SINGAPORE – “You are absolutely mad.”
That was Michelin-starred French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli’s pronouncement upon tasting David Tan’s pumpkin soup with cocoa cream.Then Novelli continued: “On a day like today, to escape from elimination, you’ve come up with something like this.”“You pulled it off,” agreed British celebrity judge chef Jamie Oliver on air. “That was so easy to get wrong.
He has learnt how to think outside the box, remain calm under pressure and pivot when ingredient combinations do not work. All these skills stand any aspiring cook in good stead. So far, Tan’s unique brand of experimental cooking has served him well, clinching him a place in the Top 22 – not bad for someone who picked up a spatula just seven years ago.Like many Singaporeans, much of Tan’s life revolves around food.
“My dad would let me cut the garlic, but that was about it. And when I asked my grandma how she cooked, she would just tell me, ‘Oh it’s very easy – you just throw everything into the pan.’”It was only when he moved to Australia to study pharmacology at Griffith University in 2017 that he was forced to pick up the skill to survive. As a cash-strapped student, he would scour the supermarket aisles for discounts and bulk-buy deals.
As his interest in food grew, he sought to learn more about local produce and attended the Scenic Rim Eat Local Month, an Australian food festival with masterclasses and farm tours showcasing local produce, where representatives from MasterChef encouraged him to apply for the show. “There’s a lot of camaraderie. It’s kind of like time in national service in Singapore, when you’re stuck together through a gruelling process, and you pull through together. But here, it’s more fun.”
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