This effervescent and big-hearted celebrity chef has done it all. Try saying in one breath: He is the Food ambassador of Malaysia, Resident chef at Asian Food Channel, author of eight cookbooks which have won three international awards, and Best Supporting Actor nominee at the 13th Asian Film Festival for Valley of Vengeance.

What is your current state of mind?
I’m going crazy. I’m saturated with so many things, all happening at once.

What were you like as a child?
I was hyperactive. I loved fashion, gardening, cooking, acting and even marketing, as I learned when selling my mother’s nonya kuehs (sweet Peranakan delicacies) at the market.

What inspires you?
I need very little to be inspired. For me, inspiration is everywhere.

What personal trait do you appreciate the most in others?
I always admire people who project the truth—good or bad. I hate hypocrisy. Sometimes people try too hard to be someone they are not. I always believe we must come to terms with ourselves. You are what you are.

What book are you reading at the moment?
The Quran. I’m learning and understanding its content. I find the teachings fascinating because they help you a lot spiritually.

How do you spend your Sunday mornings?
I don’t have a lot of Sundays to myself. But when I do, I normally just stay at home, read the papers and do some gardening.

What is your idea of hell?
To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever felt like I’ve been in hell. I have a very high tolerance level, I can put up with a lot of nonsense.

What are your guilty pleasures?
Chocolate and cheese.

Is there something about you that scares others?
My mouth, because I am very straightforward.

How do you recharge?
Getaways. I go away and do absolutely nothing.

Where in the world would you most like to live in?
The Mediterranean.

What’s playing on your iPod/MP3 player at the moment?
I don’t have an Ipod. I know nothing about all these computers. But I love jazz and classical music. I guess it’s just the romantic in me.

How would you describe your fashion style?
Fashion to me is whatever you feel comfortable in. I get attracted to colors—red is my favorite. Basically, I’m a very flamboyant person.

Which accessories set you apart?
My Chopard necklaces.

What role would you most like to play in a movie and why?
A porn star. Just kidding. But seriously, I would like to play a drag queen, because it’s such a challenging role. And there are a lot of stories to tell about their world, stories that people don’t usually want to talk about.

Do you have a cause or support one?
I do a lot of charity work like helping disabled children and supporting the Islamic Outreach Fund. I always believe that the hand that gives is better than the hand that receives. If you can put a smile on someone’s face, why not?

Which person do you admire the most?
My mother. She is such a patient and giving person. All that I am comes from her.

What belief have you carried with you since you were 18?
When I was 18 I believed in sharing; whatever I had I shared. And I still do. I am still the same person. What you see is what you get. I can’t change.

It’s true; we take for granted what we have in abundance. Light is plentiful and powerful, gives us sight, and one of the basic subsets of design that is often disregarded by almost everyone.

Which is why the Lightouch Design Competition 2007, organized by the DesignSingapore Council and Italian lighting company FLOS, is back in its second year after its inaugural event in 2003, to encourage professional and aspiring lighting designers to create lighting works that are practical, adaptable, yet imaginative. The first installment attracted 69 entries from countries like Asia, Europe, Australia and the US. Don’t fret if you are a total newbie to the scene, as the competition is open to anyone who is interested in design, or has a brilliant concept to share.

“Design competitions are the best way to freely share ideas,” say previous winners Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen from Canada, who won for their creative and adaptable translucent piece with a honeycomb structure design (see box). “The Lightouch competition is in the best spirit of open design competitions because the brief is so open to imaginative interpretation.”

Maurizio Mussati, director of international operations of FLOS, agrees. “Lightouch is a quest for a creative and interactive live-work-play environment that is shaped by a unique non-intrusive lighting system,” he says. “It is about using light for its full spectrum of qualities, and less about lamps as technology.”

But more than just a lighting competition, Lightouch also aims to highlight the importance of lighting concepts in everyday living, and is one of the more concerted efforts by DesignSingapore Council to bring the ideals of design closer to Singaporeans.

“Light is everywhere, a sensory experience that encapsulates both physical and emotional nuances,” says Moses Wong, Director of Temasek Design School, Temasek Polytechnic, and one of the judges in Lightouch. “Think the neon green laser beams in clubs, as opposed to the dim, soft lighting of a jazz lounge. Lighting design can put us in the mood to shake those hips or just melt into a comfy armchair."

Indeed, considering all the different permutations of light (from oil lamps to laser beams, from ceiling lights to decorative desk lamps), lighting design and technology have come a long way. And with the Lightouch Design Competition 2007, things are only going to get more exciting and illuminating.

Winning Lightouch design

“Soft Light” by Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen.

For the 2003 competition, Forsythe and MacAllen created, from translucent material with a honeycomb structure, pieces that vary in size, shape and function such as a glowing table and a sliding door. The original idea was a partition in a room to create a private space. Light source can illuminate from within the piece, be part of the piece or shine through the piece.

Why it won

“The brief to participants for the competition was crafted with the aims of the DesignSingapore Initiative in mind—to develop expertize in particular design disciplines, but also to promote a better understanding of design as an integrative and multidisciplinary process that is also of the emotional impact. The winning design demonstrates these qualities. It’s a design that draws on the interactions between space, light and our living environment.”
—Edmund Cheng, Chairman, DesignSingapore Council

“The jury intended, at a time when technology appears to be the only way to manage our lives, to award this elegant attitude and interaction with light that is able to create a varied and poetic atmosphere in the environment.”
—Piero Gandini, President, FLOS

I-S says

The piece, which can be twisted and turned to suit different purposes or environments, is expandable and leaves a lot of room for the imagination. And the way its simple honeycomb structure design filters light is harmonious and beautiful. In a nutshell, we love it because it is classy, modular, modern, subtle and, yes, hip.

How you can win too

We asked lighting and design experts what the secret of creating a good lighting design is.

Create an environment, not just a design
“Everything in and around the light is important. The environment and the light should compliment each other in the best of ways.”
—Kelvin Yong, a Product and Industrial Design graduate from Temasek Polytechnic.

Good to look at, good to use
“Both aesthetics and functionality has to go hand in hand. ‘Balance’ and ‘harmony’ are the keywords.”
—Jason Tan, Product Designer, Siemens VDO

Light for all
“Everyone can design good lighting. They just need
a sense of creativity and innovation.”
—Jason Tan, Product Designer, Siemens VDO
“Just look around and observe your surroundings, because all necessary information is there.”
—Tim Derhaag, Lighting Designer, FLOS

First, what are people’s reactions when they learn about your occupation?
They’ll say it is interesting, unique, niche and ask, “Can you really make a living?”

What are the things you can decipher by looking at someone’s handwriting?
You will gain insight into their hidden talents, skills and weaknesses. You can identify compatibility and know who’s being honest and who’s not.

And the most unusual reason given for handwriting analysis?
To find out if a person has violent inclinations and suicidal tendencies.

Ever examined a poison pen letter?
Yes, when I examined documents that were in dispute to find out the authentication of handwriting and signatures. Poison pen letters of a criminal nature can be relatively mild or be threatening, as in cases of jealousy or rivalry. In a more serious sense, they can be about extortion and kidnapping.

OK. Can you read my handwriting?
Sure. You’re personable and place importance in creating a good impression. You’re confident and have inner strength. You’re an agile minded individual who loves challenges and moving forward. At first sight, you appear friendly and easy-going, but despite your sociability, you have a slight tendency to inner ambivalence. Mood swings influence your behavior; however, as a rule, you’re able to find the right tone in dealing with others.