- Day One: Australian migrants tell their stories of arrival
- Silvia Colloca fell in love and adopted a new country
- Tell us your story: What was your first impression of Australia?
Summer in South Australia. A handful of neighbourhood kids are tearing around an Adelaide backyard, jumping through the sprinklers to escape the suffocating heat – one armed with a plastic cricket bat, another wearing a Popeye t-shirt, a band-aid on his knee and a big smile on his face. It’s this boy that would go on to become an award-winning chef, TV presenter and author.
Now, Adam Liaw’s warm smile is instantly recognisable to Australian audiences – and he’s wearing it as he reflects on his childhood days.
“My parents looked at those kind of experiences with a whole different appreciation - almost a sentimentality,” he recalls.
“[They’d say] ‘look at these Aussie kids we have now - they're not Malaysian kids, they're Aussie kids and they do what Aussie kids do’.”
That’s not to say that Adam isn’t proud of his Malaysian heritage. Born in Georgetown, Penang to an English-Singaporean mother and a Chinese-Malaysian father, the acclaimed chef is quick to acknowledge his origins. But he’s called Australia home since the age of three – when his parents decided to move to Georgetown’s sister city, Adelaide.
“They wanted somewhere that had more opportunities for their kids,” Adam says.
“I think it was actually that sister city relationship that made them think ‘oh, we could go to Australia’ – and a few years after I was born that’s where we ended up.”
The land down under has certainly been one of opportunity for Adam. In 2010 more than 5 million people tuned in to watch him win MasterChef season two. Two years later he began filming SBS food and travel series Destination Flavour, in which he met food producers, celebrated chefs and local food heroes around Australia and the world. The series was a huge success, earning Adam a TV Week Logie nomination for Most Popular New Talent and a bevy of new fans. He’s also authored two cookbooks - Asian After Work and Two Asian Kitchens.
Adam with his parents (Adam Liaw)
Adam is quick to point out that he comes from a “long line of accomplished eaters”. And when it comes to culinary influences, his diverse cultural heritage is splashed across the plate.
“We’ve always just loved to have big family get togethers with lots of food around,” he says.
“Family and food going together… that’s where it really always comes from.”
As he approaches 40, Adam is only now starting to feel that multicultural Australia is truly accepted as part of the country’s fabric.
Adam with his siblings (Adam Liaw)
“I remember Paul Keating back when I was quite young saying that Australia was a part of Asia, and that was revolutionary at the time,” he says.
“These days I think you can walk around the streets and people acknowledge that Australians come from all walks of life and all kinds of creeds, colours and shades.
“I remember Paul Keating back when I was quite young saying that Australia was a part of Asia, and that was revolutionary at the time."
“Only now am I really starting to see that multicultural Australia is seen as being Australia as well.”
As Australia Day approaches, Adam feels he has plenty to celebrate.
“The ability to identify with being Australian is something I guess I always have front of mind around Australia Day.
“I feel completely Australian. I don't identify as being anything other than Australian.”
Were you born overseas? We’d like to hear about your first impression of Australia as a new migrant.
Whatever your background, tell us your story in words, pictures or tweets.
Or via Twitter @SBSNews using the hashtag #Day1SBS
