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the serie |
Out for Asia’s Culinary Treasures a series of documentaries 5 x 26 Minutes, 5 x 28’30 Minutes, 4
x 43 Minutes |
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1/5
The Foodhunter in Northern India Mark Brownstein, an American based in Hong Kong, has a rare profession: he travels and explores Asia for new foods, dishes, tastes or flavours which he then promotes to leading chefs and top restaurants around the world. A series of five documentaries accompanies the professional food scout to India, Thailand, Laos and to Vietnam. Designed as a crossover of food, travelogue and culture the films are an entertaining declaration of love to Asian food. On his search and sometimes adventurous journeys Mark Brownstein comes across rare delicacies that might be unknown even to specialists on the Asian cuisine. In India for instance he finds the elephant apple or the smoky sour Kodampoli fruit. In Laos it is the tasty seed of a bush mango or in Thailand the syrup of the Ma Tum fruit, that goes well with cocktails. The films alternate between Marks remote and rural search areas and Asia’s mega cities Hong Kong, Bangkok or Shanghai, where he test-cooks, refines and sells his discoveries to high-class restaurants. Chefs are constantly looking for the new and ingenious taste, but they don’t have time to travel. For them Mark is on the road, by plane, boat, motor bike or on foot, frequently to remote places. Where are unknowns products, food items or recipes? Ever heard of Shakara, a malty palm sugar from Kerala? Or from Koei-Kapi, magic shrimp paste from Thailand? In crisis-ridden Kashmir Mark is tracing the legendary Kashmiri saffron and in Central Vietnam the fabulous “cat coffee”. Where ever he is, Mark gets inspiration from street food. With him the films immerse into the abundant cosmos of food and cookery in India, Thailand and Vietnam. With him we explore three Asian Cuisines, that are truly fashionable. Mark is a fresh and truly likeable protagonist who gets along anywhere. In dusty villages he is at home and at ease as he is with famous chefs. His job leads him from the jungle directly into the fancy restaurants of the booming Asian metropolises. |
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