This Much We Know: Gina & Karol King of The Daly Dish
Karol and Gina
I’m an only child, both my parents are kind, hard-working and did a decent job of teaching me the wrongs and rights of the world. At a young age, around 12 or 13, my mother got me a summer job at a local café. I think I was the only kid in my class at school working that summer, at first I hated it but then after I got my first weeks wages I realised that hard work pays off. Every summer through school after that I made sure I had a job. I’ve carried that hard work mentality through life. It’s a great lesson top learn at a young age.
My dad was a long distance driver and drove all across Europe, and when we were kids we used to go on his trips with him when we had school holidays. My earliest memory is being in the truck and driving through all the towns and villages, and the funny coins they used in the phone boxes.
I was bullied as a young child and it was the greatest challenge I have faced. It was a horrible experience, and one that thankfully didn’t last long. As Roald Dahl once wrote “We’re all different, but there's something kind of fantastic about that, isn't there?” Gina: As a kid I always had a very creative brain and loved all kinds of art and creating things, but I also have a mathematical brain and loved all things numbers and problem solving so my path could have gone in so many different directions. I chose to have an artistic career and I guess the cooking side of things just happened by accident. I never in a million years thought I’d have a number one selling cookbook… but here I am. I still have to pinch myself sometimes to be honest.
I think I am good at problem solving and keeping calm in crazy situations, not that we have many thankfully. Years ago I used to work as a customer care supervisor, basically I was the last port of call for irate customers. If I got a call transferred to me it was usually someone in hysterics. Most times I would get them off the phone happy even laughing on some occasions. Some of those phone calls though, madness lol.
Don’t laugh but I am scared of cotton wool. When I had the kids I was told to bring cotton wool in my hospital bag to clean their belly buttons etc and I nearly cried at the thought of it. I refused to touch it and the nurses kept telling me to ‘stop my nonsense” lol.
Also I’m afraid of tiny spaces. I often dream I get trapped somewhere and I can’t’ lift or raise my arms. That freaks me out.
There are so many what if’s in life, but I think it’s best to focus on “what is”. I am truly grateful for everything we have accomplished; I’m enjoying the journey and can’t wait to see what comes next. It’s important to learn from the past but not to dwell on it.
In times of need I turn to Karol, but mainly my sister Jackie. We always joke that we are telepathic, and we always pick up the phone to call one another at the same time. Even when I am having the worst day or if something has really upset me, I am guaranteed to get off the phone after having the biggest belly laugh. I’ve never laughed like I do with her with anybody else.
My proudest achievement is having a happy, loving family. Also, bringing our kids up with the same morals and values we have and seeing them grow into awesome little people. Having our cookbook become the No.1 selling cookbook in Ireland in 2020 was pretty cool too, we are definitely proud of that.
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