What does partnership mean to you?
Partnership to me is when two separate groups of like-minded people come together to form a bond to create something amazing. Partnership is something that I strive for as part of my business and I enjoy the process of working with another party to create amazing cuisines for my guests. My partnership with V-ZUG has been an amazing experience for me.
Why do you work with V-ZUG?
V-ZUG is a brand that promotes excellence using cutting-edge technology and this aligns with what my cuisines and my career are based on. Aligning with V-ZUG’s values has allowed me to create better and more amazing concepts within my business.
What do you particularly like about the collaboration?
The collaboration with V-ZUG allows me to bring new ideas and new technology into my portfolio. It is an honour to work with an amazing team from Switzerland and being aligned with other ambassador chefs in this collaboration.
How long have you been working with V-ZUG?
As of now, I have been working with V-ZUG for a year and a half. It has been amazing so far and I am looking forward to more of the same.
What would you like the anniversary to bring you or Lifestyle?
I hope that the anniversary will allow me to develop more concrete relationships with the company and with the ambassador chefs involved throughout the business. As mentioned previously, it is an honour to be part of and represent such a prestigious brand, and I hope to maintain this harmonious relationship with V-ZUG.
What’s your vision for the next 10 years? What could the ambassadors do?
My vision for the next 10 years is to take the V-ZUG brand to new heights. In addition, I wish to introduce new styles of cuisine that the brand has not seen before or that have not yet been done by other kitchen companies. The forward thinking from the Directors, CEO and support staff of V-ZUG has helped to elevate the brand and has allowed the ambassadors to be more creative and inventive in this culinary world.
“We Create Friendship” is our new hashtag for our anniversary year. What’s your spontaneous reaction?
It is genius! We create friendship through all aspects of our lives. In this case, we create friendship through our passion for cooking, through sharing our appreciation of food, through our daily interactions as a team, and through our shared interest in appreciating luxury. To me, “We Create Friendship” is the perfect hashtag.
From look and feel to smell and taste is our guiding principle: what treat do you particularly like to conjure up in the V-ZUG steamer?
The main appeal of the V-ZUG steamer is the low temperature function and the Vacuisine setting. Most of my cuisines are cooked using the low temperature function as it allows me to create and put forward new textures in my creations. The V-ZUG steamer is a revolutionary piece of equipment and in my opinion covers the scientific elements of cooking.
We’re touring Switzerland with our Food Truck: what makes cooking in our Food Truck special for you? What can guests expect from you?
I have yet to cook in a Food Truck but to me, a food truck is an exciting aspect of the culinary industry. It gives the people the opportunity to experience one’s restaurant and cuisines at their convenience. I am excited to deliver my food to people in Switzerland and share with them my culinary creations that they might not have experienced before. What they can expect from me is a variety of unique Asian flavours, while enjoying the picturesque view of Switzerland.
Why did you become a chef?
I studied cooking 28 years ago. I became a chef solely with the need to make ends meet. As the months went by, cooking brought a new perspective to my life as I took pleasure in its daily processes. I was no longer engulfed by the mundane thought of just sustaining myself but rather started to enjoy the gift of life and happiness that cooking brought to me. My passion for cooking grew from there and has continued ever since. Cooking has allowed me to push inexplicable boundaries within myself and has become an extension of my creativity and emotions. It is ingrained in my daily lifestyle and the sole reason I get out of bed every morning.
What effect would you like your culinary creations to have?
I would like to take my customers on a culinary journey that evokes an array of different emotions in them, particularly cheerful nostalgic ones such as childhood memories.
Do you have a first/early (childhood) memory that you associate with food or cooking in general?
My favourite childhood memory is cooking with my Granny. Every Sunday, we would cook a beautiful Sunday roast and the quality time spent with my Granny, from the preparation of the ingredients to cooking of the food to enjoying our creation at the end of the day, allowed me to develop a sense of passion and happiness towards cooking. Making my guests feel a sense of satisfaction and happiness while tasting my cuisine is what I want to instil in my cooking.
What values do you and your cuisine represent?
My values are about respecting produce and only using the best produce in my cuisines. It is about taking the best produce to create an authentic taste that is true to the produce.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from life experiences, travelling and seasonal produce. I do not read cookbooks or magazines. I let the ingredients speak for themselves, and the end result is something beautiful and personal. I believe in pushing the authentic taste of a single ingredient without making too many changes to the flavours of that individual product.
How will your cuisine develop in the near future?
I am constantly striving to develop my cuisine through the use of new techniques. However, my cuisine will only evolve as technology evolves. Food development can’t progress if technology remains stagnant and therefore there is a need to push boundaries in the world of technology.
What should eating be about today?
Eating should be about enjoying the produce and the love and passion that the chefs put into it.
Why did you choose this dish/recipe for the anniversary dinner?
I chose this dish based on a concept that is close to my heart, which is umami and the beauty of natural ingredients. I enjoy exploring how basic ingredients can be pushed to such a high level to create something that encompasses the concept of umami, while omitting the use of normal seasoning. Instead, we use soy, seaweed or fermentation to produce a dish that is so full of flavour despite minimal changes to the produce used.
Have you already cooked this dish for a special occasion?
Yes, this dish was created in honour of a famous food scientist, nicknamed Dr Umami. We unveiled this dish at a gastronomic event, Gastronomica, that is held every couple of years. This dish was based on the fact that Dr Umami discovered glutamate and MSG. It was created in his honour to showcase the concept of umami, that is, creating a dish that is so tasty without using any salt or pepper, just the glutamates found in the ingredients used. This to me is one of the breakthroughs in modern gastronomy.
Do you use any special ingredients for this dish?
Of course! Only the best produce from Japan, from the fruit tomatoes to the A5 wagyu and even the soy sauce.
Which heating mode / steamer programme helps you prepare it?
This dish is created purely using the Vacuisine setting. This allows us to cook the beef at a low temperature, enabling us to maintain the structure of the protein and achieve a beautifully medium-cooked piece of beef which is then seared but still retains all its natural juices.
Do you have any particular tips?
Yes, do not scrimp on the ingredients. Only use the best produce you can find from Japan.