Celebrity chef Jeremy Nguee tells Ayushi Sharma that Singaporean cuisine is constantly evolving as it borrows, adapts and internalises from many different cultures
What led to the formation of Mai Bao, a modern Singapore street food restaurant?
One day Avantika (Sinha Bahl, the founder of the restaurant) called me about opening a Singaporean restaurant in New Delhi. I thought it’s quite daring of her. Her brief was exactly the dream restaurant I wished we had in some major city: A smart, upscale space with thoughtful modern décor and a contemporary presentation of Singapore’s best dishes. I was very touched by Avantika’s vision. I know that this concept is going to be a huge success.
What’s the theme behind the curated menu?
Singapore is a melting pot of Indian, Chinese, Malay and other migrant cultures. To take just the snapshots of the most famous Singaporean dishes would have not done justice. So here, we have taken a contemporary approach and have presented all the Singaporean flavours in a fun and exciting format.
What is your signature dish and how did you come up with such an experiment?
One of my first early dishes that became popular was Rakusaba (also known as Laksa Bar). I served the Singaporean Laksa in a Tsukemen-style (dipping noodle style), fashioning it like ramen. In Singapore, not everyone thinks our culinary heritage is a treasure. Although that tide is turning, many still think that other cuisines are exotic and of higher quality.
Rakusaba explores the idea of counter culture. What if Laksa was a Japanese dish? Would Singaporeans still pay a premium for it? So the question is, is the dish a Japanese one or Singaporean? Why do we pay so much for ramen but not Laksa?
It was quite a controversial delicacy and I had a lot of fun with it. The dish ran for three months as part of a contemporary arts pop-up and it is no longer served anywhere. But I reprised it in Paris two years ago.
How have you explored various food cultures across the globe?
I love to travel but I am especially enamoured with exploring specific neighbourhoods. My most favourite thing is to check out where the locals shop, be it at the supermarket or at any bazaar. I have memories of buying freshly shucked oysters and sharing them with strangers who shared their wine in Bordeaux or even cooking fresh produce with house mates at an Airbnb in Loire. In Azabu-Juban in Tokyo, I can recall buying fruits and wagyu from the small little shops and cooking it myself in the kitchenette. I’ve made the craziest connections and always end up with so many more memories than just eating at a restaurant.
How do you think the Indian audience is accepting the global food trends?
Well, Indian cuisine itself is so diverse and amazing. And millennials these days love exploring new cuisines. Even in the malls, the energy in the restaurants and the snacks streets are just buzzing. I believe that as more Indians, especially millennials become curious about the world and other cultures, the demand for global food trends is going to explode.
What I’m really looking forward to seeing is how a new generation of Indian, chefs, artisans and growers will once again shape food trends and cultures across the world.
What shaped your food logic while growing up? What are your inspirations? Any anecdotes to share?
For me, I try to respect the food and remember the farmers and growers who produce the food. I am grateful for my customers who support my work and allow me to continue what I love to do. In the end, a dish well cooked is its own reward and a smile a bonus.
I just want to highlight that our local food also demands skill and high quality of ingredients, so our hawkers and chefs also deserve their dues. I am happy to say that while there is still some work to do, there is much greater awareness now for their craft and a higher willingness to pay for our heritage cuisine.
How do you adapt your dishes to local ingredients while travelling? Any Indian spices or dishes that may have caught your fancy?
In Singapore, all children learn how to eat spicy food first, like eating prata and then maybe a small dip of the curry sauce. I eat dosa often for breakfast and prata for supper. I think it’s the best thing to eat after clubbing and drinks with friends. I love a hearty biryani for lunch (food coma for sure), and celebrate many special family occasions with rotis and curries at high-end Indian restaurants or with catering at home.
One of the recent Indian cooking techniques I’ve learned is Dhungar. It’s a way of introducing a buttery, smoky flavour as a finishing touch to the food. You set a small metal tin and heat coal in it until it is glowing red and pour butter or ghee over it. This typically goes over dal and rice, covered together so the smoke permeates the dish. The main purpose here is to perfume the food with the specific aroma that’s derived from using heat to alter the molecules of the ghee. I’ve started doing this with small pieces of pork for Char Siu before I roast it or even a Chinese-style claypot rice with dried sausages.
Yes definitely! Indian cooking techniques bring such a depth and richness to the dishes. I’d be keen to translate some of these techniques over to provide an exciting and interesting experience for our guests.
Any unique Singaporean technique that you use in cooking any of the Mai Bao dishes?
Singaporean food is not like Indian one, which is widely considered to be the mother of the cuisines. It borrows, adapts and internalises from many different cultures. That is why Singaporean food is the one that is constantly evolving and it’s our DNA. We do not object to why a certain combination exists but rather, embrace and celebrate how it has come to be.
