Cover Willow is known for its contemporary Asian cuisine, which head chef Nicolas Tam will showcase at Off Menu Luxe
Willow is known for its contemporary Asian cuisine, which head chef Nicolas Tam will showcase at Off Menu Luxe
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In Partnership With
Tatler Singapore’s signature culinary event in partnership with UOB Private Bank returns. This year’s Off Menu Luxe spotlights three acclaimed chefs from top restaurants in Singapore and Penang, boasting a combined total of five Michelin stars
The culinary world is rapidly evolving. In a recent study by the Luxury Group of Marriott International, cuisines hailing from the “global south”—which includes Southeast Asia—are now earning more Michelin stars than their Western counterparts. It is due, in part, to Asian chefs trained at the world’s top tables returning home to open their own restaurants and present their distinctive takes on heritage and global cuisines.
It is with this in mind that we are bringing back the third edition of Off Menu Luxe, organised in partnership with UOB Private Bank. The theme of the by-invite-only dinner is ‘Renaissance of Southeast Asian Fine Dining’, and who better to showcase this on a plate than three of the most talented and in-demand chefs in Singapore and Penang’s fine dining scene?
This year, we have invited Nicolas Tam, the head chef of one-Michelin-starred contemporary Asian restaurant Willow (Singapore); Toraik “TC” Chua, the executive chef of three-Michelin-starred modern European establishment Zén (Singapore); and Kim Hock Su, the chef-patron of one-Michelin-starred modern French restaurant Au Jardin (Penang), to create an inspired six-course menu that harks back to the nostalgic flavours of their childhood and refined through the culinary experiences and techniques learnt from the world’s best chefs.
In case you missed it: Off Menu Luxe Singapore: 4 of Asia’s best chefs team up to curate a local-inspired menu
Meet the chefs
Above Toraik ‘TC’ Chua, the executive chef of three-Michelin-starred Zén
Toraik ‘TC’ Chua, the executive chef of three-Michelin-starred Zén
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Toraik “TC” Chua, Zén
Born and bred in Kedah, the northern state in Malaysia, TC has accumulated more than a decade’s worth of experience training in French and Nordic cuisines overseas. He staged at Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark (regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world before closing its doors in 2017) and also trained under lauded Swedish chef Björn Frantzén at three-Michelin-starred Frantzén in Stockholm, Sweden. His deep knowledge of Nordic cuisine, fermentation, and seasonal ingredients stemmed from his training under Frantzén.
He brings his expertise to Zén, which he joined as part of its pre-opening team in 2018. Now the restaurant’s new executive chef, he was instrumental in retaining its three Michelin stars this year. While TC serves up modern Nordic cuisine laced with Japanese accents daily, he is always ready to flex his culinary creativity with off-menu creations inspired by the familiar and nostalgic flavours of his adolescence in Kedah.
Read more: Michelin-starred restaurant Zén chef-owner Björn Frantzén on the changing culinary industry
Above Nicolas Tam, the head chef of one-Michelin-starred Willow
Nicolas Tam, the head chef of one-Michelin-starred Willow
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Nicolas Tam, Willow
Nicolas Tam has always been passionate about food, growing up in the food-obsessed nation of Singapore. So, it wasn’t surprising that he pursued a career in gastronomy that would lead him to sharpen his skills at the island’s top tables, including the now-shuttered Joël Robuchon Restaurant, and Michelin-starred Esora and Zén (where he was part of the pre-opening team). Always looking for a challenge, he joined the country’s representative team which participated—and took top honours—in the Asian leg of the Bocuse d’Or 2012/2013 competition.
It is at Willow where he truly shines, as he curates contemporary Asian dishes crafted with the best seasonal ingredients procured mostly from Japan. His consistent drive to culinary perfection has led to Willow earning one Michelin star in 2023 and retaining it this year. Guests can look forward to experiencing this dedication first-hand through his exclusive and collaborative dishes, presented for one night only.
Above Kim Hock Su, the chef-patron of one-Michelin-starred Au Jardin in Penang, Malaysia
Kim Hock Su, the chef-patron of one-Michelin-starred Au Jardin in Penang, Malaysia
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Kim Hock Su, Au Jardin
A hotel management degree in the UK led Kim Hock Su to find his true calling in culinary arts—and he hasn’t looked back since. As the chef-patron of modern French restaurant Au Jardin, Tatler Dining Malaysia’s Chef of the Year 2023 pushes Penang’s dining scene to new heights by championing Malaysian producers and artisans in his modern European cuisine. In fact, Su proudly tells us that 85 per cent of the ingredients he uses are sourced from local farmers, 65 per cent of which are procured within Penang’s 20km radius. His tireless work in the kitchen helped Au Jardin earn a Michelin star in the inaugural 2023 Michelin Guide for Malaysia—one of only four restaurants in the country to receive this prestigious honour. It retained the star in 2024.
His ever-changing degustation menu is a love letter to his native Malaysia, as he presents innovative creations that are refined yet familiar. Their flavour profiles are often reminiscent of traditional Malaysian dishes, and this culinary style is what you will be able to savour when he joins TC and Nicolas in crafting the six-course menu for off Menu Luxe.
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.
