(EN) #ThatTranslatorCanCook: Hannah Lawrence

December is settled and the magic of the end-of-the-year celebrations is floating in the air. I smell delicious biscuits and chocolates coming my way! Today, we welcome our holiday season partner, the very woman who initiated the #ThatTranslatorCanCook challenge: Hannah Lawrence, FR>EN translator and copywriter, specialised in marketing and higher education.

Hannah Lawrence, FR>EN translator and copywriter

A delicious clafoutis: what a great idea for the holiday season!

Who are you?

I am a freelance translator, marketer and copywriter. I’m originally from New Zealand but have lived in the UK since 2012. After spending six years working in higher education marketing, I wanted to get back to using my languages, and I took the plunge - embarking on a MA Specialised Translation at the University of Westminster.

Having completed my master’s in July 2019,

I’m now enjoying the freedom of the freelance lifestyle, along with working on a diversity of projects, from translation and subtitling, to search engine optimisation and website editing.

What is your relationship with cooking?

I enjoyed baking from a young age, while cooking came a little later. Today I enjoy cooking (and, more importantly, eating) a wide variety of food. My partner is also a very good cook, and we enjoy discovering new food together.

In 2012, we spent six months backpacking around South East Asia, and had a fantastic time discovering local delicacies. We even took a few cooking classes along the way!

What dish do you like to cook the most?

I like cooking hearty stews – full of flavour and cooked over low heat for a long time – they’re

comfort on a plate!

And the least?

I’m not very good at cooking meat by itself – things like steak for instance.

What have you always wanted to know how to do in cooking (e.g. a technique or a dish)?

Given my recent unsuccessful attempt to make langues de chat biscuits, I think learning how to pipe properly would be quite helpful!

What do you eat and/or drink while translating?

As well as water, I drink quite a lot of tea while I’m translating (and other times). Some of my favourites are oolong, peppermint and liquorice, and a good old cup of strong English breakfast.

In terms of food, often lunch is a sandwich or last night’s leftovers (today I have some homemade pizza). For snacking, I tend to nibble on nuts or fruit.