'Are you free?' Ex-Mediacorp actor Ian Fang targets 100 mums to cook for him in new show

If you are out shopping for groceries, don't be surprised if ex-Mediacorp actor Ian Fang approaches you and asks to be invited to your home for a meal.

The 34-year-old released a new show IF Goes to Your Home on his social media accounts recently, where he aims to get 100 mums to cook a meal for him.

In the first episode, which was filmed at Bendemeer Shopping Mall, Ian got his meal on the first try after approaching Madam Lu near a fruit stall.

"You are a celebrity," the 65-year-old said as Ian approached her.

Ian was surprised and asked if Madam Lu knew him, which she replied in the negative.

"I just thought you might be a celebrity," she said, adding that he is good-looking.

As Ian asked her the crucial question, she replied immediately: "Sure."

After a quick stop at the supermarket to pick up some vegetables, both of them headed to Madam Lu's home, where she made celery pork dumplings for him.

As they chatted over the meal, Madam Lu shared that she came from Wuhan and learnt to cook since she was young. She added her daughter is currently doing her postgraduate studies in Singapore and her grandchild is also studying here.

Ian thanked her after the meal and they shared a hug.

However, finding more mums to cook for him proved to be a challenge, as Ian couldn't get any invitations in his latest episode, which was released on July 22.

The episode was also filmed at Bendemeer Shopping Mall and he approached several women near the same fruit stall again, but they declined.

"I haven't been rejected much before, I am concerned that if I am rejected again later, I would feel embarrassed," Ian said while trying out his luck at the wet market nearby.

That was the beginning of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

He greeted a middle-aged woman buying groceries, but she completely ignored him. She only acknowledged him after another customer got her attention.

When Ian asked if she could cook for him, she responded: "I am not interested, I can't cook."

He approached another woman, who told him that she "isn't free" and walked away hurriedly before he could finish his sentence.

"Why are there no mums willing to do this at all?" Ian cried.

At a vegetable stall, he introduced himself and his mission again to an elderly woman, who proceeded to tell him: "Cook for you? How about you bring food for me instead? I don't know how to cook."

Shocked by her direct rejection, Ian paused for a few seconds before thanking her.

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Later, he approached a few other women and tried other tactics, such as asking if they could treat him like their grandchildren, addressing them as "elder sister" or "beauty", but he continued to be rejected.

Looking disappointed, he started calling out to an elderly passer-by: "Aunty, are you free?"

He told her that she could also cook instant noodles for him while she laughed, telling Ian he was "so cute" and she was "not free".

After being rejected 10 times, Ian could only sign in despondence at his failed mission.

"We were too lucky in our first episode, really lucky… It's not easy at all," he said, as a staff member told him he could go to Madam Lu's home again.

"IF Goes to Your Home becomes What to Eat at Madam Lu's Home Today," he said.

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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

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