Adam Liaw says that visiting Beijing never fails to push him into an extra gear.
BURANO, ITALY
Burano is a little archipelago that is a short day trip from Venice. I visited here when I was about 18 and there was a single meal that truly changed the way I thought about food. It was a simple plate of spaghetti alla vongole in rosso and if I'm honest, not even all that well executed, but it was truly the most perfect thing to eat on a bright sunny day in Burano. That one plate of pasta taught me that food is all about context, and there's a perfect dish for every occasion.
TOKYO, JAPAN
Japan has become a big part of my life, and it happened completely by accident. I took a job in Tokyo when I was a young lawyer, intending to stay for only a year or two but after seven years I was still there. I've loved cooking for as long as I can remember, but I was always focused on my own kitchen and my own background. It wasn't until I lived in Tokyo that I started to see food from a global perspective. It truly is the greatest food city in the world, and it inspired me to do what I do now.
SVALBARD, NORWAY
Only about 1000 kilometres from the geographic North Pole, Svalbard is the literal edge of human civilisation. We headed out on snow mobiles looking for polar bears and about five hours later we were standing on the edge of a cliff and staring out into empty whiteness that stretched to the horizon in every direction. Feeling that small gives you a whole different perspective of your place in the universe.
BEIJING, CHINA
In the past 20 years, I've probably been to Beijing 100 times, and every time it's completely different. The rate of change and progress there is extraordinary and it never fails to push me into an extra gear. Going through our daily routines can get very comfortable, but every time I go to Beijing it makes me think: "Wow, I need to keep hustling every single day or the world is going to leave me behind."
Adam Liaw has partnered with Vaccine Hub, informing travellers of the benefits of visiting a healthcare professional before travelling overseas. See vaccinehub.com.au
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