My love for food began at the Pagoda Inn restaurant in my hometown, Cape Town, South Africa. Seated at a bustling round table, I watched Lucky, the owner, ensure every family-style dish was perfect. Even as a child, those aromatic, authentic Chinese flavours beat ice cream every time. This early spark grew into a passion as I spent hours mesmerized by the BBC Food Channel. While Heston Blumenthal’s food science left me in awe, it was Luke Nguyen who truly captured my heart.