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Mustard Seed
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Mustard Seed’s menu in May will carry the touch of the celebrated chef, who is behind private dining concept Alter Native
This just in: chef Desmond Shen will be joining the culinary team at Mustard Seed. Having garnered acclaim for his online pandemic food delivery service Tiffin Bicycle Club and cult private dining experience Alter Native, Shen will present his culinary vision at the restaurant alongside chef-owner Gan Ming Kiat in Mustard Seed’s upcoming menu in May.
The news was announced on Instagram today on March 19 by Mustard Seed, which has recently nabbed the No. 81 spot on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants extended list. Shen first crossed paths with Mustard Seed with a two-month collaboration menu in July and August 2023. According to the Instagram post, Shen and Gan clearly “hit it off”, both in and out of the kitchen. “We are just so stoked to have him join us in a full-time capacity,” the post read.
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That Shen and Gan should connect so easily is perhaps no surprise, given that both chefs share a passion for redefining Singaporean food. At Mustard Seed, Gan presents Singaporean flavours with Japanese technique, while Shen has made his name with unexpected presentations of Singaporean profiles across a resumé that, by all accounts, is very impressive. Boasting stints at Narisawa in Tokyo, Odette in Singapore and Central in Peru (the World’s No. 1 Restaurant in 2023), Shen is also the co-founder of Magic Square, a pop-up designed to allow young chefs to experiment with their food. Gourmands will also know him by Tiffin Bicycle Club, a four-course tingkat service during the pandemic, as well as for running private dining concept Alter Native, which was touted as one of the most innovative in Singapore.
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Above Smoked fish nasi ulam and sides at Mustard Seed
Smoked fish nasi ulam and sides at Mustard Seed
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Shen’s arrival also marks a change in Mustard Seed’s tasting menu, which will go from eight courses to ten courses. Prices, too, will be raised from SG$190 to SG$238. “We are well aware this is no small increase, especially given the current climate,” Mustard Seed’s Instagram post said, possibly referring to the tighter hold on purse strings and a general malaise of protracted tasting menus. The restaurant, however, is confident in its track record and abilities to deliver, especially with the upcoming May menu, which has already undergone a few months of work.
The reservation window opens on April 1 at 10am, and if you know anything about Mustard Seed, tables get snapped up in the blink of an eye, so set a reminder to witness an exciting moment in the dining scene.
Credits
Images: Mustard Seed
Ethan Kan was Tatler Singapore’s dining writer.
