THE MAN OF MANY TASTES

On the opening day of his longgestating contemporary Italian restaurant Le Pristine in Singapore, the Esteemed chef Sergio Herman gives us a poignant account of why his philosophy of gastronomy is fundamentally inclusive.

- INDRAN PARAMASIVAM

SERGIO HERMAN HELMS a hospitality group named after him. That he is a bona fide Renaissance man is beyond question. That he has also transformed gastronomy into a canvas for upper-echelon iterations of music, art, design and fashion to commingle and coalesce into bar-raisingly new singularities is also undeniable. Now, at Le Pristine, housed within the Grand Hyatt Singapore, diners will be privy to the Sergio Herman difference. Speaking from experience, dear reader, that difference is monumental.

How does it feel to open the doors to Le Pristine at the Grand Hyatt Singapore?

It feels great. There was a delay of more than one-and-a-half years, so it’s good that we’re finally open. We’ve been busy with this since Covid-19 started. It’s been a long road from then till now. Our pre-opening sessions were successful, and we’re ready to serve our guests at long last.

Being in Singapore is an emotional for me. It was my first step into Asia. Going to a hawker centre exposed me to cross-culture cooking in a confined space – it was amazing. I can definitely say that it was love at first sight.

Andreas Stalder, [Senior Vice President, Food & Beverage Operations and Product Development, Asia Pacific, Hyatt] has followed my journey, and we’ve become friends. Working with the Hyatt is like being in the warmth of family. One that gives you professional feedback as well.

Having visited Singapore before, what are your thoughts on the food/ dining culture here?