Enie van de Meiklokjes – An ambassador for great taste

Quirky outfits, amazing headpieces and a predilection for unusual hair colours – German television presenter Enie van de Meiklokjes has been a familiar face on TV screens all over the federal republic for many years. Discover Germany spoke to her about her love of baking and her favourite recipes, about how she picks her beloved fashion pieces and why social commitment is so important to her.

Born in Potsdam in 1974, Enie van de Meiklokjes first started a career far away from the glitz and glam of television. After finishing school, she became a window dresser; aka a decorator. She tells us:“Starting to work in television was more of a coincidence. My career aspiration was to become a decorator and, fortunately, this also worked out. After my apprenticeship, I worked in that profession but I also had a contract with a model agency. They sent me to a TV casting to Wuppertal one day and, back then, I didn’t think much of it. But after the casting, I was awarded the contract and suddenly was a presenter for the music channel VIVA.”

Living her passions on screen
Since then, Enie has shown her distinctive talent and her innate, natural comical side in shows like VIVA FAMILY or RTL 2’s BRAVO TV. Since 2001, she has worked as a freelancer for television channels such as ARD, ZDF, Sat.1, RTL or VOX and presented the Bambi Awards amongst others. She became a special agent for handicraft tips on the children’s programme PuR from ZDFtivi, led through ARTE’s LOLA – The programme for Women and presented the morning show WECK-UP on SAT.1. Her expertise in decorating can be admired in the VOX programme Wohnen nachWunsch – Ein Duo für vierWände! where she helps people to stylishly furnish and decorate their flats and even their whole houses as part of Wohnen nach Wunsch – Das Haus. Today, Enie is part of the quiz show Meister des Alltags on SWR and can be seen baking her favourite recipes in Sweet & Easy – Enie backt.

“What I love most is that my work doesn’t solely involve presenting most of the time. I can act out my hobby in front of the camera and I’m able to show my viewers something that I can do well, such as talking with my mouth full,”she laughs. She adds: “Of course I’m really happy when my viewers like my recipes and decoration ideas too.” Enie’s passion for baking developed early in her childhood: “I already baked back then. This simply was inherent in our family and I never lost sight of it.” Today, her favourite recipes are plentiful: “Most of them are actually savoury baking recipes with bacon and cheese for example. I’m also a big fan of quiches and tartes.”

Cherries on the head and hundreds of shoes
Enie van de Meiklokjes is known for her crazy and stylish fashion combinations, extravagant accessories and shoes, as well as striking hair colours. Whether a headdress with plus-size cherries, pink hair or stiletto heels with black ankle socks, the presenter is a true fashion icon and shoe fanatic (she is said to own over 150 pairs of heels). She reveals: “Fashion is a really exciting topic but I don’t belong to those people that constantly follow current fashion trends. But, fortunately, fashion is very versatile and thus offers the possibility to find the most suitable style for oneself. I, for example, like to wear dresses because they’re incredibly practical and uncomplicated. In my opinion, the most beautiful dresses originated in the‘40s and ‘50s and that’s why I like to get inspired by old movies.You can also find me on vintage or flea markets where I search for suitable treasures.”

With her unique fashion sense and training as a window dresser, one might think that Enie’s flat must look incredible too. And this is not far from the truth. She explains: “Of course my actual profession isn’t neglected in my own four walls. I love to paint and redecorate my walls as the fancy takes me and according to seasons. That’s why
my flat is in constant change. At the moment, I already look forward to spring and thus, the colours in my flat get lighter and more pastel and the furniture more puristic for my standards.”

“We all should pass on something”
Since 2007, Enie has acted as an ambassador for the children’s charity Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk (DKHW), where she supported a campaign for regular, warm meals for children from socially disadvantaged families. She also helps with workshops, presents stage events and joined the ‘Re-Create’ campaign which seeks to make German schoolyards more colourful and livelier. “I had a nice childhood and I believe that we all should pass on something. Unfortunately, here in Berlin, more child poverty exists than presumed. That’s why I like to support campaigns near me and really appreciate the work of the DKHW.” The presenter is also dedicated to supporting the WWF in its quest to preserve forests.

Other projects that fill Enie’s diverse portfolio are several audio plays, TV synchronisations, smaller roles in television series and films, as well as commercials for IKEA or T-Online. She also writes books about baking or aquariums. In her private life, she is married to a Danish musician, lives in Berlin and loves Copenhagen. “Home is where I feel comfortable, where my favourite people are, where one can eat well and enjoy the sunny sides of life. This isn’t only Berlin for me, but also Copenhagen for some years now.” Having achieved a great deal so far in her life, we wanted to know what else is on her to-do list. “I’m not so much of a dreamer but rather enjoy the here and now and am curious for what will come. Fortunately, up until now, everything worked out well and I’m a really happy and content person.” She adds: “I still have some recipes in reserve and am happy to show them off at Sweet & Easy – Enie backt in the future.” Those who are interested in finding out about these recipes should switch on to the programme, which airs every Saturday at 13.30 pm on sixx.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTO: SIXX/MARC REHBECK