Malaysia Flogger #1: A Self-proclaimed Foodaholic

From my previous posts featuring my cooking grandmas, I had just hit 100 posts, which is considered really small amount for my span of full two years of blogging, since my first virgin post. That is like 24 months since my public announcement that I am indeed a tham jiak girl. If you average out, it seems I am blogging every week, which is not true where during the early era of my blog, which was its golden days, I had been blogging frequently topping to even 7 posts a month! Then somewhere in between it dip to really bad to me having slowly picked up the momentum again to blog at least once a week, or somewhere there (give me the credit will ya?). This blog incepted due to the fact that I cook and bake, I love to eat, I love to read bout food and my hands itch to write about it too, and not to forget how I got addicted to all the food blogs out where after every post I wish I could cook, bake and write like that. I also want to use it as a place for me to share my endearing adventures in the kitchen, and my occasional rant of food here and there. Slowly, cooking/baking got sidelines, as working took over part of my life; I ate out more than I ate at home, what more cook/bake. There came the influx of food reviews from me and soon it became a mixture, hopefully to more balance of everything. After all, it is all about the food, right?

Anyway, as the celebration of my 2 years of blogging or my 100th post mark, I had came up with the idea of doing something different on this blog, albeit the cooking, baking and reviewing. I got myself into interviewing. It struck me suddenly, when I was just leisurely browsing my list of blogs that I frequented, as I notice since these two years, there had been more and more food blogs in Malaysia popping out, so much so that I had a hard time keeping up with all of them, I realize many of us (apart of fellow floggers who flog together regularly), do not know the person behind all the good food enough. So I decided to do virtual interviews so that we can all can learn bout the floggers that ‘brought’ us to makan (eat) places, taught us bout many dishes or inspired us to cook and bake more.

My first sporting interviewee is non-other than the Self-proclaimed Foodaholic, Swee San. She is the lovely chef behind all the crazy good food that has diligently appeared in her seriously good-eats food blog. I had invited her as one of my selected few to interview first, as she is one of veteran floggers in Malaysia that had been blogging for a long time now. I remember her starting with her friends, where since then she had been the active baker who posted many delicious recipes. Then she drop the bomb that she got to realize the dream of many food-lover-chef-wannabe out there, which is to ensue in a course in non-other than the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu, Australia. At first I thought she was really lucky but after the interview, I then see the other side, of how she had to do what she had to do to go for her dreams. You go girl! An extremely talented girl with a big heart, you can see through by how she toils for many bakes for her family and friends, I am certainly a fan of her food blog. Anyhow, without further ado, I shall present you, Swee San, behind the lovely blog A Self-proclaimed Foodaholic:

1. Tell us a bit bout yourself - name, background, born and bred, work/study, dreams or plans

Born in KL, bred in Klang (still Klang Valley anyway). I used to be an architecture student before pursuing patisserie in Le Cordon Bleu, Sydney. And, my name is Swee San. Right now, (I am) working as a pastry chef in a secretive place which will be revealed well, maybe later. :)

2. Age old question, what got you into blogging, besides the love of food of course

First was to write about the places we’ve dined at with the other 2 of my friends. Very soon they became too busy and I went full-on with baking; I started another foodblog to take account on my LCB journey and experiences

3. How long have you been food blogging?

Since 2005

4. What has food blogging bring/done to you?

Apart from the appreciating food more and being more adventurous in dining, it’s my job finding tool

5. Who/what got you obsess with food/cooking?

I used to watch this Taiwanese / Japanese cooking show when I was really young and I was really hooked on to it. It was more on sweet stuffs though. There is no history of chefs / bakers in my family, so I guess it’s more of an outsider-influential kind of thing

6. What is one food you always wanted to try/cook/bake but have yet to do so and why

I think the list of food to try / bake / cook is endless; possible reasons are, can’t find the ingredients here in M’sia.

7. List some food blogs that inspires you or got you hooked

Cakechef.info (not a blog tho) and other amazing chefs

8. What would be your one comfort food that will sure brighten the day?

It depends on my mood actually. I could be a smoking hot plate of nasi lemak, or it could be just fresh oysters or sashimi. Sometimes it could be just McD’s fries :P

9. Sweet or savoury?

Both

10. One Malaysian dish you can't do without and why

Bah Kut Teh. Why? I grew up in Klang. What do you think??

11. Name one cuisine you love and would need a fix for now and then

Japanese and Thai (my new found love in Sydney)

12. Tell us your favourite post of all time - favourite recipe/food review

All of my LCB-related entries are my favourite!!!! (http://foodaholic.wordpress.com/category/le-cordon-bleu/)

13. You are one of the lucky few who get to fulfill their dream in Le Cordon Bleu, tell us about your experience there.

I don’t regard this as being lucky. I went there because I wanted to do what I want and what I like. It’s about compromising things to pursue your dreams. Anyhow, money didn’t drop from the sky. My experience? It was great fun and I really enjoyed every moment there and I’m glad I made the decision to do what I’m really passionate about.

14. Some advices for the budding or new food bloggers in Malaysian scene

Give truthful opinions. And enjoy eating everything

15. Drop a message for your readers and the food fans out there

Sorry for not updating for a really long time. I’m just working on something really exciting but it’s a secret for now :)

Now head on there to her blog yourself to get to know the chef and drool over her posts.