Cover Chef-owner Jia-jun Law of Province (Photo: Province)
Chef-owner Jia-jun Law of Province (Photo: Province)
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At Province, chef-owner Jia-Jun Law crafts seasonal menus that are a delectable celebration of the region’s diverse ingredients. Each dish in his prix-fixe menu honours his heritage, childhood memories and the remarkable bounty sourced from our own backyard
At Province, a 10-seat restaurant tucked away in Singapore, chef-owner Law Jia-Jun is on a mission to reveal what has long been hiding in plain sight: the extraordinary diversity of Southeast Asian ingredients waiting to be rediscovered in our own backyard.
More than a restaurant, it is also a space for discovery and discourse. Law’s travels through countries like Brunei, Malaysia and Thailand have connected him directly with the farmers, growers and fishermen who cultivate the region’s bounty. These relationships form the backbone of Province’s ever-evolving seven-course prix-fixe menu which completely changes with the seasons every three months.
Law’s approach is deeply personal. He works closely with local and regional producers, selecting ingredients at their seasonal peak. In January, that might be midin—a wild vegetable from Southeast Asian rainforests, most abundant after heavy rains. By June, heirloom tomatoes take centre stage; and come August, Thai musk melons perfume the kitchen.
Read more: Here’s why you should experience the Flavours of Martell at Marguerite, Willow and Province
Above “Dang Quail” with Bue Ta Nae Rice risotto
Above Garden of Spring
“Dang Quail” with Bue Ta Nae Rice risotto
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But it is not just about the usual suspects. Law seeks out both the everyday and the extraordinary: carrots and sweet potatoes alongside buah keluak and soursop, familiar coconut next to mahlesa, a rare wild spice from the mountains of northern Thailand. Each dish is stripped back to just five components to allow every ingredient’s true essence to shine. The charcoal fire—one of Law’s preferred cooking methods—becomes an ingredient in itself, lending an unmistakable breath of wok hei to the plates.
Law’s cooking draws from a deep well: his Singaporean identity, his Hokkien and Teochew Peranakan heritage, and years of training in California and Singapore. The flavours, spices and techniques of these cuisines weave naturally through his menus, creating dishes that feel both familiar and revelatory.
Take “Garden of Spring”, inspired by the raw fish salad Law once enjoyed with his family at Amoy Food Centre. Shima aji is aged for seven days to intensify its flavour, then lightly kissed with charcoal for a whisper of smoke. A dressing of ginger and shallots—fried until aromatic, blended with yoghurt and thinned with dashi—coats the fish with creamy lightness. Seasonal herbs and vegetables, some pickled and others fermented in rice bran, add refreshing crunch and nutty depth.
Read more: Mod-Sin Rising: How are young chefs reshaping both local and global perceptions of Singaporean food
Above Province is an intimate 10-seater restaurant, offering guests a front-row view of dishes coming together and the chance to interact with the chefs and one another
Province is an intimate 10-seater restaurant, offering guests a front-row view of dishes coming together and the chance to interact with the chefs and one another
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Then there is “Dang Quail”, a dish sparked by a simple question. A regular once asked if Law had ever cooked with dang gui, the Chinese herb used in herbal soups and roast duck. That brief interaction inspired one of Province’s most celebrated creations. Quail, coated in dang gui paste and aged for two days, is slow-baked and smoked until aromatic and juicy. It is served over risotto made from Bue Ta Nae, a nutty northern Thai short-grain rice, enriched with chicken liver mousse and finished with dang gui-infused jus.
Even dessert tells a story. “Madu Lapis”—a honey-layered cake—takes inspiration from Russian medovik but speaks in Southeast Asian flavours. Burnt honey sponge layers meet sour cream and two types of honey from Malaysia: burnt honey for toasty depth, and stingless-bee honey for bright, shifting tartness. Black cardamom ice cream and whipped crème fraîche cut through the sweetness for balance.
At Province, dining is communal. Guests sit around an intimate counter, watching dishes come together and interacting with the chefs and one another. The atmosphere is warm and inviting—a place where the stories of farmers and fishermen, ingredients and seasons, become part of the meal itself.
Since opening the restaurant in 2023, Law’s goal has always been clear: to showcase, and allow guests to taste, the riches of the region. In a world that often looks elsewhere for culinary inspiration, Province turns its gaze homeward, finding wonder in what Southeast Asia has always offered.
Credits
Images: Province
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.
