Chef, author and host of shows such as Take Home Chef (we know a few ladies who’d be more than happy to take him home), Curtis Stone needs no introduction. We managed to squeeze in a chat with this smoking hot, young gun of a chef.

What does it take to be a really good chef?
You’ve got to have a real love of food. If you’re really passionate about what you do, you’ll do it well. I’m one person who just loves to eat.
 

What’s your philosophy as a chef?
My philosophy is to get your hands on great quality ingredients. Food starts at the very beginning, whether it’s raising an animal or growing a vegetable or catching a fish. When you have great quality, naturally produced ingredients, you can use them quite simply and turn them into beautiful food. For me, the most important thing is to understand where the food comes from. Obviously you need to learn your techniques as a chef; then respect them and treat the food quite carefully.
 

It’s your last supper. What three dishes from anywhere in the world would you want to eat?
Woah, that’s a tough one! I’d have to say my grandma’s roast lamb with sweet potatoes. I love chili crab, especially the Singaporean style of cooking which really understands how to cook it. One of my favorite things in the world is to eat good chili crab with an ice cold beer like a Lager or a Pilsner. I’ve been a chocoholic for a long time, so something with chocolate in it, like a chocolate fondant.
 

How was your experience on The Celebrity Apprentice 3?
It was a lot of fun. When I first decided to do it, I thought, I must be mad. I got there and everyone was pretty crazy. We (Bill Goldberg, Sharon Osbourne) were all playing for great charities. My charity was Feeding America, which of course is a chef’s charity. And after coming to America, you realize a lot of people don’t even have enough to eat. So to be able to give back in that way was really special. And Donald’s unbelievable. What a man!
 

What do you really think of Vegemite? Tell the truth now.
I love it! I was trying to convince Sharon Osbourne to have some on the show. I spread it like butter on a piece of toast and she tried it eventually. It’s one of those flavors, you either love it or you hate it.

If you’d like to catch him in action, chef Curtis Stone will be in town for the 2010 Singapore Sun Festival. Check out www.singaporesunfestival.com for details.

Rarely do the offspring of artistic superstars go on to enjoy global acclaim themselves, but Natalie Cole is an exception. Born and raised in a family that was passionate about performing, her love affair with R&B and jazz began when she was five years old.

You're going to do a special "duet" with your father at the Singapore Sun Festival. What was he like? My father was a great fan of sports. He was born in Alabama, which means he was always used to great cooking. He loved his work; it was most important to him. He also liked going to parties.

What have been some of your most memorable performances? There was this show I did to promote Unforgettable: With Love at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City that was huge. It was an amazing night, the stage was beautiful and I loved my outfit. I was dressed like an angel. The audience clapped so much! I'll never forget that.

You suffered a major shock last year, when you almost died of kidney failure. How did you deal with that? Oh that was awful; that was an experience. I'm so thankful that I was given another chance to live. I just wrote a book, which will be released internationally on Nov 9. I love the story in there; it's a story about health, about treasuring your life. I talk about receiving a kidney transplant and about my journey since that turning point in my life in this book. Writing it was a beautiful process.

You've sung, written and even acted in some television shows and feature films. What else is in store for the versatile Natalie Cole? I want to do more songwriting. I also want to continue working with different styles of music. At the Sun Festival, I will be going back to my R&B roots. I like to mix it up because it's more exciting that way.

Catch Natalie Cole in Concert on Oct 31, 8pm. Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Dr., 6828-8377. $38-218 from Sistic. Check out www.singaporesunfestival.com for details.

My first foray into dance music was when… a friend of mine brought house music from Frankie Knuckles back to Buenos Aires. There was no information about dance music in South America but after I heard the first few records, I fell madly in love with the music.

The Argentinean dance music scene is… amazing now. I am very proud to be one of its pioneers in my native state. It was really big a decade ago when Creamfields Festival attracted more that 60,000 people. There are clubs of all sizes and many good DJs. I have to say that the Latin atmosphere attracts a unique crowd.

Frankie Knuckles… is one of the biggest influences in making me the DJ I am today. In the mid 90s, I used to hear him play whenever I was in New York. It was like going to a house music university for me. He had a residency at the Sound Factory bar in Manhattan and I would go very early every night, catch a spot just besides the booth and watch him play for hours on end.

My kind of music… revolves around the sound of house. It goes from deep to progressive and from tech to anything else in between—nothing too fast or too hard.
The thing that changed my life forever was when… I was given the privilege to play alongside Paul Oakenfold on his worldwide tour in 1999. He was the first DJ who became a pop icon, having incorporated live bands in electronic dance music. He was also the one that opened the global doors for the rest of us to follow..

My perfect set is… one that includes a variety of styles, starting slow and building up throughout the night.

2011 is looking… really good! I’ll be heading for a month long holiday in my native state of sunny Buenos Aires and then back to Barcelona (where I live) till February. And after that, I will be playing in many countries all over the world, producing, remixing and working on my record label, Sudbeat.

For my upcoming gig at Zouk… I will start off with deep and housey tracks and build towards more up-tempo stuff. I’ve been really lucky to have played many times there and the crowd knows me very well. There will be a lot of new and exclusive tracks, so I am really looking forward to it. The last time I was supposed to play, the volcanic ash situation kept me grounded, but now nothing will stop me playing at one of the best clubs in the world!

Get an education in house at the Renaissance: The Masters Series with Hernán Cattáneo on Oct 22, 10pm. Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $25-30 includes two drinks.
 

For many people The Smiths were the 80s. Perhaps the greatest band ever to come out of Manchester (and competition is fierce: Think Joy Division, The Fall, The Stone Roses), the quartet saw all four of their albums climb to number one or two on the UK charts and frontman Morrissey is frequently hailed as one of the greatest singers of all time.

Thirty years on and the members have long since gone their separate ways (after a rather acrimonious split). But Andy Rourke, famed for his cutting-edge bass playing, is finding the grass greener on the other side. “Everything’s going splendid,” he says. “I moved from Manchester to New York a year and a half ago. I was tired of Manchester and wanted to work with different musicians ... basically a fresh start. I was uninspired in Manchester and I thought New York would be the perfect place.”

The 46-year-old has certainly not lost his appetite for music, judging by the number of projects he has on the go Stateside. “I have a radio show on eastvillageradio.com called Jetlag which is also the same name for a music project I’m working with Ole Koretsky,” he explains. Together, the duo have recorded their own tracks and remixed works for the likes of DJ Wool, The Bowery Riots and Tokyo Police Club. Rourke also keeps up his indie credentials by occasionally producing for up-coming New York bands. And then there’s his deejaying.

“I continue to DJ all over the world and I am really looking forward to coming to Singapore as I’ve never been there before!” he says. And what can Singapore expect from his up-coming set at Home Club? “I play a very eclectic set: New Order, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Stone Roses, The Kinks, The Clash, The Smiths, New Young Pony Club, Pixies, Breeders, Iggy Pop, David Bowie … all kinds of everything and whatever I am feeling on the night!”

Cut loose at Beat!’s 4.6th Birthday with Andy Rourke on Oct 22, 10.30pm at Home Club #B1-01/06 The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Rd., 6538-2928. $15-18 includes one drink.

Technique & medium: Acrylic on canvas.

What are the thoughts behind this exhibition?
Heaven Lust is a sequel to my previous exhibition, which explored female forms and bodies. Our society has a strong stigma when it comes to nudity, and I’d like to show that bodies are the best vehicle for expression and that no one should be ashamed of them. I want to confront people with the naked truth—literally.

Why is it called Conceal?
This piece is actually the least revealing painting of them all, and as you can see the subject is slightly ashamed of being exposed. It ties in with the exhibition as a whole.

How is this exhibition different from Crocodile’s Fiancée?
All the paintings in this exhibition are stripped of their locations. The background is a series of abstract dots. They’re not meant to be decorative items, but rather to relate the subject with its surrounding space. However, some people might see them as stars.

What’s your intended message?
To change the popular notion that nudity is a sin and something which needs to be concealed.

Thanet Awsinsiri idolizes female figures through his latest arcylic paintings on canvas at exhibition Heaven Lust.

When we were in our early 20s, we were into love. We didn’t care about politics or social affairs. But now we have a broader perspective.

We are at a point where we can think back to the beginning, to what we were, to what we have done. To see how we have come to this fifth album.

I love my life’s journey. Looking back, I see a boy from the provinces who got a chance to study in Bangkok, at the renowned Suan Kularb School. This boy also had a chance to study law at Chula, become a flight attendant and end up being a popular singer. It’s like watching a fairy tale.

The turning point in my life is that I got to study at Chula. I met a girl and she became the reason I started singing. She was my muse, the reason I can write songs, because I found someone special to sing to. Before, I loved music, yes, but I did it without direction. I sang love songs, but I didn’t have my own story until I met her.

Fifteen years in the music industry have changed me a lot. It didn’t happen overnight. I was a 15-year-old boy, now I’m a 30-year-old man.

What really changes is that more and more people want to listen to you talk about yourself.

Age is just a number if you always have fresh inspiration and energy. I want to have the same energy when I’m 60 and be as cool as The Rolling Stones. I am jealous of people who always have energy because I also have moments of exhaustion.

It’s normal for most bands around the world that the vocalist is the band’s leader, and sets both the musical style and the band’s direction. I feel lucky that although I’m the youngest, other members have enough trust in me to follow my ideas.

I am not a dictator, though. Disagreements happen. When they do, I step back and rethink. You can convince others to believe in you but you have to listen to their views too.

P’Bird is my idol. I can sing every one of his songs and I’ve bought all his albums. I really adore him.

Being an idol isn’t stressful. But I’m afraid that I won’t meet fans’ expectations. Afraid I will disappoint them if they find out some ugly inner flaw in me. I try to be a role model as a singer.

Nobody is absolutely black or white. Every human being has both good and bad sides.

Really believe in what you do, and it will be a success one day.

I’ve never limited myself on stage. I perform whatever the music draws out in me. I feel empowered when I hear thousands of people singing my song.

The stage is what I was born for. It’s my entire life. How can I put limits on something which is my everything?

I am not a difficult person. I am just in a position where I have more decisions to make. I cannot say yes to everyone. We [the band] just have more things to be careful about now—this also happens to other popular stars.

I am not happy with the way reporters make up news and push the mic toward us, asking something about what “somebody” said.

I am not a rock star. To me, rock stars don’t walk the streets, hang out in malls or pop into convenient stores. Well, I do. I am just a guy who loves to sing and is recognized by a bunch of people.

I treat my girl like any normal guy. I’ll take her to the mall or to watch movies. I don’t feel uncomfortable when I photographed by paparazzi, but I don’t know if the girl won’t.

I’d like to get married. I like to have a family and a lovely home. One day, I would like to be responsible for more lives than just my own. I just don’t know when it’s going to happen.

I got mind-numbingly bored at one point. Passion became routine. We say we’d hate routine office jobs but then our life came to be just that, playing the same songs, following the same script every night. We had to find a new balance to stop this boredom so everyone could be happy.

Health problems are my greatest fear. My body feels older than it should be. And my health problems get in the band’s way. I know the members feel depressed sometimes about it, and I feel really sorry and upset about myself.

Big-scale concerts will be the future of Bodyslam. There will be no more small gigs, which are not enough for us to express what we want to. It’s our dream to bring this upcoming concert to the provinces. If we can do it, we will set a new benchmark for rock concerts in Thailand.

To measure one’s success you have to wait for the end. Bodyslam and I still have a long way to go. We still feel fresh.

BK: How did you become Singular?
Sin: We’ve known each other for three years now. I went to a recording studio to work on my own demo tape, and my friend asked Nut to play guitar for me because he felt our music styles were quite similar and that we would get along well. We started working together from then on, and three years later, we submitted our demo tape to a label that represents our favorite artists.

BK: Who are your favorite artists?
Sin: I like Thee Chaiyadetch and Pause band.
Nut: I am a guitarist, so I like John Mayer.

BK: Why Singular?
Sin: To us, it means one voice plus one guitar equals one band.

BK: Where do your music skills come from?
Nut: I graduated in music from Srinakarinwirot University. I actually started playing the piano when I was three. But after I had the chance to hold a guitar in junior high year, I fell in love with it. So I started learning and playing from classic to rock and ended up doing jazz. I also won a national Yamaha guitar contest when I was in high school.
Sin: Because of my love for singing, I chose to learn classical music. Later, I got a chance to be part of the Bangkok Opera.

BK: So how did you charm people with only two singles?
Nut: Well, I think it’s because of our new style of music that mixes several tunes.
Sin: I think our songs are easy-listening songs, so people can enjoy them anytime.

BK: How do you define your style?
Nut: We call our style “metro acoustic.” It’s a combination of pop, jazz and acoustic styles. For example, our first single, “24/7,” starts with bossa, which is another kind of jazz, then shifts to swing, which is jazz, too. It’s like you are playing bossa on one stage while another stage beside you is playing swing, and the two tunes blend into each other. For our second single, “Bao Bao,” we feature 80s-style melodies with a twist of pop jazz.

BK: What is your plan for the future?
Nut: The full album will be launched Oct 27. I want to work in music as long as possible, to share our ideas and our styles with others.
Sin: Apart from singing, I’ll see if I can try doing some other things in the music industry.

For a look at the state of street fashion in Bangkok, see our photo essay.
 

Jongkol Tangpradit, ELLE Fashion Editor

What’s your definition of street fashion?
Individual character and style expressed through clothes. The difference between traditional fashion and street fashion is that street has less limitations. It’s what people pick to wear for their daily lives.
How does Thai street fashion differ from elsewhere?
I think most Thais wear similar things, and that makes street fashion a bit dull. Thais tend to copy what they see in the media or what’s being worn by celebrities. In other countries, like Japan, people express themselves differently. If you walk down the street in Japan, you see people dressing in their own unique styles. Still, Thai teenagers these days are getting more daring in the way they dress. We can see more people who know how to mix and match, and there are signs of some unique styles developing. Thanks to online media, Thai fashion is getting more fun as cultural barriers are lowered.
Do you have any tips for getting a street look?
Just know yourself, who you are, and what your style is. Sticking to your own style doesn’t mean wearing the same clothes because that would be too boring and repetitive. What you do is adapt new trends with your own style. For instance, top up your cute secondhand dress with a designer pair of shoes.

Pipat Kim, Central Personal Shopper

What’s your definition of street fashion?
On the runways, there is haute couture, and ready-to-wear, which are created by designers. On the street, it’s all about what people pick themselves and wear for their daily lives.
How does Thai Street Fashion differ from elsewhere?
Thailand has some limitations due to the weather. In other countries, there are seasons. Here, there’s really only one season, so we have fewer opportunities to play with layering. Also Thai people like to stick to the same trend for a while. For instance, maxi dresses. Usually in other countries, by the end of a season, people tend to move on to the next trend. But, Thais have a blurry of picture of seasonal changes, so it takes longer for them to realize a trend is out.
Do you have any tips for getting a street look?
I personally like layering to create something unique. However, it can be difficult here because of the weather. So go for thin cotton fabrics. Street fashion’s all about mixing and matching.

Jean-Baptiste Andreani, Academic Directork, Raffles International College

What’s your definition of street fashion?
It’s the people’s fashion. Normally, fashion comes from the catwalk and then spreads down to the masses. So people adapt what they see from the catwalk. Street fashion is the opposite. A person sitting on the balcony of a café can be the designer. They are inspired by what passers-by are wearing instead of watching what’s presented on the catwalk. To me, street fashion’s like an individual’s picking power. I think it’s so much more spontaneous, and is based on the ability to mix and match.
How does Street Fashion in Thailand differ from elsewhere?
Thai street fashion’s very interesting. When people ask me how’s Bangkok, I answer, “It’s creative chaos.” A mix between modern infrastructure and more traditional elements.  When I walk around Siam Square I can see people wearing a lot of different patterns, colorful outfits—and that’s quite daring. Thai street fashion is representative of that. I would say that the main influence of Thai street fashion is Korea, followed by Japan. We will get to see more and more influences from Korea, actually. The typical thing about fashion in Thailand is the social collectivism culture. As soon as someone picks up a trend, it spreads very fast to the rest of the population. I’m not sure if we’ll see Thai street fashion’s unique identity any time soon. When we look at how Thai designers produce, we see good designs, good materials, but they are still influenced by the west.
Do you have any tips for what makes a good street look?
The craziest combination is always the best for me. I love to see women that wear an old pair of jeans, with a very expensive handbag. My tip would be, don’t look at Style.com, don’t look at Vogue, don’t look at the runways. Instead, look into your closet, see what you have, and pick the items by yourself. Be spontaneous. Fashion reflects who you are and what you believe.

Being 15, I feel more mature than before. You’re in Upper Secondary, you wear long pants and people look up to you like an older brother. It’s time for you to be a good example to your juniors.

I have my freedom even though I’m still a teenager. My mum usually lets me go wherever I want as long as I do really well in my studies. That’s what I have to give back to her.

I’m not really interested in Formula 1 and all that, but it surprises me that these big events can be held in Singapore even though the city may not be perfect for it.

I don’t really recognize the changes in Singapore, but I see new trends and fashion emerging. You can see the difference now. In the past, teenagers would usually go out and chill, but now they play sports and they dance.

I’ve been dancing since I was 10. I do hip hop street dance. I was at a dance competition and there was a group there that was around my age who inspired me. I started learning a few moves and over the years I’ve had some help from other dancers whom I respect.

Five years ago, there were very few teenagers or primary school kids who were interested in dancing, so dance became quite trendy.

When you’re starting in something new, you’ve got to have someone or something to inspire you. That’s when you’ll get interested in that thing.

You can’t really inspire everyone because nobody is perfect. You can’t expect everyone to be inspired. What I know is that when you dance, it’s not about impressing people; it’s about continuing dance for another generation so that the world of dance will not stop here.

I intend to be a dance choreographer. I actually just did a project on that! I learnt that you must have dance experience and you need to get a Masters in dance coaching if you want to do it professionally. If I could choreograph overseas I would really want to go there for the exposure. I can bring things from other countries back to Singapore and help my country to have new styles and flavors in dance.

Teenagers today know more than in the past. It’s not just about the Internet; it’s also about our surroundings. When you go to school, you get to know a lot of different people and their different interests. You tend to want to get to know these interests and see if they suit you too.

When I’m 16… hmmm… I don’t think too much about what I’ll be doing then, but I hope that over the years, not just when I’m 16, I can be a better person and be someone who people look up to. Some teenagers do wrong things nowadays, but I hope I don’t. I don’t want my thinking to be different from how it is now. I’ll get to watch NC16-rated films, too.

I have a lot of mottos in life but mainly it’s “Never get jealous of others.” Everyone has their own specialties, their own strengths and weaknesses. Your strengths should be used to motivate others.

Singapore is different from other countries. Even though we are just a tiny red dot with many different races and religions, we have peace. People see us as one Singapore.

BK: Where were you before LA?
Mon: I was born in Bangkok and after studying in Japan and working in Thailand, I decided to go study marketing and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Tom: I used to be a child actor on Channel 3’s drama Ruen Mayura and did acting jobs until I was sixteen when my family moved to LA.
Wan Yai: I was born in Saraburi and graduated in psychology from Srinakharinwirot University. I ended up studying Engineering and Technology at California State University of Los Angeles and playing music by night.

BK: How did you meet up?
Wan Yai: We met at Krueng Tate Restaurant. I played music with Tom and then we met Mon there.
Mon: I asked his band to play some songs by female artists but they couldn’t sing them, so I got up on the stage. That was three years ago.

BK: Why did you post your music on Youtube?
Tom: We had some free time and just did it for fun.

BK: Why Room39?
Tom: Our friend, Baworn “Opac” Abhaiwong, is the owner of an apartment and it is room number 39, so we took his place as our name. He’s now going back to open a studio in Thailand.

BK: Have you guys ever taken singing classes?
Mon: Never. I just joined some competitions. I used to be one of the Pepsi Kids and went on stage with Michael Jackson. I was so delighted. I also sang on the soundtrack for channel 7’s drama Kehaas Saeng Chan.
Tom: I used to study with Kru Rungrodj Dullapan.
Wan Yai: Never.

BK: Why do you always make your music videos at home?
Mon: Opac’s room is so convenient even if it’s not perfect. We just set up in the kitchen or living room with the concept “use what we have and take it easy.”

BK: Ever tried the toilet?
Mon: No, it’s too small.

BK: How do you feel about the feedback from Thai fans?
Mon: We’re so excited that so many people are interested in us. After someone posted our video on Pantip.com, our total upload views revealed over a million! We even have a fanclub.

BK: What are you doing now?
Mon: We’re working on our first single with Boyd Kosiyabong under the Loveis label. We might come over and see our Thai fans in November.

Watch the trio perform a cover version of Groove Riders' "Kae Thur Kor Por" here: