Restless CHEF

The Singapore-based Sri Lankan chef behind the two-Michelin-starred Cloudstreet and spice-laden Kotuwa is known for his bold flavours, boundary pushing creativity, and relentless pursuit of excellence

- SNG LER JUN

When he was younger, Rishi Naleendra never wanted to be a chef. Born in Colombo, on the western coast of Sri Lanka, a young Naleendra watched his parents toil in their small home kitchen, running a catering business that demanded long hours and persistent effort. It was the 1980s, and his brothers and himself often found themselves in the kitchen during the holidays. At that time, toiling and moiling in the cooking area was a life he had zero interest in. Instead, the young boy dreamt of the sky, becoming a pilot, escaping the heat and grind of the scullery.

It wasn't until he moved to Australia, to pursue a degree in architecture, that he was re-acquainted with professional cooking. A stint as a part-time dishwasher, out of necessity, exposed him to the high-octane energy of service and the quiet satisfaction of feeding people. Before he knew it, he went down the rabbit hole, researching cuisines, devouring books and stories on food and other restaurants, and satiating his curiosity about professional cooking.

Naleendra spent over a decade in the Land Down Under, honing his chops at Taxi Dining Room in Melbourne, the two-Michelin-star Tetsuya's in Sydney, and more. Restless for a new challenge, he arrived in Singapore with his wife and his knives, knocking on kitchen doors for work.

"When [my wife and I] moved to Singapore, we found a market for ourselves," says Naleendra, who felt that the creative, experimental cuisines found and techniques widely practiced in Australia were close to absent here. "No one was doing these creatively-driven, produce-driven dishes in Singapore," he adds.