Page 12 - Raffles09_March2022

JEREME LEUNG
− INSPIRATION −
10 RAFFLES MAGAZINE
Many people only have a superficial understanding of China’s regional cooking traditions,” says Singaporean chef Jereme Leung, whose modern interpretations of
provincial cooking references centuries of culinary mastery. “For example, it’s often thought Sichuan cuisine is spicy and tongue-numbing, but, in fact, the classic Sichuan dishes contain hardly any spice.” Challenging misconceptions around Chinese cooking goes hand in hand with Leung’s boundary-pushing style, which has not only forged him an illustrious career in the kitchen, but also on the world stage as a judge on MasterChef China.
Inspired by an upbringing in and around restaurants owned by his family in Singapore, Leung recalls “being spoiled with a Cantonese barbecue or roast duck drumstick, freshly sliced at the open kitchen counter”. Leung would go on to become an expert in the four pillars of Chinese cooking himself – dim sum making, Chinese barbecue, wok cooking and knife work – before honing his skills in renowned restaurants across Asia.
Leung has since gone on to create his own restaurant concepts, the latest of which, 藝yi by Jereme Leung, marks a return to Leung’s culinary roots in Singapore and celebrates his love for “authentic humble dishes”. A destination for all occasions, the restaurant opened at Raffles Singapore in 2019 to coincide with the iconic hotel’s grand reopening, and serves a range of beautifully presented dishes and bar snacks such as brined duck breast, beef tripe and ox tongue dressed with Sichuan chill, and crispy fish skins. “Regardless of the dish being presented, the food is always tasty and honest,” says Leung, “combined, of course, with the legendary Raffles service.”
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yi-restaurant.com.sg
Master Chef