A Sense Of Place

We ponder the inevitable evolution of Singaporean fare through the eyes of three talented young chefs

- Don Mendoza

As a nation of food lovers, our accustomed notion of modern Singaporean cuisine is, ironically, a little vague—biased, at best. Famously coined “mod-Sin” over a decade ago by one of the industry’s pioneering advocates, chef Willin Low, the perception over the years seldom strayed far from the clever reimagining of the delectably nostalgic, playing off the same bold flavours that made the darlings of the working-class—dishes such as laksa, chilli crab and chicken rice—the icons of local fare that they are.

The concept also thrust traditionally well-loved ingredients such as hae bee hiam and buah keluak, alongside other notable catalysts of Straits Chinese fare, into the spotlight as key components in a bevy of novel East-meets-West creations.

And even as elevated adaptations of traditional foods began to enjoy greater global recognition, thanks in part to the elegant stylings of Malcolm Lee of Candlenut, the world’s first Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant, so too has a defiantly personal spin on mod-Sin cuisine in the hands of chefs like locavore Han Li Guang of Labyrinth. The latter’s restaurant made the Michelin guide in 2017 and became the first of its class to earn a star. Speaking of which, there’s an increased commitment to sourcing locally that has become an integral part of what it means to champion something uniquely Singaporean.