A cookbook devoted to steamed foods

Recipes in the book include a range of baos designed to appease the growing appetite for steamed baos in the West. Photos: Bao by Lorretta Liu, published by Ryland Peters & Small; Photography by Clare Winfield © Ryland Peters & Small

As a child, Malaysian-born Loretta Liu moved to Singapore, where she developed a deep interest in food. Going against her family’s wishes, she pursued a career in culinary arts, dipping her feet in the industry by securing a job at the city state’s iconic Raffles Hotel.

“I decided that I really like food a lot, so I started my work experience at Raffles Hotel, which was against what my dad wanted because he felt that working as a chef wasn’t suitable for a girl! But I decided to pursue that career path anyway,” she says, laughing.