Creativity within a framework

Two chefs, one from Singapore and another from Mumbai discuss their cultures and how ideas can thrive despite restraints

November 23, 2017 09:16 pm | Updated 09:16 pm IST

A city is based not on what’s on top, according to Gresham Fernandes, but it’s the underbelly that matters. Culinary Director at Impresario is sitting alongside Singapore chef Bjorn Shen who’s playfully lobbing questions to Fernandes.

That there’s camaraderie between Fernandes and Shen is obvious. The latter, who’s the owner of Artichoke in Singapore, was in the city last week to unveil a special menu that’s now available across the city’s nine Social outlets for the next three weeks. The initiative is part of Singapore Tourism’s new brand identity — Passion Made Possible.

As chefs, both Fernandes and Shen bonded over their passion food, but it’s evident from our half an hour encounter with the two that there’s more to it than that. “We needed to take up a space and turn it around in a month’s time, without being hoity-toity about it,” says Fernandes. “Because see, there’s a lot of wastage in breaking down a space, and [then] rebuilding [it].” This attention to aesthetics, culture and music is something that Fernandes is very vocal about. After all, he does also get behind the decks and DJ under the moniker Plan B, from time to time. He admits to trying to “sketch out” time for music. “To be better at something you have to be in it,” says the culinary director. “When you want to be a better DJ you have to be playing every weekend. For me it’s more about collecting sounds, and putting those out so that other people can hear it.” Shen, ever the comedian counters, “Is this a very conservative newspaper? Can I talk about my….” before trailing off into laughter. He finally answers, “I watch Netflix, I eat Doritos and I take photos of my dog.”

Shen has plenty of jokes, but beneath it all, he’s very passionate about his home country. “The people in Singapore are really doing things differently, and doing it within the confines imposed.” As he sees it, his people manage to retain their roots, while “poking their head out”. And Fernandes, who describes Singapore as the best city for culinary exploits in the world right now, says that the island state’s rules provide a framework for creative minds to express themselves differently. This has led to a flourishing of street culture, that’s inspired by what’s happening globally while doing so in a uniquely Singaporean context. Fernandes, summarises, “Sometimes you have to have a framework to think creatively.”

Bjorn Shen’s six-item menu is available at all nine Social outlets in the city till December 10.

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