By Huang Lijie, The Sunday Times, 20 April 2008

*****

Small and intimate, that is the way Chef Chan Chen Hei, 54, likes his restaurant these days.

Indeed, his eponymous restaurant at the National Museum in Stamford Road seats only 46 people.

This is a far cry from his 370-seat restaurant in Odeon Towers in North Bridge Road, which he closed in May last year.

He says: 'I don't want to run a canteen. I want to cook for diners who are able to appreciate my food and culinary skills.'

So while he used to get his ingredients sent to the restaurant from suppliers, he now shops for some fresh produce at the market himself.

'I like to interact with the vendors at the market. They know their wares and they are better able to recommend items that are fresh, seasonal and tasty.'

Born in Shunde, China, the chef and his parents moved to Hong Kong when he was five. He chose to become a cook at the age of 13 to escape hunger and poverty.

He worked in many Hong Kong restaurants, including the well-known Fook Lam Moon, where he honed his skills under Chef Low On.

In 1982, he moved to Singapore and subsequently made his name as the executive chef of Hai Tien Lo in Pan Pacific hotel, where he created elaborately themed culinary promotions.

Married with two sons, aged 22 and 24, the Singapore citizen says: 'I'm getting on in years, and being a chef is tiring, but I'm continually energised by customers who keep returning to my restaurant because they like my food.'

What are your favourite local food haunts?

The 24-hour Malay coffeeshop near my home in Siglap. It's at 55 Upper East Coast Road. I particularly like its sunny side-up egg, which is topped with soy sauce, chopped red onions and chilli. I have it for breakfast almost every day and I usually order two eggs.

I also frequent the Teochew porridge stall in Fook Hai Building in South Bridge Road. The fish there is always fresh, its salted vegetable soup is flavourful and the stewed egg is never over boiled.

What is your favourite smell in the kitchen?

The smell of Sichuan pepper because I like Sichuan cuisine. A whiff of it increases my appetite.

What is your best dining experience?

That has to be the grilled goat's kidney skewers I had in Yunnan. It is humble street food, but it tasted heavenly, even better than Kobe beef. It wasn't marinated and had only a little seasoning sprinkled over it, yet it was very flavourful.

What is the secret to a good Cantonese stir-fry?

There are two. First, the amount of fire used needs to be well controlled. Second, cover the wok just before the food is ladled onto a plate and drip a little sesame oil and Chinese hua diao wine along the rim of the lid. Then, lift the lid and stir the ingredients with the oil and wine well before serving. This ensures that the food is still fragrant when it hits the table.

What ingredients can you not do without in your cooking?

Garlic, spring onion, ginger, leek, celery and chilli. Together, with a dash of sesame oil, they form the soul of the dishes I cook. They are versatile toppings that can be used in both stir-fry and cold dishes.

What dish is your restaurant famous for?

The Braised South African Wild Abalone (above). It has an intense flavour and is braised for seven hours with pork ribs, chicken, ham, ginger and spring onions until it turns tender.

Is there a dish that you miss eating?

Porridge with pig's blood. I remember having it in my hometown in China. The pig's blood was freshly drained from a slaughtered pig and it was still warm. It's a pity that pig's blood is not sold here.

What is your guilty indulgence?

I like chocolate and will have a bit of it once a week. I used to buy it from convenience stores. But a friend recently taught me how to make chocolate from scratch, so I've switched to eating home-made chocolate, which tastes fresher.

WHAT WOULD YOUR LAST MEAL BE?

I do not advocate endangering the lives of wild animals, but that said, I would love to have a bowl of owl soup if I could. I tried it once in Guangdong, China, while on holiday, and I have never tasted soup that is more fragrant and intense in flavour. It is better than the best Buddha Jumps Over The Wall I have tried.