Whitejacket is an informative website which aims to assist the hungry chef. Professional, beginner, or even domestic-based, I hope you will find the information in these following pages useful.
The aim of this site is to further equip chefs with an understanding of the hows, whys and what ifs, of simple processes, or even 'secrets' of a professional kitchen. Through my creations and interpretation of dishes, I hope to highlight the application of new methods or techniques to food preparation. These will be recorded in detail in my Blog, to study how and why certain products / ingredients react differently under different applications.
Many famous chefs have already been practising this for many years - the application of new methods, technology or science to cooking. Ferran Adria of ElBulli, Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck, Grant Achatz of Alinea, and Pierre Gagnaire, to name just a few. So I'm quite outdated, but still glad to be inspired by all these innovators. Some refer to these innovations or this 'movement' as molecular gastronomy, although most of these chefs prefer to call it avant-garde or progressive cuisine.
Growing up in Singapore where dining and culinary standards are very high, I found it very surprising that Singapore's culinary scene did not progress with the rest of the world's 'food capitals'. Perhaps it was a lack of understanding of the progressing cuisine that the mere mention of avant-garde cuisine sent images of alien-like spheres and foams flashing through one's mind. This is one of the reasons why I would like to share what I can through Whitejacket. The age of the selfish, ultra-conservative and narrow-minded oldie is gone. With access to the global village right at our fingertips, it's the perfect time to extend our reach, and be open to new concepts, styles and ideas. One should never be afraid to question old theories or practices, always seeking new or alternative approaches, not to break tradition, but to evolve.