers L.
Hi FourBees. Thanks, glad you like it!
Restaurants in Budapest, now that’s something I have yet to explore. I will take a look :-)
Niamh
Nice site Niamh. Ever considered doing videoblogs?
Thanks Mickey! I thought about it but didn’t get around to it yet. Perhaps I should. They’re the rage lately!
I am SO excited that I found your blog! Glad I’m not the only one who plans her days (often entire trips abroad) around when/where/what to eat :o)
I wanted to mention that I also went through a nasty lactose intolerance stage which was in danger of upsetting my lifelong love affair with cheese – milky things, including those ‘good bacteria’ drinks were giving me horrible stomach cramps. I started taking live bacteria capsules, the ones that are kept refridgerated, and they have sorted my stomach out. I’ve been reintroducing milk in cereal and drinking some lattes and so far so good! Might be worth trying…?
Thanks weetruffle! That’s very sweet of you.
I must investigate those capsules. I did read recently that if your intestine isn’t up to the job you can indoctrinate your intestinal bacteria and train them up as it were. I should give it a go.
Hi Niamh, after following a link from a very nice photo on Flickr I discovered eatlikeagirl – what a feast!!. Definitely be back for second helpings of pics and puds. Best wishes – John
Thanks John! Thanks for coming by. Glad you like it. My camera is kaput so I am struggling on the photography front and have had to resort to my phone. I must get a new one.
I love your photos! Found you through the Guardian…Good luck with finding a new camera, though I only ever use my phone to take my photos. It’s fast and reliable, particularly in restaurants when your friends are impatiently waiting to tuck in!… Helen Yuet Ling
Thanks Helen! That’s very kind of you. The new camera is becoming more and more urgent as my frustration increases. I went for Japanese over the weekend and my phone pics are rubbish, booo! :(
What a fun blog! Nice, nice job. I’m writing from Colorado, but my daughter used to live in Camden Town, so I’ve spent time in London. I love it. I’m lactose intolerant too (among other things), so — here’s to coconut milk in your coffee! Yum! Glad I ran across your blog.
Melissa
Hi there Melissa! Thanks very much. Glad you like it. London is a great city, so much going on. Camden particularly is a great spot. Coconut milk in coffee I haven’t tried. Add to list!
Hi there, your blog was reccommended to me by a girl from Fungarvan that i work with as she knows i am total foodie .. and i am loving it !!
A question for you .. i am in london on business overnight next week and would like to go somewhere nice for dinner .. not too pricey but something different to Dublin basically. We are staying on High Street Ken so anywhere within that general area ?? any suggestions ??
SJ
Hi Sarah-Jane – thanks!
It does depend on your budget. London does cheap eats really well but there’s also fantastic high end spots.
Something Dublin doesn’t have alot of is good Dim Sum – so, there’s Royal China not too far away in Bayswater. There’s also good Lebanese and Japanese, the quality of which you may not get at home.
Just followed your link and found your amazing blog. It’s fantastic. I’ve added you to my blog roll now – us Irish girls need to stick together :)
Hello! Thanks! Absolutely right.
I really liked your blog too and will reciprocate :-)
Thanks for visiting my blog.
I see that we share similar tastes given your blogroll. ;)
Thanks Spamwise! Indeed we do. It’s always nice to find a new blog. I really enjoyed yours.
Thanks for coming over.
Hello there! Thank you for adding me to your flickr friends:) I came to check your blog. It’s interesting and yummy! Going to subscribe right away not to miss anything:) Cheers from my kitchen to yours:) Farida
Hi Farida! Thanks! I happened upon your blog and really liked it so added to my rss reader. Thanks for stopping by!
Hello, I found your blog on the Times website where it was listed as one of the best food blogs. I must say that I’m very impressed and I enjoy reading your blog!
I’m a student and I love cooking and food – I save up to buy good ingredients and eat at new places! I live in London so it’s pretty easy to try a new restaurant every few weeks and of course I have my favourite haunts.
I like the sound of your recipes and I’ll come back quite regularly!
Thanks for the blog :)
Heewon
@Heewon – thanks, that is so kind of you. London has a wonderful selection of cheap and cheerful eats. Enjoy!
Hi Niamh,
When I was overweight and fed up with it, I looked around myself one day and thought, OK, I need to lose weight, how do I go about it?
I looked around and saw these three beautiful girls and glanced at what they were eating. Salads, appetizers, and grilled veggies.
Not a burger in sight!
That’s it, I thought, eat like a girl! And I did and managed to lose 25 pounds.
It looks like you have a great website…good luck with it!
Geoff
Just wanted to say that I really like your blog…your blog and a couple of other food blogs I follow inspired me to start my own at
http://alphabetcook.blogspot.com/
Stop on by!
John
I had to mention your blog on my blog.
Hello, I came across your blog when I was looking for a prawn curry recipe and was captivated by your enthusiasm as well as the quality of your recipes.
The prawn curry was a great success and I will definitely be returning to try more of the recipes.
I am also an expat, based in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and if you ever make it over here I recommend Jason Hartley and lovefood, another eating enthusiast
http://www.lovefood.nl/
So today, I was rapidly taking photos of cakes at a send-forth in my office when a lady walked along. She said, what are you doing and a good friend of mine who was closeby said, its for her blog.
Oh said this Irish lady, I have a friend in London who blogs – ‘eat like a girl’ and I replied – oh Niamh, I was on her blog yesterday. She was SHOCKED that I knew you.
Clues – Her name starts with an A and she lives in the Netherlands. Apparently, you both lived together.
Do you know who I’m talking about? We both work together anyhow and she sends her love. Take care, Ozoz
AEDIN! :) She is one of my closest and fondest friends. She emailed to tell me and I couldn’t believe it! Excellent. Lovely to meet you, virtually for now. I am overdue a trip to the Hague.
You know the same thing happened with a friend in Brussels last year?! Small world.
10 points. So come over and we can take you round some lovely markets in Leiden and the Hague and….all the rest.
If I come to London i’ll do my utmost to find you.
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Hello Niamh-
My husband and I came to London Dec 4 and we went straight to your Market Stall to have the roast pork sandwich and LOVED it! It was lovely meeting you after following you on your blog. Best of luck to you and look forward to more posts!
Fondly-
Julie
Julie, thanks for the lovely comment! Iw as really touched that you popped by and now even happier that you enjoyed the food. I hope that you had a lovely stay in London!
Hi Niamh,
it’s amazing what you have accomplished as a culinary blogger. I will definitely be back for more. Do you have a twitter account I can follow as well?
Thanks so much for the kind words! @eatlikeagirl on twitter too. See you there!
Brilliant blog, although my only criticism is that I’m terribly hungry now.
nice blog…congrats on being picked for Time’s “40 bloggers who really count”
Hi Niamh,
Congrats on being picked up for Time’s 40 bloggers who really count! Your message on the top of this page shows how passionate you’re about cooking and blogging about it! So you deserve even lot more recognition. Wish you good luck and keep rocking…..sorry blogging about cooking :-)
Last but not the least I wish I could blog like “eat like a girl” and guess a lot more out there in blogging world do it too!!
will be back,
cheers,
Padmahari.
http://padmahari.wordpress.com
Congrats on “the 40 bloggers who really count” .I love your blog, you are an inspiration!
Lisa
http://lisaswart.com
I am SO excited that I found your blog! Glad I’m not the only one who plans her days (often entire trips abroad) around when/where/what to eat :o)I wanted to mention that I also went through a nasty lactose intolerance stage which was in danger of upsetting my lifelong love affair with cheese – milky things, including those ‘good bacteria’ drinks were giving me horrible stomach cramps. I started taking live bacteria capsules, the ones that are kept refridgerated, and they have sorted my stomach out. I’ve been reintroducing milk in cereal and drinking some lattes and so far so good! Might be worth trying…?
+1
Hello
I am from Brazil and read about your blog in one of the local cooking magazines.
I love coming in to your blog, reading and looking at your fantastic pictures.
I identify myself a lot with you, since I am a food freak.. Thinking all the time at food, cooking, eating…
And in a constant worry about my weight.
Any way, my sincere congratulations! You are awesome!
Kisses from Brasil!
Juliana
Nice website you have.
Great work. :)
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I love your blog!!
xxLuciana
Hi, nice to meet you !
Niamh, You need to Facebook!!
Great site and probably one of the best food bloggers around. Amazing, honest, down-to-earth, sincere and prolific are words that spring to mind when I hear “Eat Like a Girl” mentioned.
http://www.robertgiorgione.com
Keep up the good work! It’s a real pleasure to know you.
Too kind, Robert! Thanks so much.
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Hi – Just discovered your blog and twitter. WOW! You’ve been blogging for aaaages. Well done! I especially like the title of your book. Would be what I would have chosen. Can’t wait til it arrives in the post!
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Hey there,
I am a fellow foodie. I have been blogging for about 4 years now. I am a chef in Phialdelphia, recently divorced, with no desire to go back and work in a restaurant, but in need of a living. So I have embarked on a new project, the first step being a food and cooking blog. I posted today. Please check it out…www.hamonwry1.com. I love your work. Your passion comes through in your words! I hope to be able to achieve what you have! Well done!
Please have a look. Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Jenni in Philly
Hi Niamh
I am so envious of your life! I read about you on the Observer website last year and your story really inspired me, particularly because it said you used to be a project manager. That is me right now, actually about to be made redundant, but what I would really like is to cook, travel and write (as I’m sure many folks do). I have recently started a blog, and am trying to find more time to cook and learn new things – baby steps you know! If I could have a tenth of the success with mine as you have had with Eat Like A Girl, I’ll be happy :-)
Thanks! Hayley
Brixton
Just started blogging and am finding it absolutely addictive. I haven’t found many blogs as professional and established as yours. Excellent work! I’m signing up!
Niamh, have so many cook books and yours is my absolute fave. Cooked the overnight lamb and it was amazing. Also tried your blas at the weekend – not quite as good as I remember from visiting my grandparents in Waterford as a kid but blame my proofing without a hotpress. Definitely have to try again. Soda bread was a hit though :)
everytime i see ur blog it makes me hungry..
I have nominated you for a Versatile Blogger Award
http://kiwiblogbus.com/2012/03/14/versatile-blogger-award-id-like-to-thank/
Well what a great site ,I can quite see why everyone raves about it.I can hear those Irish tones and wit in your writing,very inspiring I clearly must do better
Dear Niamh,
I have nominated you/your lovely/shining blog, for the Sunshine Award!
I love your book, I got it as a present from someone I loved madly and I ended up loving your book too.
Please pick up your badge and information/rules on how to pass the torch and pay it forward at: http://turningkitchentables.com/2012/12/14/sunshine-award/
Love your blog!
tkt
I can’t believe I have only just found your Blog…..love it