Brendan Pang became a household name after appearing on Masterchef: Australia, and since then, has cemented his status as one of the best chefs in Australia.
Known for his Chinese-Mauritian recipes, he’s also written two books and has a frozen dumpling line called Bumplings. A keen runner, Pang is also passionate about sharing how he fuels his workouts with a plant-based diet.
Though he’s not vegan, he sees the value in eating less meat products in his diet, and wants to encourage others to do the same.
Ahead of his appearance at the Good Food & Wine Show Brisbane, 9Honey Coach chatted with Pang to find out all about his day on a plate.
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Breakfast
My breakfast is quite simple. It is usually something that is packed with energy to start my day off right. I like to exercise first thing, so I often eat something that is light, like overnight oats with a plant-based alternative milk or a banana and coffee.
On weekends or holidays, it’s a totally different story. I do enjoy going out for brekky and like trying something different.
I recently had a spiced tofu scramble and it was delicious!
Lunch
I’m usually on the go and buy lunch when I’m out of the house. My go-to is something fresh like sushi or rice paper rolls.
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If I am at home I like to make a salad or rice bowl of some sort, with leftovers I have in the fridge. Quite often I’ll use leftovers like roast vegetables, rice and fresh herbs, and add condiments like hot sauce or hummus from my fridge to build a fresh and tasty bowl.
Dinner
There is no set dinner for me! I like to have a routine in the week, which means something fresh and healthy to complement my active lifestyle, and on weekends I often eat out with friends.
When I am at home here are some of my dinners:
- Teriyaki bowl of some sort
- Middle eastern salads, dips and bread
- Fried rice using whatever is in my fridge or pantry
- Mexican nights – making tacos or burrito bowls
- A family fave – Mauritian curry
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Snacks
I always have dips, fruit and veg laying around so this is my usual snack.
I also like making my own trail mix, and the classic combo of rice crackers with banana, peanut butter and honey always works. Yoghurt and granola is another great snack.
Is there anything in particular you have before/after running?
I usually just have a banana or some rice cakes with peanut butter and honey before running. I try not to eat too much but also just enough for the right energy boost.
I try to eat soon after running to help replenish my body. This usually means a well balanced meal consisting of carbs, protein and fat. I’m a big fan of brunch food after I run such as eggs and avo on toast or a teriyaki salmon rice bowl.
What’s your number one favourite food when you want a treat?
I love going out for yum cha if I want a treat because I get to order so many different dishes – from pan-fried dumplings to steamed dumplings and even crispy fried squid tentacles.
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Has being a chef/getting experience in the food industry changed the way you eat?
I am not more critical or selective about food but I have more of an understanding and appreciation for what goes into each dish – flavours, textures, techniques etc.
I am more adventurous in trying new cuisines and ingredients, always in search of inspiration for my own cooking.
That being said, I also just like simple homely food on my days off such as a perfectly cooked omelette or a classic bowl of noodles.
What are you excited most about showing plant-based recipes at the Good Food & Wine Show and what recipes will you be demonstrating?
I will be demonstrating plant based dumplings, noodles and a Japanese katsu curry from scratch. I think plant based cooking is such a vibrant field to explore and it excites me breaking that down to easy recipes I can share with people at the show.
Plant based cooking is not only kind to our environment (something I align with) but it can also be so delicious and not scary at all to make and I love showing people that.