I’d be lying if I wasn’t a tad bit nervous about my first visit to Russia. I think St. Petersburg was the perfect city to start off with because I believe it’s the most diverse and most familiar to Western culture. I think the cuisine in St. Petersburg is still a bit underdeveloped, but it’s the only place in the world where you can enjoy Beluga “000” caviar, world’s most premium vodkas, and visit palaces that are literally gold plated. This city is definitely one I would visit again one day.
The Discovery channel is what brought me to Taiwan, filming an eight day documentary with myself and two other chefs that ended with a competition using local flavors and ingredients called Taste Taiwan. The hospitality that I found from the locals in Taiwan is of such that I never experienced anywhere else in the world. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity of this experience. There aren’t many times you can tour an entire country in 8 days and also have it documented every step of the way. Experiencing Taiwan first hand helped refine my knowledge of Asian cooking. I’m also proud to say I left Taiwan with a check in the win column.