Exclusives: Award Winning TV Celebrity Speaks.

Meet the Model Cook, Daniel Green.

Food has always been Daniel's first love ever since his grandma gave him his first recipe at the age of five. Winning this prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Award is a testament to Daniel's continued passion for healthier ways to prepare food and more importantly, to manage the way one eats when it came to food.

The Award winning book, Modern Dining for Life is the fifth book in Daniel's career as a Culinary author. Here's our exclusive interview with Daniel Green:

Congratulations Daniel ! We are indeed very happy for you on this impressive milestone in your career.

Tell us what's the theme of this book about?

This book is about trendy foods, modern, restaurant foods but made healthy. People always think diet food and low fat food must be bland and boring and, I wanted to show how you can eat what's in vogue, without the fat.

What inspire you to develop this theme and those recipes?

Travel, travel and more travel. I am so lucky to get to move around the globe, and to see what the trend is with food, so I eat out and then adapt what I love to a healthier version.

How did you come up with the title?

My friend Layne, who also travels so much - he helped me with the name the Modern Menu, then my wonderful partner Viv got it all together.

Which is/are your favourite food (s) and why?

 

Oh there are so many I love, whenever there is a new project , I cook the food so much so it is fresh in my mind, but anything Miso is my favourite right now.

What can one learn from this book?

How to eat the food you love when you dine out, and make it easy and healthy. With this book you can always make these fine trendy restaurant foods at home using my recipes.

You have a section on food safety practices at home which is very unique. What prompted you to include that section in your cookbook?

My partner Viv was passionate about this. In today's world we forget about the most important rules, maybe we are not being taught at home as much, as everything is fast food and convienience, so we lost the basics, here are just some rules to know.

You’ve dedicated this book to your parents. What do you think they'd say?

They already said it. They are just so proud. I never had much of an idea what I wanted to do at school and I did not show much passion for work. I don’t  think they could have ever dreamed I would do something so passionate and so exciting. They mean the world to me, so to have a book dedicated to them, is the best thing ever as it will continue after me.

Did you expect to win this Award?

No, I never expect anything in life. I aspire to many things and have the drive and motivation to do so, but I never expect anything.

Many said that you are like "James Bond of Healthy Culinary Arts" on the cover photo. What do you say to that?

Flattered, very flattered, but not deserved.

Winning this award, what would be your wish list going forward?

To always make recipes that work, that are easy and help people to loose weight

It can taste good to be thin.

How confident are you to win the GOURMAND BEST IN THE WORLD competition?

I only want people to know about my food, as it works – eat this way and you will loose weight. I don’t know of anyone else that can show this style of cooking that I am testament to. I already feel I have won just by publishing books.

Is there anything else you like to say?

I would like to thank my partner Viv, my publisher, Chris Newson for giving me the opportunity, Violet & Lydia who have been great editors, the team at Marshall Cavendish Cuisine Asia, my lovely wife, Jane and the love of my life, Eleanor and everyone who bought this book.

Thanks Daniel. It was very nice to speak with you and once again, Congratulations to you from the team at Astra Worldwide Ltd, Hong Kong and The Model Cook Pty Ltd, Australia.