Winse will be working with Nee Hao Magazine on a series of articles to share the love to our readers through cooking.

Born in Scotland, she spent 6 years learning the craft of Cantonese cooking in Hong Kong. Winse’s aim is to share the passion, preserve and impact Chinese family’s traditional recipes.

Since graduation from a degree in Immunology and Microbiology , she worked in the science industry then took a long break from work to model, travel, and soak in the cultures from different countries and mostly to sample their foods. She believes that one needs to eat good food in order to cook good food!

In 2012, Winse completed a course on nutrition, so she will also highlight the benefits of certain foods in regards to how it affects the immune system and better ways to combine science and nutrition.

Photography by Christopher Hawker and Katie Leung.

Swiss Roll     瑞 士 卷

In Hong Kong, fresh Swiss rolls are sold daily in bakeries. The Chinese Swiss roll looks almost identical to its Western counterpart, although it’s much lighter in texture like a sponge. There are several popular variations. The basic version which we will make is the standard recipe with a whipped cream filling. Other versions includes chocolate, mango, pandan, strawberry, coffee, tea and orange filling flavour roll.

Make: 8 slices

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cooling time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
100 grams plain flour
150 grams white sugar
50 ml vegetable oil
8 egg whites
5 egg yolks
3 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons corn flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Ingredients for filling
½ cup whipping cream

Method

• Preheat oven to 204 degree Celsius, 400 Fahrenheit = gas mark 6.

• Sift the flour, baking powder and corn flour into a bowl, set aside. Prepare two mixing bowls, separate egg yolks into one and egg whites into the other bowl, set aside.

• With an electric whisk, set at medium setting, whisk the egg yolks until blended. Gradually add in 50 g sugar, water, milk and oil. Continue to blend until a batter is smooth and creamy. Gradually add in the sifted flour mixture, continue blending until it forms a slightly stiff batter.

• Whisk egg whites at high whisk settings for a while until bubbles form. Add in 100 grams sugar gradually until stiff peaks form.

• Transfer half the egg white batter into the smooth, creamy egg batter. With a spatula, carefully fold the batter in a slow, round motion into the centre. Repeat 5 times, add the remaining egg whites. Fold again, carefully and slowly.

• Prepare one 35cmx 30cm baking tray or an equivalent flat tray. Line with parchment paper at the bottom as well as all the sides. Pour the batter in the tray and level it with a spatula. Bake for 15 minutes until it turns golden brown on the top. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

• To ensemble the Swiss roll, place a large sheet of parchment paper on the work surface. Turn the surface of cake onto the paper, carefully peel off the paper which was used to help line the cake while baking.

• To prepare the filling, whip the whipping cream with an electric whisk until creamy and smooth. Spread fillings evenly, roll the cake. For best results, keep roll in fridge for 15 minutes

From “The Blackout” series

Capable of solid commercial photography, Hui is also at ease in telling masterful tales in his works, suggestive faces and postures all entangled in the artistic flamboyances of dynamic lighting, thematic theatricality and visual prose. As a true leader in artistic photography based in Toronto, Hui plays boundaries of fashion and art as master composer.

“A picture may never be worth a thousand words to me, but might be worth a few. After all, a thousand words may entertain a crowd but a few words can touch the heart and soul of one.” – Jeff Hui

 Your father gave you his Pentax in 1994 and this started your whirlwind love of photography – has he influenced you in other ways?

He encouraged me to focus on technique and develop my own personal style. In fact, my father was an artistic photographer back in the 70′s – when he composed his greatest works, there weren’t shortcuts like Photoshop to bolster one’s own creative visions! He had to use advanced techniques to obtain results that now only require the click of a mouse.

How did your formal education affect your growth as a photographer?

My formal education was just a foundation; most of my growth as a photographer came through my own self-education. I also have learned from my fellow photographers to whom I owe a lot.

Can you tell us more about Yousuf Karsh’s work and why he means so much to you?

Yousuf Karsh’s work is the definition of mastery. His attention to his subject’s eyes and body language is remarkable. He once said: “There is a brief moment when all there is in a man’s mind and soul and spirit is reflected through his eyes, his hands, his attitude. This is the moment to record”. This quote says it all. He knew exactly when to click; he only took a couple shots and that was it. A single Karsh photograph reveals a person’s entire life: their past, present, and aspirations for the future.

What were the challenges and fulfilling aspects of starting a company? Do you think there’s a trade off between creativity and commerciality?

Some of the challenges are the hidden expenses like equipment, bills and salary. At the end of the day, you have to make a profit. It’s not just about being creative anymore. The tradeoff is that a lot of the projects I do are no longer for myself but for my clients. The fulfilling aspects include having the ability to call the shots. I can set my own schedule, as well as make time for myself and my personal projects.

What is your creative process? How important is the initial planning stage to the final result?

We start with a meeting that includes creative directors, wardrobe stylists, and makeup artists. We brainstorm from a single topic and consider the current trends in the industry. This initial stage is important to get everyone on the same page and to share the same vision.

Speaking of which, have any of your final results ever surprised you?

No, my projects typically turn out as planned.

Which is one of your favourite of your own pieces and why?

It’s called “The Blackout;” I did this piece around 7 years ago. It’s one of my favorites because it speaks to our obsession and dependence on digital technology, which is continually growing.

Who would you jump at the chance to photograph?

Johnny Depp. Because he has amazing facial features and he can be anything.

Dr Ngan’s work on the Australian Born Chinese (ABC) echoes that done in the UK with British Born Chinese; with a focus on the role of migration history, the nature of identity, and Chinese identity when part of an ethnic minority grouping. I first referenced Dr Ngan’s work when making the connections between experiences of migration and settlement outside of mainland China, so was pleased to read her new co-authored book, as well as be able to have her response to some questions for this article.

The book takes a reflective approach, early on we are introduced to the personal understandings and impacts of being Chinese on the authors. Two early chapters also present in-depth accounts of one female and one male participant from the book’s primary research. The impact of this approach is to ground the later, theoretically informed, discussions which address wider concepts such as race and cultural identity in Australia. Key questions are addressed such as what is the impact of being Chinese several generations after ancestors migrated? How have social attitudes to Chinese migrants changed? What are the identifications of those ABCs now and how have they changed over time?

I certainly would note the keen balance struck in the book, between highlighting the relevancy of individual and life accounts, alongside demonstrating the usefulness of such studies. Not merely an exercise in social enquiry, the questioning of what it means to be Chinese and Australian allows and invites wider debate, and questions, about how we treat others, are raised, and what we value. The power of a reflective approach is also to record life-history and allow those with a Chinese ethnicity or mixed background a voice; through which their experiences and views can begin to be integrated into Australia as a nation.

While the book is academic in tone, it is also accessible for those interested in changing societies and the impact of modern migrations, the role of transnationalism, and changing role and relationship between nations, origins and nationality. Those interested to compare and contrast experiences in the British Chinese case with Australia would also find much here to strengthen debate, which challenges the idea of there being one Chinese identity, yet also showing why this identity remains relevant today.

Questions and answers with Dr Ngan

I first read your article on Australian Chinese. Second and third generation Chinese spoke about how using chopsticks, and giving red pouches, remained practices in families, but other things like Chinese language, may not. Did this cause any reflection with your own upbringing? What drew you to interview and work qualitatively with these participants?

I have always had questions about my identity even as a young child. When I was growing up in Australia, I used ask my mother, “Am I Chinese or Australian?” I was born in Hong Kong and migrated with my family to Sydney in primary school. As a child, it was necessary to conceal my Chineseness at school to successfully blend in with the mainstream and to find a sense of belonging and acceptance. At home, however, I had been practicing Chineseness. Like my informants, within the home, we celebrated Chinese New Year, ate Chinese food.

Family rituals often have a symbolic meaning for family members and they reflect family traditions closely associated with cultural and ethnic perspectives and practices. One aspect of this book explores the salient functions of rituals; while they may only be symbolic, they nevertheless play an important role in enhancing the ethnic identity of subsequent generations.

I have always found myself caught in-between and my cross-cultural encounters have compelled me to ask many questions.  I wanted to know what happens to the identity of subsequent generations of migrants?  How do those with long-term residence in Australia “construct,” “do,” and “perform” Chineseness? My research has evolved from my puzzlement about identity as a child, to a sociological investigation that examined identity formation in the lives of long-settled Australian-born Chinese in Australia.

Another interesting point you have reflected on is the use of Chinese names and Chinese language in your own life. Could you say again for the readers something of your experiences here?

Names are an interesting point of discussion. It represents yourself, your identity – it is about how you see yourself and how you want others to perceive you. The continual subtle changes in my name perhaps illustrate my own unconscious negotiation of my ethnic, cultural identity and other identity dimensions of gender and age in the course of my life.

Unlike English names, Chinese names often have a poetic resonance and often much time is taken to create a particular individuals’ name. For some of my informants, they had Chinese names given to them but some were reluctant to acknowledge or use it. I think reflecting the changes in your name enables one to understand oneself more.

In terms of academics and issues of identity and ethnicity, I wonder, do we perhaps through our research somehow become a part of what we study as we are documenting people’s lives and thoughts? In what sense then might we also become a part of the discussions we are trying to look at? Hopefully you might name some useful sources to readers interested to know more.

During my research, I found myself also holding onto preconceived stereotypes even though I was attempting to deconstruct the essentialist notions of Chineseness. A few of my informants had a “Western” appearance, so nothing “Chinese” in terms of physical features, and I remember my bemusement initially upon meeting one such informant. Trying to hide any hint of surprise, I thought to myself “she looks nothing like a Chinese.” As a researcher, I have to admit that I was also conditioned by normative social constructs of “Chinese.” These kinds of reflections reaffirm that social constructs have slipped into the unconscious even though one may be consciously questioning the processes involved.

The persistence of Chineseness is largely associated with the fact that ethnic minorities are compelled to confront Chineseness as an inescapable “reality” throughout their lives because of the visual physicality of the Chinese face in a “white” society – whether or not they willingly choose to identify as “Chinese.” Yet the process of authentication which inevitably impacts on the hierarchical stratification of identity is also deeply embedded within the Chinese diasporic world. This “reality” of physicality inscribes them as others throughout their life course; it is a constant reminder of their marginalized status.

What are your hopes and aims for the ongoing study of Chinese people/issues in the areas you are working?

Scholarly research in this field has focused mostly on the experience of recent overseas Chinese migrants and they typically lack a long-view lens on subsequent generations. While the concept of hybridity confronts and problematizes the unsettling boundaries of identities, the identity of later generations is still largely subsumed under the traditional models of assimilation, which expect ethnic identification to decrease over successive generations. Consequently, this has led to a lack of in-depth research and theorization on the identity formation of descendants of early Chinese migrants in Australia. Also research on in-group dynamics has not received the attention it deserves.

Currently I am researching the experience of cross-border children who reside in the Mainland but travel to Hong Kong for schooling on a daily basis. The construction of their identities is very interesting, like overseas migrants they are living in-between two social spaces. However, because they are Chinese moving within China, their identities and sense of belongingness have not really been explored. It would be great to see more work done in these areas.

In terms of significance what are the sources you have drawn on for inspiration in research?

There are a wide variety of sources that have stimulated my work, Simmel’s (1908) concept of the stranger has been particularly inspirational.

Further interest

The book ‘The Chinese Face in Australia: Multi-generational Ethnicity among Australian-born Chinese’ co authored by Lucille Lok-Sun Ngan and Chan Kwok-bun is out now and can be followed up at the following links:

Cho, A. (2013) Review: ‘The Chinese face in Australia: multi-generational ethnicity among Australian-born Chinese’ Choice, January. 

http://www.springer.com/social+sciences/book/978-1-4614-2130-6

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chinese-Face-Australia-Multi-generational-Australian-born/dp/1461421306

http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Face-Australia-Multi-generational-Australian-born/dp/product-description/1461421306/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

6 month old British born Harvey Laurent, shows dazzling skills when playing with a football. He hasn’t learnt how to crawl or stand up properly yet, so resorts to doing kick ups whilst sitting on his bouncer. Harvey’s current personal record is 7 kick ups before it drops to the floor.

His mother said  ”he enjoys it and practices on his own up to 60 minutes a day”.

6个月大的华裔宝宝都没坐稳, 甚至还不会爬, 就已经会踢球了. 哈维罗伦特(Harvey Laurent)坐在他的摇摇椅上展示了他过人的运球技巧. 据爸爸说, 哈维的个人盘球(kick-up)最高纪录是7下哦, 然后用小手手接住. 动作完成堪称完美流畅. 他妈妈骄傲地告诉本杂志: “哈维非常喜欢足球, 每天至少自己练上60分钟.”

When it comes to football baby Harvey gives it the thumbs up

Harvey’s bouncer is made by Fisher Price – Click on image to go to website

David Fisher Photography

The new Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery is supported by a £20m gift from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, announced today, and £10m for big data research from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, also newly announced today.

The potential of ‘big data’ to revolutionise health research and offer patients better, safer and more personalised treatments will be a major focus of the centre, which will be unique worldwide in providing a dedicated centre of excellence in the emerging field of big data in medicine.

The new Li Ka Shing Centre is being developed in two phases. The first phase will use high-throughput biology to define better drug targets in collaboration with industry, addressing a critical ‘blockage’ in the existing drug development process. The second phase will focus on the analysis of large data sets, bringing together leading researchers from across genetics, epidemiology and public health, clinical medicine, computer science and IT, statistics and bioinformatics.

The Prime Minister said:

‘I am delighted to be backing our medical science sector and supporting the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, which has the potential to revolutionise medical research and healthcare in this country and beyond.

Credit – Li Ka Shing Foundation

‘The Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery will pioneer new advances in the analysis of medical data which can help scientists to better understand human disease and its treatment.

‘This will help to further develop a strong and competitive science and research base in this country which is vital for the UK to compete and thrive in the global race.’

During his visit, Mr Cameron added: ‘What’s happening today really matters. It is an enormous investment that Mr Li is making into this centre. The government is backing it with our own money too. And I think it’s going to lead to huge breakthroughs and great success in terms of medical science, and for Britain as well.’

He noted that as part of his visit he had met a young Oxford University researcher who told him she was running genetic data on Ohtahara syndrome, which Mr Cameron’s son Ivan suffered from. ‘I still get letters from people all across the country and sometimes from other parts of the world who’ve been told that their child has Ohtahara syndrome … And it will be good to be able to write back to them and say that there is, right here in Oxford, that vital piece of scientific work going on to try and link DNA information with this very under-researched syndrome that causes so much difficulty for so many families. And I think that’s a very human way to think of what is happening right here today.’

Sir Ka-shing Li said:

‘What will happen here is more than the promise of harnessing the power of a data-intensive revolution to improve health care. The work of this centre will identify innovative ways to increase access to health care while lessening the burden of cost. It will free up resources for much needed investments in educational opportunities. And it will lead to new and deeper competencies that are pragmatic – precise solutions to sustain hope and stability today and lead to even greater discoveries tomorrow.’

The Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, Professor Andrew Hamilton, said:

‘Big data will transform the way we treat patients and understand disease in the coming decades. We are collecting much of this data already. We owe it to ourselves to make full use of it and deliver more effective treatments for all of us as patients. The Li Ka Shing Centre, and this enormously generous gift which underpins it, along with continued public investment, will be instrumental in driving this research forward.’

The two elements of the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery

The Centre is being built in two, linked phases and will house up to 600 scientists when complete.

In the £35m first phase a new building has been completed on the University’s Old Road Campus in the east of the city, which the Prime Minister visited today. This Target Discovery Institute will shortly house research generating comprehensive data about disease using genomic and chemical screens – important data for the early stages of drug discovery. The second phase of the Centre, the Big Data Institute, will also be accommodated on the University’s Old Road Campus.

These two related areas of activity harness novel 21st-century opportunities in healthcare and represent the first examples of these types of research endeavours in academia anywhere in the world.

The two Institutes together form the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, which has been boosted by the £20m gift from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, in particular through funding new research positions. The £10m announced today from HEFCE through the second round of its Research Partnership Investment Fund (RPIF) is for the new Big Data Institute building. The Target Discovery Institute received £10m in the first RPIF round.

David Fisher Photography

Big data

The Li Ka Shing Centre, through the Big Data Institute, will develop approaches for generating, storing and analysing large datasets in medical science for a better understanding of human disease and its treatment.

In modern society, very large sets of medical data are now routinely collected – through electronic patient records, DNA sequencing, comprehensive biological data on disease mechanisms, treatment monitoring, clinical trials, pharmacy records, medical imaging, and national registries of hospitalisations, cancers and other outcomes.

Bringing health-related datasets together for researchers to use in an anonymised way, and making use of new tools to scrutinise that data to gain insights, will provide powerful new insights into who develops illnesses and why.

Storing and analysing such vast quantities of data is not straightforward. Making sense of large amounts of complex data, making the right comparisons to generate robust and useful answers, and ensuring the security of the data needs to protect personal privacy are all important challenges.

These research opportunities and challenges will be at the core of the new Big Data Institute. Oxford University already has world-leading expertise in this area: pioneering the introduction of genomics into medical care, leading giant cohort studies like the Million Women Study and UK Biobank, running some of the largest clinical trials of treatment worldwide, and establishing methods for global disease surveillance in malaria and other major infectious diseases.

Drug target discovery

The Li Ka Shing Centre, through the Target Discovery Institute, will use high-throughput and automated approaches to speed the early stages of drug discovery, by identifying better targets for drug development in important diseases such as cancer, diabetes, dementia, psychiatric conditions and inflammatory diseases.

High-throughput biology brings automation to cell biology so that work that might once have been done by a lab technician with a pipette can be done on a large, high-speed scale. It is capable of generating very large amounts of data and provides the opportunity to systematically analyse biological pathways to understand, at a fundamental level, how these pathways could be manipulated to treat disease.

The pharmaceutical industry is hampered by companies’ inability to embark on such extensive and detailed studied of potential targets. This can lead to companies spending literally billions of dollars identifying and developing drugs that are actually not acting on a promising biological pathway – slowing down the process of drugs being available for human health. The work at Oxford sees academia stepping in to fill that critical gap.

Nee Hao Magazine gives special thanks to the University of Oxford for providing the content to this article. 

 

Director Wu Wuna

4 prominent directors in attendance from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan

·         Art exhibition and artist talk, with Chinese artist in attendance

·         29 films screened, including 1 world premiere and 26 UK premieres

·         Concert performances from Chinese and British musicians

·         1 round table and 1 public lecture with key industry figures and academics

Featuring a wide range of creative and entertaining content, the festival presents the reality of the Chinese speaking world to global audiences through imaginative conversations between moving images and art.

For 2013, the festival is delighted to be working with King’s Cultural Institute to present Objects of Fantasy, the first solo exhibition for Chinese artist Wang Yuyang at the Inigo Rooms, Somerset House East Wing from 8^th May to 12^th June. The exhibition ranges from new media work to installation, selected from Wang’s recent practice, reflecting his unique vision across works such as A Painting – Landscape (2010), subverting our conventional understanding of painting. Wang challenges standard perceptions by animating everyday objects, for instance in The Narrative of a Stack of Paper (2012), where he reveals the meticulous process of paper making. Wang Yuyang will be in attendance at the festival, and will be giving a talk at the Anatomy Museum, King’s Strand campus on May 9^th, followed by conversation with Dr. Marko Daniel, Curator of Public Programmes at Tate Modern.

The festival is thrilled to be welcoming four prestigious documentary film makers: Zhou Hao from Mainland China, Wu Wuna from Taiwan and Tammy Cheung and Wong Yee Mei from Hong Kong. Emergency Room China, the latest film by Zhou, one of the key figures of the modern Chinese Independent Documentary Movement, will make its world premiere on the opening night of the festival’s film section on May 24^th. The works of the directors form part of a fascinating program of 29 films, almost all UK premieres, covering a wide range of topics from modern relationships through to politics, the environment and more.

This year, the festival has selected its first ever animations and fiction film, offering audiences enhanced variety.  As well as joining Q&A sessions with audiences, the directors will take part in a program of talks and symposiums, including discussions and panel debates with leading academics and key figures in the documentary film industry and related social studies.

Chinese Visual Festival aims to build an open platform for sharing different types of Chinese art and culture. This year they welcome back the renowned Pipa musician Wang Ting, who will be holding a solo concert, as well as a once in a lifetime collaborative show with top London jazz pianist Chris Lee.

Click on image to go to chinesevisualfestival.org

The next ICD Weeklong Seminar, targeted at students and young professionals with an interest in the European-Chinese relationship starts in Berlin on 5th June 2013 in a special collaboration with Nee Hao Magazine.

It will focus on the theme ‘The European-Chinese Cooperation: Political, Economic and Cultural Dimensions’. 

文化外交学会

欧洲会晤中国 (Europe Meets China): 这是一个专门研究中国与欧洲之间关系的国际论坛. 每年都有来自各地的学者和专业人士相聚柏林就各种发展增强中欧关系的议题展开讨论.
参与者进行长达一周的专题讨论会(简称周议会), 之后还可以就自身感兴趣的议题进行调查研究或策划相关的学术活动.
文化外交学会的周议会主要针对那些对中欧关系感兴趣的学生和年轻的专业人士们.

周议会时间地点: 柏林 2013年6月5日至9日

议题名称: 《中国与欧洲在政治,经济以及文化方面的合作》

学会将对参与者颁发资格证书

The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy’s Young Leaders Forums are international networks of like-minded individuals who share an interest in strengthening intercultural relations within a region or country, or between particular regions or countries.

For further information regarding this event, please click here for The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy’s website or email : events@neehao.co.uk

The Manchester-China Forum is a new business-led initiative aimed at increasing Greater Manchester’s commercial connectivity, including trade and investment with China.

With the third largest Chinese community in Europe, Manchester is in the unique position of already having a very strong relationship with what is Asia’s largest economy and the second largest in the world.

The Forum has been established to facilitate a business climate that enables companies in Greater Manchester to further develop relationships with China and to encourage more businesses to explore opportunities in the country.

The Forum builds on the recommendations set out in Lord Nat Wei’s Report ‘Growing East – A Strategy for Greater Manchester’s engagement with China’ published in July 2012.

Lord Wei’s report identified China as a strategic priority for Greater Manchester, with a strong potential for growth in trade, inward investment, tourism and education.

The main objectives of the Manchester-China Forum are:

support the growth of Manchester’s exports to China by 2018; 

increase inward investment into Manchester from Chinese companies; 

grow inward tourism from Chinese visitors; 

increase Chinese student numbers in Greater Manchester’s educational institutions; 

increase student retention; and

secure direct air routes between Manchester and China.

The Forum will leverage local and national assets in order to develop these areas.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne MP, said:   “The Chinese community make a huge contribution to Manchester and to the United Kingdom. China continues to grow at a remarkable pace and I want to make the UK the first place Chinese companies think of when they come to do business in Europe. This means having the joint lowest corporation tax in the G20 by 2015, being the Western Hub for companies looking to access Renminbi products and services, and enhancing the visa offer for Chinese businesses.

“I’m proud of the strong Chinese community in Manchester, and proud of Manchester’s role as the gateway for Chinese business to the North of England. I strongly support the Manchester-China Forum and the ambition of Manchester Airports Group to provide a direct airline service between Manchester and China as the natural next step in developing these links.”

Lord Wei, said: “This forum highlights Manchester’s commitment to build real partnerships with counterparts in the East with great brands and businesses that are attractive to Chinese investors, a vibrant and sizeable Chinese community and strong sector strengths in media, environment and health – Manchester’s prospects for building strong partnerships in China are bright.”

Charlie Cornish, chief executive of the Manchester Airports Group (MAG) and chair of the Forum, said: “The forum will be business-focused and targeted specifically at the Greater Manchester region. The partners involved felt a need for local businesses to receive more focussed help so we will specifically identify Chinese sectors and regions with characteristics complementary to Manchester, and then devote our resources to building networks with them. More than £4 billion of business was struck between China and the North West of England last year and we want to build on that start and ensure a lasting legacy between our two countries.”

Click here to find out more on the Manchester-China Forum 

Credits: Courtesy of Shine TV

What does it feel like cooking on TV compared with at home?

Photo: Shine TV

Cooking on TV is a lot different to when you are at home. At home it’s all about convenience but on the show you need to strike a balance between timings, techniques and flavour. Obviously there are cameras and John and Gregg talking to you whilst you are cooking as well!

How do you balance your day job with cooking practice? 

I have always been interested in cooking. As a kid I used to watch cooking programmes back to back for hours on end and cooked when I could, however, when you are in a full time job the hours you work mean that cooking isn’t on your list of priorities. I applied for Masterchef one day after work and when I got the call up, I had a few weeks to get myself up to competition standard. It was tough. I used to finish work and dash straight home and cook until the early hours.

Still though, in terms of prepartion, I was hopelessly under prepared. I was relying on a certain sense of natural ability and my mentality of not being afraid of making mistakes. Things don’t always go your way and you will always have set backs. The most important thing is you get straight back on your bike after each fall and that you learn from your mistakes each time. Obviously in a competition you can’t have too many mistakes though!

What’s your cooking background? 

I’ve been told that my late grandfather was a very good chef in China. He emigrated over to the UK and, after a few stints in different Chinese restaurants in the UK, he set up his own takeaway in Cardiff in 1982 called the Man Sang. My mother is a very good cook. I would say a complete natural at it. My parents, however, tried to keep me away from cooking so that I could focus on my studies. I can understand this, because my parents know how hard catering is, and they didn’t want that life for my brother and myself.

What’s your earliest memory of cooking?

I remember the first time I ever cooked as a youngster, it was a Ramen, but I used frankfurters as the meat as they were the only things in the fridge – absolutely delicious! Cooking wasn’t something nurtured in me, but I always seemed to gravitate towards it.

As a nipper, I remember watching my mum and granddad cook from a distance. I knew I had a passion for cooking from a very early age. Instead of studying or revising for exams, I would much rather watch cooking programmes everyday back to back for hours on end. I taught myself how to cook via the TV. I almost quit law school in my second year, as I wanted to become a chef.

What are your cooking influences and where does your inspiration come from? 

I love cooking all sorts of food, but I especially love the traditional Chinese dishes that I grew up on. The mainstream view of Chinese food is far different from the way I see Chinese food. I just wish people could experience more of it, because the flavours, textures and skill of dishes really need to be showcased.

I have many ideas cooking wise, but I do struggle to balance it with my working hours. In fact, I hardly ever cook. Saying that, whenever there is a reason to cook, I will always volunteer myself to do it. I will never shy away from any cooking task, in fact I find myself completely focused when I am cooking.

Shine TV

What made you enter the competition? 

I sort of knew I had a natural ability in cooking, but I didn’t know for sure as I never had any chance to use that ability. The way you cook at home is far different from the way you cook in the competition. I wanted to be judged by people who knew what they were talking about, to see if I was any good or not.

I also wanted to have the opportunity to go to Michelin starred restaurants, to see how the top professionals worked and to learn from them. Prior to the competition, I had never eaten at a Michelin starred restaurant before, I had only seen pictures of Michelin standard food.

What are your cooking ambitions? 

I do want a career in food, whether it is as a chef or owning my own catering business, I’m not sure yet. I have got ideas and plans in the making. I also want to be able to showcase Asian food, as it is something that I am really passionate about.

You have gained a following from the Chinese community since you first appeared on the programme. Apparently you have become the housewives’ favourite. Is there anything you would like to say to your new fans? 

I have been overwhelmed by the support and it’s very humbling and I do really appreciate it. Haven’t really heard the housewives’ favourite bit before but that’s funny! Just a big thank you to everyone! Keep cooking!

Catch Larkin Cen on MasterChef tonight on BBC One at 9pm 

近日一名巴斯大学的中国留学生李洋（音译）因试图贿赂教授失败被法官判处12个月的有期徒刑. 还差3分就能毕业的李这天来到办公室与教授讨论, 未久便从口袋掏出5000英镑现金甩在办公桌上说: “老师, 我是个生意人! 你要是给我过了我就不再烦你. ” 教授拒收贿款, 对李藐视英国大学教育制度和教授本人人格的行为表示失望, 并请他离开. 李行贿未果, 碰了钉子, 只好灰溜溜地把钱塞入口袋. 谁知这时一支BB枪(塑料汽弹枪)从其口袋滑出掉落地上. 见此教授怒火中烧, 立刻报警. 李最终自食其果, 因企图行贿及携带枪支的罪名被判处12个月的监禁.

事件发生之后, 很多中国留学生来信表示极为愤慨, 不敢相信竟然有这样的败类出现. 孙小姐说: “此事影响了咱们留学生的名誉, 其实行贿的例子应该是极少的. 如果他能行贿成功, 对我们这些勤奋学习的学生来说太不公平了.” 布大的张进佑说: “ 英国的评分制度还是很健全的, 幸亏有这样一位公正不阿的教授.”

Li told professor Andrew Graves  ”I am a businessman”, then put £5,000 in cash on the table. “There is a fourth option, you can keep the money if you give me a pass mark and I won’t bother you again”.  His professor told him to leave and as Li put the money back into his own pocket, a BB gun accidentally fell out.

Judge Michael Longman told the student: “You attempted to persuade a university professor to behave in such a way that if it had been successful you would have undermined the integrity of the universities in the UK and the legitimacy of degrees from universities here, the University of Bath in particular. 

Your bid to achieve a pass mark by offering what was a bribe to your professor was ill conceived to the point of being a spectacular mistake and one which was doomed to fail from the start. You withdrew the large sum of money that morning, and I do not accept that offering the money was on impulse or done in the heat of the moment. It was planned and deliberate and demonstrated a failure to comprehend the high standards adhered to by the public and private offices in the UK. This was made even more serious by the fact that you had an imitation firearm in your possession. I have no doubt that it provoked fear in Professor Graves, though I am satisfied that you did not acquire it for the purpose of the meeting. But you plainly did know you had it on you, and you risked others at the meeting seeing it.”

Blake James, defending, said Li came from an affluent family in China, and his father is a respected government official and businessman. 

He said his client was used to carrying large amounts of cash and had the air pistol, used for shooting practice, was in his possession as he did not want to leave it in the car.

Mr James added Li was not a “sham student” and had come to the UK in 2006 for a computer science degree at the University of Bath, which he passed. ”When he learned of the result of the dissertation it was a bitter blow to him,” Mr James said.

Li, 26, of Wellsway, Bath, admitted the charges against him and the judge sentenced him to 12 months for bribery and 6 months for the possession of an imitation firearm, which will run at the same time. Ironically he was ordered to pay the court costs which amounted to nearly £5,000.