How to elevate your home cooking, according to private dining chefs

How do you make restaurant-quality meals at home? The question has long eluded home cooks who, despite striving efforts, may struggle to get that ideal texture or the perfect flavour. Enter these private home dining chefs, who have made the art of cooking at home their speciality. Whether it’s elaborate small plates of delicately prepared food or sharing dishes best enjoyed with friends and family, these chefs prove that the constraints of a home kitchen are no obstacle to great flavour.

So, we asked them for tips on elevating your home cooking to help you the next time you find yourself frustrated in the kitchen.

For founder of Wala Pizza Jenna Ding, she believes it’s important to “imagine your cuisine like a true artist, discover the extended potentials of your day-to-day ingredients, let them go wild, not unnoticed”. She continues: “Make your home cooking even more exciting by incorporating unconventional tastes, textures or even shapes to everyone’s familiar household cooking ingredients. It can be as simple as a refreshing presentation; instead of getting finely grated lemon zest using a microplane, try with a zester. You will get to create an appealing shape of ‘DNA’ helix. You can also spice things up with surprising textures, like turning your soft mushy olives into flakes of umami boosters by baking fine chopped olives in your home oven.”

While Umami Table’s Will Chng shares: “Elevate your dishes by incorporating ingredients rich in umami flavours. Stock up on pantry staples like soy sauce, oyster sauce, dried mushrooms and scallops, or even fermented black beans to add depth and savoury complexity into your recipes. Then, experiment with layering these umami-packed ingredients to create multidimensional layers of flavours into your dishes, whether you’re stir-frying, braising, grilling, or even boiling a pot of soup.”

Founder of Butterfly Table Sophia Yeow’s number one kitchen tip is to use a vacuum sealer. She adds: “It’s been a total game-changer for me, especially since I have a bit of an unconventional approach—I love cooking in the morning and enjoying my creations in the evening. The vacuum sealer works wonders during the meat marination process, locking in all those delicious flavours. It’s truly changed the way I prep in the kitchen. While most Peranakan cooking is traditionally done the day before, I’ve found that my morning cooking routine combined with the vacuum sealer has allowed me to speed up the flavour depth, even when cooking the dishes on the same day they are enjoyed!”

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The global displacement crisis is now more fraught than ever. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that more than 114 million people have been forcibly displaced worldwide as of the end of September 2023. In March this year, in an interview with Radio Davos, the flagship podcast of the World Economic Forum, Filippo Grandi, the United Nations (UN) high commissioner for refugees, warned of a troubling forecast: that figure could double within the next decade due to ongoing conflicts, wars and genocides.

Established in 1950 by the UN General Assembly after the Second World War, the UNHCR now operates in 135 countries, helping those forced to flee due to conflict and persecution. Its efforts include not only immediate aid, but also the strengthening of legal protections for refugees and the fostering of community‑based solutions for safe resettlement or local integration.

In response to these escalating challenges, the UNHCR is intensifying its efforts worldwide to enhance its response capabilities and mobilise resources more effectively. For 2024, it has outlined the need for more than US$10.6 billion in funding to support an expected 130.8 million forcibly displaced and stateless people from 133 countries and territories.

As the UNHCR strengthens its global response to the increasing challenges of displacement, its efforts are mirrored on a smaller scale in regional hubs. Although Singapore is free from the direct impact of such displacement crises, it is home to a local operation that plays a crucial role in supporting strategies focused on solutions. Ryann Lai, an associate private partnerships and philanthropy officer at the UNHCR, contributes to its global mission by developing and strengthening long‑term partnerships and solid stewardship with corporates, foundations, family offices and high‑net‑worth philanthropists to mobilise support and resources for displaced and stateless communities globally.

Since joining the UNHCR last April, Lai has experienced first‑hand the importance of the private sector in humanitarian efforts. “[It] is becoming more essential as a partner to address the global displacement crisis. What I love about this role is being able to bring my skills and experience in wealth management to philanthropy, in support of the critical humanitarian work our organisation is doing,” he says.

The UNHCR’s robust partnerships are integral to its operations, as they are vital in addressing the immense scale and complexity of global displacement. An example is its collaboration with Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo. “Since [the start of this partnership] in 2006, the UNHCR has received not only more than 53 million pieces of clothing, but also around US$42 million to support [its] programmes,” Lai says, adding that this alliance also facilitates vocational training and employment opportunities for refugees in Uniqlo stores. “The impact of this partnership is profound, reaching across 63 countries and demonstrating the transformative role the private sector can play in humanitarian assistance.”

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Singapore’s fitness scene is not just about breaking a sweat; it’s also about immersing yourself in beautifully designed spaces that inspire and rejuvenate. These studios offer more than just a place to exercise—they provide a holistic experience that combines physical fitness with aesthetic pleasure.

Picture yourself practising yoga in a serene sanctuary with calming interiors or taking an aerial hoop class in a light-flooded studio with green views. From chic yoga studios to vibrant aerial and pole dance spaces, these fitness havens elevate your workout routine, making every session a delightful escape. Here are some of the most stylish fitness studios in Singapore that offer both top-notch workouts and stunning interiors.

Nestled along the scenic waterfront, Yoga Movement at Robertson Quay is a sanctuary of tranquillity and style. Designed by Three-D Conceptwerke, this studio exudes trendy café vibes with its cosy, thoughtful interiors. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, Yoga Movement offers a comprehensive array of yoga classes suitable for all levels, including intensive Yoga Alliance-accredited teacher training.

Their holistic approach to wellness extends beyond the mat with a vibrant lifestyle component, featuring promotions, collaborations, and exclusive merchandise for students. Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or a beginner, this studio provides a perfect blend of comfort and challenge.

While the new Milan Pole Dance Studio at Downtown East is a light-flooded haven for pole dance and aerial enthusiasts (and those intrigued to give it a try!). With full-height windows spanning the entire façade, the studio is bathed in natural light, offering students invigorating green views as they go about their training. This serene setting is perfect for the signature aerial and pole dance classes, which you can also partake in at the studio’s two equally beautiful sister outlets, located at Teck Lim and Keong Saik.

Known for its meticulous, safe and encouraging instruction, the studio ensures that students build a solid foundation as they advance, no matter their fitness background. It’s also a rare gem in the eastern part of Singapore, where pole dance and aerial classes are hard to come by.

Step into Hom Yoga at River Valley, and you’ll be greeted by a minimalist paradise. The studio’s whitewashed walls and understated wooden accents create a peaceful ambience, enhanced by strategically placed greenery. The serene design extends to the luxurious bathroom interiors, making it easy to freshen up before or after your session. Hom Yoga offers a variety of yoga classes that cater to different needs, all within an environment designed for ultimate relaxation and mindfulness.

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As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance at a rapid pace, the burning and ever-lingering question at the forefront of the minds of many is: will AI eventually replace humans? It seems that the time may have come. 

The Miss AI pageant is the world’s first AI-generated beauty competition featuring digital contestants. There are 10 finalists in the competition, each created by developers and vying for the title of Miss AI. A panel of judges, both AI-generated and human, including beauty pageant historian Sally-Ann Fawcett, will judge the computer-generated models, with the top three creators behind them, sharing a cash prize of over US$20,000.

Generated using both off-the-shelf and proprietary AI tools, the 10 photorealistic “participants” exist only on social media, primarily Instagram. The judging criteria for clinching the “coveted title”? Their beauty, tech and social clout.

In this opinion piece, a former Miss Universe Singapore writes about how she was in awe at the effort and technical know-how required to create these hyperrealistic, glass-skinned contestants, but couldn't help but wonder: “Who are you?”

As someone who has experienced first-hand the hard work, dedication and personal growth involved in competing—twice representing Singapore internationally and then organising four national competitions—she notes that these images are devoid of the personal journeys and do-good that is expected of contestants these days.

There are human experiences that spur people into service that cannot be manufactured. It is also the lived experiences that shape a person’s unique identity and demonstrate qualities unseen to the eye. Call it the cliché “inner beauty”, but traits like tenacity, humbleness, adaptability and accountability shine through in-person interviews and events. A person’s dedication quickly reveals itself when they keep to deadlines and schedules that affect the individual and the team. 

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