It is a pleasure to feature you on SimplySxy Candace. Please share with our readers a little about yourself and where you’re from?
Hi everyone. I am Candace, and I am from Hong Kong. I am a mom of 2 girls. I quit my job after I delivered my elder daughter and worked as a full time mom for more than 10 years. Around 4 years ago, after my little one went to primary school, I started my career again. And now I am simply the slash generation of everybody mentioned, I am a mom / housewife / writer / cooking teacher / blogger / food artist.
How did your interest in cooking start?
I cooked since I was a little kid in primary school. I lived with my grandma when I was a kid, she was the only one who cooked for whole family. My family was quite big, in a small apartment, there lived my 3 aunts, 2 uncles, my mom, my sister, grandpa and me. You know, grandma is getting older and older, it was quite difficult for her to handle such big task. When there was no one able to help her, I came out and told grandma that I would be her side kick in kitchen. And so…I started my cooking at primary 4. I enjoy cooking, or you may say, I enjoy the lovely time in the kitchen with my grandma.
Where do you get your inspiration to have such beautiful food creations?
Thanks so much for your kindness. Mostly I got inspiration from my 2 daughters and their friends. As a full time mom, I am the only one who takes care my girls. I stay with them most of the time of a day, I know everything about what they like, and what is popular among kids. Sometimes, I just try to pick out some of their daily life, and make it with a famous cartoon characters, and turn them into food. For example, I made a sleeping Rilakkuma rice ball, with a piece of egg sheet as a blanket but it fell off Rilakkumra’s tummy. That’s exactly what I saw in the morning of my girl sleeping in her bed. It was quite funny. And I do really enjoy making all little daily things into edible creations.
Is there any food you will never eat?
Hm…actually I am not a food picky lady. I eat everything. If you really need me to mention one kind of food which I really avoid, I would pick food which are made of food coloring. No matter that is the beautiful decorated cookies, cupcakes or those Chinese colorful tangyuan. I just feel…they are so so so full of chemicals.
I used to make tangyuan once with food coloring, and I found once the food coloring left on your hand, it would be quite impossible to wash it off. Imagine what happened inside your tummy when you ate a load of food coloring food? I can only imagine a colorful inside part of the body…that’s so disgusting, right?
I did tell my daughters about the food coloring stories, and they are just same as me, feeling disgusted of all food which made of food coloring…
Do you have any other hobbies?
I like drawing too, but am not really good… When I have a free weekend at home, I would love to take out a piece of canvas and some paint brushes and start painting. I enjoy the time of being alone by myself, and concentrate on working out with color. That’s a very relaxed and chilled moment to myself.
If you could have a superpower, what will it be?
If I could get a superpower…I wish I could walk thru people, like what a ghost could do. XD. You know, I live in HK, even at the very downtown of HK. Once I get out of my home, there are already millions of people all around me. Some of them are tourists from China walking with big suitcases. It is really difficult to get your way among that big amount of people. Especially when you are in rush, you wanna walk fast, but sorry…there are thousands of people right in front of you blocking your way. So…I wish I can just walk thru them to save a lot of my time….
Have you done something embarrassing before that seems funny now?
well…I got a memory which always come up from my mind. I believe I would keep in my mind for my whole life…and it was rather embarrassed even now…
When I was kid, my family love to cut my hair short, very short. Not only like shoulder length short, but short like a boy, with only like 2-3cm hair left on my head. My family said it was much easy to handle, and kids dun need to care about the hair… I was really upset and hate my hair style for my whole childhood.
I remember one day when I was something like 6 or 7, the first 2 years of my primary school. On the day, I wore the set of PE uniform, something like a polo shirt and a pair of shorts. There were no differences between boy and girls’ PE uniform. At recess time, I went to the girls toilet as usual, but I was caught by a elder girl who was in senior primary class. She told everyone around her that she found a boy inside female washroom…there were some other senior kids said I was maybe a girl as my face looked so girly…it was so super embarrassing to a little kid like me. Anyway, I was saved by a teacher who told everybody that I was a girl.
What is a typical day like for you?
Wow, I wake up quite early everyday, at 5:30am! Hahah. Even if I woke up that early, but mornings are still so rushed to me, as I have to make 3 lunchboxes to my 2 daughters and my husband, together with their breakfast.
After sending them off to school and work, I will start my daily routine of housework. Then I will do some writings or food creation on the day so I don’t need to work outside of home. Unfortunately, I am quite busy on so called “out of the home” work, video shooting, teaching classes, events or some workshops…. But I still try my very best to make all the work done by 3 o’clock, that’s my 2 daughters finished school time. Then I will turn myself back as a full time mom…
After my girls go to bed at around 10pm, I will start my own work again… writing, research or reply emails. I worked till quite late like 12am. Yes…I dun sleep much, I sleep enough. But I do very enjoy my work. I love working. I am what people called a “Fxxking workaholic”.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Candace. One question before we end, how do you define “sexy”?
I believe ….Sexy comes with age. When I was a young girl, I always admired those a little bit mature ladies who were in their 30+. I thought they have kind of a woman charm which come with age and experience. They stand out with confidence, perfect posture and beautiful curve, and you know it could never able to find on a teenage or 20+ girl. At that time, I really wish I could be something like them one day…
And now, I am at the age of what I want to be. I dunno if people think I am sexy or not. But I still believe woman with confidence are pretty and sexy, and yes…I am ok sexy to my opinion. Hahaha…
Follow the beautiful Candace Ku on:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/candacemama
YouTube: www.youtube.com/candacemamahomecooking
Instagram: @cancan708
Upcoming Works:
I am going to work with a very famous Japanese cartoon character as their official food artist. And now, beside my original cooking category, I am developing the beauty section too. Wish there would be some achievement soon.
Images courtesy of Candace Ku
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