Private dining experiences are emerging here once more – Creative Services Editor Chelsia Tan spends an evening at one such (home) chef’s table at Intimate Suppers
To say that I live to eat is an understatement. Being able to have first dibs on the hottest new restaurants in town was a huge privilege (and perk) when I was previously covering the food and drink sections of another Singapore lifestyle publication, but few of these experiences have stuck with me. Why? It was rarely about the food, but the clinical and “silo-like” process of dining at an establishment. Don’t get me wrong – most of these places have great service staff flanking the hospitality front, but the fact is, your dinner ends the moment you call for the bill.
So it comes as no surprise (or at least, to those who know me) that I’m a huge fan of the private dining trend, which emerged together with the rise of the sharing economy in the last two years. Meal-sharing communities like BonAppetour, Plate Culture and Diner En Blanc offer a more engaging and inclusive experience for foodies who want more than just well-executed plates.
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Embracing this ethos are former gastrobar-owner Celina Tan and host/actor Nikki Muller – the duo have launched Intimate Suppers, a new private dining concept set in Celina’s newly-renovated Seraya Crescent home. Think of it as a more accessible supper club of sorts: you can expect a personalised and unfussy menu, warm hospitality and the opportunity to meet other guests too.
Their last event, a sake-pairing sesh with tipples presented by sake sommelier Maria Satoh of Orihara Shoten, saw guests tucking into starters including homemade bread served with ricotta cheese, bacon jam and Celina’s highly addictive chicken liver paté, before moving on to a wonderfully succulent pork cheek stewed in red wine and beef stock. The night later culminated in raucous laughter that might have been partly induced by the free-flow booze. The highlight of my totally inebriated evening? It was (without a doubt) Nikki, Celina and her husband, Kok – the trio are clearly passionate hosts who love both food and entertaining (and, *cough* plying their guests with sake), which made my experience one to write home about.
Want to find out more? Read on for a quick Q&A with Nikki and Celina.
You are both hosting Intimate Suppers together. Can you describe the dynamics between the two of you?
Nikki: To be honest, I am learning so much from Celina. She has experience running a restaurant and bar, and has entertained at home since time immemorial. Our theme is “entertaining at home from the soul”. My role is to support her in the kitchen in the hours leading to our event, and that includes organising the decorations and overseeing the set-up of the party. I ensure everything gets out to our guests on time, and I even play part-time bartender! I have plenty of ideas for future themed events ‘cos that’s how we’ll stand out from other private dining concepts; we’re doing this to offer an alternative experience, not just to dining but also home entertaining. Celina is a ball of energy and is highly organised in the kitchen. She’s patient with me in the handling of her prized personalised Japanese kitchen knife. Although… I can get a bit nervous when she watches me chop!
Celina: Both Nikki and I love a good party! We have so much fun brainstorming ideas and concepts. Her energy is infectious. She has a eye for all things beautiful, so I leave her to organise the room, the flowers, the music, plates, cutlery and me! I love to cook, and sometimes, I get lost in my thoughts, so Nikki gets to kick my ass by making sure that I’m not playing around in the kitchen. I schedule the grocery shopping and cooking, and design the menu – menu design is especially important when entertaining at home. I look for recipe ideas that can be prepared beforehand and that involves as little a la minute cooking as possible, so I have time to party with my guests. Nikki will soon get her shot at leading the cooking during an event!
Celina, you and your husband, Kok, have recently renovated your home to accommodate guests for Intimate Suppers. Could you share more on how integral the design of your new home is to this new dining community?
We actually renovated our home because of our change in lifestyle. We like to entertain and enjoy having our family and friends over. Our kids have also grown up now, and it’s important that they have a place at home where they feel comfortable hanging out with their friends. In our ‘new’ home, we have an alfresco area surrounded by our garden that’s great for sundowners and canapes. We’ve increased the size of our living and dining rooms to accommodate activities or performances. There’s a family room upstairs that features a 2.7 metre table custom-made to seat 10 people, and a balcony and a wooden deck where you can catch the sunset.
It’s been a few years since the sharing economy made its way into Singapore, with meal-sharing communities such as BonAppetour and Plate Culture offering experiences here. How do you think that has changed the way we dine?
Nikki: Private dining is nothing new. But many of these concepts stress the “exclusivity” of the experience. We prefer “inclusivity”, hence the name “intimate suppers.” The commercial dining community is constantly evolving, and people are often spoilt for choice. But there is an irony in going to busy restaurants and still feeling very much like you are living in your own private bubble. It’s not an engaging environment.
I believe people are willing to take the money they would usually spend on a night out with family and friends, and put it towards an “inclusive” experience with like-minded people that triggers that sense of belonging that we crave. But private dining is NOT for everyone; you have to be open and willing to engage with people you have never met. You are going to someone’s home, not a restaurant.
What we believe sets us apart is that every event is tailored to a theme. It may be a Moroccan-inspired evening, a sake pairing night with food you wouldn’t expect to match with the Japanese tipple, or a tribute to Shakespeare!
Celina: The growth of these communities show that people are looking for new experiences, not just in terms of food and drink, but also in meeting new people. You can’t do that in a restaurant: walking up to someone else’s table and introducing yourself; that might seem a little odd. There is adventure in going to someone’s home, and you see so much of their personality in the way they entertain. We try to make everything ourselves as much as possible; this is not just because we like to cook, but because it’s a lot more personal when you make something from scratch for your guests. We also try to find more novel ways of eating old favourites like sambal terung on a crostini. It keeps the meal interesting.
What are some of your favourite meal-sharing/supper club/dining experiences? Have they had any impact on Intimate Suppers?
Celina: I went to one at the rooftop of a charming, old, commercial shophouse once; it was a rented space where a couple cooked and served us. She had just graduated from cooking school and wanted to try running a kitchen, and her fiancé would serve the guests. I thought the food was interesting, and it was so romantic to see a young couple supporting each other’s dreams. The venue was also unexpected – there was a dark passageway that led to a lovely dining room with great ambience, and an alfresco sofa area in the middle of crowded Geylang.
Sign up for the next Intimate Suppers events, a Shakespeare-themed dinner (13 May) or a sommelier-hosted dinner and wine-tasting workshop (26 May).
Contact Intimate Suppers Private dining on Facebook for more information or to make a reservation.