Q: What food smell brings you instantly back to childhood?
A: The smell of food - especially seafood - cooking on an open grill always reminds me of the street food carts that line virtually every street, in every town, in Thailand. Though buying anything from them is a rather questionable choice, it is one that could be very rewarding.

Q: What is your first food memory?
A: Eating rice porridge at the morning market in our little rural town with my parents before going to kindergarten. Even today, whenever I order rice porridge, I still get it in the same way: with nothing in it but pork balls, a soft boiled egg and a splash of soy sauce.

Q: If I came to your house for supper tonight, what would you make me?
A: Spicy marinated sirloin tip steak with fresh corn salsa.

Q: What is your perfect idea of happiness?
A: A night in with Rhys, good wine, good food and either a very good or spectacularly bad movie

Q: What is your greatest fear?
A: Becoming complacent or apathetic.

Q: What historical figure do you most identify with?
A: The Amazing Randi, skeptic extraordinaire

Q: Who are your heroes in real life?
A: My parents, who taught me that teh only path worth walking is the one you've created for yourself.

Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
A: Having the courage to venture out on my own, even when that means moving over 8,000 miles away from home.

Q: What is your most treasured possession?
A: My gorgeous engagement ring, which was my fiancee's grandmother's.

Q: What is your motto?
A: To borrow from Albert Camus, "Live to the point of tears."