7 Young Chefs Shaking Up Singapore's Food Scene

Tariq Hellou, 28, Fleurette

As a young chef in a highly competitive place like Singapore, what is your greatest challenge and what keeps you going?
My greatest challenge is constantly improving – my food, my techniques, etc. Singapore is very competitive as there is no shortage of amazing chefs and great restaurants around, with new ones even opening every month. This is what drives me to constantly strive to improve and be better day by day in order to keep up and stay at the top of my game. What keeps me going is the excitement of learning new techniques and working with new produce that I haven’t had the chance to handle yet.

What are your personal ambitions and what goals do you have for Fleurette?
For the moment, my main goal is to grow Fleurette and achieve as much as we can – be it winning Michelin stars, moving to a better space in the future, or simply continuing to feed happy guests. Ultimately, I would like to reach a level where I am among the best in the industry.

What’s one thing you wish to change in Singapore’s restaurant industry?
One thing I wish to change, and not specific to Singapore, is that I hope there’s more improvement in working conditions and overall welfare for those in the F&B industry, especially those who are in junior positions. This is so that careers in this industry can be more sustainable, which in turn will make restaurants operate better. As a result, this will trickle down to the guest experiences as well.

Tan Wee Kiat, 33, Cuisson

What sparked your interest in working in the culinary industry?
I would say my parents and grandparents’ cooking sparked my interest, as well as TV shows like Hell’s Kitchen. Visits to supermarkets and wet markets also really inspired me when I was younger.

When I enrolled in cooking school, we were tasked to cook dishes for every practical lesson or exam. Through that, I saw many results or outcomes from the produce we used, and it made me realize that even a simple ingredient can create many results if we apply different approaches to it. I believe that is how my career path began to take shape in this industry.

As a young chef in a highly competitive place like Singapore, what is your greatest challenge and what keeps you going?
I feel that the challenge is all round. Singapore has seen numerous new restaurants opening in recent years – by new chefs who strike out on their own and by renowned ones who already have many accolades under their belt. Diners have also become more sophisticated. I have to keep improving and honing my techniques and lucky for me, cooking is my passion so while it is still going to be tough work, I am also enjoying the journey.  

What are your personal ambitions and what goals do you have for Cuisson?
Other than awards and accolades, my personal ambition is to always keep learning, improve my cooking, and create a magical dining experience. My vision for Cuisson is simple: That our guests have an enjoyable time at our restaurant; that they enjoy the food, wine, and company of our staff. Of course, I want my staff to enjoy their working experience here.

Marvas Ng, 37, Path

What sparked your interest in working in the culinary industry?
There was a TV drama I used to watch when I was young which sparked my interest in the culinary industry. The hoteliers in the show were always so professional and they got to use all sorts of ingredients I have never seen before. It made cooking in a restaurant sort of like a dream job for me since I already loved cooking at home.

Honestly, it was only after my first job that I felt that this was the career path for me. I believe it was during my time at Tower Club in China where I was exposed to many new ingredients and fine dining techniques that sparked my interest. To me, a career must be something that I enjoy, and I can immerse myself into. Without passion or interest, I would not be able to do it.

As a young chef in a highly competitive place like Singapore, what is your greatest challenge and what keeps you going?
My greatest challenge is definitely how I keep the restaurant’s menu interesting and competitive within the industry. These days, most diners are knowledgeable – as a chef, I need to be ahead of the trend to keep diners intrigued and interested. Besides these challenges, my constant research and development on food, trends, and culture is what keeps me going.

What are your personal ambitions and what goals do you have for Path?
My personal ambition is for all diners who come to Path to experience the diversity of modern Asian cuisine. I strive to continually create new dishes that are not only sumptuous, but also touch the hearts of our guests. I hope to pave the way for aspiring chefs to unleash their creativity, share their life experiences through food, and chase their culinary dreams.

This year, our focus at Path has been on enhancing our service and menu. We recently took a hiatus from January to March 2023 to revamp and recalibrate the restaurant's new direction. We transitioned from an à la carte sharing format to a tasting menu for dinner. The current tasting menu represents a culmination of my memories, experiences, and inspirations, providing a better representation of the culinary adventure at Path. With these changes, we aim to provide our diners with a more enjoyable experience.

Law Jia-Jun, 29, Province

What sparked your interest in working in the culinary industry?
I have envisioned myself running a restaurant since I was 14. My passion for cooking sparked after an attempt to recreate pumpkin soup that I saw on Jamie Oliver’s “Jamie at Home”. I may have ended up creating a mess, but that piqued my interest in becoming a better chef. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America with a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Business Management, I landed an opportunity to work at Manresa – a restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area that held three Michelin stars, until it closed its doors at the end of 2022. Working alongside David Kinch was an amazing experience and I’ve been inspired to produce farm-to-table, ingredient-driven cooking since then.

As a young chef in a highly competitive place like Singapore, what is your greatest challenge and what keeps you going?
There are many great chefs in Singapore so it can be quite challenging to stand out. Thankfully, in addition to being passionate about cooking, I’m also really excited to showcase the ingredients from the Southeast Asian region – there aren’t many restaurants in Singapore that focus on the ingredients and flavors from this region.

Province gave me the opportunity to build relationships with farmers, fishermen, and producers in Singapore, as well as neighboring countries like Malaysia and Thailand. This inspires and motivates me to strive for improvement, so that my guests can join me to discover and taste the riches of Southeast Asia.

What are your personal ambitions and what goals do you have for Province?
I hope to own more concepts in the long run, but I am currently 100% committed to Province. My goal here, on a day-to-day basis, is to pique the diners’ curiosity about the vast variety of produce available in Southeast Asia. I will also be refreshing the menu every three months, not only to challenge myself, but to keep it interesting so that my guests would return for the next menu.

Words of advice for young chefs who want to make their mark in the industry in the future?
Stay true to yourself and go for it. My parents were initially not so supportive of my decision to become a chef, but I was determined to run a restaurant. My journey wasn’t easy and there were multiple obstacles to cross, even up until now, but I have no regrets. I am glad that I stood firm and persevered, or I will not be where I am now.

Andrea Da Paola, 32, Altro Zafferano

What sparked your interest in working in the culinary industry?
I used to spend my summer holidays with my grandmother. She was always cooking for the family and preparing preserved vegetables for winter. My favorite way to spend time with her was to stay together in the garden collecting vegetables and cooking with her.

I was inspired by the happiness my grandmother brought to the whole family by cooking for them. I wanted to do the same for the people I love. I was very keen and extremely determined to work in a restaurant. However, I recall my mom (tried to dissuade me from doing so), as she was working in a restaurant and knew how challenging the job would be.

At 13, I had a chance to work in a professional kitchen thanks to a chef who was a friend of my parents. That experience made me fall in love with the job.

As a young chef in a highly competitive place like Singapore, what is your greatest challenge and what keeps you going?
My greatest challenge here has been the misconception that most of the customers have about Italian food. Many expressed that Italian cuisine is only about ingredients and little techniques, and Italian food must be simple.

I agree that respect for ingredients is the key to Italian cuisine, but I also believe that an Italian chef should have the same creativity and the right to express himself by exploring other ingredients and experimenting with new techniques. The cuisine, like what we do at Altro Zafferano, should evolve with time, while respecting the traditions to create new and unique experiences for the diners. What keeps me going is the smile of the guests and their effort to stop by the kitchen to thank me and the team for the great experience they had.

Words of advice for young chefs who want to make their mark in the industry in the future?
My advice is to be humble, work hard, and study as much as you can. Read books about food, watch interviews of notable chefs in the industry, and dedicate your life to becoming a Chef as it requires a lot of energy, passion, and time.

Nicolas Tam, 33, Willow

What sparked your interest in working in the culinary industry?
My interest in working in the culinary industry was sparked by my passion for cooking and the joy it brings to others. While getting started in the industry, there was no one particular moment that occurred to make me realize that this is the right career path for me. It happened naturally as I grew and developed my skills. While working, I realized that cooking sparks a lot of joy in me, and then seeing diners enjoy my food is what cemented the idea that this is my calling.

What are your personal ambitions and what goals do you have for Willow?
My personal ambition is to continue growing and developing my skills as a chef. My goal for the restaurant is to achieve recognition for what we have done so far. I aim to elevate the dining experience of our guests by creating new and exciting dishes, continuing to source the best ingredients, and ensuring consistency in the quality of our food.

What’s one thing you wish to change in Singapore’s restaurant industry?
I wish to change the perception that fine dining is a stressful experience. Going out to eat should be fun! Come out with an open mind and you are bound have a good experience no matter where you choose to dine.

Shingo Iijima, 37, Fat Cow / MIYOSHI

As a young chef in a highly competitive place like Singapore, what is your greatest challenge and what keeps you going?
At Fat Cow, I am challenging myself with a new culinary approach that incorporates Wagyu beef into my Kappo and Kaiseki cooking styles, which I have developed through the years.

As a chef, I seek to broaden my horizons and explore new avenues by constantly setting new challenges to undertake. Recently, with the newly launched Modern Japanese concept, MIYOSHI by Fat Cow, I worked with Sous Chef Nigel Loh to curate new experiences for the Teppan Kaiseki and Sushi Omakase menus in addition to the A La Carte menu, which includes a distinctive range of ramen. A drive to fulfil my responsibilities and aspirations keep me going.

What are your personal ambitions and what goals do you have for both Fat Cow and MIYOSHI?
One of my ambitions is to collaborate with each prefecture in Japan and use Fat Cow and MIYOSHI as a platform to introduce Japanese ingredients and the culture to people living in or visiting Singapore. As I have only been working in Singapore for less than a year, I am still exploring how to further showcase the unique characteristics of Fat Cow and MIYOSHI for customers to appreciate.

Words of advice for young chefs who want to make their mark in the industry in the future?
Let’s say there are 10 restaurants, only 10 chefs can be the head chef – the role is sought after. So to get to this level, it is crucial to closely observe and work alongside the head chef, while always thinking of how to enhance your skills and to adopt a positive mindset. Putting in your best effort now is important because hard work is always rewarded.