It’s not every day you win a holiday to a remote Maldivian atoll, fringed by the impossibly blue waters of the Indian Ocean, teeming with exotic marine life. When I won a door prize at a recent media lunch, sending me off on a family holiday to a luxury resort, it truly felt like winning the lottery.

A few months later, with my grateful family in tow, we arrived via gleaming speedboat at The Residence, Maldives, where waiting staff whisked us off to a private over-water villa, with its own plunge pool, and sweeping views of azure waters and tiny atolls. A lovely villa butler dropped by to see if we wanted to partake in any of the resort’s many activities, but we were already in our swimmers and heading to the island’s fully equipped PADI dive centre to begin our adventure. The Maldives offers some of the best and most remote diving spots in the world, and we were now surrounded by rare, unspoilt coral reefs and countless beautiful sea creatures. It was time to get wet.

Kids Paradise
Our daughter was excited to try the Bubble Maker PADI course- a fun way for 8-to-9-year-olds to experience diving. After some dry land instruction, she leapt into the water with her own instructor, decked out in mini scuba gear. She quickly learnt how to breathe in shallow water (under two metres) and had a blast checking out turtles, reef shark and bright fish. For non-divers, the snorkelling here is as good as it gets. We explored the house reef just outside our villa most days and saw an incredible array of marine creatures. On dry land, the buzzy Kids’ Club caters to kids aged 3-12, with a full line-up of fun weekly activities, including Maldivian storytelling, beach scavenger hunts, seed art and swimming at the lagoon. Staff don’t mind picking up and dropping off the kids in buggies, so parents can fully enjoy their time out, or perhaps a sojourn in the tranquil day spa.

Island Eats
Another fantastic family experience was taking a cooking class. We signed up for the Maldivian Gastronomy Adventure with Executive Chef Erwan and his culinary team. We were thrilled to be invited into the kitchen at The Fulhumaa, an overwater fine-dining restaurant, perched at the end of a 230-metre long jetty. The views were sensational, but we had work to do. On the menu for our class were three local dishes; Maldivian Salad, Chicken or Fish Curry, and Dhonkeyo Kajuru (banana fritters). Aprons on, we mixed up the zingy salads, deep fried and then creatively plated up the moreish fritters and let our spicy chicken curry bubble on the stove. After our lesson, we were taken to a private table in the restaurant where we tucked into the dishes we created with crisp French wine. It was a delicious meal, and we felt quite proud of our efforts!
Another not to be missed foodie experience was the In-Villa Floating Breakfast. Order your menu items the night before through room service, and then wait for a gentle knock on the door the following morning. The breakfast quite literally ‘floats’ – a server slides a buoyant tray into the pool and leaves you to swim up to your meal. At first, it’s rather a strange sensation, nibbling on poached eggs and bacon, whilst submerged in chlorinated water, but we soon got used to it. We polished off our tray, and our daughter absolutely loved the novelty factor.

Island Extras
The resort offers a picnic lunch at nearby Castaway Island, and we decided to maroon ourselves on the tiny atoll for a couple of hours. A five-minute speedboat ride and we were left to enjoy the blindingly white sand, with a pre-packed bento box of fruit, salad and sandwiches, cold drinks and snorkelling gear. We had our own umbrella for shade, and our driver left behind a mobile phone, in case we wanted to return to the resort. The hours flew by as we flippered out to the drop-off reef, where we saw our old friends the turtles, as well as perfectly preserved coral reef. In a time when much of the world’s coral is bleached and dying, it was a welcome sight. We also found time to hop on a traditional dhoni boat at sunset to spot a few resident dolphins, who like to glide alongside the boat, diving and playing. It was a glorious way to finish the day – a glass of champagne in hand, the sun slowly dipping into the ocean. As it was our last night, we decided to treat ourselves to an indulgent barbecue beach dinner with plates of grilled lamb, salads, lobster and cold beer. It was that kind of holiday – unforgettably over the top.

Get there: From Singapore, fly directly to Velana International Airport in Male and a resort host will escort you to the domestic airport for scenic 55-minute domestic flight to Kooddoo. From Kooddoo Airport, it’s a 7-minute speedboat transfer to the resort. cenizaro.com/theresidence/maldives-fm

The picturesque town of Alba in Italy’s northwestern Piedmont region plays host to foodies from around the world each year, who flock to the UNESCO World Heritage site for the rich, earthy flavour and aroma of the world’s most expensive and sought-after fungus – tartufi bianchi, or white truffles.

Truffle Hunting
Autumn in the Piedmont region is a sight to behold; rolling green-yellow hills, vine trees getting ready to sleep for the winter, and blue skies slowly turning grey. But the fall season in the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato region brings more than just a change in the weather, it signifies the much-anticipated arrival of the magnificent white truffle. This fungus holds an almost magical status in this part of the world. Only the mystical and all-knowing Trifolai (truffle hunters) are permitted to hunt for this earthy treasure – outsiders need not apply! Truffle hunting takes place at night, when the Trifolai and their skilled sniffer dogs can avoid potentially meddlesome onlookers. If you’re lucky enough to score an invitation to a traditional hunt, don’t miss the chance to spend a night in the forest, listening to folklore and tales of yore.

When to Go
The length and yield of the white truffle depends, like most harvests, on the weather. But the heart of the season generally starts in early October and runs until late November. Each year, the city of Alba hosts the La Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo di Alba, the International Alba White Truffle Fair. Every day, Trifolao make their way to the city to trade their bounty in the world truffle market. 2019 marks the 89th edition of this festive seasonal event. Alba is also the heart of Italy’s premier wine region, the Langhe, so it’s doubly attractive for food and wine lovers. The fair has grown in size and commercial popularity over the last few years, along with the region’s reputation as a gastrotourists dream destination. In 2017, UNESCO recognised Alba as a Creative City of Gastronomy and the Piedmont region boasts more Michelin Star restaurants than in any other region in Italy. It’s also home to Barolo and Barbaresco wines, Nutella, and Ferrero chocolates.

Fun At The Fair
The whole town celebrates the arrival of the autumn season. The Palio degli Asini (a donkey race and parade) is held annually at this time of the year, along with a variety of sports, culinary, arts, and wine-related activities. Kids are always welcome and are a key feature in the Palio parades; a wonderful way to pass medieval traditions to the younger generation. The streets buzz with excitement and are permeated with the sweet smell of roasted chestnuts. Be prepared when entering the fair’s hall, your senses are likely to be overloaded! There are cooking exhibitions, wine tastings, and a large variety of local producers hawking olive oils, an immense variety of cheeses, different flavours of honey, pastas, amazing mushrooms, and desserts.

The Main Attraction
In the centre of the hall, Trifolai and other distributors exhibit and sell the coveted truffle. Here, you can truly appreciate their different shapes and sizes, and it’s always exciting to see the yearly truffle champion. Prices fluctuate daily, based on supply and demand. 2018 was an abundant crop and prices fell substantially from prior years. The black truffle is more common and well known, but the intensity and flavour of the white truffle is superior to its summer cousin. Typically, black truffles are mixed into dishes to enhance flavour. The white truffle, however, is consumed as a delicate condiment. While many restaurants create complex and exquisite dishes with white truffles, it’s best served with simple ingredients that don’t overshadow its complex flavour. Take your cue from the locals and enjoy shaved white truffle “uova occhi di bue” (over two fried eggs, sunny side up), “tajarin” (over egg pasta noodles with a pat of butter), “tartare di carne” (over veal tartare, mixed only with olive oil, salt, and pepper), and “fonduta” (over cheese fondue).

ALBA TRAVEL TIPS:

Spend 2-3 days in the city of Alba. The English-speaking local tourist office can provide you with a complete list of the hotels, attractions and restaurants in town and can help you to make reservations.
While at the fair, buy a truffle (or a couple!), Then go to the food stand and order one of the basic dishes, such as fried eggs, pasta, cheese fondue, or the veal tartare, and the attendant will happily shave your truffle over the dish for you. For the full experience, take your food tray to the wine desk, where a sommelier will suggest a magnificent bottle to enjoy with your truffle!
Looking to travel onward from Alba? Rent a car or take the train to surrounding towns such as Turin, Asti, Costiglione or San Damiano. If you have wheels there are a multitude of towns inside a 2-hour drive, such as the Ligurian Port of Savona, Parma, the food capital of the Emilia-Romagna region, and Asti, home of the famous Vino spumante. The town of Barolo, (yes, that Barolo!) is a short drive from Alba, where a visit to the Barolo Wine Museum, Museo del vino a Barolo, is a must. It’s located in the same castle where the Barolo wine was born.

The International Alba White Truffle Fair is back from 6 October to 25 November fieradeltartufo.org/en/

What appeals to you about bringing modern Australian flavours to Singapore?
The diversity of modern Australian cuisine is perfect for Singapore. It has a harmonious mix of cultures, and a well-travelled population that knows their food and is open to trying new things.

What flavours can diners expect at CHEEK BISTRO?
The flavours are still very similar to Cheek by Jowl. Diners can expect the fresh, eclectic flavours known to modern Australian cuisine, combined with the comforting, hearty notes of bistro cooking.

What are your goals for CHEEK?
We wanted a restaurant where our diners, many of whom have become friends, can return several times a week to enjoy their favourite dishes. We take our work seriously at the restaurant, but we don’t want our diners to feel dining at CHEEK is a serious affair. That is why both the menu and interiors are designed to be approachable, and the price is accessible.

What did it mean to be awarded Michelin stars?
It is an affirmation of the work we do. When we transition to CHEEK however, it meant that the restaurant no longer holds the Michelin Stars we earned in the last two years. But we are alright with that, because at the end of the day, our diners come first, and being able to offer them new dining experiences is what we continually push ourselves to do.

What are the joys and challenges of working together as a couple?
The joys are that we get to spend more time with each other than most couples do. Food and beverage is a tough industry and the hours can be difficult. Being able to work alongside each other helps us manage that. Also, being able to discuss our common passion for hospitality is something that we really enjoy as well. There aren’t too many challenges. We may not always see eye to eye, but it’s all about remaining professional, and respecting boundaries.

How do you balance kitchen life with family life?
We tend to spend Sundays at home, inviting friends over, having a BBQ, drinking some wine, and listening to records. Usually after work finishes, we rarely talk about work and save that for the next day.

How did you meet?
We first met 14 years ago when we were both working in a family run restaurant in the suburbs of Melbourne. It was a Greek restaurant called Lindos, and it was owned and operated by a husband and wife team. It was my first proper job in a restaurant – I was making wood-fired pizza. It was also at Lindos where Manuela started her first full time job as a supervisor.

What are your respective backgrounds?
My family is from Colombo in Sri Lanka, and I was born there. My parents owned a catering business, so I was always around food. At 18, I left Sri Lanka and travelled to Melbourne to study architecture. I ended up changing course and pursued culinary arts. Manuela has always enjoyed hospitality and wines, and has experience in fine dining restaurants in both Melbourne and Sydney. We always wanted to progress and open something of our own.

What part of Australia do you call home?
Melbourne is home in Australia as I spent my first eight years there, and it’s where close family and friends live. All my higher education was completed in Melbourne.

What is it about Aussie food that’s so good?
The cuisine is an eclectic mix of cooking influences and ingredients from across cultures. Compared to more established cuisines with defined parameters, there are fewer boundaries when it comes to Australian cuisine, which in turn provides chefs more freedom to explore and express their creativity.

What’s great about Singapore’s food scene?
In Singapore, you can step out anytime and still get something good to eat. That is particularly important for us in the food and beverage industry, because we work late on most days. Also, the variety is amazing. It’s a great place for chefs to explore Asian food and flavours.

Rishi rates:
Restaurants: Some of our favourites would be Imperial Treasure for their Peking duck, Burnt Ends and CURE.
Drinking: When it comes to wines, we usually visit Le Bon Funk, LQV Le Quinze Vins Singapore and Wine RVLT. We also go to Operation Dagger, Jigger & Pony, Native, and Manhattan for drinks.
Coffee: The Lokal and Common Man Coffee Roasters are our go-to for coffee.
Hawker dish? Bak Chor Mee.

What do you love most about playing the Genie?
That I get to act like a giant kid every night, make people laugh and have fun. I‘ve always been told “laughter is the best medicine”, and I truly believe that!

Describe the cast chemistry?
The cast and crew of Aladdin is like one big family. We are so unbelievably close and have such an amazing chemistry which translates onstage.

Favourite moment for your character on stage?
The opening number of the show: Arabian Nights. It’s the first time the audience gets to see the magical world that is Agrabah, and I act like the private tour guide into this mysterious, yet fabulous city.

Why has Aladdin stood the test of time?
Because of the amazing storyline, the fact that each character goes on a journey to make them a better person, and also the friendships and bonds that are formed between each character.

Three wishes you would grant yourself?
1. For my family and friends to be healthy and happy in their lives.
2. That the world could be a better place for everyone.
3. To eat whatever I want and not have to worry about the consequences.

How do you have fun outside the show?

My biggest passion outside of the show is sleep! The role of Genie is very taxing on the mind and body, so I do enjoy my rest and relaxation times. But apart from that, I enjoy getting out to see live music and enjoying good food with friends.

What do you miss most about Australia on the road?
My family and friends. They are my biggest supporters and being away from them for extended periods of time can be really tough. The great thing is knowing that my “Aladdin family” are always there if I need someone to rely on!

What do you want to do in Singapore?
I’m excited to get some good Chilli Crab and delicious Xiao Long Bao when I arrive!!

You’ve done cruise ship work – what’s been your favourite port?
I have done cruise ship work! It was such a special part of my life that allowed me to see some extraordinary places. My all-time favourite place would have to be Copenhagen, Denmark. It was one of the most stunning cities I’ve ever explored!

Aladdin, The Hit Broadway Musical
Breathtaking sets, jaw-dropping special effects, over 300 lavish costumes and a fabulous cast bring the magic of Disney’s Aladdin to life on stage. You’ll be singing along to all the songs from the classic Academy award winning film, including Friend Like Me, and A Whole New World. Tickets from $68, Sistic.

Singapore is a gastronomes delight, but food waste has risen by 40% over the past ten years to 809,000 tonnes annually in 2017, which represents a whopping 140 kilos of food per person. Globally, around one third of all food production is lost or wasted – enough to end global hunger. Accor, the largest operator of hotels in Singapore, is committed to reducing its food waste in the same year the Singapore government has launched the Year of Zero Waste. Accor spokesperson Veronique Augier Nel, Director of Communications & CSR, shares their sustainability plans.

Tell us about Accor’s Love Food, Not Waste movement? 
Accor’s commitment under its Planet 21 sustainable development program is to reduce food waste by 30% by the year 2021 – not just here in Singapore but globally at our 4800 hotels and resorts around the world. Through the “Love Food, Not Waste” movement, our properties are encouraged to run initiatives to support food waste reduction. Singapore-wide agreements are being made to eliminate unnecessary packaging, align with seasonality and consolidate to more sustainable sources. Educating staff to be mindful of their natural surroundings is another of the inherent parts of Planet 21. By 2018, this has resulted in over 1,000 hotels fostering urban or organic vegetable gardens or beehives within their premises or in their vicinity, encouraging locally sourced ingredients, while reducing our food and carbon footprint.

How is Accor working to reduce food waste in Singapore?
Accor has 15 hotels and resorts and 50 restaurants and bars across the island. Every day, we serve over 20,000 meals in a city where we know people love to eat. Singaporeans are crazy about their food, but sadly they are wasting enormous amounts of it. All Accor restaurants in Asia Pacific and beyond follow a charter on healthy and sustainable food. They are committed to offering healthy, balanced and high-quality food by using ingredients grown in their own gardens, or locally sourced products. This includes a commitment on banning the use of overfished species, as well as reducing food waste. To better manage food waste, the group also works with providers to measure and record waste, resulting in some hotels reducing their waste by as much as 52%.

What are some other creative ways your Singapore hotels curb food waste?
Other note-worthy initiatives include our partnerships with treatsure (treatsure.co), an app that links consumers with excess food. It’s proven to be an effective tool enabling us to redistribute surplus food that’s still perfectly safe for consumption. To date, six Accor properties in Singapore use the app and we are now looking at expanding the tool across our hotels internationally. We also have a partnership with The Food Bank Singapore (foodbank.sg, a foodbank that collects excess food from suppliers and re-distributes them to organisations such as aged care homes, family service centres and soup kitchens).

What are some ways we can reduce food waste while travelling?
When consuming food in buffets, make it a habit to use smaller plates to only dish up what you need and take smaller portions. Even if it means returning to the buffet more often, this will allow you to burn more calories, hence giving you an excuse to consume just a little more!

Chef’s tips:

Executive Chef, Sofitel Singapore City Centre, Jean-Charles Dubois minimises food waste in the hotel kitchen by using surplus ingredients. “Almost nothing is wasted. We order products according to reservations to keep things fresh and lessen food waste. Another change is adding more live stations and smaller displays during buffets and replenishing frequently.”

Chef’s tips for reducing food waste in the kitchen:
*Giving life to leftover food is something a lot of grandmothers practice. It’s easy to search for an online recipe that allows you to reduce food waste.
*Do a market list and plan your meals weekly, before you do your groceries. Practice FIFO: the food that has been in storage longest (“first in”) should be the next food used (“first out”).

Romy’s Environmental Club:

Guests at Accor’s World Earth Day celebrations at Sofitel Singapore City Centre were treated to an inspiring speech by 8-year-old Romy de Graaf, who attends the Australian International School (AIS) and founded the Environmental Club at the school. “I started picking up rubbish in the school field and some of my friends in the class started to help me. My principal noticed this, creating the rubbish club for me to lead. We renamed it The Environmental Club last year. The club is responsible for keeping the school grounds free from rubbish.” Romy has spoken at her school assembly, and her club is quickly attracting more students. “I believe that one small effort is all it takes to change the future of our planet,” says Romy. “Just like how my actions of picking up rubbish in the school field resulted in The Environmental Club being created.”

After several years as a Singapore Airlines flight attendant, Yvonne Kwek decided to follow a long-held dream of opening her own ice cream shop. One of Yvonne’s business partners was a friend she met while they were at culinary school together. “In a way we developed the idea of an ice cream shop many years ago, while we were still at school. I’d always wanted to open a café, and eventually we narrowed it down to ice cream. Because I want to make people happy and ice cream makes people happy.”

The perfect place
When a shop lease came up in the retro Katong Shopping Centre, it was the opportunity Yvonne had been waiting for. “We’d been looking around the Marine Parade and Katong area because I grew up here. This place holds a very strong sense of cultural flavour, it’s also a Peranakan area and Peranakan culture is all about food. There’s a lot of history in this building as well, it’s very different from a regular shopping centre. The people who work here are very warm and friendly, it’s like a little kampong. Because I’m essentially making locally flavoured ice cream, what better place to showcase these kinds of flavours?” The shop was available for immediate takeover, with much of the equipment they needed. “Everything was here, except for the ice cream display and ice cream machine, and the blast freezer. Chancing upon this shop was the spark I was looking for. So, I took the leap of faith and started making ice cream.”

Local tastes
While Singapore has many ice cream shops, Yvonne and her partners had a unique vision. The Humble Scoop draws on memories of hawker centre snacks and Singaporean food traditions to create its signature flavours. “When I was flying for work, I went to places with excellent ice cream – Italy has awesome gelato, Australia has really good dairy ice creams. There are lots of artisanal ice cream places already in Singapore, but no-one’s really showcasing something very local.”
“Some people would argue that Singapore doesn’t have a flavour that’s truly us because our ancestors came from all over Asia. For exmaple, Chicken Rice came from China, Nasi Lemak is from Indonesia. But what’s truly ours are the memories we grew up with. Little things like eating guava dipped in sour plum powder at the hawker centres, that’s something that almost everyone has tried at least once.” That memory inspired their guava sour plum sorbet flavour. Another of the Humble Scoop’s sorbets is based on a tradition from previous generations. “The pineapple, lime and chilli flavour is a memory from my mother’s and grandmother’s era. When there were still roadside food stalls in Singapore, they used to buy pineapple slices and dip them in dark sauce and chilli.” The shop’s most popular flavour is Pulut Hitam, based on a traditional dessert of black glutinous rice. “We cook that from scratch first before churning it into an ice-cream,” explains Yvonne.

Universal flavours
While these flavours are significant to those who grew up in Singapore, a couple of Yvonne’s inventions have more universal appeal. There’s a milo flavour which pays homage to the milo dinosaur drink served at local kopitiams. And the ‘Cereal Killer’ ice cream was inspired by Saturday mornings spent eating a bowl of cereal while watching cartoons, something that many Aussie or Kiwi kids would also remember well. “We caramelise and toast cornflakes and then soak them in milk overnight to draw out the flavour into the milk itself.” All the ice cream is made on site at the Humble Scoop’s shopfront, using whole ingredients with no added flavouring or colouring.

If you happen to be in the East Coast area, it’s worth dropping into the basement of Katong Shopping Centre to try a little scoop of Singaporean history.

THE HUMBLE SCOOP: Katong Shopping Centre, 865 Mountbatten Rd, #B1-92, 437844 facebook.com/the.humblescoop/

Top five ice cream shops in Singapore:

1. Kind Kones
The Forum, B1-27, Orchard

Kind Kones’s claim to fame is 100% vegan ice cream. There’s no dairy or egg in any of their flavours and they’re free of refined sugar, soy, gluten and artificial ingredients. Coconut, cashew and almond milks provide a tasty, creamy alternative to the traditional dairy ice cream base. Flavours range from the traditional to cherry pie, black forest, and dragonfruit banana sorbet. facebook.com/kindkonesSG

2. Birds of Paradise
63 East Coast Rd & Jewel Changi

This East Coast favourite has recently opened a second outlet at the prestigious Changi Jewel development. As the name implies, nature has a big influence here, with inspiration coming from fruits, flowers, herbs and spices. Popular flavours include white chrysanthemum, strawberry basil, lychee raspberry and masala spice. Don’t miss their homemade thyme-infused cones. facebook.com/bopgelato

3. Tom’s Palette
Beach Road, #01-25

A long-standing local favourite, Tom’s Palette has been churning premium ice cream since 2005. They offer a huge variety of flavours, with rum & raisin and toffee joining more unique flavours like yuzu, hazelnut latte, After 8 (inspired by the dinner mint), dark chocolate stout, caramel stout and sangria. Keep an eye on their Facebook page facebook.com/TomsPalette for weekly specials and new tastes. They also run
ice cream making lessons. tomspalette.com.sg

4. The Dark Gallery
Takashimaya at Ngee Ann City, #B2-29 & Millenia Walk, #01-K5.

Indulge in multiple chocolate ice cream options, like 80% dark chocolate, their signature 38% milk chocolate, white chocolate, and single origin chocolate ice-creams featuring cacao from a variety of locations like Venezuela, Tanzania and Sao Tome in Africa. If you’re not a chocolate fan, there are options like red velvet, peppermint and salted peanut butter.
thedarkgallery.com

5. Creamier
Gillman Barracks, 5a Lock Road; and Tiong Bahru,
78 Yong Siak St, #01-18

From their origins in an HDB in Toa Payoh, Creamier has become one of Singapore’s best loved small batch ice creameries. The menu features standard ice cream flavours like chocolate and pistachio, and more exotic flavours like blue pea vanilla, or sea salt gula melaka. Home delivery is available for sudden cravings. creamier.com.sg

Brettschneider’s Baking & Cooking School
1 Greendale Avenue 289495
bakingandcookingschool.com

The lowdown: This impressive baking and cooking school is led by Global Baker Dean Bresttschneider and is part of the extensive Baker & Cook family.
What they offer: All kinds of baking and cooking classes, from gourmet doughnuts to sourdough masterclasses, kids’ holiday bootcamp, pastry perfection, pasta making, and even farm tours. They also have guest chefs from some of Singapore’s top restaurants.
Test class: I’m invited to test out the Cookies with Chef Jenna White class. On arrival at their sleek, gleaming cooking school, I’m handed printed copies of the recipes, an excellent latte, and an apron. We’re making double chocolate and pecan cookies, ice-box cookies and afghans, a New Zealand family favourite. The class runs from 9am-12 noon and costs $180, but that includes taking home all your own baked cookies after you’re done.
What’s the class like? This is a fast paced, hands-on session, where I’m thrown into my own station, cracking eggs, sifting, rolling and mixing. Chef Jenna is super clear with her instructions, knows her stuff, and will gladly help if you get into trouble or want to check you’re on the right track. A kitchen assistant manages the ovens and the actual bake times, but you’ll be in charge of getting the cookie dough mixed, shaped and onto the trays, and then decorated afterwards.
End result: All the cookies are beautiful and taste wonderful. Best of all I get to take boxes back to ANZA HQ for a special treat!

Food Playground
24A Sago Street, 059020
foodplayground.com.sg

The lowdown: Food Playground is a local style cooking school offering classes that highlight some of Singapore’s best loved dishes. They operate out of a pre-war heritage shophouse in the heart of Singapore’s Chinatown.
What they offer: Each day of the week is a different Singapore classic – including Nasi Lemak, Satay, Gula Melaka Pudding, Char Kway Teow, and Hainanese Chicken Rice.
Test Class: My mum is visiting and wants to do a cooking class, so we sign up for the signature Cultural Cooking Class, to learn more about Singapore’s food heritage. We’re making Chicken Curry, Roti Jala (Malay net pancakes) and Ang Ku Kueh (a local snack with sweet coconut filling). Classes are $99 and run during the week, from 9:30am-12:30pm. A sit-down lunch is included.
What’s the class like: Run by local Singaporeans, the school has a policy of trying to employ seniors and stay at home mums. Our culinary instructor is Mary – whose love for cooking was triggered at a tender age by her mother’s Teochew culinary traditions. In this fun and informative class, she leads us through Asian cooking techniques with a great sense of humour, sharing titbits about Singapore’s history along the way. We even master the tricky lace pancakes and press our own purple shaded kueh.
End result: A complex, rich curry makes the perfect lunch, mopped up with the delicate pancakes. We take the kueh home and have it with a cup of tea. Delicious.

The Providore
315 Outram Road,
#05-03, 169074
cookingstudio.theprovidore.com
The lowdown: The Providore Cooking Studio is a space for the popular food store to showcase and bring to life their yummy gourmet grocery range and share recipes that inspire home cooks to get creative with their dishes. There’s a main studio, as well as a cosy dining space for mingling and sharing food after classes.
What they offer: A mix of social and corporate classes, with a range of menus spanning various cuisines – Singaporean, Asian, and European. Try your hand at Pizza Basics, Pasta Making, Cheese Class, Middle Eastern Cuisine, Vegan Cuisine, and more.
Extra toppings: The school’s theme for July is Summer and their in-house instructor has come up with a menu of classes based on summer recipes that are both delicious and refreshing. Most ingredients used in the classes can be purchased from The Providore’s grocery as well.

Expat Kitchen
9 Norris Rd, #02-01, 208252
expat-kitchen.com
The lowdown: Expat Kitchen was created in 2007, to train helpers to prepare healthy and varied meals for their families. They still run lots of helper classes, but they’re now open to all interested food lovers and feature a range of cuisines, as well as baking, birthday parties, holiday camps and festive cooking.
What they offer: Expat Kitchen runs classes from 3-hours up to 4 weeks, catering from beginner level, right up to masters. Try gluten free sweets, Korean Cooking, Fish Frenzy, Japanese Ramen, Traditional Indian, Baking, Thai Delights, and more.
Extra Toppings: Got a party coming up? They provide catering to both private and corporate clients.

How do you balance life as a chef and home life?
I find balance by having two families. My restaurant family is my team and I enjoy spending time with them by guiding and teaching as well as collaborating on new dishes and finding exciting ways to share our culinary passion. On my off days, I prefer to stay at home and cook simple meals for my family. Or perhaps entertain some friends from time-to-time.

What’s your favourite food neighbourhood in Singapore?
Currently, my favourite neighbourhood hangouts are Lorong 35 Duck Rice, Lorong 32 Desmond Creations for homestyle Cantonese food, or Geylang Serai Kumbing Soup. Or if I have a craving, Aoki Japanese is my favourite fine dining.

How would you describe your food?
Clean flavours, using only top ingredients, all the while blending French and Asian styles.

Why does this fusion style interest you?
There’s a unique feeling I get when I try new dishes. Something will speak to me and I know that I can add a fresh new flavour to enhance the recipe – for example using European meat but braised in an Asian style. This style has always been at my core – I have an Asian heritage, but my French culinary training will kick in. That still excites me about cooking.

Where is your favourite food city in the world?
San Sebastian in Basque Country, Spain. I love to spend my time there discovering new pintxos (tapas) bars which I haven’t sampled yet, and enjoying the evenings with a mug of cider and a view of the Playa de la Concha beach.

Do you have any food connections to Australia or New Zealand?
I have some very close friends in Australia and New Zealand. I’m very fond of the food scene in Australia, its great ingredients and many talented chefs. Chef Tetsuya Wakuda is one of my favourites and a great person to have a chat with. I’m looking forward to exploring more of New Zealand. I’ve only travelled to Marlborough for food and wine events, but I’ve fallen in love with the quality of seafood and lamb.

Favourite hawker dish?
My favourite hawker food is a good Indian rojak, kumbing (mutton) soup, and Hokkien noodles.

What food were you raised on?
When I think of my childhood, I will always recall my grandmother’s cooking. I came from a Chaozhou family (a city in the eastern Guangdong province of China), so our staple food was porridge with soya braised pork belly, steamed fish, and preserved vegetables.

What’s one piece of wisdom you would offer a young, rising chef?
My go-to advice for any young chef is learn your basics well, they will be the foundation you build your career and passion on. Stay in a workplace for at least two years before moving on, so that you can get a feel for this industry. There will be highs and lows, but you’ll continue to do it because of the love.

If you could sit down to eat with any chef, who would it be?
I would love to have a meal with Chef Ferran Adria, he has inspired me a lot, especially his philosophy on gastronomy.

What are your passions outside of food?
Travelling and wines.

What are the secrets of surviving as a fine-dining restaurant?
To survive in the fine dining restaurant is to maintain consistency of quality of food and service.

How do you keep your cuisine fun and inventive?
I find inspiration as a result of my travels and the cuisines I’ve sampled. It’s all about recreating the tastes, textures and feelings I recall from my moments abroad. I take this back to my kitchen and dive into the process of trying to give my guests that exact same experience.

What are some of your current and future projects?
Currently, I’ve just launched my ready-to-eat meals from a vending machine. I was inspired by the Japanese passion for vending machines and taking something that most people find so commonplace to the next level. We only use the best ingredients and have meals like Fish Curry and Coconut Rice, Sambal Prawn Capellini and Kampot Black Pepper Beef & Rice. It’s called Modern Asia Cuisine and is available in Singapore’s CBD area, Downtown East. Next year it will launch in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

You can taste Justin’s flavours at JustIN Flavours of Asia and Chinoiserie, located at the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. justinquek.com