Shane Delia's Spice Journey

10:36 PM  , ,  

Singapore
15 April 2014

Embark on a culinary pilgrimage with Award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and TV personality Shane Delia takes us  on a spice journey across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East to explore his heritage and discover food traditions that go back thousands of years.
 
"About 12 months ago, someone approached me with the idea to film a TV series that would reveal to the world everything I love about the Middle East. The plan was that I would travel to places I'd never been and gain a firsthand experience of the food unique to each region. I love visiting countries I've only ever heard or read about, so I was on board with the idea instantly.
I suppose that’s when Shane Delia’s Spice Journey was born."
- Shane Delia -
 

Over ten half-hour episodes, Shane Delia's Spice Journey spans a distance of more than 2,000 kilometres and covers 2,000 years of culinary history. From the old Phoenician outpost of Malta, where the aromatics and spices of the Middle East mingle with the European traditions of the Mediterranean, he heads across the sea to Lebanon, the original Land of Milk and Honey and birthplace of contemporary Middle Eastern mezze. He then follows the time-worn caravan trails of the spice route to ancient Persia - Iran - which is home to saffron, pomegranate, rose water…and where some of the oldest surviving recipes on Earth can be found.
 
"This opportunity to travel through the Middle East and experience things most people would only dream about isn't something I take for granted. I am truly humbled that people have been supportive and are enjoying and embracing this experience just as much as I have through Spice Journey."
- Shane Delia -
 

 
Shane tastes his way around the region learning and seeking inspiration from medieval Arab and Persian recipes passed down through generations as well as rural and regional contemporary cuisines, then heads back to his Melbourne kitchen armed with this knowledge to put his unique twist on some of the world’s most ancient and influential culinary traditions by transforming these time-honoured delicacies into modern dishes.
 

 
"In a part of the world where nothing is certain, it’s the people and their culture that is the shining light in the face of all of the adversity, tension and unrest. If nothing else, the food rocks."
- Shane Delia -
 

 
Premiering 15 April 2014, Shane Delia's Spice Journey airs every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m on TLC (Starhub Ch 427). Encores every Wednesday and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. (1000 hrs).
 
"As long as I have good food, and family and friends to share it with, my life is complete”
- Shane Delia -
 

 

Sources