For Geelong man George Georgievski being a dad, a husband and a son is "first and foremost" and everything else comes later.
Things are progressing unbelievably well for the author of Lunchbox Express, media coverages and live TV crosses, says George Georgievski, humbled by the interest he attracts.
Asked, how he’s coping with the constant demand for his talent, Mr. Georgievski says he believes his strength lies in his ability to say ‘no’ to the influx of offers for commercial ventures, partnerships and product endorsements.
“If something eventuates, good, if not, that’s ok too, but if it does, I want it to be on my terms. If I don’t believe in a product, or if it’s too sugary and not nutritious for kids, I say, thanks, but, no thanks.
"If I endorse something that has a lot of sugar, then I’ll be responsible for children needing to go to the dentist, their tummy aches and obesity," he told SBS Macedonian.
The father of two says he receives at least three to four offers of this kind every week.
“I’m working from home due to everything that’s happening with COVID-19. My girls are at home with me, and my wife, being an essential worker, works seven days a week. I am both mum and dad and wouldn’t have it any other way”!
Mr Georgievski's first publication, School Lunchbox Express is selling worldwide and he’s very pleased with that.
“I’ve almost completed my second book which at this stage, looks set to be released by the end of the year.
“But, there are more serious things in life, you know, people don’t have jobs, they don’t have money for their shopping, and that hurts. I’m very sad for many people. Even if the book is not published, it wouldn’t matter. What is more important is for us to get back to the way we were, before all this."
“I have been presenting live TV crosses from our home kitchen, centred on healthy food with a quick preparation time."
In March, COVID-19 saw an unprecedented wave of panic buying of non-perishable foods and products across the nation, after which many parents turned to Mr Georgievski for ideas to utilise their stockpile of tinned beans.
This is when George the son, came into his own.
He wondered about his savory cultural favourite, ‘Tavche-Gravche’, a centuries-old ten-ingredient, baked staple in Macedonian cuisine, which can take up to three hours to bring to the table.
Luckily, Mr Georgievski looks for short-cuts.
“I bought some canned beans and made a meal in under 30 minutes. Five minutes of preparation time, the rest was cooking time in the oven.
"When I tried it, oh, my God, it tasted just like mum’s bean casserole. It took me back to my childhood with mum and dad. I felt great joy, then thought, hang on, I may have something here."
He filmed his creation and posted it on his Instagram page.
“It went crazy. A Macedonian woman shared it on other Macedonian Facebook pages, which drew thousands and thousands of comments, shares and likes."
The famous lunchbox dad says his simplified version of a long-loved and iconic Macedonian food was welcomed by his generation of followers, grateful for the speed with which they can now serve up traditional comfort food.
“It’s food for the soul”, says Mr Georgievski.
But tradition is not the only attraction to his ‘cheat’s version of Tavche Gravche’.
He says his beans have become a menu favourite for AFL players and some famous Australian cricketers.
“Yeah, Damien Martyn said my Tavche Gravche is unbelievable, it’s all protein, no carbs, packed with nutrition and good for the soul."
The lunchbox dad says he’s now on a “mission to help put Macedonian food on the world’s gastronomic map."
"With the 250,000 followers that I have, it’s time to show them where I’m from, what Macedonian food is, and where it comes from," he says.
With the coronavirus restrictions now easing, and his daughters returning to school, Mr Georgievski will also go back to his old routine.
The short-cut version of Tavche Gravche Source: Instgram/ School Lunchbox
And the tireless dad from Geelong has already planned his daughters’ lunchboxes for their first day back at school.
“My youngest, Kiki, has been asking questions about her grandparents, where they come from and why they migrated to Australia. I told her I would prepare an all-Macedonian spread for her, a piece of burek, possibly a slice of baklava or ‘napolitanka’, and for Anela, who’s more of an Aussie in her tastes, it’ll be the same as usual, maybe some pizza scrolls or the small croissants that I make."
Asked if he would like to go on a holiday, George says, “While I really do need a break, I would like just two days to myself, at home, alone in my kitchen, to do as I please, cook what I want and try out new things.”
