Alex Offe is the founder of Uma Nota, a Japanese-Brazilian restaurant with locations in Hong Kong and Paris.
How many flights do you typically take per year?
About six to eight flights. Most of my flights last year were to Paris for the opening of Uma Nota Paris.
Most unusual place you have been?
Definitely a trip to Ningxia when I was in my teens. I was learning Mandarin at the time in school and our class took a trip to a very poor region of China as part of a learning experience and also as a way to give back through volunteering.
Any flights in your life that particularly standout?
It would have to be the trip my sister and I took to Brazil to research before opening Uma Nota. First of all, it was the longest trip we ever took. We flew from Hong Kong to Seattle to Atlanta and then finally arrived in Rio de Janeiro. We were there for almost a month, collecting as much information as possible on the food and the culture it was pretty amazing.
How do you survive a long flight?
I sleep!
Top travel tips?
Eat well and drinks lots of water! With my long legs, I always ask for the emergency exit space (or an upgrade – doesn’t always work though) and make friends with the inflight team.
How could international airports improve?
Better wi-fi options! I was stuck in Qatar for almost eight hours a few months ago and it would have been much easier if there were better services available.
How could airlines improve in-flight service?
I think Cathay Pacific’s in-flight service is already pretty good.
Loveliest souvenir you’ve ever come back with?
It’s not really a souvenir but whenever I come back from France, I need to come back with galettes. It’s a kind of flat savoury pancake from where my family come from in France. Can’t get enough of them.
Indispensable travel gadgets?
My phone so I can get my Netflix fix!
