Episode 10! Shima Shimizu
Shima Shimizu is the Founder of FoodCraft HK, an online shop carrying specialty food items for dietary restrictions and also offerings cooking classes for a better lifestyle.
FoodCraft HK Founder Shima Shimizu
For the small milestone of our 10th episode, we met Shima Shimizu, Founder of FoodCraft HK (IG).
FoodCraft HK launched six years ago as an online store for healthy food items which caters to individuals with dietary restrictions or those of who simply seek a better lifestyle. In addition to 2,000 items in then online store, Shima offers a variety cooking classes making tasty treats like sour dough, kombucha, sushi. The right choice of food is a personal journey for Shima, who experienced first hand the transformative power of food and the right kind of diet. Subsequently Shima attended a raw food school in California and worked in a wellness centre in Thailand. Returning to Hong Kong it was her fate during the financial crises that led her to start offering cooking classes and ultimately launch FoodCraft HK.
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You can find the episode here.
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Episode 09! Nicholas Shum
Nicolas Shum is an Associate Project Manager at Walt Disney Imagineering Asia based in Hong Kong. He has worked on Disney Theme Parks in both Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Imagineer Nicholas Shum.
In our 9th Episode we welcome Nicholas Shum, Imagineer at Walt Disney Imagineering. Working for the world's leading entertainment company, Nicholas has an up-close view of the processes that create the amazing experiences in Disney's theme parks. Having worked on both the Shanghai and Hong Kong, Nicholas shares insights into how Disney goes about creating those unique environments and the challenges that come with it.
In the podcast I mention the Khan Academy's program you can check out here.
Also a good reference is the Imagineering story on their website.
Please do subscribe to our channel via the episode link below or on YouTube and stay up to date by following us on the gram @madeinasia_thepodcast! Happy Listening!
You can find the episode here.
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Episode 08! Mark Keith
PBS Author Mark Keith from his home in Sai Kung
Mark Keith is a master of many skills, most of which the public is unaware about. Two of these skills are being revealed in this episode of Made in Asia.
Mark authored Pulling back the Sheets (PBS) based on insights he gathered over his 40-year career in hospitality. The Hotel Owners and Managers Operating & Repair Manual addresses many aspects of the hotel industry, which are symptomatic of a ‘broken’ hotel. In our podcast we discuss the cause and effect of poor leadership, what great leadership can achieve and how everyone can be a leader. Mark shares his experience and journey of writing a book and getting it published. Get in touch with Mark on LinkedIn. You can get your copy of PBS on Amazon!
I have known Mark for 15 years and for many we were colleagues working with HVS. Another skill Mark has mastered is making sure there is enough time to enjoy life, what some refer to as work-life-balance. Don’t be surprised to find him beating you at a downhill mountain bike race! Also a shout out to Adam Keith of Little Cove Espresso.
Please do subscribe to our channel via the episode link below or on YouTube and stay up to date by following us on the gram @madeinasia_thepodcast! Happy Listening!
You can find the episode here.
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Episode 07! Antimo Russo
Hello from the Kartell Store - Essess Designer Fabbrica in Wong Chuk Hang
I first met Antimo in November 2020 when I joined a tango dance class. While I was aware that learning a new dance would be a challenge, the complexity of tango took me by surprise. Intuition, improvisation, interpretation, musicality and agility are just a few of the skills a tango dancer needs to nurture.
Antimo is highly skilled in many forms of dance, including the Argentinian trinity of Waltz, Milonga and Tango. Antimo’s dad build the foundation for him to become a master of the dance. As a fairly unknown UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage, Antimo made it his mission to dispel misconceptions about tango across Asia. You can find him at a Milonga, teach group or private classes or adjudicating at competitions.
In this episode with Antimo we talk about his progression in the art form, the history of tango and its varieties, the significance of the music and orchestra and where things are headed in the decade ahead. You may also pick up some pieces of advice along the way.
Please do subscribe to our channel via the episode link below or on YouTube and stay up to date by following us on the gram @madeinasia_thepodcast! Happy Listening!
You can find the episode here.
Episode 06! Tamsin Nugent
Happy New Year from Tamsin and the Made in Asia team!
Tamsin Nugent is the founder and director of Red T Group and Red T Multiples based in Hong Kong. A serial entrepreneur, Tamsin helps artists showcase their works - be it through music festivals or art galleries in Beijing or as an art consultant in Hong Kong. She also interned with the BBC many years ago! Her latest venture is www.redtmultiples.com a platform for mostly B2B buyers of art to obtain customised pieces or a series of pieces of their own choosing while giving the Artist a passive income stream. You can also learn about her ambitions in sustainability and making art more accessible to a broader audience, especially during these testing times of the pandemic.
Please do subscribe to our channel via the episode link below or on YouTube and stay up to date by following us on the gram @madeinasia_thepodcast! Happy Listening!
You can find the episode here.
Episode 05! Rohit Dugar
Season’s Greetings from Alvy’s, Rohit and the Made in Asia team!
Rohit Dugar is the Founder of Young Master Ales Brewery. Rohit turned his back on his a career with Goldman Sachs to focus on a liquid gold: beer. Specifically: craft beer. True to the spirit of the craft brewer community, Rohit has a sense of playful innovation where experimentation is part of the process. In the period of 8 years, he set up a company with 90 employees, 5 restaurants and dozens of varieties of beers. From luxury hotel's own brews to barrel aged beers and mixed fermentation, Young Master is pushing boundaries in craft beers. Watch this episode of Made in Asia to learn how Rohit charted his path of growth and innovation in Asia. https://youngmasterales.com
Find Evelyn Lok's article here.
Please do subscribe to our channel under the episodes link below or on YouTube and stay up to date by following us on the gram! Happy Listening!
You can find the episode here.
Episode 04! Julian Liu
levelling up!
Julien Liu has been involved in a number of hotel projects across Asia Pacific - soup to nuts so to speak. From studying the neighbourhood, selecting designers, developing a vision, overseeing construction to handing over the keys to the General Manager. In this episode Julian shares candid insights into the approach and the influences and trends he observes in the industry with a particular focus on Food & Beverage. Julian also comments on sustainability, Building Information System (BIM), innovation and at what level experiences become bankable for a brand.
You can find the episode here.
Apple Podcasts & Google Podcasts
It all begins with an idea.
Another quick update: Made in Asia is now on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts in addition to Spotify.
In the meantime we are working on the next episode which should be launched by mid next week. Stay tuned!
Launch!
It all begins with an idea.
Made in Asia is live at last! Pretty much six months after first discussing the idea with Phil Kim at ye olde M Bar, the day has finally come. Steep learning curves on many fronts - shout out to the people who have been there and supported along the way: Phil, Tenzin, Tony, Amma, Berna, Eunice, Leighton and Yick. Thanks for your help in making this day come true! Thanks also to Berna, Jow and John for being the original podcast guests. Please do show your support to them too when it comes to making your own plans whatever the occasion.
So here we are - what’s in store? I hope you all find the conversation to be had of interest. They may come across as a bit too dry and serious, but hey business does that to you. I don’t mind a good laugh but getting things right is just too important. Everyone on this path makes many mistakes, no point piling them up unnecessarily since every single one comes at a cost. That being said, if you can think of ways to make these conversations more interesting or bring in interesting guests, drop me an email.
Lastly, this wouldn’t be a proper podcast with asking for your support too! Please like, follow, subscribe and link. You can sign up for the newsletter, follow on Instagram or subscribe to the YouTube channel. Happy listening and watching - million thanks! Dan
Episode 03! John Nugent
It all begins with an idea.
clear as ice!
John Nugent is the Owner & Operator of The Diplomat. There are only few people in the world who breathe hospitality like John while he shows relentless passion in his craft. Having learned his trade in native Seattle, WA, John cut his chops on the East Coast learning the classic approach to cocktails. After a European Odyssey, he found his way to Lily & Bloom in Hong Kong. Looking to realise his dream of a bar of his own, The Diplomat pays manifest to the principles John assiduously pursues. Small touches like midnight cookies or an ever so convenient button for a Champagne refill are examples of his attention to detail that create memorable experiences all around. follow John @jpnuge
You can find the episode here.
Episode 02! Jowett Yu
It all begins with an idea.
A well-known face in the Hong Kong dining scene, Jowett Yu doesn’t need much of an introduction. Humble as ever, Jow took out some of his time to sit down with us at Ho Lee Fook to talk about the King of Kowloon, hunting deer and how robots will shape the future of the restaurant industry. Insightful as ever, we a most grateful to Jow for coming on the show.
You can find the episode here and his full bio below.
Jowett Yu brings his diverse culinary background and passion for Chinese flavors to his position as Executive Chef at Black Sheep Restaurants, overseeing restaurants including Canton Disco, Ho Lee Fook, Fukuro, Le Garçon Saigon and Le Petit Saigon.
Yu’s cooking style reflects his Taiwanese heritage and extensive time spent in Chinese communities around the globe. His distinct take on regional cuisine combines the familiar flavors of traditional dishes with premium local ingredients, modern techniques and refined esthetic sensibilities.
Yu’s love for food started at a very young age, when, as a boy in Taiwan, he spent long summers with his grandma, a prolific cook, in her countryside kitchen in Yilan province. His most vivid childhood memories are of her picking fresh hen eggs, pickling vegetables, growing rice and making wine, among other impressive culinary feats. It was her limitless ability to transform simple ingredients that has been Yu’s greatest source of inspiration throughout his career.
After his family immigrated to Canada, Yu found a job washing dishes at a neighborhood burger joint, and at the age of 15, he was promoted to actually cooking the burgers. He continued his studies and graduated from university with a history degree, but once he fulfilled this obligation to his more conservative parents, he decided to pursue his true passion for cooking at the Art Institute of Vancouver.
Fresh out of culinary school, Yu jumped at the opportunity to intern at Tetsuya’s in Sydney, which turned into a full-time position that lasted several years. During that time, the fine dining restaurant ranked within the top five of San Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Yu then went on to Marque Restaurant, a three-hat restaurant known for its modern and molecular style, where he specialized in pastries and desserts.
Yu later partnered up with fellow young chef Dan Hong, and the pair, inspired by Momofuku’s David Chang, were invited to combine their French training and Asian heritages into a funky Asian concept with a similar ethos. The result was Sydney’s Ms. G’s, which took off immediately and won a prestigious hat from the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide in its second year. The success of Ms. G’s was quickly followed by the opening of Mr. Wong, one of the most popular Cantonese restaurants Sydney has seen.
Yu then met Black Sheep Restaurants Co-Founder Christopher Mark, who challenged Jow to join the group and open a successful Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong. Ho Lee Fook opened in June 2014 introducing Hong Kong to a funky Cantonese kitchen where he reinterprets classic Chinese dishes and flavours with premium ingredients, modern techniques and a touch of humour. He then oversaw the opening of Vietnamese grill house Le Garçon Saigon and its offshoot Le Petit Saigon serving authentic Banh Mi Thit. In 2018, the group opened Fukuro, a boisterous izakaya, and its first international outpost, Canton Disco in the Shanghai EDITION.
Logo!
It all begins with an idea.
Quick update here but nevertheless a meaningful milestone: the logo is finalised! Thanks to Rich and Chris and www.designbro.com. The dragon found its way in there in a curious manner, and some could argue it looks like Randall from Monster Inc but whatever. In other news the guest lineup is coming together and I hope to record two more episodes in the coming two weeks and then go live. Exciting times!
Logo?
It all begins with an idea.
There are a few things that need to come together before the official launch. Of course I am recording more podcasts! However, the logistics can be a bit tedious. What’s exciting right now is that the logo is getting finalised. www.designbro.com is my website of choice. So far the process has been smooth and results are quite good. Looking forward to announcing the Made in Asia logo soon!
Episode 01! Berna Lee
It all begins with an idea.
While still in a testing phase, the interview with Berna went really well. No technical glitches (minor lighting issues aside) and new equipment was integrated into the workflow. That proved very promising that I decided, with Berna’s permission, to take it live! You can find the episode here.
Berna Lee is a Meditation Instructor based in Hong Kong. In her first podcast on Made in Asia, Berna talks about how she found her way into meditation and mindfulness, what her activities are and where she finds gratification.
progress update
It all begins with an idea.
To give you an idea on how long it took to put all this together. The first step towards the launch of this podcast was as early as May 2020. Come a long way since then, thanks also to the help of some good friends to help me test the workflow and gear and provide feedback along the way. Shout out to Tenzin (patient zero), Tony, Amma, Berna and Caro. Today got the domain and website set up. More updates to come!