Celebrity Life

Waku Ghin and Joel Robouchon restaurants are just some of the upcoming openings in Singapore.

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2020 may not have served us the finest days of our lives, but let’s admit it, food helped us find happiness in this pandemic-struck year. And now that we have officially said goodbye to it, we suggest you celebrate it with a grand feast cooked by some of the world's most famous chefs.

From Japan to India and Italy to America, it’s the love for distinct flavours that keeps us akin. But the art of cooking is intricate – it’s all about coming up with something that soothes the taste buds and soul alike – something a few chefs around the world have nailed.

To feed the unique and endless appetite of foodies, we have rounded up 10 of the world’s most famous chefs and their lip-smacking signature dishes that are worth a shot in 2021.

Masaharu Morimoto

Mastering a cuisine is an ambitious task, but when you dare to combine it with another form, it takes more than just skill to be a winner. Masaharu Morimoto – also known as the Iron Chef - wins with the flavours and presentation of his Japanese fusion food.

Morimoto, who earned a Michelin star in 2008, bridged the gap between America and native Japan with his creations that combine two palates to in an impressively balanced form. While the 65-year-old’s résumé has big portions of baseball, sushi, ramen and wasabi on it, the signature dish spot is reserved for Buri Bop.

Inspired by a traditional Korean dish – Bibimbop – Buri Bop gets the sushi chef’s raw fish spin with yellowtail. This Japanese kick is supported by an egg yolk, rice, marinated spinach and fennel head ferns, some pickled daikon and carrots, yuzu pepper, garlic-soy jus and shredded nori. In a steaming hot pot, Morimoto puts them all together to create the Asian delight, which is considered his finest creation so far.

Sabrina Ghayour

A household name in the Middle East, Sabrina Ghayour is a British-Iranian chef and author who penned an array of food books, the most popular one being Persiana. The self-taught culinary artist has created recipes inspired by the Middle Eastern flavours and used their distinct ingredients to create something authentic.

One of Ghayour’s most impressive dishes so far is Lamb and sour cherry meatballs. In this Iranian wonder, sweetened sour cherries meet a dense tomato sauce and act as a base for smooth lamb meatballs.

Massimo Bottura

Pizza, pasta, lasagne and a delicate dance of herbs on a platter – that’s Italian food for the world. However, when Massimo Bottura – one of the most celebrated culinary personalities of the world – donned his chef’s white, he created something intricate for the taste buds.

A patron of three-Michelin-star establishment Osteria Francescana, Bottura’s love for cooking developed when he watched his mother and grandmother in the kitchen. Starting from there to listing his eatery among The World's 50 Best Restaurants, the 58-year-old has come a long way.
Bottura’s creations are a combination of both vision and creativity, and his signature dish has it in abundance. The Crunchy Part of the Lasagna and Mediterranean Sole – although two different items – come together as one at Fancescana.

This ensemble includes the traditional lasagna in a smoked and slightly burnt form, topped with Bolognese sauce, a touch of Bechamel and some nutmeg powder. It’s nothing short of a tsunami of flavours for anyone who tries it.

Gaggan Anand

Kolkata bred yet Punjabi by nature, Gaggan Anand is a progressive Indian cuisine expert who has been ruling the restaurant charts in Bangkok for a decade now. While a fallout with his partners forced him to walk away from his Michelin starred establishment Gaggan earlier this year, he soon bounced back with another diner named Gaggan Anand.

Anand’s emblematic preparation, Lick It Up, allows guests to feel the food by licking up the plate, quite literally. This one is a platter of chutneys, purees and jams including a mango yuzu gel, green pea puree, onion jam and chilli chutney. Designed to be enjoyed without cutlery, Lick It Up brings sweet, sour and spicy flavours together.

Anand was also profiled on Netflix’s Chef’s Table in 2019.

Ken Hom

Chinese-American chef Ken Hom, also known as the master of Asian cuisine, made his mark in the culinary world with his ‘wok’. Specialising in Chinese cuisine, Ken was appointed the honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to the culinary arts in 2009. Six years later, his restaurant MEE earned a Michelin star a little over one year after its inauguration.

While most famous chefs across the globe have one signature dish, Ken has scores to boast, thanks to the freshness and simplicity of Chinese food that he continued to swear by for years.

Of his countless signature recipes, we list the Beijing (Peking) Braised Lamb as the most distinct ensemble. This Chinese indulgence includes lamb cooked in dry and wet heat which is served with sticky rice and vegetables.

Anne-Sophie Pic

Famed for her French food, Anne-Sophie Pic has a long series of accolades in her name. From regaining three Michelin stars for her family restaurant Maison Pic to earning the Best Female Chef award by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2011, she has established herself as the queen of French cuisine and one of the most famous chefs anywhere in the world.

Pic took inspiration from her father and grandfather to join the culinary arts. With no formal training in the field, she took over Maison Pic after her father’s passing and brought back its three lost Michelin stars in 2007.

The 51-year-old has a legacy of winning over guests with her creations, however, her Berlingots continue to be on the signature spot till date. The delectable pasta parcels are loaded with wild garlic, seasonal wild mushrooms, a hint of Voatsiperifery pepper and lightly-smoked Brillat Savarin cheese.

Virgilio Martínez

Chef Virgilio Martínez added the wow factor to traditional Peruvian food by reinventing it with modern cooking techniques and using contemporary ingredients. Collectively, his offbeat approach to gastronomy contributed to the current stature. His modern Peruvian-style restaurant Lima in London won a Michelin star in 2014.

While Martínez has not listed a particular dish as his signature item, his Waters of Nanay is one of the most popular creations till date. The platter of this delicacy includes a piranha fish served inside piranha heads with its sharp teeth placed on top. The crispy fish skin delicacy is supported by cocona and achiote flavours.

Martínez was profiled on the Netflix series Chef’s Table.

Gordon Ramsay

Hell’s Kitchen, Hotel Hell, Masterchef and Kitchen Nightmares introduced us to an outspoken, strict, and short-tempered Gordon Ramsay who settles for nothing less than excellence on a platter. However, Ramsey did not become one of the most famous chefs on the planet for his charisma alone, he also is a multi-Michelin starred chef who owns thirty-five restaurants across the globe – the most celebrated one being Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea, London.

The dish that Ramsay is highly famed for is Beef Wellington. This one is a package of filet mignon covered in whole-grain mustard and layers of prosciutto, pulverized mushrooms, an herbed crepe, and puff pastry. This calzone of flavours is then baked until meat reaches perfection.

Forbes quoted Ramsay’s 2020 earnings at $70 million and named him the 19th high-earning celebrity in the world.

Alain Ducasse

French born Alain Ducasse is a Monégasque chef who holds the highest number of Michelin stars in the world. Of the 20 stars he holds, three belong to Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester – the highest ranking on the prestigious guide.

Over a three-decade period, Ducasse rose from chef to head chef and, at present, owns about 30 restaurants around the world and his considered one of the most famous chefs who modernised and elevated French cuisine. In 2013, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

While Ducasse’s culinary expertise has won him a fortune of awards throughout his career, the Cookpot continues to be his signature delicacy. The ‘glocal’ trend as he calls it, is like an ode from the 64-year-old to the various cultures of the world. In a slow cooker designed by Ducasse himself, he stews seven seasonal vegetables until they release every inborn flavour.

The famous ‘Cookpot’ is now an essential tool found in most kitchens across the world.

Clare Smyth

A former Chef Patron at Gordon Ramsay Restaurant, Northern Irish chef Clare Smyth’s is famed for her sophisticated cooking techniques with British ingredients. With several accolades in her name – first female chef to hold three Michelin stars, Chef of The Year in 2013, World’s Best Chef and so on – Smyth established herself as a winner in the otherwise male-dominated industry.

Core, Smyth’s restaurant in London, earned two Michelin stars within just two years of its induction. She also turned caterer at former Duke and Duchess of Sussex – Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding ‘after-party’.
The 42-year-old is known for creating incredible delicacies with simple ingredients and her signature dish Potato and Roe is an example. It is a tribute to the chef’s homeland.

On a platter, freshly cooked potatoes are accompanied by potato crisps on top with a touch of dulse beurre blanc sauce, herring, herbs, and trout roe.

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Stash these products in your pantry for your most indulgent meals of 2020.

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Stash these products in your pantry for your most indulgent meals of 2020.

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Considered the Godfather of French haute cuisine, legendary chef Alain Ducasse has been busy in Asia. He recently opened his first restaurant Blue in Bangkok; opened new restaurant Esterre in Tokyo (with another coming up in Kyoto soon); and he snapped up two Michelin stars for Alain Ducasse at Morpheus in Macau and one Michelin star for Rech in Hong Kong this year, too. Not one to slow down, we caught a moment with the famed chef for a quick chat about his new stars, Cantonese cuisine, sustainability and more.

[caption id="attachment_185935" align="alignnone" width="1191"] French chef Alain Ducasse[/caption]

Firstly, congratulations on your stars! Was it what you expected?

I always want more and Pierre wants three [he signals towards his head chef Pierre Marty of Alain Ducasse at Morpheus, who has been with Ducasse since 2008]. It varies a lot. Sometimes I have one more, sometimes I have one less. It comes and goes, but I’m used to it. So I’m never stressed out about it.

[inline_related_article article_id="181089"]

What are your thoughts on the fine dining world?

I would say that this is just the beginning of this culinary movement, or evolution, in the fine dining world. Everywhere you go, you have people who are actually willing to sit down at the table to taste and share these meals.

You’ve been in the industry for many years. How do you keep yourself curious?

My passion is to discover what I do not know. And this is not just in the culinary world, it’s everywhere and in everything. This is my quest. It feeds my thoughts. It doesn’t influence me, but it does allow me to have an array of tastes that become greater and greater.

[caption id="attachment_185937" align="alignnone" width="1298"] Mediterranean Gamberoni, delicate gelée and gold caviar available at Alain Ducasse at Morpheus[/caption]

What do you think about Cantonese cuisine?

It is the most beautiful cuisine in Asia. In terms of French taste, I think it is the closest thing to what we like and are used to. A taste that the French can appreciate. After Cantonese cuisine, it would be Thai cuisine.

Have you been inspired by anything here (in Asia or Hong Kong)?

In a sense, no. I need to preserve my DNA. What I do is I experience something and then it goes into my own database of tastes and ideas. Bit by bit I will have absorbed it. After that, it may translate into an element that I integrate into my cooking. So I wouldn’t say that I am directly inspired or influenced. Instead it’s a process: it enriches my memory and is diluted and integrated into the dish. It goes into the blend. But I need to preserve my personality in my cooking.

Can you explain what sustainability means to you?

Five years ago I created a restaurant that served only vegetables, cereals and grains, and sustainable fish. I can even go back to [the exact date of] 27th May 1987 when I did a menu with vegetables only. And that was over thirty years ago. To me, we are not following a trend, we had the concept — what I call Naturalness — and now we have a restaurant [Plaza Athénée] with three stars which still follows this philosophy.

[caption id="attachment_186576" align="alignnone" width="1074"] Line-caught sea bass, tender celery in hay and cooking jus at Alain Ducasse at Morpheus[/caption]

How can we adopt sustainable practices in the kitchen?

I would say to use what grows above and what grows under. We do not discard anything, we use everything. It’s a decision you make. What are you going to do, what are you going to use? This is sustainability in the kitchen.

And lastly, any predictions for the future of the culinary world?

Whatever you eat has to be good for your health. This is what is most important. And then it’s less fat, less salt, less sugar, less animal protein. These are the five things I would emphasise. A lot less of that. Furthermore, you need to have a fine balance with the ingredients you are using. Locality is important and it has to be according to the season.
Another thing is how you are going to use [ingredients] and care for you planet [at the same time]. The planet has to be able to feed every individual there is and is going to come. You need to be able to feed everyone. So resources have to be used in a way that is sustainable. It’s not just about elaborating and thinking. You have to translate it into action and reality. And that is very important too.

[caption id="attachment_186577" align="alignnone" width="1241"] Rum baba to finish a meal at Alain Ducasse at Morpheus.[/caption]

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Blue by Alain Ducasse offers fine French dining in Iconsiam's luxury space, with views of Chao Phraya River.

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Blue by Alain Ducasse offers fine French dining in Iconsiam's luxury space, with views of Chao Phraya River.

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Culled from Hong Kong’s always-hot dining scene, here are some of the most exciting menus to try this month. Be prepared for chef takeovers, collaborations melding divergent cuisines and seasonal specials — these one-off opportunities are not to be missed.

Arbor x La Cime Four Hands Menu

When: 7 to 9 November

Price: Nine-course dinner HK$2,988 + 10% (7-9 November); Four-course lunch at HK$988 + 10% (8-9 November)

Chef Eric Räty of Arbor has earned quite the reputation for his inventive menus and love for collaborating with culinary legends. Following the success of his previous collaboration with Osaka's La Cime in October last year, Arbor welcomes back chef Yusuke Takada for another joint degustation menu. In this four hands menu, the spotlight is on the flavourful riches of Fukuoka. Following a personal visit to the local farms, the two chefs carefully selected some of the finest ingredients of the region including Asari clams, Minokotobuki sake, Matsu Kinoko mushrooms, Sazae sea snails and more.

Arbor, 25/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 3185 8388

Guest Chef David Tamburini of La Scala at Whisk

When: 7 & 8 November

Price: HK$998 + 10%; Wine pairing + HK$388 + 10%

Right on the heels of the 10^th anniversary four hands menu last month, Whisk welcomes fine dining prodigy and Michelin-strared chef David Tamburini of Bangkok’s La Scala for another dining pop-up. Inspired by the colourful expressions of autumn in Italy, each of the six plates are brand new inventions that play on minimalism. Diners can expect classics such as Hokkaido scallops, cured duck breast, Patagonian cod and Kagoshima wagyu beef.

Whisk, 5/F, The Mir Hong Kong, 118 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2315 5999

Locavore x Test Kitchen

When: 7 to 10 November

Price: HK$1,080; Wine pairing + HK$480

Bali-based chef Eelke Plasmeijer of Asia’s 50 Best Locavore pays a visit to Hong Kong for a special four-day pop-up at the culinary laboratory – Test Kitchen. Cooking up contemporary Balinese cuisine with European influences, founder and chef Plasmeijer presents a nine-course menu featuring some of the most unusual and inventive dishes, while introducing Indonesia’s most celebrated flavours with a twist. Topping our list of most anticipated dishes includes Salt baked jicama and Pigeon with cacao citrus sauce and White coffee liquorice gelato.

Test Kitchen, Shop 3, Kwan Yick Building Phase 3, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun; +852 9032 7628

Roganic Mushroom Menu

When: 12 & 13 November

Price: HK$980 + 10%

Roganic has made quite a name for itself in the industry when it comes to the farm-to-table concept. Plucking fresh ingredients straight from the farms of Hong Kong and adapting British flavours for the local palate has been a gift of chef Simon Rogan’s. In light of the cooling temperatures, a special tasting menu of 11-courses showcasing the earthy and versatile mushroom will be available for 2 nights only. Each dish demonstrates how the under-appreciated ingredient can be used to highlight its distinct flavour, aroma and texture. Guest favourites such as the Truffle pudding and homemade Mushroom, and miso parker house bread will make a return on the menu, while exclusive fungi creations like the Aerated cep cake and Hong Kong chicken will be presented for the first time.

Roganic, UG/F 08, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay; +852 2817 8383

Iconic Wine Dinner at Alain Ducasse at Morpheus Macau

When: 16 November

Price: MOP$28,888 + 10%

Wine buffs will be pleased to know that two-Michelin-starred haute cuisine restaurant Alain Ducasse at Morpheus is offering an extremely rare opportunity to sample five of the greatest vintages of all time. The seven course menu prepared by Executive Chef Pierre Marty is carefully crafted to enhance the limited bottles including the 1997 Richebourg, 1995 Grands-Échézeaux, 1990 Romanée-St.-Vivant, 1999 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cuvée Duvault-Blochet and 2000 La Tâche. Every guest will also get a chance to win a bottle of 1997 Grands-Échézeaux on the evening at the lucky draw.

Alain Ducasse at Morpheus, Level 3, Morpheus, City of Dreams, Estr. Do Istmo, Macau; +853 8868 3432

Gems & Pearl – An Italian Culinary Journey at Tosca di Angelo

When: 21 & 22 November

Price: HK$1,998 + 10%

Starting this November, Tosca di Angelo will debut its Gems & Pearl Italian Culinary Journey, a five-part series inviting international culinary ambassadors to Hong Kong for exclusive one-off menus melding the talents of the East and West. To kick off the campaign, Valeria Piccini from two Michelin-starred Cain restaurant in Montemerano will be the first guest chef to present her native Tuscan cuisine of pasta, mushrooms, prime cuts of meat alongside Angelo’s classics tailored for the local palate.

Tosca di Angelo, Level 102, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, 1 Austin Road, West Kowloon; +852 2263 2270

VEA x Florilège Pop-up

When: 22 November

Price: HK$2,880 + 10%; Cocktail or wine pairing +HK$780 +10%

Following the incredible popularity of its four-hand collaborations with Odette and JL Studio, VEA is inviting one of the region’s most prominent chefs for another crossover pop-up. This time, chef Vicky Cheng partners up with chef Hiroyasu Kawate from modern French restaurant Florilège of Tokyo. The one-night-only degustation menu features inventive French cuisine like Kawate’s signature Beef carpaccio with beetroot puree and host chef Vicky’s Fish maw and sea cucumber. The option for wine or cocktail pairing by mixologist Antonio Lai is also available as an addition to complement the nine-course meal.

VEA Restaurant & Lounge, 29& 30/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central; +852 2711 0063

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Raffles Hotel's latest celebrity chef restaurant offers authentic cuisine from one of the biggest names in gastronomy.

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Raffles Hotel's latest celebrity chef restaurant offers authentic cuisine from one of the biggest names in gastronomy.

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Post-revamp, Raffles Hotel is once again pushing to the forefront as a beacon for wining and dining.

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