From My Kitchen to Yours — Sandra Djohan
In 2025, I returned to China for a holiday that became much more than just a journey. I had the pleasure of visiting my cousin and his wife in Beijing, and what I experienced during that short stay was truly eye-opening.
The last time I visited China was around 2004–2005. Returning nearly two decades later felt like stepping into a different world. I had always known China to be a fast-moving country, but witnessing its transformation firsthand was something else entirely. The cities had grown into extraordinary metropolitan landscapes, with impressive architecture, remarkable infrastructure, and a sense of movement and progress that was almost beyond my comprehension. What struck me just as much was how clean, organized, and thoughtfully developed the city felt. Everything seemed to reflect a country that was constantly looking forward, building, evolving, and embracing the future.
During my stay in Beijing, I had the opportunity to visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. Standing in these historic places was a reminder that beneath all the modern development lies a rich cultural heritage, one that continues to shape the identity of the country. There is something humbling about being surrounded by centuries of history while witnessing a nation moving so confidently into the future.
And, of course, the food was amazing. For me, no journey is ever complete without discovering the flavours of a place. Food has always been one of my favourite ways to understand a culture. Every dish tells a story, whether through its ingredients, techniques, traditions, or the people who prepare it. As a chef, I find inspiration in these little discoveries, and China never fails to offer something new to learn and appreciate.
China has always held a special place in my heart, perhaps for reasons that go beyond travel and food. Long before my life became so deeply connected to the kitchen, I worked with Chinese manufacturers through my first company, creating gifts and promotional items. It was a completely different chapter of my life, far removed from the world of culinary arts, but one that introduced me to another side of China and helped shape my early professional journey.
Looking back, I find it fascinating how life evolves, often taking us in directions we could never have imagined. My return to China made me reflect on the years that had passed, not only on how much the country had changed, but also on how much I had changed with it.
In many ways, I saw a reflection of myself in China’s remarkable transformation.
Just as its cities had grown, developed, and reached new heights, I too had spent those years building something of my own. From my early days in business to becoming a self-made chef, I have experienced my own journey of learning, making mistakes, overcoming challenges, and discovering new possibilities. My life in the kitchen has taught me patience, discipline, creativity, and the importance of never believing that I know everything. Every recipe I create, every person I meet, and every experience I encounter adds another layer to who I am.
My travels have been an equally important part of that journey. I have been fortunate enough to explore different places, meet people from different backgrounds, and experience cultures that have opened my eyes to new ways of seeing the world. I have come to understand that travel is not simply about visiting beautiful destinations or ticking places off a list. It is about allowing yourself to be changed by what you see, taste, learn, and experience.
Every culture has its own rhythm, traditions, values, and stories. These differences are what make the world so fascinating, and they have taught me to look beyond what I already know. They have influenced the way I cook, the way I see things through my camera, and the way I understand people.
If there are two things that have consistently brought me joy throughout my life, they are cooking and photography.
Cooking allows me to express myself through flavours, textures, and memories. It is my way of sharing a part of myself with others, of bringing people together around a table, and of preserving the stories that live within food. Photography, on the other hand, allows me to pause and observe. It teaches me to notice the little things: the way light falls across an old building, the colours of a busy market, the details of a traditional dish, or the quiet beauty of an ordinary moment.
To me, these two passions are deeply connected. Cooking allows me to create something people can experience through taste, while photography allows me to capture the beauty of a moment and keep it alive long after it has passed. Both require curiosity, patience, and an appreciation for details that others might overlook.
As I continued my journey through China, including my time in Shanghai, I found myself thinking about how much the world has to offer when we remain open to learning. Every destination leaves something behind in us. Sometimes it is a flavour we cannot forget, a photograph we treasure, a conversation that stays with us, or simply a new perspective that changes how we see our own lives.
Perhaps that is what makes travelling so enriching. We leave home to discover somewhere new, only to return with a deeper understanding of ourselves.
My journey to Beijing and Shanghai was relatively short, but its impression will stay with me for a long time. It reminded me that progress is not always measured by how far we have travelled or how much we have achieved. Sometimes, it is measured by how much we have grown, how willing we are to keep learning, and how deeply we appreciate the experiences that have shaped us along the way.
Today, as I continue to embrace my life as a chef, photographer, traveller, and someone who treasures family, I feel increasingly grateful for the chapters that have brought me here. I no longer see my journey as a series of separate experiences. My early years in business, my life in the kitchen, my travels, my photography, and the people I have met are all connected. Each has contributed something valuable to the person I am today.
I have learned that we do not need to stop growing simply because we have reached a certain stage in life. There is always another flavour to discover, another culture to understand, another story to tell, and another photograph waiting to be taken.
And perhaps, just like China, we are all works in progress — constantly evolving, learning from the past, embracing the present, and finding new ways to move forward.
For me, the true richness of life is not measured by what I own or how much I have accomplished. It is measured by what I have experienced, what I have learned, the people I have shared my journey with, and the memories I carry with me.
Through cooking, I share my world with others. Through photography, I preserve the moments that move me. And through travelling, I continue to discover how beautifully connected we all are, despite the differences in our cultures and the places we call home.
There is still so much more to see, taste, learn, and capture.
And I look forward to every bit of it.
From My Kitchen to Yours,Sandra Djohan
