These are Ed (JING’s founder) and Will’s (In Store Tea Guru) favourites on food, drink, nature, culture and travel. Let these heroes fill the space that lockdown has left for food, travel and culture. Enjoy this mix of hidden gems and classics.
We’ll be sharing more of what the rest of the team have been watching soon.
Street Food: Asia – Delhi, India(Netflix)
This is the story of Delhi as told through street food chefs, who are so passionate and generous, you can’t help but fall for their obsession and dedication. Look out for the bit on the Chaat made by big hearted Dalchand Kashyap - we’d defy anyone not to be hungry after seeing it. It’s beautiful to watch – they’ve really captured the crowded cinematic streets of Delhi.
The Travel Diaries with Holly Rubenstein – Tony Wheeler (Apple Music)
Described as Desert Island Discs for travellers - this episode’s guest is Tony Wheeler, co-creator of the Lonely Planet guides. Having visited every far flung corner of the globe, he recalls some of his favourite journeys and intrepid experiences with an palpable enthusiasm. Giving fascinating insight into some of the world strangest cities, as well as the challenges facing the travel industry during this crisis.
Bon Appétit – Homemade pasta (Youtube)
Now in lockdown, the New York chefs of the Bon Appétit test kitchen are making guerrilla style videos from their own homes, with an easy cook-a-long style and their usual sense of humour. This episode on how to make your own fresh pasta, is super simple and uses easy to find ingredients that can be easily transformed into seriously tasty results. A great one to watch if you’re just getting started in the kitchen or in need of some inspiration.
Chef’s Table – Bo.Lan (Netflix)
This is the story of an unconventional Michelin chef whose life reaches a fantastic ‘A-Ha’ moment, when Bo Songsavisa sets out to save her native Thai cooking traditions from the brink of being lost to time. It really captures Bo’s ferocious commitment to preserving ancient recipes and culture. Reinforced by the stories of the local farmers and producers whose ingredients ignite her food with so much heart as well as authentic flavour. Bo is big on sustainability too.
Crazy For Indian Food – Dal Bhat (Youtube)
Nikunj Vasoya presents his traditional Gujarati Indian (mostly outdoor) cooking methods. He harvests food from his own garden to create intensely fresh and easy to follow dishes, in the beautiful countryside. This episode on how to make Dal Bhat, shows you how simple tools, spices and abundant ingredients can create delicious food anywhere, the only difference being you probably don’t need to build your own fire. Ed’s tried many in his kitchen and swears by them.
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
A classic from acclaimed Taiwanese director Ang Lee, this film is feel-good and totally watchable, with a strong sense of humour and a great cast of characters. Set in Tapei in the 1990’s, Mr. Chu, a master Chinese chef, has lost his sense of smell and being widowed he now lives amongst his three adult daughters. A hilarious and layered plot ensues, tons of great cooking scenes, a little tea drinking and an unforgettable final twist. Move this one to the top of your ‘must-watch’ pile now.
Slightly off piste, we heartily recommend:
Abstract - The Art of Design – Olafur Eliasson (Netflix)
Press play on this episode and jump straight into a mind-bending experiment with Eliasson, using a computer screen and coloured light, which you can do right at home. His works are simple and bold, but quickly bring to our attention how changes to our space and environment can have a big effect on us emotionally. The part about his infamous ‘Ice Watch’ piece – which uses large blocks of polar ice – as well as his ground-breaking ‘Little Sun’ solar lamp project, really showcase Eliasson as a provocative and deeply caring artist.
