Categories: FeaturesFood

Ready to shine

They may not have snagged awards or dominated news headlines, but our young, local culinary talents are flying the flag for Singapore in their own ways. epicure singles out five of the brightest names to watch.

Here are five local (Singaporean and permanent resident) chefs—below the age of 35 years—who we think are stars in the making.

	Who Aaron Goh, 27, chef de cuisine of Shutters Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa Why we think he is hot Goh elevates Singaporean food to an avant-garde level by recreating local dishes using French cooking techniques. Take for example, his Modern Laksa, which borrows ideas from the French bouillabaisse: spicy bisque made from shellfish, Morton Bay bug, capellini pasta, lemongrass and laksa leaves work together to create an aromatic dish that is recognisable in taste but refreshing in execution.
	Who Paul Ng, 33, chef de cuisine of Private Affairs 45 Joo Chiat Place Why we think he is hot Ng takes familiar European dishes and turns them into his own by adding Asian touches and off-the-cuff textures. There’s the Duck Carpaccio, which combines granny smith apple with duck consommé jelly, purple mustard dressing and an Asian twist: spring onion gel.
	Who Douglas Tay, 30, chef de cuisine of Osia Resorts World Sentosa Why we think he is hot He cooks with an Asian sensibility. Tay doesn’t want his food to be labelled or categorised under terms like ‘modern Australian’ or ‘avant-garde’. “We call our food ‘Osia cuisine’,” he declares. Perhaps no other dish best embodies Osia’s homage to fresh flavours than the Petuna Ocean Trout cured in Chinese vinegar, served with apple purée and Chinese vinegar gel.
	Who Kelvin Lee, 32, executive chef of Le Figue #01-01/02 Camden Medical Centre Why we think he is hot Lee has established Le Figue as the place for accessible French fare. His modern French offerings are rarely exuberant, reflecting his efforts to cook with a light-handed, uncomplicated style. A popular favourite is the seared salmon and lobster with gratinated stuffed ziti pasta, which sits atop a ratatouille in cream cheese and essence of white butter with truffle.
	Who Mark Richards, 34, chef de cuisine of Nautilus Project #04-09, ION Orchard Why we think he is hot He breathes new life into old formulas Richards is taking the casual, bistro-style of the eatery to a refined level. Sous vide is a method he loves to employ. He takes an Indonesian trout, puts it into the vacuum-sealed pouch with cherry tomatoes, ham and potatoes and cooks it, infusing the fish with earthy and sweet scents. A crab escabeche then sits on top of it to perk up the dish’s hearty factor.