We all know Maya Jama as the face of Love Island, but she’s also like a big sister to many online.
The Bristolian beauty, 30, leads a very busy life, and just like many of us, appreciates her downtime - a lot.
So that’s why the TV star has teamed up with Uber Eats to launch an exclusive ‘Revive and Thrive’ menu.
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Speaking exclusively to Tyla, Maya explained their collaboration is ‘perfect because it’s all about comfort and for people like me who burn the candle at both ends.’
She describes herself as ‘more of like a host when I have to get in the kitchen,’ and admits she isn’t much of a chef.
Maya said: “I can follow instructions, that’s what I always say, I’m good at following instructions so if I have a guide I can make anything in the world.”
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Most of her time consists of long days and nights, and thanks to her success it has led her to become one of the biggest presenters in the UK - with Love Island, The BRIT Awards, The Fashion Awards and The MOBO Awards coming top of her list.
But her success didn’t come easy, and it was her determination to never give up that has brought her here today.
She said: “I always say that I had it a bit more figured out when I was 16 I feel like, than I do now, because I was so fearless as a teenager and a young person. I was just like, 'I can do anything in the world, and now I’m like, oh reality.'
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“Sometimes there’s some doubts. But I think I would tell myself to just keep going, and you're not too friendly, and actually it will benefit you later on being everyone’s mate, basically.”
Asked on her advice for women chasing their dreams in their 20s and 30s, she responded: “I think just take every opportunity. I think a lot of the time sometimes when we’re young, especially, we get scared to try things just incase we look stupid, or just incase we get told no, or people might laugh.
“And it’s like, ‘Oh it’s not gonna work anyway,’ but I think one of the things I’m really happy I did do is just go for it when I was super young and not worry about failing, because you’re young, and you’ve got so much time just to try again and try a completely different route, and learn from all those mistakes.
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“But actually just to like, take the leap and just try it all, even if you’re like, ‘This is a bit of a rubbish idea,’ give it a go because one of those five ideas could be the good one, and that could be the thing that completely changes your life.”
Her favourite comfort food to eat when she gets home from work late has to be a burger, she admits.
Maya confessed: “Always a burger. I’m a burger queen, I feel like it just fills every void - you get a bit of meat, a bit of bread, a bit of lettuce. Done. In my brain they’re an all-rounder meal and I feel like a burger is just the best cure of comfort food.”
She also implements a simple morning routine which helps her start her day off right.
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The telly host starts off with putting her face in ice, followed by a wholesome stroll.
She shared: “And now I’ve seen it’s gone super popular because that guy went viral, where he like, puts his face in the ice and gets up at like three in the morning, that.
“Genuinely, putting your face in ice or getting just like an ice cube or whatever with a bit of tissue on it and rubbing it round your face does just instantly make you feel alive again.
“And then I would say go for a walk. As much as you want to sofa rot - and I’m like the biggest sofa rotter ever - I feel like as soon as I, even if i go to the corner shop, it wakes me up and makes me feel like a normal human again. So a walk.”
Maya shared her weird food combos, admitting she’s been ‘obsessed with Mini Cheddars’ since school days.
“I’ve always been obsessed with Mini Cheddars since I was in like Year 7,” she laughed. “I loved Mini Cheddars, I would always get them on my way to school.
“I like making mini sandwiches out of Mini Cheddars, so like putting bits of salami in there, and an olive, and a little strip of cheese, and then making basically lunchables out of Mini Cheddars. I don’t know if that’s that weird, I think that’s kinda banging, but maybe that’s weird to other people.”
She also spilled the tea on her fave meal deal, saying: “I always get a cheese and pickle - like the Ploughman’s sandwich - that’s always my go to sandwich.
“And then I would get salt and vinegar crisps or Mini Cheddars, and then I’d get a fruit pot, I probably would never eat it to be honest.
“For chocolate, it changes all the time you know, my chocolate taste changes. But I think at the moment I’m with the underdogs - no one really likes them at the moment - but a Crunchie. I’m really into the Crunchies.
“For a drink] I like ginger beer and ginger ale actually, but if I was trying to be a bit healthy then one of those little berry fruit juices, but otherwise ginger ale.”
As for food icks, she doesn’t have any - but there’s one thing that her friends do that makes her laugh.
“I always laugh at my friends and stuff when they moan over food, I’m like, chill out. It wouldn’t ick me out but I’d laugh.”
Another thing to add to her list of many successes is her Uber Eats collab.
“I’ve lived on my own pretty much since I was a teenager and I just don’t love cooking,” a thrilled Maya told Tyla about the opportunity.
She added: “And also just working so much and coming back late, or going out and I don’t know its just been like a massive part of my life ordering food, like breakfast, lunch or dinner, especially after a big night.
“So when we spoke with UberEats we were like this is perfect because it’s all about comfort and for people like me who burn the candle at both ends and you just want relaxed food and quick simplicity when you’ve come back or woken up from a big night or long day.”
Maya Jama is the latest star to join the Uber Eats Hosts platform, bringing her unique spin on classic recovery dishes for when you’re in need of some comfort food with her ‘Revive & Thrive menu. Available on the 12th & 13th of April from 12-5pm on the Uber Eats app.
Topics: Maya Jama, Love Island
Brogan Hurst