Meet 3 of the hot guys who cook

Why are these gorgeous guys in the kitchen and not, as you might expect, girl-watching in bars?

Simple: Because they love to cook.

They are hot not only because of just what they are…Very hot…but because they heat up the kitchen with their favorite recipes which they are showcasing in Hot Guys Who Cook which premieres tonight at 9 o’clock on DIVA Universal (SkyCable Channel 37, Global Destiny Channel 40 and Cabelink Channel 47) — 18 of them from around Asia featured in six episodes.

Each half-hour episode will sizzle with three hot guys, each cooking his signature dish under seven minutes while sharing endearing stories and anecdotes on cooking and some of their personal experiences. Hmmmm, truly mouth-watering and good enough to gobble — the dishes, that is.

The hot guys are model Jason Godfrey; host Josiah Mizukami; food columnist Erwan Heussaff; model-actor Victor Basa; Fil-Am model-athlete Drew Rivera; car-racer Alex Yoong; former MTV VJ Utt; mixed martial-arts fighter Peter Davis; banker-writer Redza Minhat; and actors George Young, Tom Price, Nat Ho, Henry Golding, Paul Foster, Keagan Kang, Shane Mardjuki, Bobby Tonelli and Brendan Fernandez.

David Gunson, vice president of South East Asia Channels, Universal Networks International, said, “Women today are more in touch with what they want, and are unabashed about it. A show like Hot Guys Who Cook will greatly appeal to our viewers in a fun and candid way.” 

Meet three of the hot guys: Erwan Heussaff, Drew Rivera and Victor Basa.

How and who got you interested in cooking?  

Erwan: My mom is a great cook and my dad cooks one dish really well. So I have both of them to thank for exposing me to so many different types of cuisines not only in our home but also during our travels. I never had a chance to become that picky, squeamish kid that would just want to eat spaghetti. My appetite grew as I matured and I just picked up cooking along the way, tearing through cooking, nutrition and history books.

Drew: My interest in cooking came from my Dad. When I was little, I would wake up a little late, and my Dad would already be downstairs with the smell of coffee filling the room. He would wait for me to start cooking breakfast. I was very picky about food, and omelettes were one of the few foods I would eat. So every weekend my dad and I would make omelettes together. Then we would compare who did it better. Clearly his was better every time. To be honest, my omelettes are still not all that great. Though they definitely have some special meaning attached to them now. 

Victor: I’d have to say my chef friend and ice hockey teammate, Martin Adriano (who also makes gourmet smoked bacon). He’d serve up these really hearty no-frills meals (such as slow cooked stews or the occasional coq au vin) yet still giving it a modern yet still rustic appeal. Then I would just pick up some tips here and there.   

For some strange reason, some chefs/cooks don’t eat (only taste) what they cook. What about you? 

Erwan: It depends, if I’m cooking for a lot of people and have been slaving by the stoves all day and tasting the food along the way, by the time everyone is ready to eat I’m too full to finish a dish.

Drew: For the most part, I will eat what I cook, but it never tastes as good as when somebody else makes the same dish for me. 

Victor: I would not count myself among the people who only taste what they cook, maybe because I humor myself as a good one! And usually by the time I’m finished preparing a dish I just can’t wait to join the meal. Grasya din kasi ‘yan, meant to be shared and experienced with others.

What’s your favorite recipe? 

Erwan: I love stews. In France, we have a dish called Cassoulet and it is one of my favorite dishes because it’s so filling and reminds me of home. It’s basically steed beans with pieces of duck or pork and some vegetables.

Drew: My favorite recipe is quite simple actually: Slicked chicken breast, marinated in Thousand Island dressing and mustard. Then grilled. It is one of the most delicious dishes I have ever had. But of course, my Dad grills it the best. 

Victor: I’m a sucker for cream-based pasta dishes, or dishes that have flavor infused foam, but I always find myself ordering fish for lunch and bistecca/red meat for dinner when the opportunity presents itself (or if I’m conveniently in the area of certain restaurants).

What kind of diet do you follow? 

Erwan: I use a mix of paleo, gluten free, low carb and sports diets. I don’t believe that just one diet works, it has to be something personal that fits your lifestyle and that you can keep up seamlessly. My blog, www.thefatkidinside.com, stands testimony to the diet I follow.

Drew: I do not follow a diet at all. When I first met my modeling agent, she took me to a photo shoot where there was a box of cupcakes. They were the most delicious cupcakes I have ever had in my life, and I ate the entire box. After that my agent told me that I had to go on a diet. But I just don’t think dieting is a possibility for me. I love food too much. I eat anything and everything, and I eat it all in mass quantities. It would be accurate to say that when it comes to food, I am a monster. 

Victor: My diet consists of a light breakfast, such as scrambled eggs (two whites, one whole) and wheat bread or a high-fiber low fat cereal with two percent milk. Then, a “carb-less” lunch, so mostly chicken, fish or beef. Then, I usually have a “normal” dinner. I reserve all the calories for at night and/or eating out. It should be the other way around, like eating less during nighttime but I prefer to enjoy my dinners without the guilt.

If you were to prepare a meal for your girlfriend (if you have any…name please!), what would it be? 

Erwan: Simple. Meat, slow and roasted to a crisp in the oven, with a tasty red wine and mushroom sauce, some smashed potatoes with salted butter and a glass or red wine.

Drew: In high school, for Valentine’s Day I cooked a chicken pasta for my girlfriend at the time. Her name was Katie, and she showed up at my house in a beautiful green and aqua dress. I had been cooking the pasta all day, mainly because I didn’t know how to cook a chicken pasta, and it took me many tries just to get something that was edible. I put on a nice-collared shirt, slacks and a tie. I think we were both about 15 at the time. Of course, I had candles on the table, as well as some flowers. It was so perfect. Then I served the pasta I had tried so hard to make. It was probably one of the worst pastas I have ever had. It was one step above edible. Definitely not enjoyable. But Katie was so sweet. She finished her whole plate, and even told me it was good. I kind of just smiled when she told me that.

Victor: I’d probably try to challenge myself and prepare a paella with saffron aioli on the side for Divine (Lee), since it’s her favorite and it hardly has any vegetables. Generous serving of meat and seafood for this order!

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