Travel

On the Road With: TV chef Ching-He Huang on flying around Hawaii and a life-changing trip across China


Ken Hom and Ching-He Huang exploring china.

The TV chef talks to Polly Humphris about flying around heavenly Hawaii and a life-changing trip across the Chinese countryside.

What is your favourite on-the-road moment?

I lectured on a cruise ship in Asia once and we stopped off at the Vietnamese Unesco world heritage site Hoi An. Hubby and I decided to go off the beaten track and had a gorgeous day walking by Cau An Hoi bridge in the small village, past French colonial mansions, some of Asia’s oldest temples and pagodas, and the 400-year-old Japanese covered bridge.

We lost track of time and just managed to zoom by taxi to the port gates. We could see the ship about to leave but, in a miraculous moment, two fishermen on motorbikes turned up and gave us the ride of our lives to the very edge of the water, where we literally had to hop onboard as they took the plank away.

I had to explain myself in the captain’s office. It was hairy but brilliant.

And your favourite city?

I was born in Taiwan so I love islands, and Kauai in Hawaii, the ‘city’ where chickens roam free, is a favourite. It’s paradise, with mountains, beautiful beaches and lush emerald valleys that surround Manawaiopuna Falls, which was used as a backdrop in Jurassic Park.

One of Ching-he’s favourite places: Manawaiopuna Falls, which was used as a backdrop in Jurassic Park (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

We took a helicopter ride across the whole Na Pali coastline and did an amazing snorkelling trip, where we encountered a pod of dolphins, spotted green turtles and lazy monk seals sunbathing on the beach.

Equally memorable were the eating experiences: I loved the delicious hot dogs at Puka Dog as recommended by the late Anthony Bourdain (£6.60) and, of course, I had to try sugarloaf pineapple, the white-fleshed sweet fruit Kauai is famous for.

Ching-he took a helicopter ride across the whole Na Pali coastline in Hawaii (Picture: Getty Images)

What has been your most life-changing experience while travelling?

Filming with Ken Hom for my BBC2 show, Exploring China, where we travelled to many unknown parts of Beijing, Chengdu, Hong Kong and the lesser-known city of Xishuangbanna in the Chinese province of Yunnan, home to the last few Asian elephants in China.

In a 400-year-old Ming dynasty village on the outskirts of Beijing I cooked with a local couple, Mr and Mrs Han, using produce from their farm. Their humble way of life reminded me of my own grandparents in the farming communities of southern Taiwan.

During the trip, so many people shared stories of their difficult pasts but at the centre of it all were tales of sharing what little food they had, all cooked with love. That’s what makes the world go round.

What’s the worst meal you’ve had abroad?

The funkiest dish I’ve had was scrambled eggs with squid sperm sacs in Hong Kong. Who knew squid have sperm sacs? It was awful.

And the crunchiest dish I’ve ever had is water cockroaches in a seafood market in Guangdong. Even wokked up with chillies, salt and spices, nothing could mask the metallic taste. The chef happily sold them to us as beer food – I think he had the last laugh.

Have you ever come close to being arrested?

Seventeen years ago in Cyprus my husband and I did get arrested for backing up our rental car into a chef’s car at the back of a restaurant. We were escorted to the local police station and kept for a couple of hours before having to pay a large excess to the car rental company but all was well when the policeman found out I was a cook and I gave him my sweet-sour chicken recipe.

Ching-he wants to walk Machu Picchu (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Where are you going next, lockdown permitting?

Sardinia. I love the sound of the ocean and hot sunny days with sand under my feet so it’s my ideal place for rest and relaxation.

We’d love to go and explore more Hawaiian islands, see the pyramids in Egypt and walk Machu Picchu. The list goes on…

Ching-He Huang’s new book, Wok On (Kyle Books), is out now.

Got a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.

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