Cover Butcher's Block chef de cuisine Jordan Keao receives the Dom Pérignon Society plaque from Patrick Madendjian, the managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia
Butcher's Block chef de cuisine Jordan Keao receives the Dom Pérignon Society plaque from Patrick Madendjian, the managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia
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After trying a Dom Pérignon champagne at his engagement party more than a decade ago, this bubbly has become a staple in Jordan Keao’s wine lists. This mutual appreciation, combined with a shared belief in the “act of creation”, has led Keao to becoming the latest member of this exclusive community
It was 12 years ago when Jordan Keao, the chef de cuisine of Butcher’s Block, tried a Dom Pérignon champagne for the first time. “My friend organised my engagement party at Cé La Vi and we had a few Dom Pérignon champagnes,” he muses. While he doesn’t remember the exact vintage, the bubbly’s “crisp quality and elegance” left a lasting impression as he carved a stellar culinary career on the island with his avant-garde, wood-fire cooking rooted in his Hawaiian heritage.
When planning the wine list of Butcher’s Block with his team, Keao emphasises that Dom Pérignon champagnes are now some of his must-haves. This preference stems from his shared philosophy with the maison: a commitment to using quality ingredients and maintaining high standards in their respective crafts. With the maison, it is the master blenders’ continued pursuit of creating exquisite vintage champagnes that chef de cave Vincent Chaperon eloquently describes as evoking “nature’s different emotions”. As for Keao, it is about working closely with farmers and sourcing quality seasonal produce in his ever-changing menus.
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Lomi lomi, or Hawaiian cured fish, is a new dish that will be part of Keao's Summer Imua menu
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Guided by the same principles of creation, Keao and Butcher’s Block are the third chef and restaurant in Singapore to have been inducted into the prestigious Dom Pérignon Society. Keao joins lauded chefs Dave Pynt of Burnt Ends and Emmanuel Stroobant of Saint Pierre in this global community of culinary leaders and enthusiasts who share the same love for champagne and fine dining.
Keao proudly highlights this mutual partnership with the champagne house in his latest Summer Imua menu, named after a Hawaiian phrase that means “moving forward with strength and spirit”. It launches on August 1, with the option to pair with Dom Pérignon champagnes. “This is the menu where I go further back to my Hawaiian heritage, bringing in more dishes that create awareness [about our cooking style],” shares Keao, elaborating that the cuisine he grew up with often involves cooking food over scorching flames. Having said that, Keao expresses that he doesn’t shy away from punchy flavours and smokiness in his dishes, which the bubbly beautifully complements with its “acidity, bubbles and crisp mouthfeel”.
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Above Nausicaa Charrier, marketing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia; Patrick Madendjian, managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia; Jordan Keao, chef de cuisine of Butcher's Block; Linh La, senior brand manager of Moet Hennessy Diageo Singapore; Julian Quintero, general manager of commercial of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore
Nausicaa Charrier, marketing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia; Patrick Madendjian, managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia; Jordan Keao, chef de cuisine of Butcher's Block; Linh La, senior brand manager of Moet Hennessy Diageo Singapore; Julian Quintero, general manager of commercial of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore
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In his starters of Wagyu beef pipikaula (dried beef), Butcher’s Block farm sorrel pancake, and ahi tuna poke, their varying flavours and textures are enhanced by the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2013’s bright and refreshing notes. The same goes for his lomi lomi, or Hawaiian cured fish, with a smoky and intense profile that is balanced by the nectarine and stone fruit characters of the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2012, and the huli huli, or dry-aged duck that is a match made in heaven with the 2013 vintage. “We needed something that would contrast with the aged duck robust flavours, and the champagne’s bubbles really cut through them,” Keao explains. The pairings will rotate between the Dom Pérignon 2013 or 2015, and the Dom Pérignon Rosé 2008 or 2009, depending on vintage availability.
No one is more pleased about Keao and Butcher’s Block inclusion into the Dom Pérignon Society than Patrick Madendjian, the managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia, who recalls having an amazing dining experience at the restaurant earlier this year. “I expected a typical steakhouse, but Jordan’s menu felt like a guided tour that showcased the uniqueness and creativity of his avant-garde cuisine,” muses Madendjian.
It is clear to Madendjian that Keao’s “commitment to excellence and a shared passion for converting people to appreciate the artistry involved [in making vintage champagnes]” makes him a welcome addition to the prestigious society. “It’s like a predestined partnership where you have the creativity of the chef that matches the maison’s approach to the act of creation,” he states. And that is what the Dom Pérignon Society is really all about.
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Photography: Melvin Wong
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Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
