Wacky Wan in new TV Series

15-11-99
Press Release

Chef Wan Cooks South Australia.

Recently a 13 part TV series was shot in South Australia by a multinational team.

This series was a lifestyle and cooking programme hosted by International Celebrity, Chef Wan.

Chef Wans credentials include an Associate Degree in Professional Chef Training and Hotel Management from the California Culinary Academy. He was responsible for the setting up of CAA's Faculty of Asian Culinary Art. He also has a degree from the Ritz Hotels Ritz Escofflier Ecole de Gastronomic Francaise Paris.

He is a very experienced TV presenter who is in great demand to make personal appearances worldwide.

Chef Wan has recorded cooking programmes in most counties in Asia. He has also appeared as guest celebrity in cooking programmes in Norway, Australia, the US and UK.

Spontaneous, infectious and unpredictable, Chef Wan kept his director and two camera crews always on their toes. It only took a distraction out of the corner of his eye and he would be off. The director and camera crews and sound recordist were generally close behind.

He was filmed singing "Click for the Shears" on the verandah of a South Australian sheep station with the owners and their tin whistle playing friend. He was not embarrassed by his lack of musical skill. However his exuberant enthusiasm and ability was matched by that of his hosts and they all had a great time.
He then went roaring off on the back of a motorbike and then admitted that this was the first time ever that he had been on a motorbike. He paid for the experience. They rode through a thorn bush which imbedded sharp spikes in his shins.

At the Strathalbyn Agriculture Show he endeared himself to the local farmers wives who are judging the homemade scones competition. He enthusiastically sampled all the winning entries, and then to the consternation of the judges, he came back for more.

Later he had a try at milking a cow. He was very apprehensive about having to sit under the cow's tail as he tried to squeeze the milk but his efforts provided a lot of amusement for the dairy farmers who were showing him how.

His sensitive Asian skin was tested again when he decided that the rolling hills covered in the beautiful Salvation Jane weed were an irresistible place to frolic. The mauve acres were beautiful but the stings were a reminder for hours later that Salvation Jane is beautiful but prickly.

It was in the cellars of Magill Winery that he was taught the distinction between spit and swallow as a wine connoisseur coached him in the finer points of wine appreciation. Surrounded by rows and rows of barrels in the cellar he stretched his vocabulary to the limit in search of superlatives to describe the fine vantages that they sampled.

In Adelaide's Central Market he flitted from stall to stall chatting about Jerusalem Artichokes Lamingtons, floral garnishes, and why only female pork is used in prize winning sausages.

As New Zealand director, Keith Hawke observed. "I watched his other programmes and decided that Chef Wan was at his best in spontaneous, impromptu situations, I wanted to capture this flower hopping butterfly and the best way to do this was with two camera crews. We never had to ask him to repeat anything. We shot the close-ups and alternate angles as we went along."

"I took a lot of trouble to place him in the right situation with people that he could interact with. We also chose interesting locations for the cooking segments."

These locations included a ridge above the beautiful Lens Valley at sunset, on the bank of the Murray River by the Proud Mary riverboat, on the beach at Port Elliot and a lawn bowls competition in the same area.

After all the fun it was cooking that he was in South Australia for, and Master Chef Wan took full advantage of every opportunity to demonstrate the skills that have made him an international celebrity.

It is a measure of a persons confidence in their own expertise and professionalism that they have no fear of sharing the spotlight with others. In this regard Chef Wan was a delight. He welcomed amateur cooks and professional chefs to cook with him. He joined in as the wife and husband sheep station owners cooked a barbecue and shared their down to earth cooking skills with him. He was amused to see the barbecue set up in a tool shed amongst the vintage car and discarded farm machinery.

In another programme he was joined by celebrity chef Dorinda Hafner who rioted outrageously with Chef Wan as she demonstrated how to cook 'Hush Puppies'. Fortunately the recipe required little concentration as both chefs spent most of their time outdoing each other with ever more risqué double entendres.

"I think that we have produced the first R-rated cooking programme." Mused Producer/Director Keith Hawke as he supervised the editing process.

end.

For further information contact:
Keith Hawke
Producer
3 Jalan Taman U-Thant
Ampang. 55000
Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia.
Ph 60-3-2459542
Fax 60-3-2459552
E-mail keithjh@pop.jaring.my