You may recognise reality star Kevin Kreider from the hit Netflix show Bling Empire, and the second season of The Traitors currently streaming on NBC’s Peacock. But the multi-hyphenated personality now has his sights set on a new venture: stepping out of the frame, and behind the camera. Together with longtime girlfriend Devon Diep, Kreider is co-founder of Alls Production, with Tony- and Grammy-award-winning filmmaker Jhett Tolentino on board as producing partner. 

An acronym for “Asian-lead love stories”, Alls Productions was founded to bring authentic and Asian-centric stories to the entertainment industry. “It came from my realisation about the one thing I believe Asians are lacking in terms of storytelling—sharing love stories,” says Kreider.

Reflecting on the challenges he faced throughout his career as a Korean-American model and entertainer in Hollywood, Kreider recognised the importance of creating a platform dedicated to representing Asian cultures and voices in a way that avoids stereotypes. “My mission [with Alls Productions] is to put Asians in the spotlight, to change the way we are viewed, through media storytelling and to create a community for us,” he continues. 

“Now that there are non-Asians consuming our content, which is awesome, it’s a time for us to really show the world who we are. Something that’s away from the old stereotypes that we were forced to tell because there were people who were not Asian telling these stories for us. It’s time to go beyond just where someone comes from, we want to be able to control how our stories are told,” he says. 

When it comes to Asian representation, he shares: “I think representation is humanising Asian characters and actors. It’s normalising seeing a Singaporean or a Filipino in a lead role, just because it’s a great role. Something that other production companies such as CJ Entertainment and A24 have been doing so well is bringing Asians together to create amazing films and series that have almost nothing to do with being Asian. They’re just living their lives as Asians. So we need more of that.”

Tatler Singapore had the opportunity to sit down with Kreider during his recent trip to our city, where we discussed what Alls Production has in the works, Asian representation, inclusivity in media and more.

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In Japan’s northeastern Tohoku region lies Samurai City in Aizu-Wakamatsu Fukushima, a hidden gem steeped in history and culture. Aside from all things samurai, the region is also known for its gorgeous landscapes, epic castles, friendly locals and award-winning distilleries. If you are considering a trip to Japan and looking for off-the-beaten-track destinations, there are a few activities in the area to check out.

Start your trip by exploring the Nisshinkan Samurai School. Established in 1803, the school played a crucial role in the education of the Aizu Clan (a prominent samurai clan known for their loyalty to the Tokugawa shogunate) during the end of the Edo period. The historic institution, which once trained formidable Samurai warriors, was burned down in 1868 during the Battle of Aizu, but has since been rebuilt in the same location, offering insights into the students’ disciplined lifestyle and martial arts prowess. Guests can experience kyudo (Japanese archery) at the museum for a supplementary fee.

When you feel peckish, savour traditional Aizu Kyodo cuisine. Due to its inland location, seafood was historically transported to Aizu through the Kitamae trade route from Hokkaido. Locals preserved fish in creative ways—examples of Aizu Kyodo Cuisine include the flavoursome herring pickled with sansho pepper leaves and Kozuyu, a thick shellfish broth soup with satoimo taro, kikurage wood ear mushrooms, and soft moyashifu (soy-based wheat gluten). Shibukawa Donya offers a kaiseki-style full course with a wide range of traditional dishes, as well as marbled Aizu-gyu beef steak and locally brewed sake.

Immerse yourself in a serene tea ceremony too. The region encompasses the profound influence of Shoan, the son of the legendary tea master Sen no Rikyu, who played an instrumental role in developing and refining the art. Tea ceremonies can be experienced at Oyakuen, a historic Aizu Domain villa, which is famous for its enchanting garden with over 300 varieties of medical herbs that were planted to treat a plague during the Edo period. Visitors can immerse themselves in the world of tranquillity and grace with carefully prepared matcha green tea.

No visit to the Samurai City is complete without witnessing an energetic performance by the samurai sword performance group Kengishu Kamui. The talented group brings the spirit of the ancient warriors to life through their captivating displays of precision, skill, and artistry with traditional Japanese swords. The audience is treated to a captivating showcase of choreographed kenjutsu (swordsmanship), demonstrating the techniques and discipline of samurai soldiers. For those looking to elevate their experience, the group offers workshops to learn sword-fighting moves.

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On February 17, the second night of Ed Sheeran’s tour stop in Singapore, the British singer-songwriter performed at Capitol Theatre wearing his bespoke Patek Philippe World Time 5230G timepiece paired with a navy rubber strap from Singaporean brand, Delugs.

The watch strap was gifted to Sheeran backstage by Delugs founders Kenneth Kuan and Chia Pei Qi earlier that day, which also happened to be the Thinking Out Loud singer’s birthday. The pair, who are married, are fans of Sheeran’s music. But more importantly, being watch collectors, they were well aware of the star’s famous penchant for watches.

When they heard the news back in October last year that Sheeran would be performing in Singapore, Kuan and Chia had the idea to invite him to the Delugs showroom. However, it was not until two weeks before the concerts that the couple started putting their plan into action.

On February 7, they put out a video on social media explaining their wish to meet Ed Sheeran and introduce him to Delugs, and asked their followers for any leads or connections that could make that happen.

With the help of the watch community, Ed Sheeran’s watch dealer in the US was able to connect Delugs with the singer’s team. However, instead of bringing Sheeran to the Delugs showroom, they would try to get Kuan and Chia backstage passes to meet him.

A rollercoaster of emotions ensued as the founders did not receive any confirmation or updates for the next week, and had even put up another post on social media the night before Sheeran’s first show to manage the expectations of the watch community who had been closely following the progress of their endeavour online.

On the morning of the first show in Singapore on February 16, however, Kuan made a final attempt to reach out to Sheeran’s team and received a reply saying the team would finalise details of the meet-and-greet soon.

The couple cleared their schedule for the day and eventually, after much anticipation, met Sheeran backstage that evening before his concert at the National Stadium. During the brief encounter, they presented him with a watch case customised with the singer’s tour logo handpainted by Chia containing some Delugs watch straps that they had carefully curated for him based on their research of the watches he owns.

During this first meeting with Sheeran, the pair were able to chat with the singer’s team, among whom several were also watch fans and interested in getting some Delugs straps of their own. This led to Kuan and Chia being invited back the next day to pass the team their straps, along with two more straps for Sheeran that they helped fit on him. These straps included the navy blue CTS rubber strap that Sheeran wore that same night on stage, with his Patek Philippe World Time 5230G piece unique.

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In 2023, us gourmands have witnessed a handful of high-profile openings in the pastry realm—not one is like the other.

For one, Cédric Grolet came straight out of the ritzy Le Meurice on Rue de Rivoli, and into the newly minted Como Orchard. Here, he serves signature and Singapore-exclusive trompel’œil, or desserts that bear an uncanny resemblance to the fruits they are inspired by. Take, for instance, the lychee, which reveals an aromatic fruit gel specked with bits of fresh lychee and coconut ganache once the ultra-thin white chocolate shell is cracked apart. Other eye-catching versions include cameos of luscious purple dragonfruit, tropical mango and lemon. These are complemented by classic viennoiseries, among which are the pain au chocolat and croissant, which you can dip in a hot cup of coffee—just how Grolet enjoys them.

For French classics with a bit of Asian flair, Patisserie Clé puts out an unrivalled Teochew yam dessert version of the classic Mont Blanc. Weaving in nostalgic local flavours, the prolific pair also dreamt up an enchanting apple nutmeg cake that showcases nutmeg and apples in varying textures, in honour of the locale’s former roots as a nutmeg plantation.

Another popular pick is Ami Patisserie, where Japanese pastry chef Makoto Arami believes that desserts are no afterthought, and he showcases this in his brand new Kyo Machiya-inspired concept hidden in the tranquillity of Scotts Road. There, an encompassing experience of a pastry-led chef’s table discovery menu awaits where he fuses classic French techniques he learnt in renowned kitchens like Biege Alain Ducasse in Ginza, Japan with his Japanese heritage to create desserts that toe the fine line between sweet and savoury. Arami’s alcohol-infused seasonal fruit tarts are always a massive hit, especially the best-selling Shizuoka crown melon tart, made up of beautiful layers of Cointreau vanilla custard within flaky filo tarte and textures of crown melon balls. His creations are fine examples of the shokunin spirit.

Cult patisserie Lee’s Confectionery has also returned in the form of Nickel. Once tucked away under an HDB estate in Jurong East, the patisserie café—known to produce restaurant-quality desserts—has found itself a cosy new home on Middle Road. The new moniker takes after the French saying of C’est Nickel which is a casual form of congratulations.

Holding down the fort is chef-owner Lee Yin Quan, who honed her French pastry skills at Ferrandi Paris, one of Europe’s most prestigious culinary institutes. Besides viennoiseries and coffees, most would make a beeline for the signature Madu. This original is a whimsical hexagon-shaped cake made using honey caramel, dusted with cornflake crumble and topped with Horlicks flavoured ice cream. For seasonal entremets and specials, look out for Lee’s Instagram where she regularly teases upcoming releases.

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