Cover Hailing from the idyllic village of Breaffy near County
Mayo, Ireland, Andrew Walsh of Cure has established himself as
a successful chef, restaurateur and businessman since
arriving in Singapore in 2011
Hailing from the idyllic village of Breaffy near County Mayo, Ireland, Andrew Walsh of Cure has established himself as a successful chef, restaurateur and businessman since arriving in Singapore in 2011
1 / 1
Andrew Walsh of Cure tells us how he intends to balance the act between delivering value to his guests and maintaining his lofty Michelin-star standards
Quick on his feet, Andrew Walsh isn’t one to stick to his comfort zone. The award-winning Irish chef-owner recently announced his plan for one-Michelin-star restaurant Cure to pivot by offering more affordable dining options—both for lunch and dinner—on top of its signature tasting menus. This will translate to streamlined menus, shorter dining times and more wallet-friendly prices. Tatler Dining sat down with the trailblazing chef-restaurateur to find out how he intends to balance the act between delivering value to his guests and maintaining the culinary excellence that Cure is known for.
Above Main dining room in Cure
Main dining room in Cure
1 / 1
So what prompted this radical move? Walsh thinks that “the world is getting more expensive to live in, especially in this part of town”. He lets on: “Many people, including my peers, have been tightening their belts and that means eating out less, especially at fine dining restaurants.” Besides the stark rise in the cost of living, Walsh attributes it to the fact that “nowadays, people just don’t have time to sit for a three-hour meal in a restaurant anymore”, as he observes an increase in customers looking to dine at their own pace and not commit to a strict tasting menu.
Furthermore, the pandemic has triggered a shift in lifestyle choices for most consumers. “People are no longer coming in only after 8pm anymore. They would rather book tables when we open our doors, finish by early evening and head home so that they can spend more time doing things they love or just turn in earlier,” shares Walsh. He also reveals that he turned 40 years old last year and “despite running every day, my body simply won’t allow me to sit down over 20 courses for four hours anymore”.
Honing in on these sensitivities, Walsh tinkered with the idea of softer pricing and offering a la carte options within the fine-dining sphere. “The recipes, ingredients (imported from Ireland), and our signature dishes will not change. I’m very confident in my team when it comes to executing food and service that will remain on par with any Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant in Singapore,” Walsh affirms. Since then, several Michelin-starred chefs—while sceptical—have reached out to Walsh in hopes of finding out how things have played out.
“It feels like a time right after the last financial crisis when many top chefs around the world were forced to pivot. They ventured into cooler but smaller spaces and yet still offer a high level of gastronomy.” For the uninitiated, this form of bistronomy movement was pioneered at Cure when it first launched in 2015. However, fine dining culture isn’t going to just disappear, Walsh insists that “fine dining will always be around because chefs need to push the boundaries of food and experiment with different techniques and styles”. But do these restaurants need to be a tad more flexible? Walsh certainly believes so.
Above Queen scallops and barbequed eel
Above Pig’s head cheese, cabbage and purple sea urchin
Queen scallops and barbequed eel
1 / 2
Cure, in Irish Gaelic, means to be taken care of, and in Walsh’s heartfelt cooking, each imaginative plate is imbued with sincerity. Here’s what to expect at Cure with the new menu format. All courses come with a complimentary quartet of Walsh’s signature snacks—and a little swig of Guinness—starting with the rustic soda bread flavoured with stout and treacle; a cheeky riff on Tayto cheese and onion crisps, luxuriously crowned with caviar; a charred cabbage dumpling stuffed with pig’s head cheese and purple sea urchin; and an unctuous tart that is an assemblage of foie gras brulée and a toothsome combination of cinnamon and apples.
After which, diners have a choice to continue with either a lighter theme of two to three courses or an encompassing five to seven courses. The first course allows guests to pick from a treasure trove of oceanic delights. Think queen scallops crowned with barbecued eel and fried leek; a comforting seafood chowder inspired by the Irish coast; or Walsh’s riff on the local oyster omelette, where Irish oysters and crab meat are covered in a creamy savoury blanket, torched tableside, and served with scallop toast.
Above Japanese kinmedai, squid noodles and laksa
Japanese kinmedai, squid noodles and laksa
1 / 1
Featured next are esteemed proteins like Japanese kinmedai and Irish Silver Hill duck. The kinmedai is expertly prepared, boasting fork-tender flesh and crisp skin, complemented by a subtly spiced and tangy laksa gravy, with bouncy textures of squid and zucchini noodles. Meanwhile, the Silver Hill duck offers succulent, juicy flesh, delicately drizzled with a herbaceous jus infused with hints of cordyceps and kampot pepper.
Walsh expounds: “Restaurants create memories and if we can be part of this journey for anyone who dines with us, we’d love that, and that is what excites us at Cure.” Unafraid and undeterred, Walsh walks Cure into a new era, rendering fine dining an accessible commodity in today’s economy. “While Irish cuisine doesn’t have a reputation like the French and Japanese, I feel fantastic being able to do what we do with Nua Irish cuisine and go on to be the only Irish restaurant in the world awarded with a Michelin star.”
Credits
Images: Cure
