Origin STORY

With great tenderness, three bright Asian chefs behind Singapore's finest new restaurants reinterpret the ingredients, techniques and dishes that tie them closest to their roots.

- CHANDREYEE RAY

ZOR TAN, Born

Zor Tan would like to get the message out that Born is not a Chinese restaurant. “I wouldn’t want anyone to be disappointed, especially if they make a reservation not knowing what we actually do,” he laughs.

What Tan means, of course, is that the restaurant doesn’t serve traditional Chinese cuisine. With dishes like fish maw wrapped in cabbage and a bao seasoned with Szechuan peppercorn on his menu, it would be hard to argue that the gorgeous restaurant has no association with Chinese cuisine at all.

What Born does is build a rich culinary tapestry of Tan’s most pivotal memories—many of which are tied to his childhood and heritage. Growing up, Tan’s parents were hawkers. They ran an ‘economy rice’ (cai fan) stall in Johor Bahru and would prepare a wide range of dishes to put up in their stall window each day.

“My parents used food as a vehicle to show their love for me. I’d come home from school and have all these choices waiting— they would make sure to keep a chicken drumstick for me as they knew I loved it. I’ve always known food to be contentment.”