Chef and co-owner of Restaurant Euphoria
I have been the first and only Singaporean chef to be awarded the Michelin star four years in a row, as well as a six-year consecutive ranking on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Tell us your story, how did you get here?
Since I was a child, I had a strong passion for the world’s cuisine and ingredients. I started my journey as a dishwasher during my teenage years at a pizza place but soon realised I wanted to pursue a career as a professional chef.
The journey included training in classical French cooking at Le Saint Julien in Singapore and the 3 Michelin-starred Robuchon a Galera in Macau, China. I was offered the opportunity to work as executive chef in 2012 at Sky on 57 at Marina Bay Sands with the pre-opening team.
In 2014, I had a partnership to open Corner House at Singapore Botanic Gardens. I brought together all my travel insights and working experience, and growing knowledge of edible botanicals, and I created Gastro-Botanica cuisine. With that, I served dignitaries including Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, China’s President Xi Jinping, the President of South Korea, the Prime Minister of Israel, the Sultan of Brunei and the Prince of Johor.
In 2020, I opened Restaurant Euphoria. It’s the inaugural project of JTAW Design, the restaurant culinary design studio I co-founded with my partner Arissa Wang, who’s also the lead designer and creative director for the project. Euphoria marks the evolution of myself from chef-owner to restaurateur and entrepreneur to becoming the consummate all-around F&B professional. Restaurant Euphoria is the stage for an elevated and more fully realised version of the original cuisine.
What impact have you made in Singapore?
I’ve been the first and only Singaporean chef to be awarded the Michelin star four years in a row, as well as a six-year consecutive ranking on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants during my tenure from Corner House to chef-owner at Restaurant Euphoria.
What does 2022 look like for you?
I’ll continue to create and curate new cuisine for Restaurant Euphoria while dealing with the hardship of being a chef-owner during Covid. I hope to have more travellers to Singapore in 2022 to enjoy the experience of Singapore and Restaurant Euphoria.
What do you love most about Singapore?
Singapore is such a diverse and multi-cultural country that provides excitement in the culinary, art and lifestyle worlds.
If you could choose your last meal, what would it be?
My mum’s curry, known as “Mummy boy curry”. It’s my all-time favourite home-cooked meal – to be eaten with Mrs. Onion (my loved one).
Who is your Local Legend, and why?
First Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. He guided the country by helping it grow from an underdeveloped outpost with no natural resources into a rich, highly developed country where we have a great international presence.