PhotograPhy: kurt alan heck
more body & mind
But where are you at home? all over europe, really. Perhaps the canaries feel a bit more like home than other places because my parents live there. and my current residence in Silvaplana in Switzerland, because i love to snowboard in the winter. People say you’re very headstrong... ...yeah, i was competitive even when i was little. Maybe it’s because i had to compete against real men when i was 12, 13 years old. When i won my first races, i thought, “there’s got to be room for improvement, and if i train well and prepare properly, then i’m bound to win.’ Plus i had all the best equipment, so it was really just down to me. So when it came to competing, i knew i was going to win. i didn’t want to go all that way just to try and win. and it’s always worked out. Well, almost always! You’re not kidding. You were unbeaten as world champ from 1988 to 1999. Wasn’t it a bit, well, boring? i always set my goals higher and higher. First, i wanted to beat robby naish. once i’d done that, i wanted to win five World championship titles in a row, like him. and i achieved that too. then it was 10. and then 12. Back then the competition was battling it out for second place. and then i started wanting to win every single race and not just the overall cup at the end of the week. then i wanted to win by an ever-greater margin. i constantly gave it 100 per cent. But you were great fun too. Is it fair to say you had a reputation as a man who could handle his ale? yeah, look at me. i can get a lot in there! i’d often be the last one at World cup parties, but i only partied when it was all over, you’ve got to know when you can do it and when you can’t. i prefer to really go for it every now and again and then lay off it for a while. How are things shaping up this season? i’ve had a great winter. i’ve got perfect equipment so there’s no reason i shouldn’t win; i want to be speed and slalom World champion. So i’m hoping for strong winds. With my size i need a lot of power. You have a caddy for all your equipment. Luxury or necessity? an absolute necessity, to avoid all that wasted mileage, setting up the equipment and so on. While he’s taking care of that, i can concentrate fully on racing and Pr or sponsorship duties. he’s my fourth caddy and he’s been working with me for six years now. he’s a friend of mine too, and it’s not exactly the worst job in the world, is it? Check out the PWA World Tour: June 8 to 13, Spain, at www.pwaworldtour.com
Warming up: ‘Chef Ann’ has been making the best curries in Bangkok for the past three years, with the perfect amount of chopped chilli. And French chef Nicolas Schneller (top right) adds his Gallic touch – the harmonious fusion of two culinary worlds
A question of taste
Supanut ‘Ann’ Khanarak The top Thai chef from Bangkok restaurant Spice Market gives us three very interesting answers to our culinary questions The main ingredients she can’t do without are… “chilli, fish sauce, date sugar and garlic,” thailand’s only female star chef Supanut (or ‘chef ann’ as she is known) khanarak answers without a moment’s hesitation. Which is no surprise, considering all four are staples of thai food and the Spice Market at the Four Seasons hotel is considered the best exponent of the native cuisine in Bangkok. ann knows how to respect the culinary heritage of her country while adding a personal touch with her own modern interpretation. She learned her skills
in Sydney under master chef David thompson. For four years she showed australians what they mean in South east asia by spicy without sacrificing the taste. But homesickness brought her back to the thai capital, where she cooks for the Four Seasons’ guests alongside French chef nicolas Schneller. The one thing she really can’t bear is… “i love all kinds of thai curry. i learned how to make it from scratch so i’ve always hated it when people ask me to make it without chilli. i don’t think that’s right at all!” The most important item of equipment in her kitchen is… “My pestle and mortar.” ‘Chef Ann’ Khanarak and Nicolas Schneller are guest chefs at the Ikarus Restaurant in Hangar-7 for June. Visit www.hangar-7.com
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