(KapanLagi.com/Budy Susanto)Actress and presenter Alexandra Gottardo has been in the media spotlight since starring in Karena Cinta (Because of Love) television series in 2006. Alexandra has also won praise for her work in Tanah Air Beta (My Motherland) in 2010 '€” a movie portraying the 1999 riots following the referendum in East Timor (now Timor Leste). Alexandra also keeps busy with social causes. She is an ambassador for the WWF'€™s Earth Hour movement.

'€œWe have taken so much from the planet. We have responsibility to give back to help the planet. I think energy conservation is one of the easiest way to help slow down global warming.

It'€™s as easy as turning the light switch off when leaving the room or opting for cotton dishrag instead of paper towels at home.

I'€™ve done it at my home for quite some time because I want my home to be not only comfortable but also healthy and green.

A cozy and healthy home is very important to me because I spent a lot of time there when I'€™m off. I also need a green home because I have three dogs and I want to keep them healthy.

When I'€™m not spending fun time with the dogs, or hitting the gym for Thai boxing, you can always find me in the kitchen.

I love great food. I don'€™t eat a lot but I always want to pleasure my tongue. I like to try recipes, and experiment with them, trying to make them even more tasty.

I like traditional food, not only from Indonesia but traditional food from cultures in India, Thailand, Japan and many others.

Sometimes I draw cooking inspiration from food shows on the television. I like ones where they go all over the world to taste local foods. I envy them.

My favorite chef is Gordon Ramsay. After getting past him yelling at people, I like to see him cooking. I could learn a trick or two from his shows.

Being half Italian, my favorite food and my best cooking includes lasagna, spaghetti bolognese, spaghetti  aglio olio, risotto and ravioli.

My favorite Indonesian foods are rawon [beef stew] and pecel [vegetable salad]. The other half of me comes from East Java; my mother is from Malang. I love these traditional foods, but a mastery of making them is a necessity: You can'€™t call yourself from Malang, unless you can make them.

I cook well, but my mother cooks the best. She makes better Italian food than me. I hope I inherit her talent.'€
  
'€” Andreas D. Arditya

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