From Pulp Fiction to The Big Lebowski, the 5 favourite films of British chef in Hong Kong Jamie Draper
Born and raised in London, chef Jamie Draper had his passion for food ignited by travels during his childhood, where his adventurous appetite saw him tucking into snails and freshly shucked oysters from a young age.
That daredevil spirit lured him to Asia, and today he is head chef at Melody, on Third Street in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong.
Draper shares not his favourite foods but his top five films, as well as some of their memorable quotes – such as “F*** it, dude, let’s go bowling” from the 1998 cult classic The Big Lebowski – and why he continues to so strongly relate to them.
1 Withnail and I (1987)
Draper discovered this cult British film, about two out-of-work actors on a disastrous country weekend holiday, when he was about 15 years old.
“It’s the most quotable movie I know […] I could probably recite it from start to finish,” he says. “There are so many hysterical moments. It’s a film I genuinely enjoy watching repeatedly – and I have done so.
“I love how they navigate from one minor disaster to another, as well as the quality of the English language they use.”
The soundtrack also resonated with Draper, including saxophone legend King Curtis’ rendition of “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum that opens the film.
“There’s also a couple of Jimi Hendrix bangers and ‘All Along the Watchtower’, as they drive off in the Jag, followed by ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ by The Beatles. That era of music is my favourite.”
“I’ve heard that Richard E. Grant [who plays Withnail] is allergic to alcohol, which makes his performance even more impressive. Although I’m not much of a baker, the scene with ‘Cake and fine wine’ is the highlight for me.”
2 Pulp Fiction (1994)
This classic Quentin Tarantino-directed hit features four interconnected stories and the plot is sheer genius, says Draper. The main cast – Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Bruce Willis – is exceptional, he adds. “It also has a fantastic soundtrack.”
He also likes the theme of redemption. “It shows that no matter how bad a person you are, there is always a chance for finding light at the end of the tunnel and turning your life around.”
Draper has a large, hand-painted caricature poster of the main characters at home that was drawn by a street artist in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
“Wherever you are in the world, the characters are unmistakable,” he says. “I even have a cheeseburger tattooed on my right hand. Jules [played by Jackson] and his ‘tasty burger’ have become iconic.”
3 The Big Lebowski (1998)
“Quotable movies seem to be a recurring theme for me, and this one is no exception,” says Draper of the crime comedy written, directed and produced by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Its stellar cast includes Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore and Steve Buscemi.
“I first watched this when I was around 18 years old. My friend Oli had a beautiful country house near [English town] Marlborough, and we would get stoned and watch it over and over again.
“If anything was bothering us, we would adopt their ‘f*** it’ attitude. They would go bowling, and we would play snooker on his full-size table. Good times.
“Oli is still one of my best friends, and we still quote the film. The phrase ‘F*** it, dude, let’s go bowling’ gets sent regularly over WhatsApp.”
4 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Draper considers this Guy Ritchie-directed black-comedy crime film the British version of Pulp Fiction.
“It’s filled with memorable quotes and has another soundtrack that I love. The guitar intro of Ocean Colour Scene’s ‘Hundred Mile High City’ is fantastic. And then there’s James Brown, who I was fortunate enough to see perform live in Hyde Park.
“I went to school with kids who resembled the posh drug dealers in the film, so there are many aspects of it that I relate to.”
5 True Romance (1993)
This romantic crime film directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino brims with great actors, including Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt and Christopher Walken.
But it is the strong bond between the star-struck lovers, who are thrust into a violent high-speed adventure, that struck a chord with Draper, a confessed romantic.
“This film showcases a love as strong as the bond between the two main characters,” says Draper.
“I’m a true romantic, and love the protagonist’s fascination with Elvis. I, too, would go to the ends of the Earth for the woman I love.
“It was also written by Quentin Tarantino, so that makes two of my five choices attributed to him.”
Some of the rash decisions that are made, particularly those by Clarence (Slater’s character), is something Draper relates to.
“I don’t always think about the consequences of my actions; however, I’d like to think that more often than not, things work out in the end.
“Moving to Hong Kong is the perfect example of this. I didn’t even consider it not being a good idea and here I am, loving it.”
