March 2014

Cheng's 'Penang Island Café' a contender for Launching People

Read time: approx 1 mins

A UCB student has recently uploaded her Facebook video application for a chance to work with Gizzi Erskine, a pop-up chef and Sunday Times cook, on the upcoming television show Launching People.

Gaikcheng Yap Kevany, studying Professional Cookery, has entered her idea for a ‘Penang Island Café’, where she hopes to introduce the unique culture of Penang Straits Chinese Cuisine to the streets of the UK. Her plan is to promote her cooking – an exotic fusion of Malaysian spices, Chinese sauces, and tastes of Thailand – through pop-up restaurants and authentic street food stalls.

Cheng is so passionate about food that she also plans to incorporate cooking courses into her business plan, sharing traditional recipes and techniques so that more people are able to create their own home-cooked Penang dishes.

“Lonely Planet has just named Penang, my home town, as the World’s Number One spot for foodies for 2014,” says Cheng. “There will be no need to travel overseas in order to feast like a local, as the Penang Island Café can come to you.”

“I believe that, with my experience, coupled with what I have learnt from University College Birmingham, I am ready to broaden my skills and turn my dream into a reality.”

It would be great if as many people as possible could show their support for her before the deadline this Thursday 6th March. So, if you have a spare second before then, please click on the link below and and press the blue support button (you will need to log into your Facebook account first).

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