Romeo Tan On Why He Gave Up Following Hunkle Zheng Geping’s Egg White Diet After Just 3 Days

He plays a foodie chef in Love At First Bite, but by Mediacorp actor Romeo Tan’s own admission, he’s anything but a chef in real life.

The 37-year-old shared during the press conference for the drama that he actually took up cooking classes before filming, just so he could play his role more convincingly.

Thankfully, for Romeo, the lessons were pretty much the only ‘sacrifice' he had to make for the show, unlike fellow co-star Xu Bin, who had to follow a strict diet for a couple of days just so he could look good in a shirtless scene.

"It's a lot of work. You see Xu Bin, he kept eating vegetables during that period of time. Every time we had to shoot scenes like that, you'll find that your lunch and dinner is always chicken breast. It's a lot of protein, with no carbs or sugar. And it can get quite frustrating. When there's too much protein, with no carbs, it'll make you feel very grouchy, ” Romeo shared during a chat with 8days.sg after the press conference.

And yes, Romeo’s speaking from first-hand experience.

The actor recalled an instance where he had to bulk up for a period drama, and thus, attempted to follow his co-star Zheng Geping’s diet. It didn’t exactly end well.

"He only ate egg whites, and not even the yolks. And he would eat over 10 egg whites in a day. I copied him and followed it. Wah, I got very frustrated,” he exclaimed.

"After the third day, I gave up. I didn't find it so healthy for me. I want something more balanced, maybe at my own pace,” Romeo continued.

The actor, who described himself as "someone who can get quite out of shape quite easily”, shared that instead of following these strict diets, he "makes it a point to visit the gym, or run as often as possible”, to keep in shape.

8DAYS.SG: Your character in the show is a very good cook. Have you ever cooked for your loved ones or your friends?

ROMEO TAN: Of course I have. Last time, I baked cookies, I made baked pasta. I like baking related things lah. Although I'm a fan of Asian cuisine, I find Asian cuisine is hard to manage, with the salt and the seasonings. It has to be precise, and you need a lot of skills. So I prefer something more westernised, easier to manage. Like baked pasta, just put cheddar cheese on top and bake. And the creamy pasta sauce, you can get it off the shelves! So you just add your own ingredients to make it taste better.

When you cooked for them, what were their reactions?

(Laughs) I think I over estimated myself. I said okay, I'm going to make a baked pasta for all of you. So I cooked a lot. But the thing about cooking a lot is that it's quite dangerous 'cos you'll miss out on certain ingredients. Maybe you'll under estimate the amount needed, so you'll put too little, and the flavour won't be as strong. 

It turned out quite plain, and I was very excited to get them to try my baked pasta. But when they ate it, their faces were just like um... okay only. They're my friends, so they're very honest with me.

How long ago was that?

I remember it was Christmas period, and it was many years ago, I think when I first entered showbiz.

So if there's another Christmas gathering, and it happens to be a potluck thing. Will you cook something, or choose to buy something?

I'll get delivery and just put it in my own plate or container and say that I made it. (Laughs)

No one will know anyway, right?

Yeah, I think for potlucks right... I think we're all getting lazier, and prefer to just order something. There are a lot of promotions and fancier dishes out there these days.

So no more baked pasta dishes for Christmas?

Maybe for someone more special? Who I wanna put in some more effort for, then I will [cook].

You sang live for TGIF Music Station in November, how was the experience? 

It was quite amazing 'cos I've never pictured myself standing on stage and singing live. I've sung live before, but this is the first time with a proper live band, and with immediate feedback from the audience It was quite fun. It was a dream come true situation for me 'cos I love singing but I always just sing at karaoke for fun. I'm not a professional singer, so to be able to stand on stage was quite rewarding.

How did that opportunity come about?

I think they are always seeking artistes, or whoever wants to sing. So my manager just asked me [if I wanted to do it].

I immediately replied yes, but without knowing what I wanted to sing. I also didn't know where I got the courage from lah. I just said yes, and since I already agreed, I put my best face forward and went for it. But thank God, I think the audience were very kind and they gave me a lot of support.

And it was also quite stressful. I was placed as the last one, like a headliner. And those before me are all really good singers, and some of them even have their own EPs. I felt quite stressed lah, but overall it was quite okay.

Did you go for singing lessons beforehand?

No leh, I just went for it. My songs are all learnt from just singing on my own.

You can catch Love At First Bite on meWATCH here. The first episode is embedded below. The drama is currently airing every weekday, 9pm on Ch 8.

Photos: Mediacorp, Romeo Tan/Instagram