Egg cocotte, confit of foie gras, black truffle jus, from Les Amis Singapore
When I started my career back in 2000, I was mentored by a talented Singaporean chef called Justin Quek who had trained in France. He once made this dish for me and the combination totally blew me away. It was rich, explosive and delicious. It was then that I knew I had to pursue being a chef as a profession.
Japanese Amadai, crispy fish skin, linguine
I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s best chefs. One I hold in particular high regard is Chef Yasuharu Sasajima from Il Ghiottone Kyoto. He is sensational because he chose to revolutionize Italian cuisine in Japan by only using Japanese produce. This is one of the dished he invented – it was to die for.
Sushi Sawada
I’ve never really considered making sushi professionally – I would certainly never consider myself to be a sushi master! – but I have always been fascinated by the discipline and the attitude of a sushi chef. I once had the opportunity to dine in a sushi restaurant in Ginza Tokyo that only seats five people only! It is almost impossible to get a booking there, doesn’t matter who you are. It is so simple and stripped back. No pictures, no music, nothing. It was the best I’ve ever had. Once in a lifetime.
Pain perdu with ewe milk’s ice cream
In 2011 I was doing a gastronomy convention in San Sebastian, Spain, where I was presenting Singapore cuisine. When I was there I was sampling and trying everything. I became inspired by the technique and precision of the chefs around me. This ‘French toast’ dish was the simplest of desserts, but the balance of it was perfect, and zero-kilometre element to the sourcing of the ingredients made it even more special.
Barbeque leeks, yam puree, lacto fermented grapefruit
This is a very personal dish, and because of that I’ve put it on the menu at my new restaurant 11 Woodfire. It is a combination of less-used vegetables, and showcases how delicious they can be. Years ago, I never considered that vegetables could be the star of a dish, it was always a side or garnish. I’ve grown to find that they are so fulfilling to work with. It is as versatile, cheaper, planet friend and most of all healthy.