Turning Tides

People don’t know this but I…
Like to cook. I started with Western cuisine, and I used to watch a lot of cooking shows like Masterchef, but now I’m moving towards Chinese cuisine because I recently got married. It’s more sustainable; the ingredients are cheaper! I recently mastered herbal chicken soup. (laughs) You just put everything into the pot, there’s nothing to master actually. My husband is Taiwanese so his mum just taught me how to make it.

Describe your most memorable trip.
It’s a toss up between seeing the Aurora Borealis in Kiruna, Sweden, and humpback whales in Reykjavik, Iceland. Kiruna was amazing because aside from seeing the Northern Lights, we went husky-sledding at night and took a 90KM sled mobile ride to see the Ice Hotel, which is made entirely of ice. Reykjavik was fantastic too because the post-volcanic grounds, geysirs, and waterfalls were breathtaking. Plus I am a fan of Lord Of The Rings, and some scenes were filmed in Iceland!

Something I would tell my younger self:
You are going to lose people, get your heart broken, feel alone and totally depressed, but everything is going to be okay. Nothing is ever permanent, so the next time you’re wrapped up in thoughts of how awful everything is just visualise the way you want things to be instead. Eventually, the tide will turn and life will be more amazing than you ever thought possible.

What’s one of your work perk-me-ups?
An old-school pandan waffle from a bakery at One Raffles Place. The buttery, crisp waffle edges and pandan fragrance hit the spot, every time! 

If you could do anything other than what you’re doing now, what would it be and why?
Taking up an apprenticeship with one of my favourite chefs—Sam Leong. I love the honesty in his cooking and how he throws together simple ingredients to make Asian dishes taste so charmingly familiar and flavourful.