Bonding over food

IN ALL HIS YEARS as an actor, Qi YuWu has played a lot of roles, but has yet to be cast as a chef.

He would have been a natural, considering that he is such an avid cook that he even spent one-and-a-half years learning how to prepare Cantonese cuisine from scratch at a famous restaurant in Singapore. He even added French cooking to his repertoire so that he could do both Western and Chinese food. No wonder then, that he can't wait for his new condo to be ready so he can start whipping up gourmet meals in his sleek, stylish kitchen that's all decked out with luxury appliances from Sub-Zero and Wolf.

DREAM KITCHEN

Qi, together with his actress wife, Joanne Peh, will soon be moving into their new home. With their lives revolving around food, Qi says: ''I spend a lot of time in the kitchen so the design is very important to me.'' ''I wanted a stainless steel kitchen with very hi-tech equipment, which looks industrial but still has a cosy feel. These two sound like opposite concepts, but we were able to achieve it.

''I chose Sub-Zero and Wolf because of their advanced technology and attention to detail. I was introduced to the brand when Joanne took me to their showroom after she attended an event there. I just fell in love with their products. I remembered the kitchen scene in the movie Mr & Mrs Smith, and I really wanted the same look for my kitchen so this was a dream come true.''

CONNECTING THROUGH FOOD

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The couple's relationship with the brand would soon grow to the next level, as they teamed up to produce a talk show series that revolves around people, relationships and food.

''We all have interesting connections with food,'' explains Peh. ''It's like how I love cold and stale red bean buns. I don't remember the context but when I was a child, there was a time when I was really hungry and I ate the cold bun and it was the best thing ever! And when I'm cold and jet-lagged in a foreign country, a hot bowl of udon soup evokes memories of family and my mother. So this connection of food, stories and people form the foundation of our talk show.''

They have already finished shooting all 8 episodes, which has Qi talking to his guests - ''mainly my friends who are not in the industry'' - over a three course meal prepared at the Sub-Zero and Wolf test kitchen. ''It's unscripted,'' says Peh. ''It's like inviting friends to your home for dinner, and you don't know where the conversation will go. It's all very spontaneous and that's what we try to replicate on screen.''

''My guests are people that you can relate to,'' says Qi. ''There's a doctor, lawyer, chef, someone who sells seafood - we talk about anything from food to work to happy and worrying things. And through the show, the audience can see a different side of me.''

FAMILY TIES

That different side of Qi and Peh would also be seen at home, which they share with their 2 young children. ''I'm CEO of the household,'' quips Peh. She's also in charge of the renovations, dealing with all the admin details and overseeing the interior design. While they like a clean look, ''we're also collectors of different things, so we like to fill our home with stories and memories through the furniture, memorabilia and the way each area is set up'', she says.

They're also looking forward to Christmas. ''It's been a yearly tradition to have a live tree and for the children to help to decorate it,'' says Peh. ''And we'll definitely have presents and turkey!''

It may well be cooked by Qi in his new Wolf oven too. ''I love Christmas buffets but I don't know if they're still going to happen,'' says Qi. ''We will cook something at home. As long as the whole family is together, that's already the best.''

The House of Sub-Zero and Wolf is located at 31 McNair Road, Townerville, Singapore 328529. Tel: 6386 9335. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 10am to 5.30pm. Strictly by appointment only.