You get a lot of young chefs who have a lot of savoir-faire, a lot of technical knowledge. What's important is to convey to them a cuisine that is made from the heart.
My role as a chef is respecting the produce. Why should I change and mask the original flavors of the produce that I'm utilizing?
The worst thing for me is to not taste what I'm eating, to not know what I'm eating. It upsets me to no avail.
Right now, I am doing the reverse of molecular gastronomy. I'm working with scientists to find ingredients and produce that are proven to be good for you.
I am a gourmand. I like to eat. When I have something that I like, I tend to have too much of it. That is a guilty pleasure.
Southeast Asia food uses many different types of spices which are quite new to me, like the curry leaves which I saw at the Kreta Ayer wet market in Chinatown. With such spices used in cooking, this usually imparts a strong aroma to Southeast Asian food, which appeals to the senses.
