Latest news with #RichardJohns
CTV News
11-07-2025
- CTV News
‘I started yelling': Missing hiker on Vancouver Island describes how he rescued himself
An overdue hiker, who went missing on a hike in Strathcona Park, walked into the Alberni Valley rescue hall Tuesday while they were searching for him. An overdue hiker, who went missing on a hike in Strathcona Park, walked into the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad's hall Tuesday while they were actively searching for him. 'First thing I asked him was just what's your name and he said Dallin,' says Richard Johns, search manager for the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad. 'I was like, we've been out looking for you. He was quite surprised by that.' Dallin Beaumier had quite the story to tell search-and-rescue crews. It all started eight days earlier, when he drove down a remote logging road where he parked his vehicle and hiked into the Della Falls trailhead on the west side of Great Central Lake. Things started going awry for the experienced outdoorsman when he started making his hike back to his vehicle. That's when a cougar started stalking him while he was setting up camp for the night. 'It was getting ready to pounce on me,' says Beaumier. 'I pulled out my knife and my bear spray. I started yelling.' Keeping guard all night, the mountain lion finally left and at first light Beaumier started his trek back to his vehicle. As he started to make the drive back to civilization, things really started to go sideways. 'The oil pan had struck a rock, and it was bleeding out oil,' added Beaumier. 'And it got stuck in the mud. I tried jacking it up and throwing gravel under it. I couldn't get it out.' In the middle of nowhere and knowing no help was coming for possibly days, Beaumier built a wagon to haul all the essentials he needed. He built the makeshift cart using parts from his car's muffler, two spare tires and some branches. The wagon eventually became a sledge after the wheels failed. Vancouver Island missing hiker Beaumier built a wagon to haul his gear after his vehicle broke down. 'I've been doing search and rescue for six years, and I've never seen anyone with the ingenuity that he had,' said Johns. If fighting off a cougar wasn't enough, Beaumier also had a face-to-face encounter with a black bear during his journey back. 'There's Fuzzy Wuzzy, his face was looking at me right through the woods, and I was just like, 'Hey, get going!,'' he said. Battling 30 C weather, he finally made it back to the Della Falls trailhead where he was able to board a water taxi. 'His name is Sean, he's a really nice guy and gave me a ride for free back to Port Alberni,' Beaumier added. Beaumier did something critically important before he left for his hike. He left a detailed trip plan and notified a family member that if they didn't hear from him within seven days they should contact the authorities. 'A trip plan is probably the most vital piece of information that you can leave with someone,' said Johns. The Alberni Valley Rescue Squad applauded Beaumier for leaving that detailed trip plan and for being extremely resourceful while stranded in the wilderness. But they do recommend bringing a GPS device to communicate, as well as making sure your vehicle can withstand the rugged terrain. Beaumier adds he isn't deterred from his unfortunate adventure in the Vancouver Island backcountry and will continue to explore it – carrying a GPS device from now on. 'Nature always throws curveballs,' he said. 'You think you know a lot and every single time you go out, you get humbled.'
Sky News
12-06-2025
- Sky News
The award-winning restaurateur who doesn't believe in charging for service
Every Thursday, our Money blog team interviews chefs from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks and more. This week, we chat to Richard Johns, chef-owner of The Plough in Wombleton, North Yorkshire. I have never believed in charging for service... We are certainly in the minority on this but do believe it is the customer's right to leave a service tip if they wish. The simplest tip to be a better cook is... to constantly taste your food, seasoning with salt and pepper. The one thing I hate that some customers do is... booking a table and not honouring the booking. This happens less nowadays, but it still rears its head every now and then. The most overrated single food item is… fermented foods. I fully understand its origins, but it seems to be just a restaurant food fashion here in the UK. The most annoying review I ever had was… from a person who had clearly never visited our restaurant, let alone dined with us! It happens sadly. My favourite cheap place to eat where I live is... Mannion's of Helmsley. They offer a cracking full-cooked breakfast, which is done with care and skill. A great Monday morning spot after a busy weekend. I have absolutely no issue with people ordering tap water... We often do the same when eating out. The only rare time sharing is unacceptable might be... when a table of five orders one dessert and five spoons. That can be a bit much. The best city in the world to eat in is... New York. A fantastic eating mecca. Something delicious for any budget, day or night. I've cut costs in my restaurant by... literally turning off/powering down any equipment that is not in use. Other than fridges. Even turning off the kettle at the wall is now the done thing. A few years ago, this would not even have been a thought. My cheap recipe is for creme brulee... This dessert has been an almost permanent staple on our menu for the past 20 years - a very popular choice. The idea here is to obtain a silky-smooth custard, using rich egg yolks only. Whole eggs can be used but the results are very different. If using fresh vanilla pods, reserve the pods for other uses, as they have bags of flavour. For the best results, you will need a gas blow torch. This is a very controlled way of caramelising sugar. The recipe makes six creme brulee... Ingredients: 500g double cream 2 x vanilla pods, seeds scraped (or two tsp of high-quality vanilla extract) 60g caster sugar 235g egg yolk (cartons of liquid egg yolk can be bought easily online) Extra caster sugar for brulee Method: Preheat oven to 90°C. Place all ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan, except the egg yolks. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, cover and leave for 30 minutes for vanilla to infuse. Place pot back on a low heat and whisk in the egg yolks to combine and bring to a very gentle simmer. Do not boil, as you will have scrambled egg custard! Pass the custard through a fine sieve into a jug. Pour the custard into suitable ramekins, almost to the top. Place the ramekins into the oven and bake for approximately twenty minutes. Keep an eye on the custard, giving a ramekin a gentle shake after twenty minutes. You want the custard to have a gentle wobble in the centre. This will look almost undercooked but do not be deterred! Remove the ramekins from the oven and allow to cool. Place in the fridge for at least six hours to set. (Egg carries on cooking in the residual heat, hence removing from oven before fully set.) When ready to serve, remove ramekins from the fridge. Sprinkle a fine, even layer of caster sugar over each custard. Caramelise the sugar using a gas blow torch.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Malaysia-U.K. Rom-Com ‘Mojo' Unveils Cast, Astro Shaw Boards as Co-Producer (EXCLUSIVE)
Malaysian powerhouse Astro Shaw has joined forces with Sympatico, the newly minted production label from Double Vision's Min Lim and Argo Films' Richard Johns, as the outfit commences production on its debut feature 'Mojo.' The romantic comedy, which began lensing this week in Malaysia's picturesque Perlis region, marks a significant milestone in cross-cultural collaboration between Southeast Asian and British filmmaking talents. More from Variety Ananda Krishnan, Malaysian Media Mogul, Dies at 86 'Mojo,' Quirky Rom-Com With Cow as Social Media Star, Set as Debut Feature for Malaysia-U.K. Venture Sympatico (EXCLUSIVE) Moonbin, Member of K-Pop Boy Band Astro, Found Dead at 25 Indonesian heartthrob Adipati Dolken ('Shadow Strays') makes his Malaysian film debut as Adi, starring opposite local sensation Mimi Lana ('The Experts') in this tale of urban ambition meeting rural charm – with a social media-famous bovine thrown into the mix. The story follows Adi, a corporate climber at Moo Magic Farms who turns a distinctive cow named Mojo into a viral sensation while pursuing aggressive rural farm acquisitions. His plans take an unexpected turn when he encounters a resistant farming community and its determined inhabitants, including Ayu (Lana). The production has assembled a seasoned ensemble of Malaysian talent, including Cannes alumnus Wan Hanafi ('Apprentice'), multi-hyphenate Namron (director of 'One Two Jaga') and veteran performer Dato A. Tamimi Serigar. The cast is rounded out by Tony Eusoff, Gambit Saifullah and Farah Ahmad. Behind the camera, Sympatico's Min Lim takes the director's chair, bringing her experience from hit Malaysian adaptations of 'Liar' and 'The Bridge' to the project. The creative team includes rising star Honey Ahmad, the sole Asian writer selected for Film Independent's 2024 Episodic Labs Cohort, alongside creative consultant Zahir Omar ('Fly by Night') and award-winning writer Chi-Ren Choong. Astro Shaw's involvement brings heavyweight Malaysian distribution muscle to the project, while the U.K.'s SC Films International is set to handle global sales. The film's producers include Mocha Chai Laboratories' Michelle Chang and Sympatico's Richard Johns, whose credits include the Oscar-nominated 'Shadow of the Vampire.' 'This has been a project long in the making,' says helmer Min Lim, expressing particular enthusiasm about Astro Shaw's participation. The director underlines the production's dual aim of creating an authentic Malaysian story with global appeal, positioning the project as a potential showcase for Southeast Asian storytelling capabilities. Raja Jastina Raja Arshad, who heads Astro Shaw, pointed to the studio's long-standing relationship with Double Vision as a key factor in joining the production. 'With its brilliant script, excellent cast, a potent synergy of creative minds from Malaysia, Indonesia and U.K., not to mention the wider international potential for the film that the Sympatico team can bring, we are excited to see just where this project might go,' Arshad stated. The film is scheduled for a Malaysian theatrical release later in 2025 before its international rollout. State support from Perlis has aided the production, which aims to spotlight the region's untapped cinematic potential. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025
