Farewell

Many of you may already know, and for those who don't, I apologize for not saying goodbye sooner. I have left WineGarage and will be moving on to new challenges and opportunities. It is bittersweet in many ways. The first of which is leaving behind so many great people, both guests and staff who have made my time here 3 of the best years I could have asked for. 

While this blog was foremost a tool for reporting on the happenings within the restaurant it also served as a link to communicate with so many of you on a more personal level. Those of you who wrote comments, sent emails and inquired about the blog at the restaurant, I thank you for taking time out of your day to share your thoughts.

I will be the first to admit that there were times when things got rough, when the days were long and the progress slow. But, I always knew that a great restaurant was possible. I will say,  that without doubt, my staff are some of the most committed, talented and hardworking people I have ever had the pleasure to stand alongside. They are the ones who believed in the goal and partnered with me in bringing to light my vision of what a restaurant should be. 

I wish all of you the best and please feel free to check in on the blog as I will be continuing to update it. Thanks again and take care. 

Two Things I Can't Live Without

There are two pieces of equipment that have become so integral to my cooking that without them I would be lost. The first is the Paco Jet. An ultra-revolutionary, high speed, air injecting, "pacotizing" wonder, which basically takes anything that has been frozen solid, shaves it superfine while simultaneously injecting air making it super light and creamy. It has been around for a while now but ask any chef and they will tell you this thing is built like bulldozer. It almost never has to be repaired, has very minimal maintenance and more than makes up for it's cost, which if your wondering can set you back a cool 6K. Of course Ice creams and sorbets are the first order of business but I use it for more unconventional purposes as well making beautiful silken puree's of vegetables, flavored olive oils and infusions of all types. I love this thing so much I once wrote an entire dissertation while in university about the viability and cost-effectiveness of the Paco Jet against traditional Ice Cream Machines. I got an A.

Second, is the Vacuum pack machine, which as the name implies, vacuums air from the inside of plastic bags and seals food in an almost oxygen free environment. While that sounds special the real advantage is that I take those vacuum sealed foods and apply the "sous vide" method of cooking which basically means that I cook the food while in the bag at various temperatures depending on the product inside. This helps in achieving consistent results as well as increased flavors because volatile aromas do not have a chance to escape during the cooking process leaving a result that most times is far better than conventional methods. We use this process in about 40% of the cooking we do at the restaurant in everything from meats to vegetables.

I will be posting more tidbits from life in the kitchen so if you have any questions let me know and I will do my best to answer all that I can. Cheers!!

Teaser

I'm Back

Wow, I think this blogging thing is probably one of the most difficult things to keep up with. It's like going to the gym, at first you are really motivated and excited and then as you get into it you take a day off to rest. One day of rest leads to two and then before you know it, you have been out for a month. In this case like 4 months.

In any event there is always room for reconciliation, an opportunity to get back in the game. So here I write with hopes of turning this thing around. First, some news from the Garage. We will be starting a new promotion called "Fizz and Chips". Pardon the play on words but as you may have guessed we will be featuring Fish and Chips with Champagne and Sparkling wine on Wednesday evenings. In response to our ever popular Burgers and Bottles promotion on Tuesdays, this is a great segway to showcase my obsession recently with the humble fish fry. I have researched, tested and tasted my way through numerous incarnations of the perfect fish and chip and finally have found what I believe will be the standard bearer for all Fish and Chips in Singapore.

The batter is shatteringly crisp and grease less. The fish, pink snapper, flaky and moist. The Chips are hand cut, organic desiree potatoes cooked thrice with a secret method that produces a chip beyond reproach. Of course, we will make our own tartare sauce and provide you with the ubiquitous malt vinegar albeit from a clever serving device.

In my opinion the combination of sparkling wine and fish and chips may be one of the best pairings I have ever had the opportunity to taste. It is quite frankly a match made in heaven. Be it with a special bottle of Krug or a great bottle of Prosecco, the experience of drinking "Fizz" and eating "Chips" is undeniably cool .

The promotion will be running Wednesdays starting the 9th of July with $10 off any bottle of sparkling wine with the purchase of a Fish and Chip. So come down and have some fun. Till next time.....

The Creative Process

The mind of a chef is often filled with taste and flavor memories, seemingly shook up over time like one of those snow globes that everyone recieves at Christmas. Most often the context of a new dish is created in my head and eaten before a fork can even get close. Questions like texture and temperature contrast are debated at length and whether the dish has consistency or execution issues or wether it costs too much. But, the most important question is, Does it taste great?

I always feel that a great dish is one that has gone through a rigorous editing process. In that I mean, ingredients and techniques are scrutinized and the question is asked: What does this particular ingredient or technique do for the dish? If I cannot answer that question then it gets removed and I move on. I am currently developing a few new ideas for dishes to add to the menu and this is the process I go through. Many times, conceptually the dish sounds great and in my head I can taste the components working together, but in reality there is a diversion or confluence of other matters at play. I would say out of ten dishes I conceive theoretically only 1 will ever actually make it to the plate and your stomachs.

Burger Bash

I was recently scrolling through some of my favorite food sites and came upon an advertisement for an event in Shanghai called the "Burger Grill Off", where local restaurants vie for a chance at Burger Stardom. Burgers were also the headline act the recent South Beach Food and Wine Festival where the famous "Shack Burger" from Danny Meyer's Shake Shack was overthrown by the "Schlow Burger" from Chef Micheal Schlow of Boston restaurant, Radius. It got me thinking that perhaps Singapore needs an event like this. I can picture it now, Clarke Quay roped off down the river with booths of restaurants turning out thier signature Burger, capped off by the 1st Annual "Battle of the Burg's", to see who can stuff there face with the most burgers in 5 minutes, sure to attract the world's top extreme eaters. It has the potential for greatness, don't you think? The public get's to vote for it's favorite and the winner takes home bragging rights as well as the trophy, a giant plastic Burger Bun that says "Uniquely Singapore" all over it.
Ok, its a little far fetched but I think it has a chance, we just need a bunch of Burger fanatics to protest, in groups less than three of course, at city hall for the government to sponsor such an event. I know I'll be there, will you? Later.

Favorite Restaurants

People often ask me about my favorite restaurants back in the states. I started to think and came up with a few that without question are some of the best places in the world to eat.

The first and one of the only places that I would fly 20 hours just to have dinner is Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, AZ. It is to me the quintessential restaurant. Small, welcoming, unpretentious and most of all honest. The menu is sparse with only a few salads and just a handful of Pizzas but the quality is incomparable. The chef, Chris Bianco, tames the wood fired oven every night, no matter what. It is the sort of place everyone talks about, but few seldom understand. Chris is a pizza maniac, he doesn't simply undertsand the intricasies of a great pizza, he has devoted his whole life to the perfection of it. Every detail makes a difference, from the type of wood used in the oven, to the homemade mozzarella pulled every day. His dough is an extension of his hands and his soul. Rarely do you encounter a restaurant with this singular focus. I will be visiting Phoenix in April when I take some time away to see my family and you can bet that I will get my pizza fix here.

Another place that I really enjoy is Casa Mono in NYC, this tiny shoebox near Gramercy turns out some of the finest spanish influenced food I have ever had the pleasure of eating. It also happens to be co-owned by Mario Batali, a chef who I greatly admire and respect. In fact all of his restaurants have made me happy and serve simple unpretentious food.

For fine dining, I must say that the French Laundry was unforgettable and something everyone should experience at least once. While I don't usually dine like this, I do try and fit in one over the top meal a year and this has been the finest to date. Enough has been said about Thomas Keller, but bottom line, he deserves all the praise.

Till next time....

Lunch Time!!!!

It is with great anticipation that I announce the launch of Lunch at WG starting on February 18, 2008. It is a significant step for us and one many of you have been asking for. The menu reflects my continuing support of organic produce as well as supporting our own farming project in Malaysia. It features my take on classic salads and sandwiches as well as focusing on or handcrafted pasta and freshly made side dishes. You can come for a power lunch or laze your day away over looking the river. Meet up with friends or catch up with co-workers. The menu has something for everyone, including our signature WG "Burger". Here are a few pics to get you salivating. We will also be featuring a few new brews from Brewmaster Scott Robertson.

Eating Humble Pie

This post is a little different than the rest and frankly I am not proud of it. But, sometimes we have to eat a little humble pie and admit we made a mistake. I want to relay an incident that happened on Saturday night.

A couple sat down at around 11:00pm for what was supposed to be a nice leisurely drink to finish the evening I presume. All was well until they placed their order for a beautiful bottle of Chassagne-Montrachet. Our server took the order and proceeded to arrange the bottle, which he could not find. He asked a manager to help while he set the glasses and readied the ice bucket. The manager still could not find the wine, almost 7 minutes had elapsed at this point. He engages another staff member to help. The guests are getting impatient and rightfully so. 10 minutes and still no wine. The manager decides to go to the table to apologize and ask if he can arrange a different bottle as the first one is M.I.A, but the guests decided they had enough and walked out. I don't blame them. We failed. We had a chance to wow them with a great bottle of wine, but we couldn't locate it. We had a chance to turn the situation around but we didn't get to table in time before they left. We had a chance to provide great service but we failed to produce what they ordered. We simply had too many chances.

I can truthfully say this is the first time in a very, very, very long time that this has happened. But, it will serve as a great lesson to us that when we make a mistake we need to deal with it promptly. In hindsight, we should have sent the manager over with Complimentary Champagne at the 7 minute mark, so that at least they knew we were trying to fix our mistake. Even someone going over and letting them know the situation would have been better then to just let them sit there waiting. A bunch of little decisions led to one very bad result. I don't know who the couple was but I want to apologize and invite them back to enjoy that bottle, yes we found it, finally. I know all of us here at WG have learned something from this situation and take it very personally.

These are the situations that can change the course of a restaurants fate. When people have bad experiences they talk about it, and their story influences others and so on and so forth. In any event, we have taken the necessary actions to alleviate the same mistake in the future and I am confident that this situation will never happen again. Till next time...

New Year, New Happenings

Ok, I know, I have been neglecting this little corner of space for sometime now. But, I am back, ready to fill this void with news, observations, happenings and content that will hopefully engage and inspire those of you who find the ramblings of a chef interesting.

First things first though, many thanks to all of our loyal guests over the last year who have supported the restaurant. You are the reason that we are so successful. Furthermore, many thanks to those of you who visited the restaurant for the first time, with every new guest we see an opportunity to build a relationship and a connection to the restaurant. We hope to see you again, and don't be afraid to say hello.

On to some news, where I am happy to share that WineGarage will be adding a new series of events celebrating wine and food. I have composed a list of wine dinners that will be held on a chosen Wednesday each month. Some will highlight producers known the world over; while others will uncover wines you may never have had the chance to explore. The object is simple, to enjoy wine and food with the conviviality of friends and fellow enthusiasts. Take a look at the preliminary list of dinners below to see if any are of interest. They are guaranteed to be fun, informative and spontaneous.

January
Great Wines of America.

February
Garagiste Wines.

March
The Amazing Rhone.

April
Australia’s Best.

May
Who knew? Great Wines from Spain.

June
Wines you’ve never heard of, but will remember forever.

July
Summer in France, C’est la Vie.

August
Memories of Italy, Obscure Varietals, Unlimited Potential.

September
They make wine there? South Africa, Argentina and Beyond.

October
The Big Boy’s, France still leads the pack.

November
Burgundy, be careful be very very careful.

December
The ultimate Celebration, Champagne.

Our first dinner is a salute to Great American Wines on Wednesday the 30th of January. Wines will be featured from the likes of Skewis, Grace Family and La Sirena. A full menu with pairings will be posted soon, so keep an eye out.

On other fronts, this year will once again highlight our continuing relationship with our farming partners in Malaysia to bring you great produce, most notably our beautiful Tomatoes. With the response that we received last year, there is no doubt that a few were converted into tomato heads. There really is nothing like field grown, super ripe tomatoes, period.

Perhaps the biggest news I have for you is that WineGarage will be serving Lunch starting from February 18, 2008. A collection of super salads, inspired sandwiches and hand crafted pastas will make there way to the menu. The lunch menu will highlight some great organic products as well as offer freshly squeezed juices, delicious side items like our soon to be famous Meatball Sliders and Deviled Eggs with Jumbo Lump Crab. I will be posting some shots of the new menu over the next month to tempt you.

Well, I think that's enough for now. Drop me a line, swing by or say hello when your in. Take care and good eating.

Tomatoes are Here!!!!!

I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have our first major crop of tomatoes from our farm in the highlands of Malaysia. We are currently featuring 5 different tomatoes, all unique in taste, texture and color. They are explosive and easily some of the best tomatoes I have ever had. We are using them to make a vibrant gazpacho laced with lime juice and avocado and a salad featuring all 5 types with beautiful buffalo milk mozzarella from Italy. There is also a beautiful risotto made with the tomato water and flecks of the rainbow hued flesh. A rustic pasta is made from our hosemade fennel Sausage and fresh tomato sauce, offset by little fava beans and gran padano cheese. T

In only a few days since we have had the tomatoes there has been an overwhelming response. Many have never before seen tomatoes of a different color or can imagine one that is almost a kg in size. Come down, have a taste and decide for yourself. Trust me it's worth it.

Steak: Do you really know what your eating?

I have been on a steak kick lately. Obsessed with everything that makes a great steak great. I came across an article on asiaone.com.sg titled "Know Your Steak". While the article had good intentions, the author failed to mention a few key points as well as make a few false statements.

First, on the topic of ageing beef. Beef can either be "dry" aged or "wet" aged. When an animal is butchered it benefits from hanging in a cold room for up to a month or more. This process known as dry ageing, tenderizes the meat, breaking down protein strands and enhancing texture and flavor. Moisture loss is also a factor in defining the beefy flavor which may result in the cut losing up to 40% of its original weight thus increasing the price dramaticly. This method is rarely used in the commercial and retail environments anymore. Partly because of the cost to produce and secondly, because dry ageing really only benefits the best animals graded USDA prime and choice in America.

The term "aged" can also be applied to wet aged beef which is a process of sealing the meat in a vacuum bag, thus eliminating all air. The same enzymatic process occurs during this ageing as well, tenderizing the meat, flavor however is not improved because there is no moisture lost in the process. This is how most steaks are aged, even the ones at Morton's. Famous steak houses like Peter Lugar's in New York, PrimeHouse in Chicago and Berns's in Tampa still dry age thier meat the old fashioned way.

The second misnomer I would like to dispel is that of the "searing" process. The author says that searing a steak will lock in the moisture of the meat which is false. Searing promotes what is called the "Maillard Reaction" or in laymans terms, the beautiful crust, which is basically enhancing the flavor on the surface of the meat by browning all those good bits.

We have experimented recently with dry ageing here at the restaurant and have had very favorable results. In fact I still have a few dry aged steaks left for anyone reading who wants a taste before they all disappear. The ageing produced a highly nuanced piece of beef with great tenderness and texture. We will be bringing you more dry aged meat in the coming weeks and months and hope to start the first meat dry ageing program in Singapore.

If you would like to know more about the subject of meat, please go and pick up "The River Cottage Meat Book" by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall. It is without question the quitessential text on all things bovine. Till next time.

Cocktail Craftsmanship

After a long night at the restaurant I sometimes crave a well made cocktail. Wether it is a simple superchilled Dirty Martini or a beautifully balanced Negroni, I am always searching for perfection. Most recently on my trip to New York, I had the pleasure of being taken too a great a little bar called The East Side Company, where they expertly mix your drink with the same precision and passion that you see at some of the top restaurants. What struck me was that you don't order a cocktail by name, but rather by the base. Meaning vodka, gin, whiskey, etc. They then concoct a unique cocktail based on your preferences. It was remarkable. Think underground prohibition era speakeasy with a secret door and super secrecy. Definitely cool. So I started thinking, what if we could come up with a few "perfect" cocktails to begin or end your evening here at the restaurant. With that in mind I came back with a vision of creating cocktails that are balanced, beautiful and delicious. My inspiration was America, and the classic cocktails of years gone by. So now in the works are modern takes on the Mint Julep, Tom Collins, The Martini and a few others. I hope to offer these cocktails as an extension of our beverage program, to make your meal more memorable and to enjoy the craftsmanship of a properly made drink. Stay Tuned.

Tales From a Trip to Gluttony

For me a great vacation usually means a good 4-5kg swing in the wrong direction. I dutifully eat as little as I can prior to departure, knowing that upon arrival the gorging will begin. It is not the kind of gorging where I deliberately stuff my face with fried foods of mysterious origin, but a calculated if not perverse eating expedition that is carefully choreographed. I throw in little stops for snacks, late night places for the midnight munchies and everything in between.

This time in New York was special. For one, I was reunited with my wife after three weeks of seperation, not because of differences, but because I had to work and she started her vacation early. Second, because in my three days I did not put one bad thing in my mouth. The highlights are numerous. The hamachi and cured country hams at Momofuku, a pseudo japanese burrito joint with a penchant for everything porcine. The Amadai and Eel/Foie Gras Terrine at Atelier Robuchon, and the most gorgeous Ricotta Cavatelli and Succulent Pork Chop at The Little Owl. Forgive me for not mentioning sooner the insane little cheese and wine bar Cassellula that among other things, hit the spot one late night with an outrageous Pig's Ass Sandwich. Need I say more.

On the homefront, mom whipped up her usual World's best lobster roll on a toasted hot dog bun with what seemed like endless boulders of the glorious crustacean. I ate my yearly allowance and took a nap. Then my grandfather in a historic cook-off with his Chef grandson, kicked my ass with his always crowd pleasing and dare I say the best meatballs I have ever consumed. I was no match for the king. A surprising pit-stop on I-84, the highway connecting Connecticut to New York, for those who were wondering, offered up the best pastrami reuben I have had in a great while. Think gloriously butter toasted rye bread, oozing swiss cheese and glistening slices of the good stuff all lubricated with the traditional russian dressing. All was well in the world.

On the last leg of our trip that included a brief day and a half stop-over in Stockholm, we had the tremendous luck of discovering Restaurant Mathias Dahlgren, which definitely proved Michelin worthy, despite it's apparently two month infancy. One of our favorite dishes were the strawberries at the end of the meal that were served simply with Vanilla Ice cream and Strawberry Meringue. Easily the best fruit I have tasted all year, and another tribute to the simple mantra of Quality speaks.

Ok, time to get back to work. Till next time......

The Italian Way

Last night I headed over to Oso Restaurant for a glass of wine and some cheese. I always enjoy the humble hospitality of Stephane and Diego, who so gracefully look after thier guests. It was over a glass of Nebbiolo and a beautiful cheese plate that I reminisced of my time spent in the upper half of the boot. Italians are by far the most hospitable and kind people I have ever met. They welcome each day with a sense of wonderment and a sincere appreciation for the act of eating and drinking. They relish the perfect slice of prosciutto, wait months for the first insanely ripe tomato to pull from the vine and wax poetic about wines made from thier obscure indigenous grapes. Quality always trumps quantity and from village to village the cooking is local and seasonal with variations abound. What always strikes me is the simplicity of the offerings and the feeling that at that very moment you are eating the best thing in the world. It is these memories that spur my quest to find or produce the best ingredients I can. As most of you know, the tomatoes are my first project, but I laso hope to bring many other locally grown vegetables and fruit to the table soon.

I head off to New York and Boston next week for my Holiday and hope to file in when I get a few spare moments from the endless barage of eating and drinking. I will certainly remember that eating well is a matter of simplicity and sometimes living life to the fullest means living life one day at a time just like in Italy.

Just Smile and Say Goodbye

The other day I asked my staff what the difference between service and hospitality was. A few replied with textbook accuracy, others were bewildered and a few more started to really think. I had recently been to an outpost of Ya Kun Kaya Toast for a cup of coffee and some kaya and that's when the wheels started to turn. The cashier was curt, failing to display any sort of smile or warmth. I proceeded with the payment, ate my toast and left. The next day without much thought, I popped in to Starbucks for a quick coffee and a read of the paper. As soon as I entered I was greeted with a glowing smile and infectous energy. I ordered, had a brief conversation and enjoyed my quiet morning. When I left they said, "goodbye and see you again", and so I pondered, two coffees: two different experiences.

The truth is, that service is the technical ability to deliver a product, think car mechanic or massage therapist. They are providing a service and in turn delivering you a result. Hospitality is the innate ability to generate memories and experiences from someone. Intangible elements such as the greeting, the farewell and the friendly smile all play a part in defining this form of generosity. It cannot be contrived, manipulated or faked. In many ways hospitality is the texture of an experience, something that is warm, comforting and genuine. It could be the use of your name as you arrive or the thoughtfullness of the staff as they recall your preferences and look after you as though you were invited to thier home. It is the way you are spoken too, the subtle gestures and the care exuded by the individual.

In Singapore, the problem lies not with the training of technical service standards but with the ability to foster hospitality among the staff. A great service experience in a restaurant almost always reflects the "mood" of the staff and the environment in which they create. They have to be active particpants in the experience. There are many who believe that great service across the board in Singapore is impossible and should never be expected unless your paying for it at the highest levels. But the truth of the matter is, it doesn't cost anything to have staff smile and say goodbye. Till next time....

Brrrrr.....unch

I much prefer the Brr…than the unch in Brunch, but to satiate all appetites, we will be inaugurating our big weekend feast starting 23rd of June. Everyone always asks me what I like to cook and I always reply, breakfast. I’m sorry if this offends people, but, I love the smell of bacon in the morning, and have been woken many a times from a deep slumber from it’s glorious scent, not to mention the lingering aromas of fresh brewed coffee and french toast hot off the griddle. I have vowed with our brunch to stick to the basics and cook from the heart. As a treat to the millions of readers of this blog I thought I would pass along a little eye candy to get you dreaming. I won’t fill you in on the exact details of each dish, but as the saying goes "a picture is worth a thousand words."

When you think of breakfast with us, I want you to invision, house cured bacon, freshly squeezed juices and rustic pancakes. A place where you can come at the end of a long week and relax, read the paper, catch up with friends, have a few coffees and tuck into some good food.
If you’re a bit more ambitious you can always start the morning with a bottle of bubbly or a fiery bloody mary. It’s up too you. We will also have the almost world famous "Garage" Burger and our fresh Oysters available for your enjoyment. I look forward to seeing all of you!! Here are a few pics to keep you salivating.

Slow Food = Slow Results

There was a recent article posted on the Slowfood website in Singapore that caught my attention. Mainly because Slow Food is an organization I have flirted with off and on for about 5 years now. Each time I was uprooted and moved to a new city in the states, I would find the local convivium and see what they were up too. Some were focused on sustaining dying breeds of pigs others on preserving the legacy of heirloom vegetables while many more were formal and proper and participated in luncheons and dinners that supported slow food producers.

What I learned most about Slow Food, and contradictory to the article had nothing to do with the physical act of eating slow, but rather a sincere desire to keep traditions alive and sustaining our environment for years to come. It was a holistic approach to eating, in that what you eat is as important as how you came to eat it.

With that being said I started to ponder my philosophy here at the restaurant and questioning the methods and ways in which we end up with a final dish. Many of you know that our food here is rather minimalist, meaning that we showcase a few great ingredients on a plate with minimal fuss. In this pursuit, I am often at odds, mostly because of the source of my products. Do I know who produces my pork? Is my Salmon really farmed the way it says on their website? Is my produce grown in a manner that is sustainable? The questions go on and on. Being on an Island as glorious as it might sound does have its drawbacks. But, over the last year and half I have been able to assess the market and find those that are truly passionate about bringing in great ingredients even if they are at greater prices. I know in the long run, that for us to prosper as a restaurant we have to make a pledge to only buy and source the best, no matter the cost. Once Singapore becomes a major player on the international food scene, more and more great products will come our way.

Our farming project is still in the works and has taken some time to get up to speed, but the relationships we have built and are forging will be of great value in the years to come. I see a renewed interest in organic farming and a strong sense that to compete in the world markets, changes have to be made to the way they are growing vegetables in the highlands. Much of the interest in our project has come from you, our guests, who are as excited as we are to bring you nothing but the finest produce in South East Asia.

The moral of this whole rant, is that everything takes time to do it right. We must wait for the tomatoes to fully ripen to pick, take time to forge relationships with people who are passionate about what they produce and think about what goes onto a plate.

Pork-A-Nosis

I get irritated when journalists print stupid information, especially when it's about pork. I was reading reviews of restaurants on asiaone.com and came across a review of a restaurant called Perle Noir. The reviewer who happens to be a blogger at http://ieatishootipost.blogspot.com/, and also apparently happens to be a Doctor stated that “Since pork has to be taken well done (because pork harbors parasites like tapeworm which can also cause infestations in humans so it is important to cook it properly)” also failed to note that the chances of this actually happening are about a million to one.


The fear of trichinosis came about in age when people were poorly raising pigs in environments that were less that sanitary and in particular related to a diet of human waste and sewage. Nowadays pork is so fiercely controlled, not only in its breeding, but at all points of production. Furthermore, all that proscitutto you have eaten is in fact, raw pork. Of course it has been “cured” but essentially is no more of a risk than cooking a chop medium-rare. There are parts of the pig that do benefit from long cooking and slow braising like the shoulder and the glorious ribs. Even more beautiful is the belly, from which after gentle slow cooking nearly collapses on itself and the meat pulls away gently and with magnificent succulence.

This also brings me to another point. As chefs, we should all want to know where our pork comes from and how it is processed. As consumers you should ask your local butcher from whom he buys his pork. Some questions to ask include, Are the pigs allowed to roam or are they cooped like chickens? Is the pork processed with a brine, to increase the weight and substitute moisture for lean meat? Are the animals treated with hormones? On visual inspection, pork should be gloriously marbled and riddled with pearly white fat, and contrary to marketing claims, pork should be a shade of rose tinged toward red, not white or pearl. The pale, flaccid specimens we see at many supermarkets are the result of man’s intervention in the growth of what should be a natural process.

Pigs are one of the greatest animals on earth. In fact, pigs are one of the only animals that are completely edible from head to toe and have nourished people for centuries. Think prosciutto, bacon, ham, sausages, casings etc. If you want proof that Pork doesn’t have to be cooked well done, come down and try our chop. I guarantee you will wake up in the morning.

Marutama Ramen

Some of you have asked me to post on some of the restaurants I like to eat at, so here it is. Marutama makes some sick ramen. Everytime I eat it I leave with a glorious smile and heinous garlic breath. If you sit at the counter be careful of the little bowl of fried garlic chips, wonderfully toasty and crisp that you can add at will to make the chicken based broth utterly mind blowing. The little place tucked into a corner in Central Mall is always packed at lunch, so go early or late if you don't want to wait. I always get the Marutama Ramen with Tasty Egg and Char Siu. A perfect lunch! Happy Eating.