Australian celebrity chef and television personality Elizabeth Chong
has arrived for the first time in the country to join Fiji TV’s Taste of
Paradise star Chef Lance Seeto, in the season finale of his hugely
popular show. Chong, now a 81, is one of Seeto’s mentors and teachers,
and in similar fashion to Seeto, has been showing Australians how to
cook healthy Asian cuisine for over 30 years. Some of her closest
friends are the world’s top celebrity restaurateurs and chefs, as many
regard her for her pioneering work in using television to both educate
and entertain.
She is one of the most recognisable television chefs and accomplished
cookbook authors, with many Australians growing up learning to cook
Chinese food on Channel Ten’s Bert Newton show during the 1980s and
1990s. Looking 20 years younger than her age, this TV chef puts it down
to clean living, no alcohol, no smoking and no junk food. “The Chinese
have always eaten healthy for thousands of years, and I try and stick to
that same philosophy.” says Chong.
Dining at Chef Seeto’s favourite restaurant in Suva, “Tiko’s”, Chong
could not believe the flavours and freshness of the seafood. “I’ve eaten
all around the world and still host tours of China and Vietnam for my
Australian clients, but Fiji has something very ancient and wild to
intrigue the gourmet traveller.” says the TV personality. “If it wasn’t
for Chef Lance Seeto’s invitation to see what he is doing here, I
probably would never have thought to come to Fiji. I am so glad I did,
he is doing a wonderfully inspiring job here. There is so much to
experience here in lifestyle and food. This truly is an inspiring
culture on Australia’s doorstep. It seems the student has become the
teacher.”
Chong has joined Chef Seeto’s Fiji Food Safari on Castaway Island
this week to not only share her knowledge to visitors, but to support
her protégé in his endeavours to promote Fiji to the world through food.
The five day food program includes cooking master classes, food as
medicine classes and dinner banquets each night. It is also being filmed
for the special one hour season finale of Taste of Paradise. Seeto says
he wanted to show his legions of viewers in Fiji and across the South
Pacific his island home and where the appreciation for Fiji’s culture,
traditions and fresh food started. Season One of Taste of Paradise
finishes up on December 27.
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