Having resigned from my job on Wednesday 19th May many hours have already been spent reflecting on my time with the company over the past 9 1/2 years.

One of my best memories happens to be a food memory. I was lucky enough to visit the Canton Fair twice, in 2018 & 2019, sadly after the 2019 trip the world decided to go mad!!

The trip consisted of meeting daily at 7am, arriving at the show around 8am, planning the days visits, walking the halls from 9am until 530pm then making our way to food and sitting down usually around 8/9pm. Yes in the same clothes you’d been wearing all day in 30 / 35 degree heat with major humidity…..nice. After eating we’d have a few beers usually Tsingtao and retire to contact our families 1230pm local time, 330pm UK time.

One of the best eating experiences I’ve experienced was a Teppanyaki restaurant. Our party consisted of five people. Two from the UK and three from Taiwan. The chef cooked in front of our eyes amazing dishes that I just can’t begin to explain how they tasted.

It was crazy to think this young lady had been doing this for 10 years and was still in training!!!! Here mentor was stood over her shoulder all of the time. Whilst she was fully focused on the food me being a westerner couldn’t resist using our translator to ask her questions. I’m not sure looking back if this is the done thing as the poor young lady was either very shy or nervous of her mentor. Either way, eventually she understood my fascination with food and her cooking skills she openly answered my questions.

Not only was the chef being watched by her mentor she was also being watched and assisted with ingredients by other ‘students’ of the mentor.

To watch this young lady perfecting her craft was an absolute joy & honour.

Watching her take apart this giant king crab, split the meat, then cook in hot oil was pure food theatre.

We were lucky to eat wagyu beef, octopus, sea snails, scallops, prawns to name a fish of the dishes prepared in front of us.

What an experience. Something that can never be taken away and will always stay with me.

Cooking taken to another level.

Thanks for reading.