Sonya Venugopal considers herself a foodie. “My family all love food, and we have a group family chat called Foodies, where we tend to share recipes.

Spending her time in professional theatre between New York and London, Sonya is currently playing Surinder in the UK tour of Surinderella – a family-style pantomime with a Bollywood twist which arrives at The Grand Theatre Blackpool in September.

Food and culture go hand in hand for Sonya. “I love to experience the mix," she admits.

“The tour of Surinderella is a long one, so I like to find accommodation if I can that has a kitchen so I can prepare my own food, or most theatres have a kitchen where I can rustle something up for myself."

At the moment Sonya is in training for the New York Marathon in November, so she is being careful about her diet. “I stopped eating processed sugar some time ago, and the change certainly gave me more energy."

Sonya doesn't do anything until noon. “I am never starving when I wake up," and on a show day she will eat around an hour before she travels to the theatre.

“I will usually have a salad with absolutely every salad ingredient on it, plus eggs or chicken and maybe some rice."

After the show she will refuel and replace all the energy she has used with yoghurt and berries.

Growing up, Sonya experienced the cuisines of two cultures – Indian and Italian. “As a child I was exposed to different styles of cuisine, which left me growing up wanting to try so many different tastes."

“I saw my grandparents and my dad making different dishes, which was fascinating," but Sonya admits it wasn’t until she left home for university that she started to cook for herself.

Sonya, when she is not working or touring, lives in an apartment in Manhattan in New York with her sister. “She has crowned me as the chef."

At home in New York Sonya will cook either dal, usually split pulses, peas and beans, which goes with both vegetables and meat, or pasta dishes with chicken or fish with whatever spices I feel like using.

“I very rarely make burgers, but I do love to experiment with making salads and adding lots and lots of different things to it."

Having worked in eight different countries, Sonya has experienced many different cuisines.

One of my favourite meals was a lunch box I had while I was in Sri Lanka. We sat outside on a blanket overlooking an idyllic view of a lake and tropical foliage, and it was delivered to us."

“It was a banana leaf with egg and rice and four or five different curries wrapped inside the leaf, and it was absolutely delicious.”

Her Grandad's recipe for Pasta Fagiola

Sonya’s Grandfather's Recipe for Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients:
⁠ ⁠¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
⁠ ⁠½ cup chopped onion
⁠ ⁠½ cup sliced carrot
⁠ ⁠½ cup sliced celery
⁠ ⁠2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
⁠ ⁠2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
⁠ ⁠1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
⁠ ⁠1 can (14½ oz) plum tomatoes, cut into pieces
⁠ ⁠1 cup Barilla Ditalini or another small pasta
⁠ ⁠1 cup cut green beans, fresh or frozen
⁠ ⁠1 cup small lima beans
⁠ ⁠2 cups packed dark leafy greens, such as escarole or Swiss chard, cut into small pieces
⁠ ⁠¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for serving
⁠ ⁠Salt, to taste
⁠ ⁠Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1.⁠ ⁠Sauté the vegetables.
Combine the olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but not browned.
2.⁠ ⁠Add the beans and tomatoes.
Add the chicken broth, cannellini beans, and plum tomatoes. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavours to blend.
3.⁠ ⁠Add the pasta and vegetables.
Add the Ditalini, green beans, lima beans, and escarole or Swiss chard. Cook uncovered for 10–12 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender and the mixture has thickened. Add a little more broth if needed to reach your desired consistency.
4.⁠ ⁠Season and finish.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir in the ¼ cup of grated Pecorino Romano.
5.⁠ ⁠Serve.
Ladle the pasta fagioli into bowls and serve with additional grated Pecorino Romano on the side.

Surinderella – A family panto with a South Asian twist is at The Grand Theatre Blackpool from 22nd – 26th September and then touring throughout the UK.