Herald on Sunday

THE WORLD’S HIS OYSTER FOR 30 DAYS

Celebrity chef Manu Feildel is on a global mission — and a budget — in his new show, writes Stephanie Holmes.

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We’re used to seeing French-born, Australian-based chef Manu Feildel on our screens as one half of the cool, calm, critical judging duo on My Kitchen Rules.

But this week we’ll see him in a different light — travelling the world following the footsteps of one of his heroes.

“For many years I’ve dreamed of travelling the route Phileas Fogg took in Jules Vern’s famous novel, Around the World in 80 Days, but with a special twist,” Manu says. “My adventure would be a culinary voyage — cooking, eating, and sharing the food of each amazing destinatio­n with the people I met along the way.”

Sounds easy? Well, in keeping with the reality television shows Manu is famous for, there is an even bigger twist.

“Of course I couldn’t just follow the footsteps of Fogg, there must be a modern-day challenge to keep it interestin­g,” Manu says.

In Vern’s book, Fogg accepted a bet of £20,000 that he couldn’t make it all the way around the world in 80 days.

“When I was dreaming of my own adventure I knew I wouldn’t have 80 days, but with modern day transport maybe I could do it in 30,” Manu says. “And no one was offering me £20,000 as a reward, however perhaps I could attempt the journey my way — as a culinary expedition — on a $20,000 budget.”

Twenty-grand sounds like a lot for a monthholid­ay, sure. But when you see Manu’s itinerary, you may change your mind.

He goes from Australia to the UK, then to Dubai, India, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Los Angeles and New York. A quick calculatio­n on a flight booking website shows you potentiall­y could spend $19,000 on flights alone.

In each destinatio­n, Manu is allowed to earn extra money by any means necessary — washing dishes, cooking meals and even busking — but he can’t accept travel or money without earning it.

His first stop is London, where he lived for eight years.

“I was excited to see how the city had changed and any new offerings they had,” Manu says. “London always amazes me in the way that it is such an old city and able to still keep traditions but also has so much to offer in the modern world — especially in the way of the cuisine offered there.

“It’s great that you can find traditiona­l food everywhere, as well as modern and exciting new flavours and concepts. Unfortunat­ely, as my time was short and my budget small I didn’t get to sample all the great food that I would have loved to.”

Manu did have time to visit Dorset, where he’d never been, and popped in to fellow celebrity chef Rick Stein’s restaurant, Sandbanks, where he worked in the kitchen for the day. After work, he got to tuck into a seafood platter. “Being so close to the sea, the fish was amazingly fresh and full of flavour.”

Manu’s journey starts on our screens on Saturday, but he’s shared a recipe in advance to help us get in the mood.

Around the World With Manu Feildel, Saturdays from October 29 at 8.30pm on TVNZ1

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