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Straits Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
A grateful Aloysius Yapp takes the cue from mentor to give back, aims for deep run at world c'ship
Singapore's Aloysius Yapp celebrating after clinching the UK Open title in May for his first World Nineball Tour major triumph. PHOTO: MATCHROOMPOOL/INSTAGRAM SINGAPORE – When Aloysius Yapp was eight years old, he encountered his first mentor in pool. He and his mother had walked into TheQShop at Bras Basah, where the owner, Paul Pang, took an interest in the young boy and offered to teach him basic and intermediate pool skills. Former Cuesports Singapore vice president Pang went on to become his mentor, taking a 12-year-old Yapp to the United States for the World Junior Championships, and got him a junior sports membership at Chinese Swimming Club where he could practise without being restricted by the age limit at most other pool halls. Now 29, and at a career-high world No. 2 on the World Nineball Tour (WNT) ranking with US$196,478 (S$250,600) in earnings over the past two years, the former World Pool Association No. 1 knows the importance of giving back. This is why he has donated $5,000 to the Cuesports Singapore academy, which is set to open in Tanjong Katong in the fourth quarter of 2025, after its Katong Shopping Centre outlet closed in November 2024. The donation amount will be matched by the national sports association. Yapp told The Sunday Times: 'It's rare to have someone look after, support and coach you like what Paul did to give me a good start. I feel really lucky and grateful, and I think this is a good way to give back for all the support I have received from him and the association for many years. 'This will help out the academy where I will also be practising in the future, and I hope they can bring in more youth into the sport. If possible, I hope to make this a long-term contribution.' Yapp has been in fine form in the past year. He was named Most Valuable Player in Team Asia's 11-6 victory over Team Europe in the inaugural Reyes Cup in October 2024 and captured the International 9-Ball Open title a month later. After finishing second at the Scottish Open in May, he won his first WNT major title by obliterating Spaniard Jonas Souto 13-1 in the UK Open final. Yapp, who is currently playing in a minor tournament in Taiwan before the July 3-6 Universal x CPBA 99 Open in Vietnam, is eyeing a deeper run at the US$1 million World Pool Championship held from July 21-26 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after a last-64 finish in 2024. While it is a long shot, the US$250,000 winner's cheque could help him narrow the gap on Russian-American Fedor Gorst's US$438,611 in earnings at the top of the WNT rankings. He said: 'For sure, I would love to win, but I also don't really set a big target for myself. I'm just going to do my best and hopefully, luck is on my side too. 'I have had a bad season and struggled almost throughout the whole 2024 until the Reyes Cup, so rising to world No. 2 feels surreal. I still can't really believe it, but I'm grateful. No. 1 is on my mind, but it's going to be very tough to overtake Fedor soon, as he is too far ahead.' There are other things out of his control, as the Israel-Iran conflict has caused flight disruptions and raises safety concerns in the Middle East. But Yapp is focused on what he can do on the table, as he has been experimenting with 10 shafts and three butts from his sponsor Universal Cues, after signing with them in October 2024. He said: 'I switched from wood to carbon-fibre shafts because they feel more powerful. These days, the balls tend to feel heavier and the cloth feels slower, so the carbon-fibre shafts help me compensate for the slowness and I can play at a more normal pace. 'But I still feel like my equipment needs some tweaking here and there. There are some parts I need to adjust like the weight and balance to get the ideal cue ball reaction for me... hopefully, I'll find the best fit before the world championships.' Meanwhile, at the Cuesports Singapore annual general meeting at the Chinese Swimming Club on June 28, Christopher Chuah was returned unopposed as president for a second two-year term in his current stint, while Pang steps down as vice-president and is replaced by Dominic Pan. Chuah, who was also president from 2013 to 2021 before Justin Lee took over from 2021 to 2023, said: 'I'm happy to be able to continue to serve and build on the good work the team have done over the past two years, and we look forward to the opening of our new academy. 'It is important that we have our own home base and training facilities which can be used by our athletes and more importantly, for pipeline development. 'Currently, youths below 16 are not able to play in commercial parlours. With our new academy, we intend to drive our junior development programme to attract and induct promising junior athletes into our pipeline under the supervision of our coaches.' Cuesports Singapore board 2025-2027 President: Christopher Chuah Vice-presidents: Ivan Lim, Dominic Pan, Vincent Sum Treasurer: Cheung Yew Tak Assistant treasurer: Emrys Phua Honorary secretary: Sean Mathews Committee member: Ang Chor Ho David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Altruism or algorithm: The rise of online philanthropy
Canadian content creator Zachery Dereniowski is one of the biggest 'kindness content' creators in the world, raising money through online donations from the public. PHOTO: MDMOTIVATOR/INSTAGRAM SINGAPORE – Wearing a body cam, a man approaches a street artist painting on a pavement. 'Excuse me sir, I'm really hungry. Do you have any food, by chance, or a dollar?' Without hesitation, the painter reaches into his pocket and passes the man a dollar – his last one, as it turns out. Moments later, the man surprises him: 'Jerry, since you were kind to me, I've got $1,000 cash for you.' Overwhelmed, the painter gratefully accepts the money and lets on that he is homeless. The 1 min 35 sec video ends with the caption: 'CrowdFund link in bio.' It is typical of the feel-good content that has made Canadian content creator Zachery Dereniowski – better known by his handle mdmotivator – a viral sensation on social media. In his videos, he often approaches strangers with a simple request, such as a meal or a small sum of money. When they accede to his plea, he flips the script and reveals that he is not actually in need. Instead, he rewards their kindness with a substantial cash gift, typically ranging from US$1,000 (S$1,274) to US$20,000. More often than not, the strangers are usually going through a difficult time. Some are facing eviction, others are battling serious illnesses like cancer. Since 2020, Mr Dereniowski has given out hundreds of thousands of dollars to – among others – small business owners, single mothers and an orphan who lost his entire family in an explosion. With over 19 million followers on TikTok and several million more on other platforms, the 31-year-old is one of the world's biggest 'kindness content' creators, raising money through online donations from the public. Kind and wholesome content Although the internet is often associated with trolls, toxicity and hateful comments, people are turning to social media for something entirely different. Enter 'kindness content' – featuring creators performing spontaneous acts of generosity in public. On TikTok alone, the hashtag #Kindness has racked up over 2.2 million posts, while #SpreadKindness has more than 391,100. According to Google Trends, the word 'wholesome' hit peak popularity in September 2020, right in the thick of pandemic lockdowns when the world was desperately craving feel-good moments. Today, the word has taken on a life of its own in Gen Z lingo, referring to content that is pure, kind and good. Around the same time, a wave of 'core' trends began popping up online, such as cottage core, goblin core and hope core. The idea came from 'hardcore,' but 'core' now refers to the heart of a certain aesthetic or vibe. One of the more touching ones is hope core, which started gaining traction in 2022. It is about restoring faith in humanity through small, meaningful acts. Think handing a stranger a bouquet with a note that says, 'Dear person reading this, the world is a better place with you in it', or complimenting strangers and catching their surprised reaction on camera. One of the genre's most popular creators, MrBeast, with 404 million subscribers, currently has the most-subscribed YouTube channel in the world. The 27-year-old American, whose real name is James Donaldson, is known for videos that test people's limits in exchange for a large cash prize and donating large amounts of money to various needy communities around the world. One video posted in January 2025, titled I Helped 2,000 People Walk Again, shows him giving amputees prosthetic legs that cost between US$5,000 and US$50,000. He sent one amputee home with an additional US$10,000, and another with enough money to cover his daughter's wedding expenses. In another video, Mr Donaldson bankrolls the building of 100 homes in Jamaica. In 2020, he launched Beast Philanthropy, a charity that donates 100 per cent of its revenue generated from content, merchandise sale and brand deals. Its YouTube channel now has more than 28 million subscribers. The MrBeast Effect Singaporean creators have also been jumping on this hope core bandwagon. One of them is Mr Kevin Wee, 30, who posts under the name Radical Kindness and has 66,700 followers on TikTok and more than 9,000 on Instagram. Mr Kevin Wee posts under the name Radical Kindness and has 66,700 followers on TikTok and more than 9,000 on Instagram. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI 'Singaporeans are kind, and I feel like we just require someone to inspire them to take the first step,' says Mr Wee, who posts a video every day. He experienced depression and mania in his 20s, and once almost took his own life. In November 2023, after resolving to be a positive force in the world, he decided to start his channel, inspired by MrBeast. From giving compliments to strangers on the street to surprising families in need with home makeovers, his content is about uplifting others. In June 2024, he reached into his own pocket and handed $1,000 to migrant workers cleaning up the East Coast Park oil spill. He has also started two fund-raisers to help two families, raising thousands of dollars for an elderly woman's cancer treatment, and a family with young children after the father – the sole breadwinner – was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. 'Some of my videos are spontaneous. I give out money to my followers. I don't really have criteria. For those that I raise funds for, I'll pick and be a bit more selective to ensure that their stories are authentic,' says the entrepreneur, who also runs several businesses including a direct sales company and two training and speaking engagement companies . He adds that he gets a lot of requests from followers to be featured, but will select only those he feels are really struggling. Clinical psychologist Alexandrea Tay notes that those who have faced struggles growing up may have a stronger sense of empathy for those in need, fuelling their desire to give back. 'Individuals may seek to promote the visibility of their charitable acts as a means to reinforce their sense of belonging within a community,' she says. Z, the creator behind SomethingForSomeone (@something4rsomeone), did not have a stable environment growing up. His parents are separated, and he lived with other relatives in overcrowded conditions. The 25-year-old, who is self-employed in the food and beverage industry and did not want to be named, started volunteering as a teenager, but felt like he could do more. He started his kindness content channel in June 2024. It now has more than 2,000 followers on Instagram and 18,400 followers on TikTok. 'I have always believed in helping others, even strangers. Small gestures can go a long way and even things that are non-monetary can help, like words of encouragement and acts of service,' he says. 'I don't care if I'm famous or not, as long as my message goes far.' Z, the creator behind SomethingForSomeone (@something4rsomeone), started his kindness content channel in June 2024. PHOTO: COURTESY OF Z Can watching kindness inspire kindness? A 2020 study published in peer-reviewed journal Psychological Bulletin suggested that kindness can be contagious. After analysing 88 experiments involving over 25,000 participants, researchers found that witnessing an act of kindness – whether in a news story, a social media clip or live on the street – can inspire a person to be altruistic by, for example, comforting someone who is crying, donating to charity, or acting cooperatively in a competitive game. Calling it 'moral elevation', the study's lead researcher, Assistant Professor Haesung Jung from Texas Tech University said: 'People resonate when they watch someone do something good.' That ripple effect was on display after local content creator Z posted videos of himself handing out cold drinks to workers cleaning up the oil spill under the hot sun. Viewers were so moved, they flooded the comments with offers to help. One wrote: 'Bro, create a Telegram group so we can volunteer to help deliver the food and drinks.' Z did just that. Today, the group has grown to 384 members. In it, he shares daily words of encouragement and mobilises support for various causes, from crowdfunding efforts to volunteer drives. Local handyman company Howdyman, for instance, launched an initiative to provide free repair work for low-income families and used Z's group to rally volunteer support. For interior designer Aaron Teo, 29, a chance encounter took his social media content in a new direction. 'I used to run a bar in the west, and I would always come across this man chilling or having a nap outside a minimart. One day, I decided to strike up a conversation with him,' he says. He found out that Mr Rajah, who is in his 60s, was homeless and had trouble securing a job. He decided to help the man and, with his consent, documented their journey on video. 'My purpose in life is to inspire others to lead a meaningful life through exciting experiences and quality relationships. Hence, I did not think too much about why I wanted to make a video,' he says. In the first video dated in September 2023, Mr Teo spoke to Mr Rajah about the latter's difficulty in finding a job, before taking him to a family service centre and treating him to a meal. Besides introducing him to a career coach who has helped set up a job interview, the designer also took his new friend to get his hair washed and bought him new clothes in a follow-up video. The video ends with an uplifting revelation: Mr Rajah has secured a job and will be starting work the next day. The two clips hit more than 390,000 views each, garnering thousands of likes and hundreds of comments, mostly positive. Viewers also asked how they could help Mr Rajah. The episode taught Mr Teo that many Singaporeans are willing to help those in need. Soon after, an online media publication contacted him asking to feature his story, but he declined. 'I did not want others saying that I was doing this to seek attention for myself.' Mr Teo, whose social media posts previously revolved around his hobbies and work as an interior designer, has about 3,000 followers on TikTok and over 1,400 followers on Instagram. During a recent call, he found out that Mr Rajah is still working and now lives in a rented flat. The two plan to catch up soon. Genuine altruism or performative? Still, not everyone views kindness content through rose-tinted glasses. Kindness influencers have their fair share of detractors, with sceptics accusing them of turning goodwill into self-promotion or worse, outright scams. On the subreddit thread r/unpopularopinions, one user wrote of his disdain for kindness content. 'It feels like the main objective is to create something that can go viral, and the fact that someone received support is just the by-product.' In October 2024, a prawn noodle business in Singapore posted a video which featured a man asking a migrant worker for a dollar to take a bus. After the migrant worker hands over the money, he reveals that he does not need it and hands $100 to the worker and a bowl of prawn noodles. Netizens questioned the motive behind the video. On the online forum Reddit, a user wrote: 'Just because the worker is poor, doesn't mean he would be OK to be put up online, for someone's clout. He didn't ask for the money, though he may have appreciated the gesture.' 'If the guy really had an intention to help, he could have just given the money. Why was there a need to record it. Makes me question the so-called intention,' another user wrote. In September 2024, Radical Kindness' Mr Wee made headlines for challenging American streamer and YouTuber IShowSpeed, popularly known as Speed, to a foot race. In a live stream posted on IShowSpeed's channel, he said he would give $10,000 to a charity of Speed's choice if he lost. He did, and was filmed handing the streamer a thick wad of $50 notes. Criticism came in swiftly. In October 2024, a discussion thread criticising Mr Wee was posted on popular Singapore-centric subreddit group, r/SingaporeRaw with the subject heading, 'Controversy over Radical Kindness'. The author of the thread wrote: 'Personally, I don't think it's genuine kindness. I don't see why he has to announce or flex his kind deeds.' Mr Wee is aware of the criticism surrounding his content online. He concedes that he is not a big fan of Speed, but did the challenge to help market his own platform. However, he maintains he has done nothing wrong and is not a hypocrite. He reckons people fall into three camps when it comes to his channel: those who love what he is doing, those who are neutral but a little sceptical, and finally, those who call him an attention seeker. '(Kindness content) might sometimes appear very self-serving. There's a lot of ego involved, and there are questions if these creators are benefiting from their audience. I want to change the narrative,' he says. Mr Wee claims he does not directly profit from his channel. While he's received about $25,000 to date from sponsors, he says the amount was reinvested into creating content and doing giveaways. The influencer readily admits that the version of himself seen on camera is louder and dialled up. And yes, he gives away large sums of money because it grabs attention. But there's a method behind the madness. 'I enjoy telling stories, and media is an amplifier. If I can reach one million people through one video, why would I not do it? I want to inspire more creators to give back,' he says. Ultimately, Mr Wee believes that the positive impact of filming acts of kindness far outweighs the drawbacks. He is confident in his ability to craft content that remains true to his values. 'I think the issue comes in when you lie to your audience about your intentions. I have always been very open about my intentions. I want the influence, I want the attention, because it allows me to expand my media presence and give back more,' he says. Mr Wee has started three more platforms under the 'Radical' brand: Radical Riches, a business media channel; Radical Homes, a furniture retailer that does home makeovers; and Radical Edge, a content training and consulting business. Some of the gifts that Mr Kevin Wee received from his beneficiaries. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Z agrees the lack of accountability and transparency surrounding influencers who run crowdfunding efforts can be a thorny issue. In September 2024, he sprang to action after coming across a news article about a Bukit Merah flat fire that left a family with two young children in crisis. The comments were flooded with people asking how to help. 'I just decided to step in, because I don't know who else can be more accountable, since I somewhat have a platform and maybe a following, I believe some people trust me,' he says. A TikTok viewer, who had some information regarding the family, entrusted Z with the address of the family's temporary housing, and Z went over to visit them. He then launched a fund-raising campaign via his platform, sharing his personal PayNow QR code for donations. Within just two days, the campaign raised over $4,000, a testament to the power of stepping in when it matters most, he says. After his crowdfunding effort was reported by media outlet Mothership, he read comments asking 'how can we know you are legitimate?' and netizens warning that Z might be running a scam account. 'It is not surprising, every part of this digital philanthropy will always have some negativity involved, but I know clearly what I am doing, and I just wanted to take the initiative to help out a family, and that is all that matters,' he says. A week later, more than $30,000 had been raised. To maintain transparency, Z compiled a detailed spreadsheet of the donations that were transferred to his personal bank account, and even shared a screen recording of the document and filmed himself handing the money directly to the family's patriarch. 'I did my best to be as transparent as I could,' he says. But what Z did not anticipate was the wave of online backlash the family would face after going public with their situation. They expressed their thanks, but conveyed this issue to him via social service officers, asking that he end the campaign. Z obliged, but the experience gave him pause. 'These are some ripple effects of digital philanthropy,' he muses. 'We may have the best intentions, but there are blind spots we don't always see. Helping isn't always sunshine and rainbows, especially for those on the receiving end.' One beneficiary's take Rina (not her full name) was scrolling through social media when she stumbled upon a post by Mr Wee on Dec 30, 2023: He was giving away $10,000 to 10 people, chosen at random from those who left a comment. The single mother, now 34, did not think twice. With five children between the ages of five and 13 – two of whom have special needs – every little bit helps. 'I just tried my luck. I said: 'I'm a single mother, have five kids and hope I have a chance to win,'' says the account assistant. Before landing her current full-time job in 2022, she had been unemployed for four years. To provide for her family, she occasionally relies on food rations from local charities. 'My salary alone, to be honest, is not enough to cover all the expenses. So that's why I have to continue searching, to see if there are any resources. I cannot always rely on social services because there are limits to how much they can help. If I see giveaways, I would be willing to try,' she says. She did not expect much from Mr Wee, but to her surprise, she was chosen as one of the recipients. He told her he would ask her a few questions on camera and asked her to prepare her answers. When she told him that some of the questions made her uncomfortable, Mr Wee replaced them with others. On the day of the shoot, Rina brought along one of her children. Mr Wee filmed a short video of him giving her the $1,000 and asking her about her life. 'There was nothing I felt pressured to answer, which I really appreciated,' Rina says. Still, she admits she was nervous in the days leading up to the video's release on Jan 19, 2024. It was her first time sharing such personal parts of her life on camera and with the public. 'I was very worried that people would talk negatively about me and judge me as a single mother raising five children when the video was released,' she says. However, her fears were unfounded. 'Some people commented that they also have special needs kids and that it was good for Kevin to help us out,' she says. Opening up about your struggles and asking for help publicly can feel like a blow to one's pride, Rina says. But she also believes that when there are no other options, one should not reject help just to save face. She has also seen the critical comments floating online about Mr Wee. But having experienced his kindness first hand, she stands by him. 'I could tell he was genuinely trying to understand what I was going through,' she says. 'From the very first time we met, he asked thoughtful questions – not just for content, but to really see what kind of help I needed.' Help came when she was at rock bottom In September 2024 , Sarah (not her real name), 38, hit rock bottom. After years of not paying the utility bills for her family's two-room rental flat, there was an outstanding amount of more than $3,000. She was told that if the sum was not settled, the power supply to her flat would be cut off within a week. Her ex-husband had walked out on the family more than five years ago, leaving her to raise five children aged nine to 16. As she suffers from depression, she has been medically unfit to work for the past eight years. To support her family, she relies on family, friends and government subsidies. 'Whatever help that I get is just enough to get by the month,' says Sarah. 'Most of it goes to feeding my kids.' After coming across Z's fund-raiser for the family whose flat was destroyed in a fire, she decided to ask him for help. Z replied within a day. After learning about her financial situation on the phone, he shared her story on his Instagram page. 'I am quite private so I don't really share a lot of things. He actually took all the details needed to make the post. Although I did not want to share my photo, he said he needed it to run the fund-raising campaign. I asked him to blur our faces in the photo, which he did,' says Sarah, adding that she saw his post and was happy with how Z did not exaggerate her family's situation. His post was captioned: 'She is really stressed and overwhelmed with the current situation. Hope we are able to do what we can to help her start anew by clearing the debt... She has agreed for me to collect on her behalf. Please reference 'Sarah'.' He promised that all proceeds would go to the family, and that he would post updates, including the financial accounts. Within a few days, he raised more than $9,000 for her family. Throughout the process, he showed her receipts and screenshots of the donations that had come in during the campaign. With the funds, Sarah paid the outstanding utility bills, cleared a debt owed to a family member, stocked up on essentials to last through the year, and took her children to a rare meal out. 'He's very young, I can see that, but I can tell he is very honest. He's got a lot of experience, through the way he talks, and he understands my situation and he is very sincere about it,' she says, adding that she is grateful for all that he has done for her. They are still in touch, chatting occasionally via TikTok direct messages. Charity is not just a handout Even after running two successful crowdfunding drives, Mr Wee doubts the model's long-term viability. He's seen TikTokers overseas skim 4 to 8 per cent off donations to pay themselves. 'So technically, I can go with that model, but I don't think Singaporeans will be as receptive about that,' he says. 'When you see someone who is helpless, you can't help but feel like you want to empower them. I believe charity is not just a handout, it's a responsibility to empower,' says Mr Wee. Besides providing the people he helps with resources, he connects them with others who can help them, like social workers. 'It's about helping them, in a personal capacity, to stand on their own feet.' In a space where trust is everything, both Mr Wee and Z tread carefully, balancing heart with accountability. They know that in Singapore, good intentions alone are not enough. Transparency matters. So does impact. But at the core of it all is a simple truth: When help is given with sincerity, and received with dignity, even a digital platform can become a lifeline. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
American singer Katy Perry, British actor Orlando Bloom split after nine years
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom have been engaged since February 2019 and have a four-year-old daughter. PHOTO: KATYPERRY/INSTAGRAM After nine years together, American singer Katy Perry and British actor Orlando Bloom have parted ways. They have been engaged since February 2019 and have a four-year-old daughter. The 40-year-old singer of Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F) was first romantically linked to Bloom in January 2016, where they were seen at several Golden Globe after-parties together. They went public with their relationship on Instagram in May that year, after attending the Cannes Film Festival. The pair were set to wed in 2020, but their plans were foiled by the pandemic. Bloom, 48, recently appeared in Orlando Bloom: To The Edge (2024), which he executive produced. The three-episode TV series sees him going on a journey of self-discovery through activities such as freediving and rock climbing. The Pirates Of The Caribbean star also has a 14-year-old son with his ex-wife, Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr. Perry was previously married to British comedian Russell Brand between October 2010 and December 2011. She is now in Adelaide for her The Lifetimes Tour, which will wrap up in December. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Listicle: 10 restaurants that serve bugs and grubs
Papa's, Mumbai. Chef Hussain Shahzad's 12-seater restaurant is known for many things: Being on Time Magazine's World's greatest places list, for its mad rush when reservations open, for its hard-to-categorise Indian food. And for Bugs Bunny: Wild rabbit marinated in red weaver-ant chutney, delicately sauced with black pepper, cumin and sumac. The chutney, which has a GI tag, comes all the way from Odisha. Delish, at least that's what we've heard. Papa's Bugs Bunny comprises wild rabbit in red weaver-ant chutney. (INSTAGRAM/@PAPASBOMBAY) Quintonil in Mexico City serves avocado tartare with a side of ant larvae. (INSTAGRAM/@REST_QUINTONIL) Quintonil, Mexico City. Mexican food is more than just tacos, nachos, and quesadillas. Why not try an avocado tartare with a side of ant larvae? Or a salsa made of stink bugs? Or fish barbecued in a grasshopper marinade? These are the stand-out insect-themed dishes that chef Jorge Vallejo serves at his two-Michelin-star restaurant. Rumour has it that the food is so good, it brings diners to tears. Takeo in Tokyo has a waterbug cider ice cooler on the menu. (INSTAGRAM/@ Takeo, Tokyo. At first glance, it's like any other Japanese café – cosy, lit by warm lights, and impossibly well-styled food displays. Look closer. The shelves are stocked with packets of ready-to-eat crispy locusts, bamboo worms, and chocolate-covered black crickets. From the menu, you can order bee lemon sodas, a waterbug cider ice cooler, cricket pastas, and grilled silkworm sausages. They also advise you how to whip up your own edible insect meals. High-key sounds good. Inoveat in Paris serves gourmet dishes with organic, farm-grown bugs. (INSTAGRAM/@ Inoveat, Paris. This French restaurant prides itself on presenting bugs gourmet style. So, chef Laurent Veyet serves his special bao made with ground cricket flour, puffed worm cocktails, and cranberry cookies studded with insects. The bugs come from French farms and are fed organic produce. Veyet says his goal is to prove that consuming insects is a healthy, sustainable choice. And it can be haute cuisine too. The menu at Fura Bar, Singapore includes spicy, mealworm margarita. (INSTAGRAM/@ Fura Bar, Singapore. Who hasn't, at some point, craved a jellyfish-and-quail martini, or a 90-day fermented pumpkin and pineapple wine, right? The bar serves both, but the big draw is the spicy, mealworm margarita. 'We want to create new ways of eating and drinking that make sense of the climate we have now,' founder Sasha Wijidessa says in promo interviews. After the Singapore Food Agency approved a range of insects for human consumption in 2024, the pickings have been easier. Fire ants have become a signature item on the menu at Farmlore. (INSTAGRAM/@ Farmlore, Bengaluru. Fire ants, which are part of Kodagu and Coorgi cuisine, have become a signature item on the menu at Farmlore. They adorn a meringue and salad, and are blended into a sorbet. Their taste, locals believe, differs according to the trees they're collected from, which are usually mango or lemon trees. Protein-rich, they add just the right amount of citrusy punch to a dish. At Akkee in Bangkok, you can enjoy shiny, soft ant eggs in curries. (INSTAGRAM/@ Akkee, Bangkok. At the Michelin-starred restaurant, the starters are pretty epic: Crunchy coconut worms, nutty-tasting baby cicadas, roasted subterranean ants, crispy cockchafers. Shiny, soft ant eggs are dunked into curries, tossed into stir-fries, and ground into an omelette. They taste creamy, silky, and tart, diners say. Thai chef Sittikorn Ou Chantop hopes that more people discover insect cuisine. At D.O.M., Amazonian leaf-cutter ants are served on a thick slice of pineapple. (INSTAGRAM/@ D.O.M., São Paulo. Alex Atala, one of Brazil's most famous chefs, has been promoting entomophagy for a decade. At D.O.M., Amazonian leaf-cutter ants are served on a thick slice of pineapple as a starter in the tasting menu. They taste gingery, according to the chef, who discovered them when he was visiting tribals deep inside a remote region in the Amazon. In the culinary world, that pineapple-topped-ant is legendary. At Philadelphia's Cantina La Martina, you can enjoy worm tacos. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Cantina La Martina, Philadelphia. When Philly diners step into Dionicio Jiménez's restaurant, they ask for the 'special tacos', made with agave worm, a Mexican specialty. There's also a braised pork shank served in cauliflower ant puree, and steak served with chimichurri-drizzled chapulines. Jiménez recalls how his mum would swap apples for the addictive, salty chapulines at snack time. Time to rethink those Lays. Alchemist in Copenhagen serves cheese covered with live bugs and edible butterflies. (INSTAGRAM/@RESTAURANTALCHEMIST) Alchemist, Copenhagen. Here, food meets science, art, and technology… and some shock value. The tasting menu, which takes hours to get through, is dramatic: Cheese covered with live bugs, edible butterflies on nettle leaves, frozen honey with a single ant inside. They've also served ray jellyfish and freeze-dried lamb cranium. But that's another list, for another day. From HT Brunch, June 28, 2025 Follow us on
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Floyd Schofield out to make it up to his son for cancelling Disneyland trip after mysteriously pulling out of last fight
FLOYD SCHOFIELD is out to make it up to his little boy for cancelling a trip to Disneyland after the mysterious collapse of his last fight. Schofield was due to challenge for Shakur Stevenson's WBC lightweight world title in Saudi Arabia in February. 4 Floyd Schofield with his son Credit: INSTAGRAM @kid_austin1 4 Schofield mysteriously pulled out of his fight in February against Shakur Stevenson Credit: Twitter But the unbeaten American pulled out on the week of the bout - citing illness which left him hospitalised. His dad and trainer even went as far as to sensationally claim his son had been POISONED - as he shared images of the boxer bed-bound. Schofield later returned home to the US and had to break the news to his baby son that their celebratory trip to Disneyland had been KOd. He said: "Actually, when I first got back from Saudi, I would say it was a little sad because I was a new dad, I couldn't be around my son for like three months. "I gave my son a promise, after I get the green belt, we'll go to Disney, so I didn't really get to fulfil that. "So seeing him come back and I had nothing to show for it that like put me in a very bad depressed state. "I wasn't one to believe in depression really but actually going through it is a real thing. "I'm just glad I have my dad, my fiancee, my son and they got me back to where I was supposed to be." CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Schofield, 22, now returns on Saturday against ex-featherweight champ Tevin Farmer, 34, on the Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr undercard. And he plans to finally take his nine-month old son away after the fight - this time on a European getaway. Jake Paul issues heartfelt message to ex-boxing opponent Ben Askren who needs lung transplant after battling infection He said: "I wanna take them somewhere that other kids have not been able to go somewhere like Greece or somewhere that a nine month old don't go, so something nice." Schofield was pulled out of his bout against Stevenson, 27, by the British Boxing Board of Control - who oversaw the event - after a health check. His dad's allegations of poisoning were never proven and Schofield never explained his mystery illness - and it looks as though he never will. He said: "I just want to leave stuff in the past. Whatever happened, happened. I'm not trying to get into that. "I'm just looking forward and if me and Shakur are going to run it in the future, so be it. But right now I've just got to look at Tevin Farmer." Schofield confirmed his health woes are past him - even managing to find light of the situation with sceptical fans online. He said: "Yeah, I'm good. I have been trolling people in the comments. They're like, 'Hopefully he shows up.' I'm like, 'I might, I'll think about it.'" 4 Former sparring partners Stevenson and Schofield has their fight cancelled
