Photo: HBO Go
Cover Photo: HBO Go

The six-episode series on HBO Go will spotlight Singapore’s hawker and fine dining scene while revealing the stories behind them

With over nine million subscribers on YouTube and over two billion views on his channel, Mark Wiens needs no introduction to the world of food vlogging.

Travelling the world with his family, viewers enjoy watching Wiens as he tries local staples, films the intricate cooking process and learns more about the dishes he gets to taste.

Now, Wiens is hanging up his vlogging camera (temporarily) as he embarks on his next adventure: a food show on HBO Go. 

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Titled Food Affair With Mark Wiens, the series will focus entirely on Singapore and its vast food scene. This non-scripted, six-episode series hosted by Weins will premiere on November 18 and will focus on the history and stories behind Singapore’s hawker and fine dining scene. Considering that Singapore currently has over 50 Michelin-starred establishments and over 60 Bib Gourmand spots, it is really a playground for the adventurous and hungry.

Over the course of the show, Wiens will speak to local food superstars such as chefs Justin Quek, Violet Oon and Candlenut’s Malcolm Lee.

The show itself is part of a three-year partnership between the Singapore Tourism Board and Warner Bros Discovery. The collaboration will see both parties working together on original entertainment and lifestyle content, including drama serials, animation and reality shows in order to inspire travellers to visit Singapore.

Ahead of the show’s release, Tatler Singapore had a chat with the gastronomist to talk about the show, his transition from YouTube to the big screen and more. Read on for more. 

Tatler Asia
Photo: HBO Go
Above Photo: HBO Go

So let’s start with how this HBO show came about. How did you go from vlogging on YouTube to being asked to host this show?

Mark Weins (MW): Well, I’ve been making videos for quite a few years now, since 2010. I’ve also been to Singapore quite a few times as well and it was on one of my trips to Singapore when Eric Khoo’s son contacted me and invited me to eat at one of their family’s favourite egg noodle wanton mee stalls. Through that meal, I ended up meeting Eric and that was about six years ago or so.

Zhao Wei Films, which Eric is part of, was working very closely with HBO here in Singapore and of course, I respect Eric and his filmmaking and directing. He’s such an amazing storyteller.

So we just had a few casual calls with the Zhao Wei Films team and the production team. I’ve done YouTube and food videos for quite a few years so I’m always open to trying new things and I like to get out of my comfort zone if there is an opportunity, so it was really a privilege to be given the opportunity to be part of Food Affair. But it was really more of a friendly, casual, initial introduction.

Tatler Asia
Photo: HBO Go
Above Photo: HBO Go

What were the differences you felt or observed between your usual vlogs and filming for the show?

MW: Typically when I film, it’s just me and my wife [when we travel]. We can do our research about the dish and history and we will hang out with local people who are knowledgeable about the local food scene. But with the amount of content you put out on social media and the time people have, it’s hard to get the story of the person behind the food out there in a vlog or video. My videos focus on going around, trying food and describing it for what it is with an honest review of it.

Food Affair had a totally different kind of storyline and it was a bit more complex. A lot more research went into it but it was also very rewarding because we were able to spend more time talking to the people behind the food and that went for everywhere that we went.

We started with a food expert who is very knowledgeable about the food and went from a fine dining chef to a hawker centre stall. And it was really great to be able to hear the personal story and journeys of those chefs and what inspires them and how they created the dishes that they serve. 

Tatler Asia
Photo: HBO Go
Above Photo: HBO Go

What kind of input did you get when it came to filming the show?

MW: Well, it is a non-scripted show so I was grateful that it was really a natural conversation. I did get some research and documents so I could pre-learn about the restaurant and the person I was meeting but really it was aimed to have a natural conversation and a normal conversation while continuing on with the storyline so it was my natural, initial reaction to whatever it is we were eating. 

What extra things are we going to see in the HBO show that we don’t usually see in your vlogs?

MW: I think what Food Affair does so well is bridging the gap between fine dining and hawker food and oftentimes when we chat with one of the fine dining chefs, a lot of the time, their inspiration comes from hawker food or street food or home cooking or meals they grew up with. Translating that, it was very cool to see the connection and to weave them all together seamlessly. 

Tatler Asia
Photo: HBO Go
Above Photo: HBO Go

You are obviously very used to filming yourself. Was it difficult to adjust to being filmed?

MW: Yes. It was different and I think part of the most difficult thing about filming is, for me, that you notice that everyone is noticing you. They are staring at you. And they are not trying to be mean. They are just curious. So it’s really that attention that you were not trying to draw but you are getting.

It’s just about being mindful and not too concerned with what’s happening around you so you can keep up the normal, conversational style of talking.  

I’m sure you learnt a lot watching the filming and production of Food Affair with Mark Wiens. How will you bring that into your personal food videos going forward?

MW: Oh man, everyone was just experts at everything. The more we filmed, I just slowly became aware of different angles and cinematography and lighting. But beyond that, the ability to tell a story because beautiful food shots are interesting but it’s really about what keeps a viewer engaged in the story.

I think they really did a good job with the story so I think that’s something I will focus on now, telling a story and trying to hold a viewer’s attention as much as possible.

You’ve been to many countries around the world. Why did you decide on Singapore as the location for your show? 

MW: I wasn’t actually involved in choosing the destination for the show but I do believe that Singapore is one of the most diverse cities. For its size, it’s definitely one of the most diverse places with so many different cultures having an impact on the food. It just brings together this melting pot that contributes to this diversity in food. I think it’s a great jumping-off city for the show.

You start out your first episode of the show by saying that you want to tackle fine dining rather than your typical local fare. Why so?

MW: I think it was a combination of everything but really the goal was to showcase that there is every level available of food in Singapore and not only the diversity in ethnicity and culture but also the diversity of styles of food from fine dining to hawker.

But also it demonstrates that you can have a rewarding and satisfying experience at a fine dining restaurant and you can have an equally satisfying experience at a hawker.

Tatler Asia
Photo: HBO Go
Above Photo: HBO Go

How did you decide which restaurants you wanted to approach?

MW: I wasn’t involved in choosing the restaurants but the decision ultimately was based on a process that the production team crafted. Eric is of course a big foodie. He loves to eat and the entire team does as well. So I think it was a combination of some of the team’s favourite places to eat but then also places where the owners or chefs, where you can really feel the genuine passion they have for what they are doing. That fit the overall theme of Food Affair

What was the filming process like particularly during the pandemic?

MW: I was in Singapore for about a month to film. Filming wasn’t every day. There was some post and pre-production as well but generally, it went smoothly, particularly because we were filming at a time when restaurants had just opened up and people were getting out and about again. 

Of all the food you have tried in Singapore, if I made you pick only one favourite, what would it be?

MW: Oh that’s difficult. I have a lot of favourites but I would say the fish head curry at Samy’s is something I cannot miss every time I visit Singapore.

Okay, another difficult one. If you had to pick one favourite restaurant from all those you sampled in the show, which one would it be?

MW: Let’s go with Candlenut and Chef Malcolm because a huge addition to the food of Singapore and the region of Southeast Asia is Peranakan food. It’s such a unique blend of Malay and Chinese cultures and foods. That is really something you have to try when you are here and Chef Malcolm has done a good job of taking his personal family recipes from his aunts and grandmothers and elevating that into fine dining.

What’s next for Food Affair with Mark Wiens? Are you planning to tackle another city?

MW: I’m not sure. We really want to wait and see how well the first series does. I do think, though, that it is a great concept that can translate well to so many other destinations. 

And what about you? What’s coming up next for you?

MW: For me, I’m just going to continue making videos with my wife and family. We will continue to travel and I will continue to enjoy food. I’m excited to see what happens.

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