Two weeks ago, I am so privileged to meet and learn more about blogging from two of the most prominent food bloggers here in Singapore, both in separate occasions.

I was invited by Miss Chocoholic to attend a talk by Dr. Leslie Tay, Family Physician & food blogger of IEatIShootIPost, organised by Hannah  and Jimmy.

Before the talk, we were treated with a yummy serving of pulled pork personally smoked by Jimmy. The pork was so tender and flavorful. We topped it with some coleslaw in a bun. It was such a wonderful meal. I couldn’t help myself but get two servings of the pulled pork buns even if I am cutting back on my portions.

For dessert, we took a slice of Dr. Leslie’s  Japanese Cheesecake. It was perfection. It was not too sweet nor bland. And the texture was just so soft, it melts in your mouth. You can check out his Instagram for the cake he made and his blog for the recipe.

The talk Dr. Leslie gave was about ‘The Meaning and Purpose of Blogging’. He quoted the late Stephen Covey in his book , ‘7 Habits of Effective People‘ – “Begin With The End in Mind”. It made me think of the ‘whys’ of my blogging. What is my purpose for blogging? Do I have a manifesto, an objection or mission when I started my blog?

He gave us something to ponder that night. Our blogs or any projects we do should serve a purpose. Not just any purpose but a higher purpose. Something that means something. Something that will matter. It would make a big difference if our blogs or projects has a mission or objectives, something that would benefit the community. It shouldn’t be created for the benefit of our pride & vanity or else it will totally be pointless.

I also got inspired when he talked about first Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew. He is a perfect example of a person who practice the habit of Beginning with the End in Mind. He made Singapore the great nation that it is today. It is best to take a cue from him that our endeavours like our blogs should uphold values of being tactful, dignified and exemplary.

It was also nice to discover about his charity projects. Currently he has these statement T-shirts that is being sold for $20 and the profits goes to the Batam Orphanage Fund . I think that is awesome!

Credit: www.ieatishootipost.sg

The T-shirts say “Why You Bo Jio!” which is a Singlish phrase for  you to say to  your friends when they are posting delicious food  and you weren’t invited to go with them. For those interested in getting these t-shirts, you can get it here.

The very next day after meeting Dr. Leslie, I got to meet Daniel Ang of Daniel Food Diary. Tampines 1 Mall organized a session for foodies called “The Art of Food Blogging”.

We all met up at the rooftop of Tampines 1. Daniel enthusiastically made us introduce ourselves to the group. He made us all comfortable and he has an amazing sense of humor.

We went to several restaurants and an ice cream kiosk to try our food photography skills and  for Daniel to guide us in taking the best picture of our foods.

Here are some of the things I’ve learned:

1. Things are better in threes

Iced Match Drinks by MOF

2. Ask your (obliging good) friend to hold the utensils for you.

Mango and Sticky Rice by Thai Express

3. Go Closer, More Closer…. Don’t be afraid to go so close to the food.

Roasted Duck by Dian Xiao Er

(Ok, I know this one is not close enough.)

4. You don’t need a DSLR to take a good food picture. Sometimes iPhones would do.

Vegetables with Floss in Dian Xiao Er

5. Natural Light is your friend. Look for the best light preferably near the window seat.

Massaman Curry by ThaiExpress

5. Hold the cup on a wall with the fingers holding it below th cup. Best with slender fingers . 

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream by MilkCow

(Ok, I know my fingers are not that slender and I am not holding this ice cream cup correctly enough)

6. Have fun. It doesn’t have to be too perfect.

Here is the whole gang after the fun session.

Credit: Tampines 1

I have always been a fan of these two food bloggers ever since I been searching for specific hawker centers and restaurants here in Singapore. But after meeting them, I couldn’t help but respect and admire them even more. I see qualities what made these men successful in their endeavors. They are very charismatic and likeable. They have integrity in their work and produce results that is outstanding. Their moral core are based on the fundamental truths of hardwork, goodness and simplicity based from the energy that they project. I admire Dr. Leslie’s altruism and Daniel’s positivity. I see two self-actualized men in both of them. It’s not everyday you get to be lucky to meet two of Singapore’s distinguished food bloggers in the same week. I just have to pinch myself.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The author is a genuine fan of both food bloggers. The text stems from the author’s own musings and understanding with the sessions with the two food bloggers and was not taken out verbatim from the talk/ workshop that was given. Many thanks to HannahChiaFoodTrail, Jimmy of Smoque.Sg and Tampines 1 Mall for making this possible. “The Art of Food Blogging” is a workshop session organized by Tampines 1 Mall which the author signed up for.