Cover Patrick Madendjian, managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia, with Dave Pynt, chef-owner of Burnt Ends
Patrick Madendjian, managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia, with Dave Pynt, chef-owner of Burnt Ends
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You never forget the first time you taste a Dom Pérignon champagne. For Pynt, it was the Dom Pérignon Vintage 1996 that he sampled back in 2003 which kick-started a love affair with the bubbly and paved the way for him to become the inaugural member of the esteemed Dom Pérignon Society in Singapore
Dave Pynt, the chef-owner of Burnt Ends, remembers the first time he tasted a Dom Pérignon champagne. Sitting in the private dining room of his Michelin-starred modern barbecue restaurant with a glass of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2013 champagne in hand, he tells us that it was in 2003 when he was a young chef working at celebrated restaurant Tetsuya’s in Sydney, Australia, alongside revered chef-owner Tetsuya Wakuda. “That was around the time when The World’s 50 Best Restaurants was first starting out and Tetsuya’s was included in the Top 10. Tets whipped out a Dom Pérignon Vintage 1996 for the team of about 50 to 60 people to toast and celebrate our success.”
That momentous occasion of sharing a toast with comrades in the kitchen left a “deep impact” on the young Pynt, thus kick-starting a love affair with the Dom Pérignon champagne that continues until today. Having said that, it is no surprise that Pynt and Burnt Ends are the first chef and restaurant in Singapore to be inducted into the prestigious Dom Pérignon Society, having been part of this international community of culinary leaders and enthusiasts who share the same passion for Dom Pérignon since 2019. Founded in 2014, the society now has 70 members across 18 countries, but only two restaurants in Singapore have been inducted into this exclusive community so far.
You could say that Burnt Ends and the Dom Pérignon Society are a match made in heaven, given that the champagne—with its beautiful minerality and lively bubbles that dance on the palate—goes well with smoked and barbecued dishes that define Pynt’s wood-fire cooking. Most of the dishes that Pynt and his team of “slayers” serve from their open kitchen have been kissed by smoke in some form, thanks to the restaurant’s built-in custom four-tonne, dual cavity oven, as well as four elevation grills.
Pynt preparing one of his dishes
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In pairing dishes with champagne, Pynt laughs and tells us that it always starts with drinking the champagne just to have an idea on how it “smells and tastes”. He adds: “The key things that I look out for are acidity, minerality and effervescence,” before letting on that “it’s not always about harmony but also about contrast”. For instance, his culinary team grills the Blackmore’s striploin to the perfect medium rare, just enough for the well-marbled steak to have that slightly charred crust and fork-tender, succulent flesh oozing with rich and buttery flavours. Pynt lets on that the champagne’s fresh acidity “works against the rich, fatty and smoky beef”, making them a good match.
“It’s super versatile,” Pynt says of Dom Pérignon. And, with his creation of leek, hazelnut and black truffle—currently his favourite dish to pair with champagne—he continues that the bubbly’s freshness and effervescence “cut through nicely” with the creaminess of the leek imbued with that oh-so-delicate smokiness, and richness of the brown butter sauce studded with hazelnuts and topped with shaved black truffles.
Don’t miss: Saint Pierre is proudly inducted into the illustrious Dom Pérignon Society
Above Julian Quintero, general manager of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore; Patrick Madendjian, managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia; Dave Pynt, chef-owner of Burnt Ends; Laurent Boidevezi, president of Moët Hennessy Asia Pacific, Travel Retail & Private Sales; Nausicaa Charrier, marketing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia
Julian Quintero, general manager of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore; Patrick Madendjian, managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia; Dave Pynt, chef-owner of Burnt Ends; Laurent Boidevezi, president of Moët Hennessy Asia Pacific, Travel Retail & Private Sales; Nausicaa Charrier, marketing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia
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It is Pynt’s love for the Dom Pérignon brand and, of course, the culinary team’s stellar cooking that earned them a ton of accolades (including one Michelin star and the No. 15 spot on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 list), that make Burnt Ends the right fit for the Dom Pérignon Society. Patrick Madendjian, the managing director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore and Malaysia, expresses that it is really about “the creativity of the chef and his personality… we didn’t need to convince him as he loves the maison, and that was the starting point”.
The mutual partnership between Pynt and the maison, adds Madendjian, ensures that Burnt Ends is one of the few restaurants to get first access to back vintages and special editions. A quick tour of the wine cellar revealed hard-to-find bottles such as the Dom Pérignon Vintage 1990, Dom Pérignon P2 2000, and Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1995. “This is our way to say thank you for speaking about the maison and recommending our champagnes to diners,” shares Madendjian.
At the end of the day, the spirit of the Dom Pérignon Society boils down to the act of creation. “We created this prestigious society, which is basically a family of exceptional chefs who share our passion of creation, to amplify exceptional dining experiences,” declares Madendjian. That’s what you can expect from Pynt and Burnt Ends, as well as the other members of this society which continue to get creative in their kitchens.
Credits
Photography: Max Chan
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.
