EVEN AT age 75, celebrity chef Florence Tan, a Malaysian icon popularly known for her Baba and Nyonya cuisine, and who has hosted cooking shows on TV and authored several cookbooks, says she never stoped learning about food, and is still exploring various types of (Western) desserts.
Despite sharing many secrets and age-old treasure tips and techniques she has learnt on her cooking shows and in her cookbooks, namely Florence Tan’s Best Nyonya Recipes and others, Tan wants to learn more.
She told theSun: “I think we learn from the womb to the tomb.”
Known for her authentic Malaysian cooking style, Tan is also curious about various types of food from cultures such as Middle Eastern and Japanese.
For example, Tan learned that she can use a grated potato to thicken a soup, instead of flour.
It may be a minute detail to some, but for Tan, it can make a huge difference when comes to taste and nutritional values.
“I am open to all kinds of learning processes, especially, food,” she added. “I want to learn everything, I have an interest in various types of food. Different cultures offer different food. Learning never stops.”
Sadly Tan, who is a freelance chef, also revealed that she has no plans to write another cookbook as it involves a lot of research, knowledge and editing. Tan’s last book titled Florence Tan’s Timeless Peranakan Recipes was released in 2017.
Her fans who grew up in the 1980s and 90s would still remember Tan’s cheerful disposition on her award-winning cooking show Kuali, which is where many people would have learnt how to cook.
But who are Tan’s own favourite TV chefs?
Tan said: “I love to learn [about] different types of desserts, such as through the Bake with Anna Olson show on Astro, hosted by Canadian pastry chef Anna Olson.”
Another one of her favourites is the show Barefoot Contessa (hosted by Ina Garten).
“I love the Barefoot Contessa cooking show. She (Ina) is very accurate and very precise.
“The thing I love (about Olson and Garten) is that whatever knowledge they have, they share it willingly. They don’t keep it (to themselves). When we teach we must teach sincerely, we (chefs) don’t hold back.”
Tan added: “Knowledge must be shared with others. Whatever I know, I have shared with the people.”
However, this was not the case some 30 to 40 years ago. She said that while everyone is very generous now, it is the complete opposite to how things were back then. If someone was good at cooking a dish, they did not share their recipe or technique.
In the past, each community only knew how to cook their own traditional food, and not that of other cultures.
Tan said: “The situation has changed tremendously over the years. Nowadays, a Chinese can cook Malay or Indian food because of the closeness between people.
“It is a different environment altogether, and that is good. It brings people closer together, [everyone] understands each other’s culture, tradition, even language.”
Tan was a special guest at the recent Fonterra Brands Malaysia Media cook-out session at TCH Foodworks at Menara Symphony, and many guests approached her for photographs, or a friendly chat.
During the cooking demonstration, a vivacious Tan showed her sense of humour while preparing three specially-created recipes – super moist chocolate cake with chocolate glaze, pumpkin cheesy tart, and honey gold corn flakes with almonds – using Anchor tinned butter.
Speaking after the event, Tan shared the story of a fan whom she once met who revealed that Tan’s asam pedas recipe is her (the fan’s) family’s favourite dish.
Another fan, who watched Tan’s show, learned the right method of making kuih kaswi, which she was preparing to sell. She thanked Tan for the recipe, which saved her cooking time by half. Another woman used Tan’s coconut cookie recipe in a food-related project.
As seen in these stories, Tan has touched many lives with her lessons. Although she has not appeared on television for a long time, it is no surprise that she remains one of the nation’s finest chefs in the minds of many Malaysians.
