TV presenter and cookbook author Adam Liaw has revealed the most famous person he has cooked for is Gordon Ramsay, recalling an incident where his wife spilled a jug of water over the celebrity chef. In an interview, Liaw also shared his views on useless kitchen utensils, his fear of bamboo stemming from a Chinese ghost story, and the destruction of a $300 steak due to a faulty thermometer.
Oldest possessions: a teddy dog and a 600-year-old plate
Liaw said the oldest thing he owns is a teddy bear that is actually a dog named Ralph, which he has had since age two. He also owns a 600-year-old Edo period plate, which he sometimes uses to serve food, acknowledging that antique collectors might be aghast but he believes it is right to use such items.
Memorable guests and chaotic moments on set
Liaw, who has filmed nine seasons of The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, said he was most excited to meet Martin Yan from Yan Can Cook, whom he watched for years before appearing on television. He cooked kung pao chicken with Yan and was nervous about the meeting. Regarding chaotic on-set moments, Liaw recalled a planned flight to Guadalajara for filming North American Fan Feasts that was cancelled after their fixer sent videos of Mexican cartels shooting up the airport. They instead met mariachis in Mexico City.
Food memory to forget and advice from a boss
Liaw described a food memory he would most like to forget: his father asked him to cook a very expensive steak, but a faulty thermometer led to the steak being severely overcooked. He stopped using thermometers for six or seven years afterward and improved his ability to cook meat by feel, but it required the destruction of a $300 steak. The best advice he ever received came from an old boss: when feeling the urge to write an angry email, write it to vent, then wait an hour before sending. Liaw said this advice has saved him a lot.
Strange jobs and useless utensils
Before winning MasterChef, Liaw worked as a lawyer for Disney. His strangest job was his first: selling ice-creams at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide at age 14. He earned about $30 a day, walking around with 20 kilograms of ice-cream in 45-degree heat over four days. Regarding useless kitchen utensils, Liaw singled out garlic crushers, arguing they take more time to clean than the time saved. He said crushing garlic with the skin on takes 0.1 of a second, while using a crusher requires peeling, using, and cleaning.
Fear of bamboo and dessert preferences
Liaw confirmed he is scared of bamboo, citing a Chinese ghost story about a witch with long nipples who drags children into bamboo. He grew up near bamboo and heard the story often. If he could have a dessert named after him, Liaw would choose a caramelly custard dessert, as crème caramel is nearly perfect to him, and caramel-based desserts lack imaginative names.
Cooking for Gordon Ramsay
The most famous person Liaw has cooked for is Gordon Ramsay. At a food festival in South Africa, Liaw made something they ate backstage, though he does not remember what. He noted that his wife spilled a whole jug of water over Ramsay, who was fine about it. Adam Liaw's North American Fan Feasts premieres on SBS and SBS On Demand on 6 July.
