Coming Home

You were born in Singapore but you spent 13 years in America. Has there been much chance since you moved back a year and a half ago?
Climate change! (laughs) It’s very humid. Before Singapore I was in Los Angeles (LA), and LA’s more dry heat, so it’s quite different from Singapore.

What would you recommend to do/see in LA?
Definitely all the museums they have to offer, and if you’re coming from Singapore you’re most likely to be a big foodie so you should check out all the restaurants. My favourite has to be In-N-Out Burger.

Favourite local fare:
A good oyster omelette is always nice, though I don’t know how to pronounce its name in dialect! Char kway teow is also good, and the ever-so-famous chicken rice. But it has to be Hainanese chicken rice.

If you could travel back in time, what would be a moment you’d like to re-experience all over again?
High school graduation. I don’t think I could take that all in: it was just being a child of 18 years of age and starting off into adulthood. When you go into university in the States, it’s quite different from here in Singapore, because I moved away from my parents throughout university.

To others who are thinking of migrating, I’d say:
Take the chance, you won’t regret it. The lessons that you learn as you move away will be lessons that you keep with you the entire time. I don’t think anybody should be scared to move away, it just gives you the chance to grow up and get into your own style.

People don’t know this but I…
Like to cook. I love cooking anything Italian. The last thing I learnt how to cook was a quiche. I don’t know if people like it but so far nobody’s died from eating it!