With Tippling Club’s move to cool new digs in Tanjong Pagar, Chef Ryan Clift is one busy man. But we managed to snag him (lucky us) for a chat about the spruced up Tippling Club, his cooking philosophy, the experience on National Geographic’s ‘Chef on the Road’, his pick for top chow in Singapore, and more!
Now a man of many accolades, how did you first get started cooking (we know you started out as a dish washer) and why did you decide to go pro?
The job was gifted to me one day, when the chef came to me and handed me a set of whites. I had been on the pots for a few months and whenever I had free time, I would jump in the kitchen and ask the chef for spare jobs. There was something extremely gratifying about working in the kitchen and it consumed me from the moment I walked in the door. Luckily the chef noticed my passion and gave me the chance I had been yearning for! After a year there, he helped me get a job in London at Claridges Hotel (the most prestigious hotel in England at that time) and the rest is history.
Tippling Club had 5 very successful years at Dempsey, so why the decision to move to the CBD?
Dempsey was a great platform for my first business but we (and I say we because it’s a team effort!) grew out of it very quickly. In our first year we started winning awards and were lucky to be featured in international press. But with that attention and increased popularity, we realised that we needed to spruce up our dining area and bar in order to serve up our award-winning fare as it deserves. Our old space also lacked a private dining room (which is a must in this country) so after a few years of searching, we found what I believe is the perfect location to showcase what we have to offer.
The concept of ‘molecular gastronomy’ is still foreign to many people. What made you a champion of this brand of ultra progressive cuisine?
Well, actually a lot of top chefs and I dislike the word ‘molecular’! Anyone doing something slightly avant-garde or scientific gets labelled ‘molecular’ and the down-side is diners tend to have a bad image of what they will be served, and believe it’s a bunch of questionable foams, jellys, and weird objects. But the thing is – the food we serve is real! It’s just gone through various processes (which require serious knowledge of food science) in a bid to present an enhanced dining experience. Though it comes at a great cost to the business – the equipment needed and research that goes behind each dish is crazy – but this way of approaching food consumed my life 15 years ago and I’ve enjoyed it immensely ever since.
Do you have a philosophy when it comes to cooking? And is there anything that you would never do?
My philosophy is simple – ingredients first, then comes taste, texture, temperature, smell and sound. As long as all my dishes bring out the best of these aspects, I’m satisfied to include it in the menu and serve it up to the customer. One thing I would never do? That is to put food on a plate solely based on the fact that it looks good. Many chefs worry about food presentation and think it’s the key focus, but I personally leave food presentation to last and strongly advocate experience as the utmost important factor.
We know you’ve bounced around the UK, Australia, and now Singapore. How are the culinary scenes in the places you’ve been different?
Singapore is still new in terms of high end dining, but the scene is definitely growing (with more Singas appreciating top-class nosh) so we might be in for a treat over the next few years. One thing other countries, like UK and Australia don’t have is – Hawker food. I’m impressed at how Singapore has managed to maintain its food DNA amidst massive advancements and a booming tourism industry, hats off to you folks!
You have fingers in quite a few excellent pies in Singapore, like Open Door Policy and Ding Dong, aside from Tippling Club. Do you have any more projects lined up in 2014?
2014 is all about working on Tippling Club, specifically the state-of-the-art test kitchen on Level 2 which we intend to design as a swanky dining room with its own private cocktail bar. It’s meant for diners (groups of 6 to 12 pax) looking for the ultimate exclusive dining experience in Asia.
Tell us about your experience filming ‘Chef on the Road’ (in Korea and India) for National Geographic.
It was a lot of hard work and sweat, but incredibly fun at the same time. I had to travel without any assistants and come up with my own menus for the people I was cooking for. The food in Korea was especially challenging, and really had me scratching my head wondering what I was going to deliver. But it goes to show what you can produce under pressure, and the result was extremely rewarding. At the end of both episodes, I developed a precious relationship with the I-India charity (which I visited while I was in India). Since I’ve been back, I’ve been thinking of how to help them in any way I can, and organised two fund-raising dinners for them. I intend to make it an annual affair!
You’ve been here for about 5 years, so ‘fess up – what’s your favourite local dish?
I confess, I’m totally a chilli crab addict. I even had to cut back at one point because I was scoffing far too many! Now I indulge only when I have buddies in town, and I make sure to bring them to my favourite restaurant for crabs – Long Beach at Dempsey Hill.
What’s Singapore’s best kept secret (come on spill the beans!)?
Not much of a secret, but the Roti Prata and Murtabak at Adam Road Hawker Centre is amazing for supper (they are open past 2am), and even more amazing with a skin full!
All images taken by Suasti Lye of Suasti Lye Photography & Design.