New Straits Times – Malaysia

Let’s get set to dish it out tonight with “Hot Guys Who Cook” on Diva Channel all around Asia!

Yummy, yummy in my tummy!

03 December 2012 & last updated at 10:01PM

Hot and dishy

By Loong Wai Ting &  loongwaiting@nstp.com.my

Hot Guys Who Cook returns with a second season on Diva Universal tonight.

It will feature Shanghai-based actor and host Allan Wu, Filipino model Paolo Gonzalez and local actor and model Zain Saidin.

Also whipping up their signature dishes are Singapore-based television host Oli Pettigrew, TV hosts Armando Reed and Adam Carruthers, Singaporean actor Paul Foster, host and model George Young and TV host and actor Henry Golding.

You’ve seen and heard him flagging down racers in the hit TV series, The Amazing Race Asia and The Amazing Race China Rush, but 40-year-old Wu insists that he can also whip up dishes.

“Yes, I can cook. But I rarely do it these days as my wife does it. When I was in college, I prepared my own meals,” says the father of two. His best dish? “Probably some pasta.”

American-born Wu also talked enthusiastically about his favourite food and what it means to him. “Food means celebration to me. When it comes to food, we often think of healthy options. I truly believe you are what you eat,” he says.

“It’s really important to have a well-balanced diet that not only tastes good but is also nutritious,” says Wu, adding that his ideal dish is a well-marinated roast chicken with lots of garlic and onion and seasoned with salt and pepper. “I’d also love chilled mashed potato to go with the chicken.”

In September last year, Wu and his family (his Singaporean actress wife, Wong Li-lin, and their two kids), moved to Shanghai to pursue his career. In an earlier interview Wu called the move “an investment and risk”.

“We were wading into unknown territory — literally. But we love it here and it has paid off quite well. However, I still have a long way to go.”

Wu, who took on a fair number of acting jobs during his earlier days in Singapore, came to prominence playing Hao Lian Di in the drama series Bukit Ho Swee. The series focused on the island republic’s  prominent Chinese settlements (known for its cramped squatters and gang activities), before the infamous 1961 fire that gutted the entire settlement.

“It’s been a privilege to be able to do so many things in  different places. I’ve acted, modelled and hosted but acting has always been my passion. Right now I am working in the Chinese version of Gossip Girl, which will be shot in Shanghai,” he says.

Every week, three good-looking men will cook and share their personal stories behind their signature dish in Hot Guys Who Cook. They will also attempt to wow a mystery judge with their creation at the end of the show.

In Wu’s own words, the show is “entertaining and educational”. “I hope anyone watching the show will enjoy it,” he says.

The second season of Hot Guys Who Cook airs every Monday at 7pm on Diva Universal (Astro channel 702)

Wu insists he can cook up a storm

Read more:  Hot and dishy – Tech – New Straits Times  http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/tech/hot-and-dishy-1.180055#ixzz2DxSPdThQ