HOME is where the heart is and that is where TV host Angel Wong insists on being every Chinese New Year. No matter what the expectations of her bosses or her work commitments are, she makes it a point to usher in the lunar New Year in Hong Kong with her parents and sisters.
While Malaysia is the work base for this host of the TV food programme 1 Day 5 Meals, which is currently in its third season on Astro Wah Lai Toi, Wong always makes it home to Causeway Bay for at least a week.
In her blood: Angel Wong, host of the TV food show 1 Day 5 Meals, which is currently in its third season on Astro Wah Lai Toi. This food critic gets her sensitive taste buds from her father, George, a former chef who used to cook for royalty. “I spend about eight to 10 days in Hong Kong and my mother picks me up at the airport,” says Wong who tries to make it home at least two days before the reunion dinner.
There is, of course, some “gentle pressure” from her bosses to appear for countdown shows due to her popularity but Wong, who is in her mid 30s, remains firm. “I simply tell them: ‘Thank you, but I want to go home’,” says the actress and television personality.
Nothing will make her miss this occasion with her family, not even her three dogs whom she leaves under the care of a good friend. One emceeing job away from home on the eve of Chinese New Year was enough to put her off doing it again. “I felt terrible,” recalls this Taurean.
It is not so much a matter of missing her mother’s Shanghai-influenced cuisine or time with her family as she sees them four to five times a year. It is the significance which matters to Wong as she sees the occasion as the end of all things past and a fresh start.
Certainly, the food that her mum, Janet To, 59, prepares for New Year is worth making the trip home for. Her favourite dishes are chicken gizzard and pig’s tongue preserved with Chinese white wine (which is eaten as an appetizer) and drunken chicken, served cold, steeped in a mixture of Chinese herbs for a few days. Of course, there will be the traditional hot pot, too.
With her slim, toned figure Angel can certainly afford to indulge in all the festive goodies. Wong’s timing is such that by the time she gets home, all the food preparation would be finished!
But Wong is not without her own culinary skills, too. Her forte is egg skin dumplings, a recipe she got from her mother.
“It looks like sui kow except that the skin is made from egg. To make the skin, beat some eggs and pour in a little oil. Heat the pan to medium and spoon the mixture into it with a tablespoon, turning it around to form a round skin. Then spoon in some mince meat as filling and quickly seal the edges before the skin is thoroughly cooked,” shares Wong.
With such delicacies on offer during the lunar New Year festivities, it is no wonder that Wong fears stepping on the scales after the feasting. Not that she needs to, weighing a mere 51kg.
Spending time with her mother and sisters, Anita, 30, and Anny, 37, is another treat for Wong who uses this time to bond with them – over the mahjong table!
All four will be earnestly pitting their skills against each other in the first four days of Chinese New Year.
This is the time when Wong’s father, George, 63, will pamper the ladies of the house by ensuring that they are well fed with all sorts of Chinese New Year snacks and delectables.
He was a chef who used to cook for royalty although it is Janet who takes charge of the kitchen. As Wong explains, there cannot be two CEOs in one company or tempers may flare.
Though her parents are originally from Shanghai, the family celebrates the New Year in Hong Kong as it can be daunting sharing the festive season with the large network of relatives in the mainland.
“Handing out so many ang pau will be a challenge!”
Wong shares that she would not be where she is today if not for her parents. Having graduated from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, she was very aware of their concern when she decided to pursue a career in entertainment in Malaysia 12 years ago. But instead of kicking up a fuss, they let Wong pursue her dreams.
“I am who I am today because of my parents. During my growing years, they instilled in me a sense of independence and recognised me as an individual. They also let me make my own mistakes and when they do pitch in to help, it is done very quietly,” she says.
The biggest influence in her life is her mother, who has been appointed the family’s chief financial officer due to her prowess in the stock exchange.
“Though she is a housewife, my mum is always under pressure as she feels responsible for our investment portfolios. There are times when she will tell us not to give her any more money so that she does not have to worry about the outcome of our investments,” says Wong with a laugh.
Working on an extremely tight schedule for her TV shows and emceeing work in Malaysia, she is more than happy to be a couch potato when she is at home for the New Year. “That is what I mean by coming home. It wouldn’t make sense if I spent all my time going out when I am supposed to be spending time with my family, right?” she reasons.
The cue for her to return to Malaysia is when the Hong Kong Stock Exchange opens for business. Leaving Hong Kong after the New Year festivities is tough, though, and she has to will herself not to cry.
“This is why I choose to fly off on Sundays on the 2.30pm flight so that we can have a dim sum lunch before that. It is a good prelude to the ensuing farewell as everybody can just stand up, and then I wave goodbye and check in.
“You have no idea how much control I have to muster to keep the tears from flowing,” says Wong.
Though she is fortunate to be with her family every Chinese New Year, she feels that such privileges should never be taken for granted.
“I always believe that if you want to show your love to the elders in your family, do it now. Don’t wait. After all, how many years do they have left? That is why I always make time for them,” concludes Wong
Published in The Star, Sunday Metro, on 14th February 2010
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