Story and photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling GourmetTM
All rights reserved
Tuesday, 28 October, 2014
The indomitable and intrepid Travelling GourmetTM goes to the BBC studios to…
MEET charming Linda Yueh, the BBC’s Chief Business Correspondent to be interviewed on her show called “Talking Business”. We were to discuss subjects close to my heart, namely food and restaurants, Singapore’s increasing culinary sophistication, Celebrity Chefs and other related matters. Before the interview, I had to do make-up! A very nice Australian Make-Up artist did the special make-up for me with hair spray and potions and what not, and told me with a chuckle, “I’ll make you look 30 years younger!” I replied, ‘Then I’ll look like a baby! Ha! Ha!” She told me she used to do the make-up for the famous Jay Leno who was the first to do what is now known as the “Talk Show”. Then it was chill-out time while the studio technicians got all the cameras and microphones ready for filming. I had a glass of ice water but would have preferred Champagne if there had been any!
In the recording studio I met the other two panellists. Andrew Khoo, the Secretary of the Singapore Restaurant Association and Ivan Brehm, Head Chef of Bacchanalia restaurant. We sat down in comfy armchairs and got wired up for sound with tiny black microphones. Then the recording began. Linda Yueh looking glamourous in a shocking red dress did two bubbly introductions, one for the American audience and one for the British audience. In front of her but out of camera sight was an electronic teleprompter. Linda is very smart and well qualified with degrees from Yale, Harvard and a PhD. from Oxford University in the UK.
We discussed many fascinating topics like why so many people want to open restaurants. Is it the glamour or something more primeval because ultimately…no food no life. I always say, “Food is life, life is food!” I told Linda that just having a Celebrity Chef name for your restaurant does not guarantee success if your Sous Chef cannot deliver the goods…and the price to quality ratio is wrong! This is clearly the case for Jamie Oliver’s restaurant in Vivo City which opened to great fanfare not long ago, but is now seeing very poor business. Restaurant insiders tell me it cannot stay open for long at this rate. In fact, my good friend, Danny Wong, the dynamic GM of the prestigious Mandarin Orchard Hotel told me, “I went to try the food and it was bad and so was the service…”
The show is slated for broadcasting worldwide in December 2014. I shall keep you updated on the exact dates and times once I get them.
Life is like ice cream, eat it before it melts! Enjoy!
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BBC’s Talking Business with Linda Yueh examines the business stories and economic trends that are re-shaping our world.
Linda sits down with newsmakers to talk about what these changes mean not just for businesspeople, but for everyone.
It is filmed on location across the globe and at its own studios in Singapore, London and Washington DC.
Transmission times
Talking Business is broadcast on BBC World News at the following times:
Friday 1430 GMT
Saturday 0030 GMT
Sunday 1230 GMT
Sunday 1830 GMT
Monday 0130 GMT/ Sunday 2130 EST/ 1830 PST (North America only)
Tuesday 0230 GMT/ Monday 2230 EST/ 1930 PST (North America only)
Tuesday 2330 GMT/ Tuesday 1930 EST/ 1630 PST (North America only)
BBC NEWS CHANNEL
Saturday 2030 UK
The Travelling Gourmet 