At the tender age of 19, I packed up my prairie life and moved to Hong Kong with my family, and that’s where everything changed. From the wide-open fields of Canada to the hum and buzz of one of the world’s most electric cities, my love for food took off like a rocket.

It’s wild to think about now, but before I moved to Asia, I had never even tasted a mango. (My kids still can’t believe this, they’re convinced I’m making it up.) Everything was new. The smells. The flavours. The energy. The endless streets that each held something different, a stall, a snack, a scent I’d never known.

Lazy Sundays quickly became my favourite, spent at Yum Cha with girlfriends, steam rising from bamboo baskets as we gossiped and laughed our way through dumplings and tea. I fell hard for Chiu Chow crab, roadside instant noodles topped with fried egg and Spam, seafood dinners on junk trips to Lantau Island, and those iconic Chung King Mansion curries that lingered on your tongue for days.

Hong Kong took my small-town tastebuds and gave them a whole new world. It wasn't just about the food, it was about the people, the pace, the coming together around tables in every corner of the city. From packet noodles on ferry rides to five-star meals in sky-high restaurants, the table became a place of connection, curiosity, and culture.

This is the city where I fell head over heels in love with food, and head over heels in love.

I met Philip in Hong Kong, and he is, without question, the OG foodie. Food has always been part of our story. Date nights were never just dinner; they were an adventure, whether trying a hole-in-the-wall recommendation or signing up for a cooking class together.

We still love to cook side by side. We entertain often, and the kitchen has always been one of our safest spaces. We’ve worked through joy, stress, big decisions, and hard seasons. all while chopping onions or stirring sauces. It’s not an exaggeration to say that food has helped us stay connected when life got messy.

Hong Kong gave me a love for flavours and a deep respect for the stories they carry. But more than that, it gave me a partner to share it all with, and together, we’ve been gathering people around our table ever since.