Restaurant Born is a culmination of Zor Tan's Malaysian-Chinese heritage, French training, and expertise in Sichuan and Taiwanese cuisine

Tan moved to Singapore from Malaysia at the young age of 17, where he discovered his love for the culinary arts. After culinary school, he cut his chops at Restaurant Andre where he later went on to become executive chef, and helmed the kitchens of Restaurant Raw in Taipei and Sichuan Moon in Macau. As such, his repertoire spans not just French cuisine, but also Taiwanese and Sichuan cultures. He also spent four months both in Spain’s Diverxo and El Celler de Can Roca, as part of a programme hosted by the Spanish government.

“Working at both Sichuan Moon and Restaurant Raw was a step away from my French training,” he recalls. He reveals that during his time at Macau, his peers were sceptical when he would incorporate French techniques into dishes or use tools like tweezers. However, with his lead, Sichuan Moon gained two Michelin stars and placed #23 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, testimony to his foresight and skill.

These experiences culminate in an experience at Restaurant Born that is unlike any other—a combination of Tan’s experiences working in some of the best restaurants in the world, as well as his Malaysian-Chinese heritage. “The tasting menu is my story on a plate, with each dish encapsulating a harvest of my memories, from my childhood in Malaysia to my culinary training in Singapore, Taiwan, Macau, and Spain.”

The experience at Born begins with a circular card that opens out to tell the story behind each dish. For instance, chicken wing is stuffed with peppery pig stomach, a familiar flavour to those who grew up drinking pig stomach soup as part of family meals. Alongside, an elegant bite of potato tuile piped with vanilla cream brings back memories of dipping chips into soft serve. 

Inspired by Lord Stow’s bakery in Macau, famed for its Portuguese egg tarts, is a delicate bread course of egg custard topped with velvety foie gras, mopped up with sweet maple and buckwheat-crusted brioche. Playful and evoking all the senses, the dishes work to bring out the inner child, especially in those who grew up around the flavours Tan presents. 

See also: 13 popular seafood restaurants to visit in Johor Bahru

Born’s stunning interior also reflects Tan’s philosophy, with a sculpture designed by Dutch paper artist Peter Gentenaar that hangs elegantly above the main dining room. “It represents an infant with wrinkled skin, which also comes back when people grow old, showing we are born in nature and also return to it,” Tan explains.

After the meal, he shows me the restaurant’s private room, where a painting by his friend Kobe Sek hangs, that truly encapsulates the essence of Restaurant Born and Tan’s strong family values. A calligraphy of the Chinese character for home, 家, is filled with various emojis depicting a range of emotions, from happiness and hope to sadness and anger. “To me, these raw emotions reflect a loving home of family and loved ones who support and care for each other,” he ends. 

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