I HAVE A DREAM .....

Food and culture are inseparable. The best way, or at least one of the best ways, to explore a culture and its people is to study the way they eat. The backbone of that, of course, is how they prepare food and how they cook. A lion share of my retirement planning is to attend Le Cordon Bleu, arguably the best decision I made on self-enrichment in my adult life. Then comes the 'yearning', coined by Po Chung in his new book 'Vigorous Retirement'. I yearn to learn more about cooking, or rather, I yearn to be taught more in the culinary discipline. This is the backdrop on which I arrive at the proverbial, dream!

My dream quest is to explore 10 different food cultures, 1-country-1 culture-1 cuisine at a time via cooking schools, between my 60th & 70th birthdays. LCB for French cooking was #1 last year when I turned 60, #2 on the list at 61 is Thai, at the Wandee School in Bangkok. If I play my cards right #3 would be Spanish Tapas in Barcelona, and #4 is Curry in India. I carry on until I finish cooking school #10, at age 70. By then I should have enough for a short story book!

Wandee is 5 BTS stations away from Amarin at the center of Bangkok. Look at the picture, it is a far cry from the manicured campus grounds at Ryde where LCB was located, there is no grass, and certainly no trees. What Wandee has is a huge does of 'warmth' that typifies this Land of Smiles. Its Founder Madam Wandee Songkhla is doyen of the industry. I felt right at home on my exploratory visit, and signed up on the spot.

I am privileged to be the only foreign ie non-Thai student in my class of 12 which starts next Monday October 4th. My 4-week syllabus is comprised of classic Thai dishes of appetizers, mains and desserts. Thai food is one of the most decorative, its presentation is unique and to graduate ... with a certificate endorsed by the Thai Ministry of Education, a student must pass fruit & vegetable carving, banana leaf weaving and of course, napkin folding. Like what I did at LCB my experience will be documented so read my blog.

I have a dream! I am told we should all 'dream big' so here I am, on to Wandee tomorrow and I cannot wait!