Growing up in Asian households, many of us aren’t strangers to the strict rules and values that we’d carry with us well into adulthood. As we figure our way around and try our best to meet expectations of us, we tend to stick to choices that are safer – the more practical ones – than to the ones we’d dream about.
Carving a place for himself in the local culinary scene, Chef Seow Tzi Qin breaks the mould of what we would normally expect of “an RI boy”, climbing step by step to successfully establish himself as the current Group Executive Chef of The Brewerkz Company.
The new menu at Orchard Rendezvous Hotel was inspirational. Could you share your direction behind the menu?
The menu at Orchard Rendezvous Hotel was curated to pay tribute to Singapore’s multiculturalism and diversity. As a nation where cultures come together to form the backbone of the city’s character, I’ve designed the menu to exhibit familiar yet unique flavour combinations, just like Singapore’s melting pot of cultures.
The menu at Orchard Rendevous Hotel includes creative reinterpretations of classic dishes, intended to wow and challenge our customers’ perceptions of the brand.
What are some of your favourite memories of childhood in Singapore?
The 7-Herbed Crab Cake on the menu was created out of reminiscence of the Nasi Ulam I often had when I was younger. Nasi Ulam is a Peranakan dish that loosely translates to mixed herb rice. I loved the aromatic nuance of the herbs and mixed into rice, it made a very comforting meal.
With the Mangrove Red Snapper, I actually got it from my favourite Chinese cooking show on air at the time. I remember being very impressed by a braised cabbage dish that had looked simple but is actually surprisingly flavourful.
Coming from one of Singapore’s top schools, you definitely had an infinite number of other choices, what made you decide that you were going into F&B?
My biggest inspiration behind me venturing into F&B is my mum, who is an excellent home cook and loved whipping up new dishes – each better than the last. I have always been a big fan of my mum’s cooking and grew up appreciating our cultural heritage through family meals.
Do you face stereotypes as a young Chef?
There have definitely been people who were surprised when I introduced myself as Group Executive Chef overseeing 6 restaurants. Some may think that young Chefs are inexperienced, but to me, that also means that there are no fixed standards that people hold you to and the sky’s the limit; I’m free to think out of the box, to experiment, to explore.
Use a dish to describe
Singapore: 7-Herbed Crab Cake. This dish truly reflects Singapore’s identity with its fusion of Chinese, Malay, and Western cultures.
Brewerkz: Beeramisu. Brewerkz is known for our award-winning craft beer, so what better than a beer-infused dessert to describe Brewerkz?
To find out more about Brewerkz’s new menu, check out their website here.
