CookSmart (9th Issue) Page5

Cover Story

Eat and Travel Everywhere

Many ladies follow strict diets to keep their bodies in shape, yet Coco likes to travel and tries out cuisines in different countries. “Eating is one of the life’s greatest pleasures. I enjoy eating anywhere I go”. She believes that it is more important to keep a balanced diet. To really enjoy the real taste of food, she often spends several hours for a meal. Even on a busy day, Coco always remembers to have a good breakfast to prepare for a day’s work.

Learn to Love Veggies

Coco was a meat lover in earlier years. During her study in the university, she ate plenty of snacks and put on weight as a result. Coco then decided to get slimmer by going on a vegetarian diet. In her slimming process, she discovered the fresh taste of veggies.

Coco always shows off her cooking skills in TV programmes, but it is surprising to learn that she did not start cooking until she graduated from school. She is often inspired by the chefs’ skills that she tries her hands at cooking at home and shares the food with her friends. Her two signature dishes are Italian seafood pasta with herb sauce and French stuffed chicken.

Have a Liking for Local Cuisines

Coco enjoys trying out local cuisines and delicacies. She said, “An Italian pasta dish made with locally produced flour, olive and tomatoes has the authentic taste and flavour”. Wherever she goes, she looks for locally grown ingredients. In a recent trip to Dubai, she bought a lot of spices such as fennel, cumin, cloves, mace and vanilla beans for her curry dishes. For Cantonese cuisine, she likes steamed fish and steamed minced pork.

Maintain a Balanced Diet and Take Regular Exercise

Apart from maintaining a healthy diet, Coco does plenty of exercises such as hiking, swimming and rowing. When eating out, she always chooses a mix of vegetable and meat dishes, and oily dishes are not preferred. “Using too much oil ruins the dishes,” she said.