March 2025
We find out if our own emerging cuisine is just a fad, or if it is time the world recognises its value and creativity. Our guest writer, Leon Chua aka @Uncle_Lim_Chiak on his popular social media food feed, looks into two chefs who are flying the flag high for our cultural cuisine. Born and Seroja are two of our partner restaurants on The Culinaire’s List, which is curated for DBS Insignia Cardmembers.
Born’s amuse bouche featuring Pig Ear served with Fermented Chili—bold, refined and absolutely delicious, it is representative of the cultural edu-feast at Born (Credit: Leon Chua)
Fancy a dish of Pig Ear spiked with Fermented Chili, served as amuse bouche at Born? And Crispy Tilefish with Sarawak White Pepper Gulai, part Seroja’s Malay Archipelago-inspired menu? Not your usual fine-dining fares, but don’t they sound unfamiliar yet familiar? More importantly, do they pique your interest and whet your appetite?
When Michelin Guide Singapore announced the award of the first Michelin star each to Born and Seroja in 2023, Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine was the big winner. The awards affirmed the emergence and lent gravitas to its momentum. Many gourmands who travel to Singapore make pit stops at these two restaurants to enjoy the intriguing tastes of the Southeast Asian-Archipelagic.
These brass molds for Kuih Bahulu, handmade in Malaysia for Seroja, are part of Chef Kevin Wong’s quest to celebrate the Malay Archipelagic history, art and culture
Food is a reflection of history. We know Southeast Asian cuisine is a convergence of influences, preferences and indigenous produce. These come from the Chinese, Indian, and some even further afield. I—for one—am forever grateful to the Portuguese who brought chillies to this part of the world from different parts of the Americas.
When we think of cuisines in Southeast Asia, Thai is perhaps the most celebrated and exported of all. Everyone, Westerners included, enjoys its burst of freshness combined with tropical herbs and spices, followed by the Indonesian playbook of piquant acts with rempah (a paste of spices frequently used as a base in Malaysian and Indonesian dishes) and coconut.
Over time, boundaries around local cuisines diminished through migration, clashes and marriages—so much so that today’s Southeast Asian food is shaped by the “best of” everything that the evolving palate wants in one meal.
Heritage meets innovation as chefs such as Zor Tan (left) of Born elevate Singapore’s culinary scene, while I (right) amplify these news via my social media feed
“Our island is not only a recipient of the creations from all reaches of the Archipelago. It is a creative kitchen hub, spewing forth its own interpretations of what it means to be delicious…” wrote Khir Johari, who authored the award-winning The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels through the Archipelago.
Singapore has always been known to be a culinary mecca—we host some of the best chefs in the world and many destination restaurants.
In 2024, Singapore scored a total of 51 restaurants with Michelin stars—the most in Southeast Asia compared to next-on-the-list Thailand with 35. Until recently (28 November 2024) when Sorn of Thailand was awarded 3-Michelin stars, Singapore was the only Southeast Asian country to host 3-Michelin star restaurants.
Singapore’s local food scene is vibrant and diverse. If someone asked what Singapore food is, the unbiased and get-out-of-jail reply will be what we enjoy most about Chinese, Malay and Indian specialities. The compactness in Singapore is a natural breeding ground for chefs and the creation of new flavours. Over the years, heritage foods adapted to compete for the favour of multi-ethnic diners.
Born’s Foie Gras, Custard, Espardenyes is inspired by Chef Zor Tan’s first encounter with one of Macau’s most famous bakeries for Portuguese egg tarts (Credit: Born)
Many of us grew up enjoying the cross-pollination of flavours and identified with them. Among us were aspiring chefs who were learning the ropes in European Michelin kitchens—when Malaysian-born Zor Tan and Kevin Wong were ready to open their own restaurants, many were delighted they embraced their identities and ventured down the path less taken to champion Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine. Such groundbreaking efforts, spearheaded by these well-trained and enthusiastic chefs, would be the Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisines’ challenge to the white-table-cloth elites of the international stage.
From humble roots in Klang to Singapore’s finest kitchens, Chef Kevin Wong’s 14-year culinary journey in awarded restaurants has seen him come into his own now (Credit: Seroja)
Pessimists did cast doubts, “Zor should have chosen to continue his mentor Andre Chiang’s legacy”, and “Kevin could have built on his strengths in French cooking”.
The two young chefs remained undeterred.
A coup of earthy Asian flavours in a bowl at Seroja—this soup course comprises beef rib and tripe served with rice in a lovely broth finished with black truffles (Credit: Leon Chua)
Definitely a mix of both. Well-travelled and impatient palates are constantly asking “What’s next?” Traditional flavours are now left to street foods to helm, while today’s restaurants are expected to not only execute their home cuisine well, but innovate and surprise diners with unique interpretations. Restaurants that don’t keep up with diner expectations would be hung out to dry.
One of Seroja’s signature small bites, fatty tuna marinated using tamarind and seaweed, served with ginger kerabu and updated with popular ingredients including caviar (Credit: Leon Chua)
The breakthrough of Seroja and Born’s Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine was fuelled by the pent-up energy and captive audience coming off Covid. It was a time when Singapore’s F&B scene was thriving, and keen diners were looking for the tastiest and bragging rights. Seroja and Born were right there. Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting they were just lucky. The fact that the two restaurants continue to enjoy return reservations, while their contemporaries struggle, speaks volumes of their diners’ approval.
One of the best bites I had at Born was Chef Zor’s innovative Chicken Wing with Pork Stomach Pepper. Inspired by his mother’s homemade pig stomach soup and a whole chicken stuffed in pig stomach during his stint in Macau, he created Born’s version—soft pig stomach stuffed into a chicken wing then fried till crisp. This course, where comfort meets creativity, has since wowed palates, including those of unidentifiable Michelin inspectors.
Fans of Seroja love Chef Kevin’s cold noodles. My favourite was one tossed in an emulsion of century egg and cordyceps, sitting on a bed of handpicked mud crab. And Seroja’s popular BBQ Beef Percik enjoyed with special rice harvested by the Lun Bawang tribe from the highlands of Sarawak? An unapologetic celebration of Southeast Asian-Archipelagic ingredients.
Seroja’s cold wheat noodle atop handpicked mudcrab is tossed in an emulsion of century egg and cordyceps—who would have thought the latter two could find their way into Michelin food? (Credit: Seroja)
Seroja’s beautiful Johorean milk butter served with its signature Roti Paung—Chef Kevin Wong’s culinary philosophy is to celebrate and elevate regional produce (Credit: Leon Chua)
If you look at the strong showing and growing popularity of Latin American cuisine in the last five years, two tenets jump out. First, the keenness to showcase heritage and culture, and second, an alliance between native ingredients and the best the world can offer. Peruvian-born Chef Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura of Maido, a restaurant to watch and number five on The World’s 50 Best Restaurant 2024, celebrates Peruvian ingredients with Japanese techniques in Lima, which is quite extreme. Many are excited to see Chef Micha push boundaries for Latin American flavours; I see similar foundations for Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine and in our chefs.
Today, the quality of Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine is not second fiddle to French and even Japanese. Dining is no longer bounded by geography and loyalty; the cuisine that offers the best revolutions and tastiest experiences is often the choice of this well-acclimatised generation. Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine, unlike European cuisines, is influenced, not structured; its DNA is agility and adaptability. The more evolved Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine is, the better it becomes.
Chef Zor Tan embodies the spirit of Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine, crafting bold menus that pave the way for future culinary talents (Credit: Born)
Having spoken with Chefs Zor and Kevin, there is a sense of excitement. Their clearer paths inspire confidence, their current menus are their strongest yet. Two years on, regular diners at Born and Seroja are not just Asians, and the kitchen cooks with added impetus and immense pride, as passionate young chefs feel a keen sense of belonging and identity.
But for any cuisine to flourish, chefs alone cannot ensure longevity—it needs the support of locals first. We, Southeast Asians, must also embrace and advocate for our Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine with open minds and curious taste buds. And since we have been doing so, we must applaud ourselves for participating in its revolution.
As we celebrate the emergence, this needs to be sustained because its success will breed more Zors and Kevins. This will strengthen the identity and ecosystem for local food scenes and the mentoring of young local chefs to champion this unique Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine.
Will we see Southeast Asian-Archipelagic cuisine grow? I have absolutely no doubt.
Especially for DBS Insignia Cardmembers, The Culinaire’s List is a celebration of Singapore’s vibrant culinary scene through our partnership with both Michelin-starred restaurants and hidden gems. Be updated on Singapore’s fine dining scene through our monthly editorial series, The Culinary Canvas, where we bring you the narratives of each chef, their dishes, their inspiration for a finer appreciation of their culinary creations.
Phone - 1800 221 1111
Have someone contact you
Help & Support Portal
