During his appearance on ESPNcricinfo‘s special segment called “25 Questions”, former Australian batter Matthew Hayden, who played more than half of his 273-match international career including the last ODI and first and last T20Is in late all-rounder Andrew Symonds‘ presence, disclosed being indebted to him.
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Asked a question about Symonds, who died in a car crash last year, Hayden didn’t take a lot of time before calling him the “best cook” among Australian teammates. Not that Hayden had borrowed money from Symonds but he hadn’t paid him for a recipe the latter had shared for his first cookbook
“Andrew Symonds was a very good cook. He actually gave a recipe for my first cookbook – ‘Roy’s Calamari’, it was called. He is still waiting for the invoice. I’m gonna have to repay him back up in heaven,” Hayden told ESPNcricinfo
Matthew Hayden Is Fond Of Cooking
Apart from excelling during the course of a 15-year old playing career at the highest level, Matthew Hayden has most of his fondest memories tied to food.
Titled ‘The Complete Matthew Hayden Cookbook’, his first cookbook comprised all his life and travel experiences with each disclosing a separate recipe. From Feta Stuffed Chicken to Prawn Pita Pizza, the 6’2″ Queensland giant covered numerous delicacies in The Complete Matthew Hayden Cookbook. It was in this very book for which Symonds had suggested the above mentioned recipe.
Hayden’s love for cooking is quiet evident through his online presence. In a Hoselink video, he can be seen making Chilly Chicken Masala outdoors. Loving the aromatic nature of the dish, Hayden calls it “magic”. The left-handed batter, who represented Chennai Super Kings between 2008-2010, also loves curd rice, something that became his favorite during his stay in Chennai. During his time in the city, he had also inaugurated ‘On the Rocks’ restaurant at Sheraton.
In the aforementioned video, Hayden, much like India and Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma, also expressed an inclination towards ‘Dal Curry’. Not popular back home, Dal is a staple Indian cuisine with presence throughout the country. As a matter of fact, Hayden loves Dal so much that he judges every Indian restaurant on the basis of it.
Additionally, Hayden also claimed Margherita Pizza to be his favorite food. In another Hoselink video, his love for Italian food is prevalent as he prepares Vegetarian Pesto Pizza using freshly-prepared basil leaves, tomatoes, lemon and cheese followed by a broad smile on his face upon grabbing a bite.
Hayden, 52, also runs a cooking website where he shares personal recipes for a variety of dishes such as Coconut Chili Crab Curry, Straddie Pizza, etc.
