How It All Began

In the summer of 2009, i embarked on a road trip of a lifetime, driving down the west coast to visit major cities and sights. Many thought I was crazy to do it alone. Maybe i was. But one thing is for sure. I had the most amazing time in that one month. It was nothing short of the most awesome thing i have ever done in my life. It was beyond fulfilling and just opened my eyes to so many things.

Believe you me, I have done my fair share of traveling. Ever since young, I have been tagging along with my parents as they trot around the globe. I have been to so many places, people find it disgusting. Unfortunately, i only vaguely remember most of the places i have been to, since i was too young to understand and really enjoy traveling. Not to mention i have not developed my love for food then. I remember every time we were overseas, we always ate at a Chinese restaurant and complaint about how bad the local food is compared to that of Singapore's.

I don't blame my parents. After all, Singapore is a food heaven. I will not budge about the fact that Singapore is the best place in the world for food. However, i have come to realize that different cultures bring different type of food to the table. One cannot compare how a fish taco from San Diego taste like as compared to a soup dumpling aka xiao long bao from Shang Hai. They are completely different and should be appreciated differently.

During the road trip, i got a chance to meet many new people and made many new friends. As we jump into conversations about where we come from and what we are doing, it is inevitable that my love for food and travel becomes the topic of the conversation. As I begin to tell them where they should go and what they should eat, giving detailed descriptions and personal experiences, I can see their eyes light up and their brain taking mental notes, making sure that they will not miss out on something that amazing that this 22 year old boy just experienced.

Then one day, as i was sitting around a table with a bunch of friends i just made from LA, enjoying the best tasting gelato i ever had in my life, a friend of mine made me describe my food journey so far to everyone. Initially, i was a little reluctant but i thought what the heck. People should not miss out on this. And as i began to tell the story of that amazing breakfast I had at Lola in Seattle and the crazy bacon maple donut i had in Portland, i could see everybody's mouth watering and getting excited with me.

Then someone threw a comment. "You should start a food blog!"

Now that's an interesting comment. And that really got me thinking.

Without a doubt, my dream job is to have my own talk show. Watching Ellen and Oprah just get me all excited. It is just so obvious that they enjoy what they are doing, and i know that if i get a chance to do such a thing, i would go to work happy every day. And isn't that the best thing in the world?

Over the last few months, i have been hooked on the food network, watching Bobby Flay's throwdown and Paula Deen's cooking. However, one show really caught my eye - Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. Instantly, I drawn to this guy. Why? Because he possibly has the best job in the world. In his show, he travels the world, make friends and he eats some of the best local cuisines. And then I thought, I would love to have his job.

And you know what? I want his job. I really want his job. Many times we think about dream jobs that are something unattainable. Hence we just dream about it and not act upon it. I will not let this happen to me. Just like how I refuse to let the lack of people joining me on my road trip come in my way, resulting in the best summer of my life.

Hence, as of today, i will work towards my goal of having my own food and travel show. I will make career decisions based on that, and will not give up till i see myself on television, bringing people around the world and tasting some of the best foods different cultures have to offer, encouraging people from all over to expand their horizons and experience for themselves what the world has to offer them.

And so here I am, taking my first step by starting a food blog as I document my food explorations wherever in the world I am. Are you with me? Get ready as I introduce you to places and foods that can change your life forever. And I'm serious about that.