Blast from the Past - Chalk & Cheese Exclusives with Chef Tommes

Penang’s award-winning Chef Tommes, co-hosted Chalk & Cheese, a 12-episode cooking show at Asian Food Channel (AFC), with Jojo Struys in 2012; throwing the mismatched couple together for a few tantalising cooking challenges. The unlikely pairing for the cooking show was certainly as different as chalk and cheese.

Tommes, who has worked all over the world from New York, France, Shanghai to owning That Little Wine Bar, Irrawaddy Fine Foods and The Penang Pork Company in the Pearl of Orient, developed a strong on-air chemistry in which both differs in personalities, working backgrounds and life experiences.

The show featured a gastronomic tour of several locations in Malaysia which include the beaches of Cherating to Penang’s Batu Ferringhi, as well as the stunning kitchen of his restored heritage property in Penang. This 30-minute episode took the viewers on a journey of how to prepare three different dishes using only fresh local ingredients; without omitting any steps. Not forgetting, entertaining and being fun as both kept poking fun at each other.

Having settle down in Penang where he owns a property and business, Tommes said, “I wanted to show the world that Penang is not just well-known for its range of yummy hawker food, but is also a hub for fine dining experiences and haute cuisine”. Tommes made dishes in the programme which introduced a range of international and traditional flavours which are easily replicated at home for its viewers.

The launch of this TV show was accompanied by Orchan’s assistance in representing Chef Tommes in maximising his personal profiling.

What to Watch? By AFC

Keeping it fresh by The Star

Keeping it healthy and honest by New Straits Times