A Step Into The Kitchen

After a constant period of confusion, self doubts and downfall, I believe it is today I must look back and remind myself of the real reason; why I decided to become a chef. I have told various stories when asked why I want to be a chef and none has been closest to the truth than this.

To begin, I must bring myself back to 5 years from today. It was in fact to be accurate; 5 years ago, nearly 3 weeks from today when I met the first love of my life, Madeline. How we met was a miracle and no one knows until this day. It was this girl who changed my life forever. I was 18 then, a young boy with no love for a kitchen life. To me, a chef was merely another high paying job without any prospects. At that period in Singapore, yes it was most likely so.

The first night I got to know Madeline, we talked on the phone as though we had been friends for years. I had an ambition, and that was to be an artist. I had a talent(or so I believed) for art and I was determined to paint for a career. She however, had a different outlook on arts despite our similar interest to get into NYP(Nanyang Polytechnic) to take up Multimedia Design. Arts to her, was no more than a hobby which in the long run would never sustain an artist's life. I disagreed but took her advice to heart.

3 months later our relationship ended for some reasons. I was devastated. For some time, I suffered from mild depression. I was out of school and jobless until November 2003 when I took up a job at DeliFrance. I said to myself, "This is what Madeline would have wanted for me, so for once, I have to start proper." So I took myself down to the DeliFrance and landed myself a position as a Counter Sales Assistant. Back then, DeliFrance was still a cafe where they served sandwiches and coffee the old way and there was no fancy layered coffee; 1 part espresso and 2 parts warm milk to make a Latte. (Today, it one button for all beverages whether it Black Coffee, Latte or Cappuccino) As a Sales Assistant, I naturally learnt to make all sorts of beverages there was, including sandwiches and custard cream for tarts.

I was however curious and developed a thirst for knowledge later on. I wanted to know how to make a baguette from scratch, how to make those delicious chocolate cookies and how they made those crispy, sweet and unique tasting croissants. From then on, the desire to become a chef, eventually became my personal ambitions, I wanted not only to fulfill Madeline's dreams but my own as well. I made a plan that year, I knew where I wanted to go and where to begin. I had a dream, when one day I would open a restaurant with a signature pastry dedicated to Madeline. That dream of course, has changed along the years but that's another story.

3 years later at the age 21 after National Service, I made a decision to focus on Culinary, so Mark recommended me a place where I toiled for 8 months as a line cook. I loved the job, and I loved being in the kitchen. After my days in MacDonald's and DeliFrance, I decided I wanted to serve customers in another way. To me, being able to create and cook a dish made a difference between bringing food to the table and putting in the personal touch. You know what goes in and how much to put in. At the end, it is the food that led me places, the desire to define and revolutionise.