Cover Chef Alvin Leung
Chef Alvin Leung
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This English-born Hong Kong-Canadian chef is known for crafting compelling menus that break culinary rules
Chef Alvin Leung’s kaya toast is no ordinary kaya toast. It is a decadent combination of buttery foie gras with a distinct cured salty-sweetness and kaya gel spread between two crisp slices of toasted brioche. At 15 Stamford, the two-Michelin-starred chef is creating his own space in the industry presenting an intriguing menu, including perennial favourites like the 15 Stamford Laksa and his outstanding Rotisserie Chicken Rice. And within a short span of three years, the 61-year-old chef has managed to establish his own legacy in Singapore as the culinary force behind 15 Stamford’s outstanding success.
The restaurant which consistently attracts a buzzy crowd, is his playground, where he displays his personalised style of local food. The English-born Leung, who studied engineering in a university was a self-taught cook who began carving out his own path, refusing to be boxed into the stereotypical expectations of what it meant to be a professional chef. He began fashioning his own culinary narrative, shaped by various influences like Joël Robuchon, the cognoscente of the gastronomical world, as well as his own travels.
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Above 15 Stamford by Alvin Leung/Facebook
15 Stamford by Alvin Leung/Facebook
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Chef Leung is quick to jump on new ideas and tackles every new dish with the same calculated precision as a mathematician were to solve a problem, brainstorming endless possibilities and permutations. Even as his star continues to be on the rise, Leung is chatty and affable, with his feet clearly planted on the ground. When asked what he hopes for guests to take away after a meal at his restaurants, the flamboyant “demon” chef chuckles with an impish twinkle in his eye telling us “Satisfaction, knowledge, and an empty wallet.”
You once said that you had “control of the unpredictable”. Could you elaborate more on that?
Alvin Leung (AL): My unpredictability is my attraction—I am able to control my unpredictability and make it an attraction. To be able to do this helps create positive energy, which gives my cooking concepts personality.
How do you keep inventing and reinventing yourself as a chef?
AL: The world has changed tremendously and people want to experience new things. Technology and social media have driven us to perpetually search for new things and experiences. As a provider of experience, we have to feed the cravings. A chef is akin to an artist. It is important to stay creative, to reinvent all the time. I keep myself updated with local and current affairs in this ever-changing world. Being an engineer also drives me to utilise the everyday information to make them into positive creativity. I also play squash everyday—this helps me to decompress and relax. One cannot be creative under tension but you need to find the balance between a good amount of drive and unpredictability—which is the sweet spot for me to stay creative.
How do you prevent ennui from seeping into your cuisine and your concepts?
AL: One can only be boring or bored with things that one doesn’t understand. I get inspiration from understanding the history of things to make my cuisine comprehensible. When you thoroughly understand something it becomes your passion.
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Apart from your steamed mantou version of sourdough, what are some of your more unusual dishes at Bo Concepts (or your other restaurants) that have captured the fancy of diners?
AL: Steamed mantou is not a new concept. The Chinese have been using starters for their bread for centuries. I use this concept to make our diners aware of the fact. My work is quite easy. I am not reinventing the wheels but to make them aware of it.
How do you think you have successfully transformed Chinese food into creative fine dining?
AL: Chinese food is fine dining. Cuisine from China has always had a fine dining aspect. It was used in the royal court—and presented in an extremely elaborate, rare, exotic, and diversified manner. Often emperors and empresses dined with more than 100 dishes to choose from. I am just trying to imitate this by applying modern presentation and diversity.
You describe yourself as being “extreme”. How has this translated into your food and your life?
AL: Extreme is about pushing the limit. I try to do this in my food and concepts and ensure my audience comprehends it.
At Bo Innovation, you feature something people term as “X-Treme Chinese cuisine”. How do you preserve authentic Cantonese flavours with innovative and modern culinary techniques?
AL: X-treme applies to all of my restaurants. For 15 Stamford, we try to recreate and reinvent popular classic dishes using its original DNA to create a unique experience. Hopefully this experience replicates the comfort of the classic dish with decades or even centuries of heritage but still relates to modern desire.
What are your secrets to becoming a successful restaurateur?
AL: There is no secret to success. I wish everyone success! The feeling of helping someone is much better than keeping it to myself.
What do you look forward to seeing on your next trip to Singapore?
AL: Singapore is a resilient city and the government has done a fine job keeping Singapore a wonderful city full of gastronomic experiences. I look forward to seeing how the city has changed due to the pandemic.
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