Plenty of posh restos design their menus around a fusion of Asian and European influences, but few have married local street food culture with a distinctive market-to-table twist
Whimsical and sophisticated, refined yet rebellious – Sam Aisbett’s Whitegrass is an amalgamation of unexpected and seemingly contradictory elements reflected in an unconventional menu. The former Head Chef of Peter Gilmore’s award-winning Quay in Sydney now calls Singapore home and attributes the evolution of his cuisine to an unorthodox source of inspiration: Singapore’s diverse hawker culture. Here, he tells us all about his love of chicken rice, and introducing unusual Australian native ingredients to local diners.
Let’s start with the basics. How did you fall into establishing a career as a chef?
I was never terribly academically inclined at school and I came from a family of butchers, so food was always an integral part of my life growing up. My mother also is an amazing cook with an incredible palate. She exposed me to different cuisines at a young age and inspired me with her natural talent in the kitchen. She was my earliest inspiration when I considered pursuing a career as a chef.
Having worked at famed restaurants such as Quay in Sydney, you are now calling the shots with your own team here at Whitegrass. Has living in Singapore changed the way you approach fine-dining?
Living in Singapore hasn’t changed my approach to fine-dining but being exposed to local flavours has certainly influenced my cuisine. I’m always frequenting hawker centres and markets, trying local ingredients and fruits and getting inspiration for new dishes.
Whitegrass is known for its Modern Australian take on fine-dining cuisine, but given that the style of Modern Australian food is a little hard to pin down (as it’s quite diverse), how would you describe it to first-timers to your restaurant?
It is hard to pinpoint, but I think the heart of Modern Australian cuisine is that we are not confined by geographical boundaries and influences take the form of all cultures across the globe.
From “fun” dining joints to fine-dining establishments, most chefs are borrowing styles and techniques from Japanese, Mediterranean, French and even Korean and Southeast Asian cuisine. What sets Whitegrass apart from the bunch?
We’re breaking the boundaries and formality of traditional fine dining, and providing an experience where everyone can feel comfortable in and have fun. I cook the food that I enjoy eating, that is unique to me and I’m not confined by trends. The food we create is uniquely distinctive and may be a mix of influences, but is accessible to all.
We also wanted to introduce a part of Australia to Singapore diners that they hadn’t yet experienced, so our menu has touches of Australian native produce when available. Muntries, dessert lime, mountain pepper berry, fennel pollen from the Blue Mountains and paper bark are all directly sourced from Australia and add unique flavor nuances to our dishes.
As someone who visits Tekka Market regularly for fresh produce, what are some interesting or exotic ingredients that you have been inspired by?
When I first arrived in Singapore, I visited a hawker centre and ordered from the stall with the longest queue. It served the most delicious century egg porridge. I was inspired to use century egg in a dish with butter poached quail, black and white garlic. I’ve also created a dessert to celebrate jackfruit – we make a jackfruit ice cream and serve it with a young coconut mousse, coconut flesh and ginger cake. The black moss that is used in our pork dish was found at the market, and so is the fish maw that I’m currently experimenting with.
Besides Tekka Market, could you recommend a couple of great alternatives in Singapore for the freshest produce?
Chinatown. It’s convenient and closer to where I live. Also, now that I’ve been going there for a while, I’m learning what days the stores are open and when to get the freshest produce. Also, there’s a great hawker centre upstairs to get a good breakfast.
You’ve also created dishes around local hawker dishes such as century egg porridge. What are your favourite local street foods and have they influenced your menus in any way?
I’ve recently created a dish inspired by my love of chicken rice. I poach an organic chicken in a white master stock infused with white soy, Chinese cooking wine, ginger, star anise, cassia bark and orange peel. The chicken is paired with a variety of artichokes – pickled Chinese artichokes, pureed globe artichoke with smoked eel oil and fried Jerusalem artichokes for an additional crisp layer. House-made salted egg yolks, shaved Manjimup truffles, salted jelly fish slivers and fresh cobnuts are also added for differing layers of flavours and textures.
Everything, from the cutlery to the interiors at Whitegrass, are an integral part of your food. Can you tell us more about the creative process of designing these dishes?
The dishes created were inspired by my love of nature and its raw beauty. We worked with local artists Lee Huiwen and Kenneth Lau. They created handmade ceramics such as vases that resemble baobabs (native Australian trees), butter and salt dishes resembling mushrooms, as well as sugar dishes and petit four plates around this theme.
Can you give us a teaser of what we can expect to see from Whitegrass in 2017?
I’m planning on embarking on local foraging trails to discover native and local plants and herbs that I can incorporate into my dishes. I’m also more heavily inspired by local flavours and that is reflected in some of my new dishes. You can look forward to my Modern Australian take on a version of frog leg porridge soon.
I’ve also recently introduced an Australian jade tiger abalone with three treasures, inspired by an unforgettable dim sum dining experience on my new menu. The abalone is baked in a wakame and a salt crust for six minutes. It is then plated with three treasures that take the form of shiitake mushrooms, delicately sliced eggplant with ginger and shallot oil, and green peppercorns for a light peppery taste. We finish the dish with a kombu consommé before dressing the abalone with gold leaf to represent the treasure that lies within.
Lastly, if you could eat only one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I have thought over this question a lot, and it’s impossible for me to answer. I just love all food so much. It’s impossible to say only one thing.
For reservations, please contact 6837 0402 or email [email protected]. Bookings are available for private parties, corporate events and weddings.
Whitegrass, CHIJMES, #01-26/27, 30 Victoria Street, Singapore 187996.
This article is sponsored by Whitegrass