Recipe for success(2)

The Internet, TV programs and forms of interactive media like microblogging and social networking have only enlarged the trends.

Trihn has been traveling in China and Europe to shoot Kitchen Quest, aired in Chinese [without subtitles] on the Travel Channel [also available on Youku] on Chinese holidays. In the show the chef, who is of Vietnamese, Laotian and Chinese descent, backpacks around the world utilizing his culinary skills. Trinh has cooked in places as different as Dali in China, Thailand and Croatia; in exchange for learning from locals and fine dining chefs alike, he often performs tasks such as cooking, painting and building.

Meanwhile, master of Wine Debra Meiburg agrees that the foreign face, voice and identity not only adds authenticity to shows about Western food and wine, but also fills in some gaps. "At times, Western chefs and sommeliers can simply offer food and wine experiences that weren't available in China or Asia until very recently," said the 51-year-old Californian, who grew up on a vineyard, about the dearth of wine experts in Asia. As the presenter of the series of 13 one minute wine tips, Meiburg teaches the basics like opening a bottle and pouring a glass, alongside more sophisticated concepts like wine storage.

A taste of competition

As a wine entrepreneur with extensive experience of public speaking and a wine education, Meiburg was approached by Touchmedia, the company responsible for the interactive ads on seatback screens in taxis. Meiburg's clips are didactic and glamorous, but also feature paragliding, ballooning and horse racing to allure Chinese people to learn about wine, a market that grows about 30 percent a year in China. "Wine is so new to Asia. That's why there are opportunities for those who are willing to share their knowledge and experience with passion," said Meiburg, whose show is in English with Chinese subtitles.

Indeed, foreign TV hosts of Chinese gastronomic shows must be accessible, intrepid and run their show with style. A Beijing-based chef, who first arrived in China as a traveler, Trinh approached the Travel Channel directly to offer his exploratory and creative take on food. The show was approved to air on national holidays and caters to "young and adventurous Chinese," with a message that skill and creativity can take them around the world. "I would think it would be very easy for any Chinese-speaking foreigner with the skills or the talent to enter into any food and beverage-related venture and find a means to thrive in it," said the chef.

Not all agree with Trinh. "There are opportunities here, but the situation is getting more competitive," said Jim Boyce, Canadian researcher, writer and blogger, who is widely known in Beijing as a wine and nightlife commentator through his blogs and articles. "At one time, being French basically meant you were a good sommelier in the eyes of most people. Just like there's an idea that if you come from the United States, you must understand how to teach English, because it is the main language," explained Boyce. "There are foreigners who are knowledgeable about food and wine, but it is not a universal truth," Boyce continued. "On the other hand, there are a growing number of Chinese wine professionals, making it much more competitive. Unless you have a unique and needed skill, or good connections, it is getting tougher to 'make it' here," he said.

Food critic and blogger Eileen Wen Mooney, author of the book Beijing Eats, is also dubious about the opportunities for food critics in China. "The remuneration for this work is still quite low and the chance to advance oneself is limited. Sadly, food critics here are not regarded as celebrities, as they are in the West," commented the 54-year-old, who is an Indonesian-born American.