Spice To Life

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Maui’s awarded and celebrated chef,

Sheldon Simeon, brings aloha to Lifestyle Network’s Spice to Life

He dishes on how keeping it local catapulted him into a competitive global scene

(Redwood City, California) –The island of Maui takes center stage this week on Lifestyle Network’s food and travel series, Spice to Life. Home to the traditional open-sea restaurant and quaint gourmet kitchens, Maui’s food scene is well-known for its Hawaiian regional cuisine – a delicious blend of ingredients and techniques from many cultures. Awarded celebrity Chef Sheldon Simeon traverses corners of the island where the food is exceptional – from popsicles to haute cuisine. Join him on Sunday, April 24 at 7:30pm Pacific.

Chef Sheldon Simeon was born in Hilo and developed a love for cooking as a child. His grandparents, both migrants, provided an enriched life on a plantation, where Simeon learned what went into growing the best produce and the true way of putting food on the table. “I’ve cooked my whole life. It was something that was natural,” he shares. “My brother and I learned to cook at a very young age. Whether it was cooking dinner every night or cooking for a family gathering, it was just a part of our upbringing.”

From Hilo High, Simeon went to the Culinary Institute of the Pacific and onto an internship at Walt Disney World. Back in Hawaii, he attended Maui Culinary Academy and landed at the highly-acclaimed Star Noodle. He entered into the world of reality television and competed in the 10^th season of Bravo Network’s Top Chef: Seattle as a finalist and winning Fan Favorite. Currently, he is executive chef at his restaurant, MiGRANT at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Maui, where he serves Filipino meals made plantation-style, with a twist.

His dishes are deeply rooted in the different cultures that have shaped Hawaii cuisine, most of them coming from family recipes. In 2011, Chef Sheldon Simeon was a two-time James Beard semifinalist for Rising Star, the most coveted honor for chefs, and Best New Restaurant. In 2014, he was named one of Hawaii Magazine’s Top 5 Best Hawaiian Chefs and was voted FOOD & WINE Magazine’s 2014 People’s Best New Chef for the Pacific & Northwest.

Many years after his colorful childhood on the plantation, Simeon shows an ardent commitment to supporting local fishermen and farmers, creating a healthy and sustainable ecosystem within the island. In fact, his menu often changes, to accommodate what’s fresh and in season. The migrant adventure of his grandparents is alive in Simeon today. “My sense of adventure is in the bloodline. My grandma has the best quote in the world. She’d always say ‘when you plant eggplant, come out eggplant,’ quips Simeon. “I’ve been cut from a good cloth, I could say.” From the plantation he hailed, and to the plantation his most arduous love returns.

Sheldon and wife, Janice, recently launched their own restaurant, Tin Roof, in Kahului, serving gastronomic sophistication under $10 – a ‘contemporary mom and pop.’ Working closely with local farmers, fishermen, ranchers, and artisans, the trend-setting and trailblazing couple received massive support from the community – so massive, in fact, that they had to close the day after their soft opening to restock a completely sold out menu. They regard their newest enterprise as their ‘humble beginning, their tin roof.’

“There is an undeniable authenticity to Chef Sheldon Simeon’s food and ethic,” said Lifestyle Network channel head Aileen Paredes. “He shows audiences that you can be the best in the world without sacrificing the truth that is spoken through food. We are proud to have him in the Lifestyle Network family.”

Join Sheldon Simeon in this Sunday’s episode of Spice to Life where he takes audiences on a hunt for the tastiest finds in Maui.

Lifestyle Network programming opens the doors to a whole new world of possibility. Check local listings for channel availability.

Lifestyle Network’s Spice to Life features Los Angeles’ trend-setting Chef Michael Hung

A journey that spans from French fine dining to movie magic

Redwood City, Calif. (April 15, 2016) –This week, Spice to Life explores Los Angeles, the city with one of the most expansive, rule-breaking food scenes with Chef Michael Hung. In this city, the quirk and authenticity of street food is as much a subject of discourse as fine dining. Discover these gems on the show’s upcoming episode on Sunday, April 17 at 7:30pm Pacific.

Chef Michael Hung began his culinary career, doing extended stages at restaurants Daniel and Aquavit in New York. In San Francisco, he worked with the James Beard award-winning team of Traci Des Jardins at Jardiniere and became chef de cuisine at the Michelin One-Starred La Folie. He worked on Pixar’s Academy Award-winning animation, Ratatouille, where he was credited as Menu Chef and Consultant, alongside legends Thomas Keller and Guy Savoy.

“The work I did for Ratatouille was to create a menu for the restaurant in the movie. I cooked all the dishes on the menu and the animators took pictures to create physical models and plot how the animation should work,” shared Chef Michael Hung, featured chef on Spice to Life. The attention to detail was so keen that the characters in Ratatouille bear burns on their arms, those of Hung, emblematic battle scars for any chef.

Chef Hung also founded a philanthropic pop-up dinner series, Red Sparrow, while he earned a Masters in Fine Arts in creative writing. Most recently, he became the Executive Chef of Faith & Flower in Los Angeles, heralded by Esquire Magazine as one of the nation’sBest New Restaurants and one of Los Angeles Magazine’s Top 10 Best New Restaurants. At Faith & Flower, the menu items fully expressed the quintessence of his world travels, underscored his creative and business acumen, and are made with erudite execution.

“The layers of versatility of Chef Michael Hung are clearly expressed in his food,” said Lifestyle Network channel head Aileen Paredes. “We are proud to shine the spotlight on yet another leader in our food movement, one who is unafraid to move the dial and push perceived limits.”

Join Michael Hung in this Sunday’s episode of Spice to Life where he takes audiences on a hunt for the tastiest finds in the city of the stars.

Lifestyle Network programming opens the doors to a whole new world of possibility. Check local listings for channel availability.

Chef and entrepreneur Tim Luym revels in the San Francisco food scene on Lifestyle Network’s Spice to Life

The creative game is 24/7 to compete in the thought-forward food industry in the 7x7

Redwood City, Calif. (April 7, 2016) – This week, Spice to Life takes audiences to the city by the bay, cosmopolitan and trend-setting San Francisco, where Chef Tim Luym has figured out the algorithm to playing big in the food and restaurant industry with competitive strategy and good food, with the help of some secret ingredients. Join him on the show’s upcoming episode on Sunday, April 10 at 7:30pm Pacific.

At three years old, Tim Luym’s family moved to San Francisco from Manila. Music and food quickly became a passion for Luym, who also had a long stint in music, performing under the name DJ Mosquito. The music-lover amassed thousands of records and still keeps over 10,000 to this day. But food posed a greater interest for Luym, who has successfully integrated Filipino dishes and flavors into his predominantly Asian-themed ventures, from Poleng Lounge, to theWow Silog food truck, Attic Restaurant, Frozen Kuhsterd, Neighbor’s Corner, and Mekong Kitchen. This June, he puts his stamp on yet another enterprise, Buffalo Theory, a 33 taproom beer bar with Asian American inspired bar bites, drawn from his heritage and travels.

“I love food, cooking, and eating. The camaraderie, respect, and discipline in the French brigade-style system was appealing to me and there’s an honesty about good food and chefs making it happen,” shares Chef Tim Luym, featured chef on Spice to Life. “It’s a never-ending learning journey. Every day is a good day. No two days are the same, with new challenges to face and problems to solve that can affect the community and even change the world.”

San Francisco is known to be a melting pot city, home to a plethora of migrant communities whose cuisines have created a competitive, complex, and refined reputation for the city’s food scene. Ever wonder where the chefs go to eat? On this episode, Chef Tim Luym visits his favorite food spots, revealing history and local secrets, from Polk Street to Geary.

Luym is a San Francisco Chronicle three-star chef. In 2007, he was recognized as the San Francisco Chronicle Rising Star Chef. His first restaurant, Poleng, was awarded Top 10 New Restaurants of 2006, Michelin Bib Gourmand, and the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 restaurants in the Bay Area in 2007 and 2008. His Crispy Adobo Wings made it on 7x7’s ‘100 Things to Eat Before You Die List.’ In 2015, Luym’s work in the community was recognized with a CAAMFeast Trailblazer Award, one most meaningful as philanthropy, working with the community, and creating a healthy and sustainable workforce have become his entrepreneurial focal points.

“Filipino cuisine was put on the map by entrepreneurs and artists like Tim Luym,” said Lifestyle Network channel head Aileen Paredes. “His genius behind the stove, compassion for his hometown, and enviable joie de vivreharmoniously make him a thought-leader in the global Filipino food movement.”

Join Tim Luym as he explores and uncovers the best of San Francisco. Learn his kitchen tricks to make the perfect meal for any time of the day. This Sunday, he covers all that and talks about why every household pantry should have the magical ingredient behind his success: fish sauce.

Lifestyle Network programming opens the doors to a whole new world of possibility. Check local listings for channel availability.

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Spice to Life is a colorful, delicious, and touching series, where chefs and restaurateurs share their passion for food, culture, people, and their communities. It is delivered by a cinematic and visually-rich tale of how food has led them to industry fame. Each episode reveals their remarkable journeys and secret ingredients to their success, highlights their favorite local spots hidden from the average tourist, and demonstrates their signature dishes. The series is expected to highlight New York, Los Angeles, Hawaii, and wine country in its television debut. Spice to Life’s first season will run for six half-hour episodes, produced locally by Lifestyle Network.

About Lifestyle Network:

Lifestyle Network is a living and travel TV guide that fulfills the lifestyle needs of modern Filipinos around the globe. A TFC premium channel, Lifestyle Network's programming is a unique combination of original and acquired shows airing 24/7 in English. Broadcast in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe, it is available through satellite, cable, and video on demand platforms. Based in Redwood City, California, the channel is owned by ABS-CBN International, a subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corporation - the Philippines’ largest entertainment and broadcasting company, through ABS-CBN Corporation's wholly-owned subsidiary, ABS-CBN Global Hungary Kft. To find Lifestyle Network in your area and for exclusive content online, visit www.lifestylenetwork.tv.

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