Suntara Showcases Singapore Chefs

Suntara Restaurant hosted an exclusive Singapore Embassy dinner party on 9 June, featuring the island nation’s award-winning chefs Vincent Bio, Fabian Teo and Ronnie Seng Who Lee, who dazzled Lao guests with their culinary skills.

The award-winning chefs, who have intensive experience in Michelin-starred restaurants in Singapore and overseas, spoiled diners with their nouvelle cuisine, which incorporated local ingredients.

On the menu were starters of amuse, angel hair, and prawns, followed by beef and pumpkin. The amuse consisted of black and white fungus, jellyfish, aged balsamic and scallion, while the angel hair dish mixed capellini, white truffle oil, lumpfish roe and shio kombu.

The torched prawn dish came with sticky rice, saffron cream, parmesan shavings and red radish, before a wonderful flamed grilled  beef dish was served with charcoal pomme puree, carrot, black olives and uni emulsion. The chefs ended the party with a pumpkin dessert consisting of butternut squash, coconut ice-cream, black sticky rice and mango to please local Lao tongues.

(From left) Chefs Ronnie Seng Who Lee, Vincent Bio and Fabian Teo take a break after serving the dinner party.

The chefs greatly appreciated being able to serve their dishes to Lao people while diners were delighted and surprised with the wonderful array of platters.

Vincent Bio is an innovative and creative chef with over 10 years of culinary experience. Since taking over as Executive Sous Chef at ME@OUE, he has stirred up and introduced a modern French and European cuisine that is enjoyed by many patrons. Prior to that he was Head Chef, Executive Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine at restaurants in Singapore and Hong Kong. He learnt his culinary skills under the mentorship of many master chefs and Michelin chefs. Chef Vincent’s passion has seen him represent the Singapore National Culinary Team in many competitions and he has received gold medals as well as champion and even overall champion awards.

With a love of leadership and perfection, Chef Vincent is constantly on the lookout for challenging growth opportunities and a chance to groom young chefs. He has set his heart on injecting creativity into everything he does – leadership, menus and culinary skills. He received Silver Medal, Overall 2nd Runner Up of Food Hotel Asia 2016 National Gourmet Team Challenge. He won Gold Medal, Overall Champion of HOFEX 2017 (Hong Kong) National Gourmet Team Challenge, Class 1 Plated Appetizers (Gold Medal), Class 22 Meat and Poultry Main Course (Silver Medal) Food Hotel Asia 2018 National Gourmet Team Challenge and received a Gold Medal, and Overall Champion Food Hotel Malaysia 2017. 

Chef Fabian Teo has extensive modern Australian and French cuisine cooking experience in Michelin star and upmarket restaurants. He said that being a chef is not just about cooking but recognising that “learning is a lifelong journey”. He believes that being humble while sharing and learning things along the way is what makes him a good chef. His achievements include Hofex 2017 Gourmet Team Challenge HKICC – Singapore National Team (assistant) Gold Medal, overall champion Food & Hotel Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 2017 – Singapore National Team, and Cold Display (individual), Silver Medal. Also, Food & Hotel Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 2017 – Singapore National Team, Hot Cooking (individual), Silver Medal and Food & Hotel Asia Singapore 2018 Gourmet Team Challenge – Singapore National Team (assistant) Gold Medal, Overall Champion.

As a chef with 14 years’ experience, Ronnie Seng Who Lee still holds a genuine passion for what he does, believing that with great passion you can overcome and achieve anything. Chef Ronnie has mastered Japanese and French cuisine and worked in places like the Wasabi Bistro at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Me@oue. As a stickler for perfection, Ronnie has always been very careful about hygiene and sanitation during his duties which has earned him quite a reputation amongst his peers. Many commend him on his knife handling skills which show his manual dexterity and he has been asked to train other line cooks in handling precarious kitchen instruments. His achievements include receiving a Gold medal, Overall Champion in the Food Hotel Asia 2018, Gourmet team challenge (assistant) – Singapore National Team.

Source: Sisouphan Amphonephong, Vientiane Times