Veteran actor MAK Chuen-ching, alias “Mak Bau” (literally “Wheat bread” in Cantonese), made his first appearance in a talent quest show in 1987 and hence began his showbiz career. He first worked in children’s shows, and then moved on to TV dramas. He is best known for his role as “Fei Fan Gor” (Extraordinary Brother), for which he won both the “TVB Anniversary Award for Best Supporting Actor” and the “Best Actor in a Supporting Role award” in the Asian Television Awards 2011 for the same role.

The Cantonese phrase for “making a living” (wan sik) is literally “looking for (food to) eat”. In Mak Bau’s case, he has been working hard to sustain himself and family since childhood.

Born in his hometown Qingyuan, Shunde, Mak Bau learnt to cook when he was just six or seven years old. “My friends and I always looked for food in fields and fishponds after school,” he said in reminiscence. “We ate everything we could find: prawns, mud snails as well as cucumbers, yam beans and lotus roots. Mealtime was always an enjoyable experience, as kids got together with their meal pots to share food with one another.”

Mak Bau has no preference for gourmet food. His most unforgettable food item from childhood was the home-made steamed bun, which was a simple hand-made loaf of rough and chewy textures. More recently, he has had an encounter with a wonderful dish: “steamed noddlefish with eggplants”, which is simple and delicious.