Cover Naeum sous chef Ian Goh
Naeum sous chef Ian Goh
1 / 1
15 chefs below the age of 30 cooked their hearts out over two days in a bid to earn the prestigious title
Participants had just five hours to prepare the signature dishes that won them a place in the regional finals last year. Each chef was then assigned a mentor to guide them on their culinary journey, improving their creations in preparation for the grand finals. In an intense live culinary showdown held on October 4 and 5 in Milan this year, 15 young chefs cooked their hearts out for the prestigious title of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy winner.
Portuguese chef Nelson Freitas, presenting his signature crispy red mullet, sea urchin and homemade garlic dish as an homage to his hometown of Viana do Castelo, was declared the winner at a lavish awards ceremony held last night. Joining him in the top three were French chef Camille Saint-MLeux, who whipped up his charcoal Chateauneuf beef with cuttlefish ‘pasta’ served on the side, and Singapore’s very own Ian Goh, Naeum’s sous chef who impressed the judges with his Heritage Lamb dish that honours his Chinese-Hainanese heritage.
Read more: Naeum chef-owner Louis Han recalls memories of front yard barbecues in his latest menu
Above Goh’s Heritage Lamb
Goh’s Heritage Lamb
1 / 1
The imposing grand jury comprised of Riccardo Camanini, chef-owner of Lido 84 near Lake Garda; Hélène Darroze, whose Europe-based restaurants boast a total of six Michelin stars; Vicky Lau, the chef-proprietor of two-Michelin-starred Tate Dining Room in Hong Kong; Pia Leon, Latin America’s Best Female Chef 2018 and the chef-owner of Kjolle in Lima; and Nancy Silverton, the chef-owner of Michelin-starred Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles.
Goh described the dish as an embodiment of his heritage and his chef journey thus far. “Lamb is a big part of our [Hainanese] cuisine,” he shared and the protein was presented in a set of bite-sized dishes: cabbage dumpling bathed in an mutton consommé flavoured with Chinese spices; lamb meatball coated in his own chilli glaze; lamb belly braised in black vinegar; and lamb saddle barbecued on the grill and coated in homemade spices.
His mentor Dave Pynt, the chef-owner of Burnt Ends, added he was already impressed by the different components of the dish back at the Asian regional finals in Thailand. As part of Goh’s further training, he was taught to “break down” the whole lamb to hone into the different cuts and better understand the various elements and flavours.
The pride he possesses for his Chinese-Hainanese heritage resonated deeply with netizens, who awarded Goh the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought accolade last night. Selected by an online community of Fine Dining Lovers, it is given to the young chef who is best able to convey their history and identity through their dish.
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.
