Canada-based Celebrity Chef Susur Lee is well-known for his Chinese fusion dishes which marry flavours from the East and the West. Chef Lee has three restaurants in Toronto under his name: “Lee”, “Bent” and “Luckee”.
Here in Singapore, Chef Lee helms TungLok Heen at Hotel Michael in Resorts World Sentosa.
Chef Lee is back in Singapore until 21 November. On this trip, he has brought along his Ocean’s Best menu from Toronto and will be conducting a Masterclass too (on Friday, 21 November).
Speaking with a smattering of Cantonese, Chef Lee shared with us about his limited-time menu, the Singapore Slaw and his favourite five senses in the kitchen.
Chef Susur Lee (Photograph by Jason Finestone)
RWScoop: I saw on your Instagram that you were in Guangzhou a few days ago. There was a photo of you on a boat, that was a pretty interesting photo.
Chef Susur Lee at the place of origin of Sampan Porridge.
That place was the origin of Tingzai Porridge (Sampan porridge). I was eating it and I thought, “The Tingzai Porridge has changed.” The bowl I had was very good but the ingredients have gotten lesser and lesser ([over the years).
The only thing was, I was on the boat eating it, and then the smell from the river [waves hands to simulate a breeze]. I had to go like this [pinches his nose] and the cook asked, “What’s wrong with the congee.” I said “No, no, no.” [shakes his head]
When it comes to food, you have to be open minded. Sometimes the local dishes can be very rustic. As a chef, you have to be open minded and appreciate the culture. You can’t just say, “Oh, this is not my style of food and I have to eat very sophisticated food.” Culture and food come together. It’s an education and I still have so much to learn about food.
How often do you come to Singapore?
Sometimes it can be quite often. This is my second trip here this year; I was last here in January. I used to live here. I’ve learned a lot about Chinese dining here.
The Ocean’s Best menu that’s being served for this period was based on a menu you had in Canada. Did you have to change anything when you brought it to Singapore?
We used a lot of fresh seafood that were shipped from all over Canada. The Ocean’s Best menu was a huge success in Canada because more people there are starting to love seafood now, In the past, people in North America had a more meat-based diet. The menu attracted a lot of attention during that the Toronto International Film Festival.
I have changed just a few things for the Singapore menu. For example, I used X.O. sauce (a spicy seafood sauce) because I know TungLok Heen makes the best X.O. sauce. I adapted it for the lobster dish. I didn’t use X.O. sauce in Canada because it would be too spicy for the palate of most North Americans.
I think X.O. sauce is very suitable for Singaporeans and Chinese people. They know it’s spicy, tasty and has a lot of fragrances. Also, I added some Spanish churiso. The combination of churiso with X.O. sauce is amazing.
I have a few dishes that I’m proud of in the Ocean’s Best menu. It has–what I would say is–the first char siu beef in Asia. No one has done char siu beef. I refined it when I was in Toronto and I brought it here. Can you please tell Feng Shui Inn not to make char siu beef? (Laughs)
Just that dish is worth coming to try the Ocean’s Best menu. You don’t have to order the whole set, you can have it a la carte too.
I’m curious about the Singapore Slaw. Could you tell us more about it?
Chef Susur Lee’s famous Singapore Slaw
Oh, the Singapore Slaw. It was a hit in North America. People always come to my restaurant and tell me, “I dream about the Singapore Slaw.”
When I lived here about 17 years ago, I learnt how to make the lohei (yusheng) in a Chinese restaurant. If you look at the lohei, it has about 13 to 15 ingredients. I have 19 ingredients in the Singapore Slaw. It also has all kinds of herbs, I grow my own herbs in a cultivator so in the winter so I can have herbs for the salad.
People love that salad. You know who really loves that salad? A lot of Asian customers do–Indian, Middle Eastern and Chinese people. They love that dish because it’s vegan and really healthy with all sorts of proteins and vegetables.
Of course I also put yushang (raw fish) raw tuna and all that. People really love it.
You should bring the Singapore Slaw here.
That’s a good idea. We could do a promotion just for that: “RETURN OF THE SINGAPORE SLAW”.
It’s almost like the slaw has gone around the world and come back to Singapore.
Let’s talk about the five senses in the kitchen. Can you tell us what are your favourite sight, sound, smell, taste and touch in the kitchen?
Sight
I like to see the emotions of my chefs because if they’re not happy, it’ll affect the food that they prepare. If I see someone who’s not looking well, I’ll pull them aside and ask when happened before it continues any further.
I like to see the energy in the kitchen, how everybody relates to each other. I like to see the cleanliness and kitchen organasation.
Sound
When it comes to sound, I like high energy in the kitchen, watching the chefs talking to each other. I like to hear that the ventilation is working, the sound of fans when you open the oven.
I also like the sound when you open the door coming into the kitchen from the restaurant. There’s quietness and then there’s noisiness. It’s very different, like two worlds.
Smell, Taste, Touch
Smell is very important. I’m very sensitive to smell and taste. I can taste and identify things even after they have been cooked for a long time.
When it comes to taste, I can smell food before I taste it and know if it’s good or bad. I can smell sourness of fermentation before tasting. I can see the sauces’ colour to know if they’re still ok. Little things like that.
I touch everything. I poke my fingers in things and feel things. Chef’s fingers are very important. They are like measuring scales. As a chef, you don’t need measuring scales but sometimes young chefs don’t have this ability yet sothey have to practise.
Anything that feels dangerous, like fish with pointy scales or bones, I like to touch it. I like to touch the knives to see that they’re sharp.
You’re having a Masterclass on Friday. Could you share a cooking tip for our readers?
A lot of people think making siewmai (a dimsum dumpling dish) is really hard. It’s so easy. I have one tip that will make you go, (in Cantonese) “Oh, even I know that!”
The secret to making easy siewmai like a professional is–is this going to be published after the Masterclass? No?–Oh, then you have to come to the class to find out.
Learn from Chef Lee at his Masterclass this Friday from 4:30pn to 6pm at $50 nett per person.
Enjoy Ocean’s Best at TungLok Heen
Come join Chef Lee at his Masterclass this Friday from 4.30pm to 6pm at only $50 nett per person.
Ocean’s Best menu is available from 17 to 21 Nov 2014 for lunch and dinner. Choose from the 6-course menu at $198++ per person or the 4-course menu for $168++ per person.
Ocean’s Best menu at TungLok Heen
For one night only on 21 November, enjoy a 6-course menu with 4 glasses of premium French wines from 7pm at $278++ per person.
For reservations, call +65 6884 7888.
