Kiwi chef and mum Cherie Metcalfe reveals how you can be confident in the kitchen this Christmas

Food lover, former chef, and Kiwi mum Cherie Metcalfe decided to put a little spice in her life when she created her very own business Pepper and Me.

Now she's brought out her very own recipe book Together, Food for Sharing just in time for Christmas.

She caught up with Estelle on The Hits 3pm Pick Up to talk all about going from selling her spices and salt grinds at weekend markets, to now having her own thriving small business.

“It was quite like a slow and steady growth. It first took a couple of years to really get some traction,” Cherie told Estelle. “But yeah, Instagram marketing and just genuinely really good products - things that people really love and it just seemed to grow.”

And what tips does she have for other Kiwi mums wanting to start their own business?

“Sometimes you just need to like shut your eyes and jump,” Cherie says. “If you think about things too much then issues start to crop off. I really just take big leaps sometimes and it's scary, but it usually pays off.”

Not only does Cherie want to encourage Kiwis in business, but also in the kitchen.

Her new book which is out in all good bookstores this week as well as online at pepperandme.co.nz features a delicious mix of sweet and savoury recipes that are perfect for the summer season.

"I'm very much a savoury-based cook, but the desserts in this book are spectacular. Yeah, they are really, really good. I think the gingerbread is amazing," Cherie added.

Well, that’s Christmas sorted – for gifts and dinner!