COVID-19 Pandemic Profile: Nat’s What I Reckon

Nat is a comedian, rock musician, isolation cooking champion and mental health ambassador.

For nearly a decade Nat has been making hilarious videos as Nat's What I Reckon, publishing via his social media channel irreverent reviews of trade shows, tattoo events and burnout festivals, holding a mirror up to the weirdness of masculine culture and everyday life.

Joined in recent years by his partner Julia, Nat was preparing for a stand-up comedy tour of Australia when the pandemic hit, scuttling a year's worth of plans.

Responding quickly, Nat and Julia filmed and published a video episode called How to Make Quarantine Sauce, which had an overwhelming response, clocking up millions of views in a few days.

Riding this wave of popularity, Nat became the champion chef and folk hero of the darkest pandemic days, making people laugh while teaching them how to toss out the processed jar sauce and cook wholesome home-made meals.

In this clip, Nat and Julia talk about the inspiration for the lockdown recipe episodes, and why the series connected so broadly, bringing joy into the kitchens and lives of many through the simple act of having anarchic cooking fun, with a liberal dash of swearing thrown in, during a stressful time.

This interview was recorded on 2 March 2021.