SINGAPORE, 4 September 2015 – Asian Food Channel and Food Network announced today that two talented and passionate foodies have been selected as the 2015 Food Hero winners after a four-month talent search across Asia-Pacific. The finalists were judged on their performance in a series of food-based challenges, interviews, screen tests and most of all, on their abilities to engage with the viewers both on-air and in person. Viewers across Asia can look forward to Ili Sulaiman and Debbie Wong from Malaysia and Hong Kong respectively, hosting shows on Asian Food Channel and Food Network in the coming months.
“I am thrilled that Ili and Debbie are going to join our current Food Heroes, Sarah and Michele, as talents of our top rated food channels! Developing local talent is one of the main tenets of our business in Asia and I am confident that our viewers will grow to trust and love them as much as they have grown to love and trust Asian Food Channel and Food Network as the go-to destinations in Asia when it comes to all things food.” said Derek Chang, Managing Director of Scripps Networks Interactive, Asia Pacific.
Ili Sulaiman is the second Malaysian to claim the Food Hero title. She is the founder of her own food delivery service called “Dish by Ili” that serves healthy homemade meals to families in Malaysia. Her fusion style of cooking is heavily influenced by her mix of Malay, Chinese, English and Sri Lankan heritage.
Ili adds, “Like many Malaysians, food occupies a very special place in my heart. Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve found myself drawn towards food, cooking for myself and for others, as well as teaching and making cooking fun! Winning Food Hero is a dream come true for me, giving me another platform to make lives better through food.”
Debbie Wong is a passionate food lover who stars in her own online YouTube series, “Wok and Gong”. Having lived in many diverse cities and being exposed to different cultures, she loves exploring new eateries and enjoys cooking modern comfort food that is simple, straightforward and globally inspired.
Sharing her excitement, Debbie said, “I grew up watching Food Network, and now to have been given the opportunity to be on it, is truly a dream come true. The whole Food Hero competition has been such a surreal and truly joyful experience and I’m so excited to see what Scripps Networks has in store for me!”
Ili and Debbie join Food Hero 2014 winners, Sarah Benjamin from Singapore and Michele Lean from Malaysia. Since winning last year, Sarah has starred in original series Must Try! Asia and Cooking for Love on Asian Food Channel while Michele went on to host Food Wars Asia on Food Network. Both also currently host their own web series Simply Special, Gr848, Eat My World and Food Flip, which are hosted on each channel’s website and YouTube channel.
Food Hero is an ongoing talent search campaign by Scripps Networks Interactive in Asia. It is supported by Expedia, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Japan, and official Singapore Radio Partners, Kiss 92FM and One FM.
For more information about Food Hero, please visit www.foodhero.asia or download the Food Hero application which is available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
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About Asian Food Channel
Asian Food Channel (AFC) is the region’s leading food-focused channel that celebrates the unique Asian culinary experience with the added touch of global flavor. AFC entertains viewers with a range of local and international content from reality, lifestyle to travelogue program formats. It believes in celebrating the rich history and story behind Asia’s most beloved cuisines and continues to grow its library of originally produced Asian content, breaking boundaries with new and exciting programs such as Must Try: Asia, Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines and How to Make It: Culinary Dreams.
In 2014, AFC was ranked the number one lifestyle channel among women aged 25-54 in Singapore and the number one lifestyle channel during primetime (6pm-12mn) among the same audience group in Malaysia respectively.
For more information about Asian Food Channel please visit www.asianfoodchannel.com or Asian Food Channel Facebook page (www.facebook.com/asianfoodchannel).
About Food Network
Food Network features premium content from its U.S. counterpart as well as original programming produced for the Asian market. Hosted by world-class chefs and culinary experts, Food Network is the leading destination for all things food, including culinary adventure, instructional cookery, kitchen competitions, and home entertaining. Food Network entertains its viewers with a variety of shows, including original productions localized for Asia, such as Best Thing I ever Ate, Food Wars Asia.
Food Network’s growing online presence includes its interactive website (http://www.foodnetworkasia.com/) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FoodNetworkAsia) which has over 83,000 fans. The brand’s active social media presence has built a connection between the network and its viewers, enabling fans to learn more about program offerings and share their interesting finds.
Please visit www.foodnetworkasia.com for more information.
About Expedia
Expedia is one of the world’s largest online travel companies. It prides itself in helping travelers plan and book their travel by providing a personalized service, the latest technology, as well as a wide selection of hotels and 400 airlines. Every local website offers holiday packages, cheap flights, hotel bookings, car hire and in-destination attraction to suit all travelling needs. In Asia, Expedia operates 11 sites which are Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and India.