The heat of Sydney’s summer is blistering even at 5 pm as we weave our way through the traffic to the Star Casino.
We are meeting Erin Holland, the Star's ambassador for an early dinner at one of her favourite restaurants, Sokyo.
The former Miss World runs a busy Sydney schedule . If she’s not hosting an event or on stage singing, she’s probably in Brisbane home to her equally famous cricketer BF Ben Cutting.
Sitting at Sokyo’s long sleek bar we await her arrival and it’s not long before she glides across the room, even from a distance her presence is commanding.
Hollands dark hair is smoothed back to the nape of her neck and she has the poise and movement of a dancer, her long lean limbs bronzed and lithe.
Walking towards us her crimson stained lips break into a wide smile and she greats us with a soft voice.
Ordering drinks at the bar she opts for a mocktail explaining “I’m not a big drinker, I don’t really ever have alcohol except for MOET on special occasions” smiling she adds “I’m more a foodie than a drinker” as we walk to our table, her pretty mocktail is held delicately by slender fingers.
Sokyo is a glamorous dining space, it’s dark and mysterious and Erin has chosen it as Japanese fusion is one of her favourite cuisines. Luckily Ben also prefers Asian food, “it’s clean, easy and a lot of the time fresh and healthy.”
Quietly wondering if she watches her weight it must be a familiar question as she continues, “I abide by what I call a flexitarian diet, which is, I actively try and eat less meat”. Ben’s not nearly as strict with his diet, “always trying to drag me off to pizza or a noodle bar,” she giggles.
Just looking at her you can tell pizza and alcohol are often off limits. Clear-skinned and glowing Holland wears a tiny black lace dress. It’s spaghetti straps loose on her small frame and her understated elegance is disarming. With bright wide eyes, she admits she rarely cooks for Ben and fondly recalls him early in the relationship doing a naked chef performance for her. “He just wore an apron and a little chefs hat… He was really proud of himself, every time he turned around I was like, ‘yep there’s your butt'”.
Our laughter fills the room and there’s a relaxed ease and confidence as she speaks so candidly.
Guided by Holland, we leave the ordering to her and very much look forward to the miso toothfish.
“It is my favourite food on the entire planet and would eat it every day if I possibly could,” she beamed enthusiastically.
Soon after a slew of dishes appear. A spectacular platter of sashimi is presented with a mist of fog sprouting from a vessel of dry ice. It’s a dramatic show and the cool slices of salmon and tuna melt deliciously in our mouths.
As promised, the miso toothfish is heavenly, perfectly cooked and the sauce is both sweet and slightly smokey.
Not every former Miss World has a successful career after, and we implore Holland for her tips and secrets. “It’s really important to realise there are no overnight successes,” she says, in a serious tone. It’s easy to be self-entitled but those who are most successful “never take anything for granted”.
Delicious food keeps appearing at our table. The red snapper tempura is exceptional, the dipping sauce we all agree is cruely addictive. Our conversation naturally returns to fashion. Erin explains she’s lucky to often have her pick of beautiful dresses by Australian designers to borrow for events although she is eyeing off spoiling herself with a new designer handbag. “Everything I like, of course, is upward of $4000… That’s such a lot of money… I’m a practical person when it comes to investing my own money”, she sighs, revealing she’s a savvy shopper.
By now a few hours have slipped by and with an early television appearance, the following day Holland politely concludes she must be off.
We watch her leave gracefully, warming thanking the staff and with one last smile she’s off into the night.
