On Friday, 18 October 2013 at 9.30pm, the Asian Food Channel (AFC), part of the Scripps Networks Interactive family of lifestyle networks, will premiere a brand new cooking programme filmed in Malaysia called Tea Twist. The programme, which features local Malaysian chef, Nik Michael Imran, will air regionally across Asia to AFC viewers in twelve different territories. Viewers in Malaysia can catch the AFC Original Production nationwide on Astro Channel 703.
The six-part series (6x30mins), which is produced in collaboration with Unilever Malaysia, features Chef Nik creating thirst-quenching recipes using one of his favourite drinks – LIPTON Tea! Join him as he travels through Kuala Lumpur, transforming the everyday tea into exciting and delicious drinks paired with scrumptious foods for his friends and family.
Derek Chang, Managing Director of Scripps Networks Interactive Asia Pacific, shares his feeling about the premiere of AFC’s latest original series “We are glad to have embarked on this partnership with Unilever Malaysia and look towards working on more complementary projects together in the future. Both AFC and Unilever Malaysia have long-standing relationships with the Malaysian community and we are thrilled to have the chance to provide them with original content, which stars one of their very own culinary talents. Scripps Networks Interactive looks forward to finding and cultivating more Asian talent in Malaysia and sharing such homegrown talent with the world. We welcome Chef Nik into the AFC family of Celebrity Chefs and we’re sure that we will be working closely again with him in the future.”
Victor Leow, Brand Manager Food & Beverages Unilever Malaysia adds, “Everyone at Unilever Malaysia is awaiting the premiere of Tea Twist as this is our first project with the Asian Food Channel. We are very excited to work with AFC and Chef Nik to showcase how tea can be an exciting beverage. LIPTON Tea is enjoyed regularly and we want to show tea drinkers and non-tea drinkers that tea can be turned into more exciting hot or cold concoctions with just a few simple everyday ingredients such as fruits, soda or herbs like mint. Who would not want a Mojito Tea or a Sparkling Ice Tea on a hot day or an Earl Grey Ginger Milk Tea Latte on a cold rainy afternoon? It is time to inspire everyone and in line with LIPTON’s bright image, we hope to inject more fun, lifestyle and inspirational elements into this program. We can’t wait to share the great taste of LIPTON Tea and we hope that consumers will embrace the new and exciting recipes featured on Tea Twist.”
Chef Nik is of Australian-Malaysian heritage and is the eldest of six siblings. Born in Selangor, Malaysia, he grew up under the cooking influence of his father, who used to own an Italian restaurant in Brisbane, Australia. This led to him developing an interest in cooking from an early age. At the age of 15, he started picking up cooking skills from his father and supplemented his talents with reading culinary books and websites. In 2011, Chef Nik was one of 24 finalists picked out of 500 contestants in the first season of MasterChef Malaysia. The show brought national spotlight to his cooking talent. With a burgeoning cooking career, Chef Nik decided to put his business education on hold and focus on the culinary arts. At the end of 2012, Chef Nik embarked on a culinary journey with his father, opening comfort food café PickNik in Kuala Lumpur.
Tea Twist is proudly sponsored by Unilever Malaysia. Catch the premiere exclusively on the Asian Food Channel, Friday 18 October at 9.30pm on Astro Channel 703.
For more information about the Asian Food Channel and its programmes, please visit www.asianfoodchannel.com.