Acclaimed Brazilian chef Ivan Brehm’s favourite way to savour Singapore

First stop: Katong Mei Wei Chicken Rice

“There’s nothing better to start with than chicken rice,” Brehm declares, grinning as he describes the perfect harmony of flavours and textures of the quintessentially Singaporean dish. Brehm bolts to the stall, reciting his usual order without skipping a beat; one steamed chicken rice and a side of chicken feet. “It has all the trademarks of traditional chicken rice,” quips Brehm. “But it is also a little kinky with the achar on the side.” The vibrant achar—a lightly pickled assortment of pineapples, cucumbers, and red onions—lends a helpful acidity, especially after a hearty serving of chicken rice.

En route to our second stop, we sink back into the car’s buttery leather seats, “This car is like a spaceship,” Brehm quips. With a twist of a knob, our chairs reveal their massage function, offering five varying patterns that feel like a gentle hug, all at our fingertips. Brehm connects his playlist to the state-of-the-art surround sound system by Yamaha, hits the play button, and lets the beats take us into cruise control. ​

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Second stop: New Woodlands

Acclaimed for its appams, New Woodlands has been Brehm’s go-to place—besides Rishi Naleendra’s Sri Lankan restaurant Kotuwa—for the South Indian delicacy ever since Singaporean chef Bjorn Shen introduced it to him. “They only do it post-lunch”, reveals Brehm, affirming that we’re right on time. Our order of two appams and two masala chai arrived in swift succession. The piping hot discs sport light and crispy edges, fluffy in the middle, and a subtle hint of fermentation. 

Reflecting on how his love for Indian cuisine led him to incorporate local ferments into his cooking at Nouri, Brehm expounds, “Food is a snapshot of who we are. It connects us to our communities and families. And did you know that the base of our [Nouri] sushi course is actually an Idli (a South Indian savoury rice cake)?”

Third stop: Le Bon Funk

At Le Bon Funk, we surprise chef-owner Keirin Buck at his own abode. Thankfully, Brehm’s favourite dishes are ready for service. Buck personally prepares two dishes without prompting: the crowd-pleasing beef tongue and gribiche sandwich; and the globe of artichoke with vinaigrette and aioli. Their camaraderie—or bromance, if you may—is evident, as they swap banter over plates of delicious fare—a testament to how food fosters connections.

“Everything here is about food,” shares Brehm, in a moment of reflection on Singapore’s inimitable food scene. “Singapore is probably one of the most exciting cities on the planet; there’s an interesting balance between casual eateries and fine dining restaurants.”

Fourth and final stop: J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff

Two full meals and a generous snack later, we reach peak food coma. But the culinary adventure ensues in the name of guilty pleasures. Brehm, an avid curry puff connoisseur, insists on making a final stop for his favourite snack. We arrive at J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff at the bustling Amoy Food Centre. While waiting in line, Brehm recalls a time when he first fell head over heels for the flaky treat: “I think it was a Saturday afternoon, and one of the staff members brought a box of curry puffs in. Since then, if somebody’s bummed or we had a difficult day, curry puffs magically appear on the pass.” 

“You know what I love besides curry puffs? Watching movies!” confesses the chef, who frequently revisits films made by Federico Fellini and Akira Kurosawa. “But right now, there’s this French film called The Taste of Things that really captures my imagination.” With the Zeekr 009’s built-in 17-inch OLED screen and surround sound system at our disposal, we couldn’t resist firing up some scenes for a cinematic escape to pair with the puffs. We draw at random in our box that features an assortment of flavours: classic curry chicken and potatoes; sardines; black pepper chicken; and yam. “I could eat sardines every day for the rest of my life and not mind it,” Brehm declares. As a professional chef who is no stranger to the stressors of consistently operating at the highest level of fine dining, Brehm knows a thing or two when it comes to taking the edge off.

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