‘I’m Susan and I eat really good food’ reads Susan Proctor’s Instagram account @heyfatsu. The ‘fat’ juxtaposed in that handle is indicative only of her love for food – not her corporal status. Having lived in Oman for more than 14 years, she has given in to her cravings for local cuisine by restaurant-hopping to experience the delights only food can provide. “The longer I’m here, the more I want to make sure I focus on foods made with love by locals. This is mostly inspired by this awesome baklava I had last weekend,” she quips.
An established foodie with a penchant for delicacies that have an Omani touch, she says she has been lucky to have worked in fantastic environments in the country. Highlighting those environments, she says, “Ten years ago, I founded the independent boutique TOTEM, which you can find at the Sifah Marina. Online, I’m FatSu, where I live my best food life and happily gabble about mostly culinary things. And, for the last two years (and many more to come, hopefully), I’m with BritSwim, a fantastic and rapidly growing swim school. BritSwim teaches all ages and levels – our students learn to swim and to love the water.” BritSwim is currently running a summer safety campaign called #safesummer (britswim.com).
Susan lives in Oman with her husband Maurizio – who, she points out is ‘Italian and cooks’ – and a bunch of animals – “not for cooking,” she jokes.
The home I grew up in… Is in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, in the Midlands of the UK. My family home is still just that, and it’s my favourite place in the entire world to have a cup of tea, because there’s nothing like a cup of tea with your mum, especially if she’s my mum.
When I was a child I wanted to… I made a plan before leaving for college at 16 that I would make my own food choices. The first day as an independent adult, I ate chocolate pudding in the bath, for breakfast.
The moment that changed me forever… My first time teaching a class of beginners in the pool. There’s no feeling like the one you get when you see a kid’s expression change from fear to joy.
My greatest inspiration… My friends. I only have amazing friends who are better than me.
My hero… My husband. He’s the kindest, cleverest, most grounded, most handsome man, and he makes dinner every night.
If I could change one thing about myself… I could do with a second stomach, as a reserve.
I dream of… Remarkably dull subjects. I’ve got an over-active imagination in the waking hours so I think I purge myself of all subconscious thoughts then.
What I see when I look in the mirror… The same old face. But I always think I’ll see that scary guy from Twin Peaks right behind me.
It’s not fashionable but I like… If you could see me at home you wouldn’t question me liking anything unfashionable. When I’m not teaching, I live in sweatpants.
My greatest regret… I wish I had started teaching swimming earlier. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.
You may not know it but I’m no good at… Cooking (shame, shame, shame…).
You may not know it but I’m very good at… Choosing grapes. Nobody in the whole world can pick the best bag of grapes, without fail – 100 per cent success rate since 1984.
If I have time to myself… I sit and quietly reflect on things. I talk a lot when teaching. So when I get home, I go from Coach Susan to Couch Susan.
My house is… Cosy with a well-stocked fridge.
My favourite haunt/holiday destination… Italy. They know how to eat and nap there, and you can’t have one without the other.
My favourite weekend spot in Oman… Sifah! I have a shop there so we’re often around. I love to visit the nearby Glamping beach with our dog.
I will not leave my house without… Sunblock, layers of it, applied in advance, properly and everywhere.
Things I like about Oman… Just like everyone who moved here by choice, it’s the people, and the peaceful and kind society they’ve created.
A book that changed me… I live my life by the moral tenets laid out in Malory Towers books.
On top of my wish/bucket list is… My family took an amazing trip to Ruaha in Tanzania years ago; I’d like to spend more time with my parents and siblings in amazing places like that.
My success mantra is… Don’t ever stop working. I’m not sure this is a healthy one though.
In 10 years’ time, I hope to be… Overseeing the expansion of BritSwim to the fifth or the sixth continent.