THE final episode of the HBO Asia Original anthology drama series, FOOD LORE: Stray Dogs, airs on Dec 22 at 10pm on HBO GO and HBO (Astro Ch 411/431HD). It is directed by Ho Yuhang and stars Wilson Tin and Fabian Loo.
The Malaysian episode tells the story of an ambitious young businessman, Tim, who hopes to start a restaurant franchise with a bad-tempered, yet genius chef, Maki, in Kuala Lumpur. The grouchy chef rejects Tim, but they gradually form an unlikely friendship.
When Tim discovers Maki’s secret sambal recipe, he is torn between his desire to sell the recipe and his loyalty to his friend.
What was the inspiration behind the show?
I am most inspired by the people I meet and know in my daily life, thus all the shows I write and create always start with people, and not the plots. Once you delve deep enough into understanding their beliefs and what they want out of life, the stories will form naturally.
The two key characters in my episode of FOOD LORE titled FOOD LORE: Stray Dogs – one a grouchy (former gangster-gambler) restaurant owner Maki who is played by Wilson Tin and Tim, a young ambitious businessman seeking to cut a deal and earn the big bucks played by Fabian Loo – are based on people I have encountered in real-life. Their story, I believe, will resonate with many of us.
How did you decide on specific dishes to highlight in the show?
It was not easy for me to decide on a particular dish because we have such a wide variety of amazing dishes in Malaysia. If I had picked nasi lemak, I would feel sorry for laksa, if you know what I mean.
So rather than using any of the ‘main actors’, I felt it was best to spotlight an all-time favourite “supporting actor” – the sambal.
Sambal is cooked or served with many different types of dishes here. Plus, everyone has their own unique sambal recipes. So, I didn’t focus on any well-known Malaysian dishes, but rather something that would make an interesting and popular accompaniment to our food.
So how did you make the food look appetising/the cooking look real?
We had a food advisor during the shoot, and he cooked the dishes in the show. His role was important to us, especially when it came to close-up food prep scenes like the chopping and slicing bits. These have to look real.
Having said that, Wilson has his own restaurant and knows how to cook too – so he wasn’t unfamiliar with the character he plays. After filming ended, we fine-tuned the colours of the sambal as well.
What exactly is the drama between these two main characters in the show?
Although it would be easier for me to write a dramatic storyline, there are no great conflicts in this show. Instead this is an in-depth and intricate portrayal of relationships and friendships.
You have Tim, a young man determined to be successful in life by making tons of money. You have Maki, an ex-gangster and gambler who now owns a restaurant.
FOOD LORE: Stray Dogs is a heartwarming story that explores the relationship between two very different individuals, with a wide age gap, and how they eventually form an unlikely friendship.
Why did you choose to work with the two leads in the show?
You can call it gut feel, but I don’t think I would have cast anyone else. They fit their characters so very well. I just went to them one day and said ‘you’d better be available!’ Once I secured the actors, creating the story was easy – I started writing with them in mind.
