Seven local chefs in Singapore talk about their dishes inspired by fond childhood memories

Marina Bay Sands’ all-day restaurant RISE has refreshed its dining concept featuring dishes with authentic home recipes by local chefs.  

The all-new menus, which are presented in à la carte and set menu styles, will be available for lunch and dinner at the former buffet restaurant. For breakfast, guests can choose from 13 sets over five cuisine types, namely Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Malay and Western, as well as an à la carte menu inspired by Singaporean flavors. 

Inspired by fond childhood memories, many of these dishes are time-honored recipes handed down from generation.  

Chef Chan Cheng Thien presents the traditional pork rib prawn noodle soup, which follows the old-school recipe of retaining the natural sweetness of fresh ingredients in the broth.

The first is char kway teow is a staple representative of Singapore’s local hawker culture and Chef Chan’s go-to dish after a long day at work.  Chef Chan elevates his version of the dish with lup cheong (preserved Chinese sausage) seasoned in Chinese wine and fresh seafood.

His second offering is the traditional pork rib prawn noodle soup.  “The magic is in the broth,” he says.  Prawn heads are pan-fried to release their oceanic flavors before being added to a rich broth made of premium pork ribs, lean pork and chicken feet.  The pot is then simmered over low heat for five hours, with a touch of Chef Chan’s homemade chili paste to enhance the umami flavors of the soup.  Served with large tiger prawns, fresh squid, premium pork ribs and vegetables, each bowl of noodles is prepared a la minute.

The iconic Peranakan kueh pie tee is a delicate and savory snack filled with sautéed sweet turnip, eggs and peanuts cradled in a crispy golden pastry cup.  Chef Chan modified his recipe to include jumbo lump crab meat to add another dimension of flavor and texture in each bite.

Senior Sous Chef Danny Yong takes the har cheong gai up a  notch by using a whole spring chicken to result in a juicier and extra tender chook. 

Created out of his six-year-old son’s love for fried chicken, Danny first experimented making Singaporeans’ favorite har cheong gai (fried prawn paste chicken) at home.  The chef, who was formerly trained in Western cuisine, combines his experience and cooking techniques in Western cuisine with his own understanding of this beloved dish.

Unlike the typical har cheong gai which is usually presented as chicken wings and drumlets, Chef Danny takes his version up a notch by using a whole spring chicken to result in a juicier and extra tender chook.  The whole chicken is marinated for two to three days to allow rich flavors of his homemade shrimp paste to fully infuse into the meat.  

Numerous experiments and perfecting the recipe later, this dish was born.  The result?  A perfectly plump, crispy and glorious whole har cheong gai which serves up to three persons.

Junior Sous Chef Stella Tan presents her grandmother’s version of Chinese rojak and incorporates jambu (crunchy rose apples) to add textures to the dish. 

Junior Sous Chef Stella Ta has come a long way in her culinary journey at Marina Bay Sands since she joined the resort’s lineup of signature restaurants in 2011.  From the former Sky on 57 by Chef Justin Quek to classic American restaurant Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, Chef Stella’s all-rounded culinary experience in both Asian and Western cuisine translate into her deeper appreciation for both modern and traditional recipes.

Chef Stella presents her grandmother’s version of Chinese rojak, a nostalgic treat her family always enjoys during special occasions.  To add even more texture to the dish, Chef Stella incorporated jambu (crunchy rose apples) to a combination of fresh cucumbers, sweet turnips, water spinach, juicy pineapples, and crispy fried tofu, all tossed and coated in a thick sweet-savory rojak sauce, speckled with grated peanuts and a touch of her grandmother’s secret chili padi blend.

Junior Sous Chef Bharat Mani Sapkota and nasi biryani with a whole lamb shank and accompaniments.  

Junior Sous Chef Bharat Mani Sapkota presents the nasi biryani he grew up enjoying as he fondly reminisces the arresting aromas wafting through his home.  Originally feasted on by Indian royalty before it was introduced to common households, nasi biryani was invested as a vegetarian dish before it evolved to incorporate meats.  Adapting from his mother’s recipe, Chef Bharat steams the basmati rice for up to five hours to elevate its fragrance and braises the lamb shank for one and a half hours to retain its moisture and tender textures.  He also incorporates mint and curry leaves freshly harvested in RISE’s herb garden.

Chef Bharat serves his modern-day version of the treasured nasi biryani with a whole lamb shank, vegetable and dhal curry, Indian pickles, crisp papadams, cucumber raita and naan bread.  

Junior Sous Chef Lian Wen Xin presents his rendition of Hokkien mee, served with housemade sambal belacan and lime.

To Chef Lian, the secret to making the best versions of these two everyday dishes is superior stock.  The seafood hor fun is a recipe handed down from master chefs who trained him in Cantonese cooking 16 years ago.  The dish is fired up twice – silky flat rice noodles are first tossed in the wok to bring a slight, fragrant char before adding gravy – which has been slow cooked over low heat over six hours – for a second round of fiery toss with fresh tiger prawns, squids and garoupa.

Chef Lian also presents his rendition of the ultimate hawker dish Hokkien mee after claiming to have eaten his way through most of the Hokkien mee stalls in Singapore.  His umami-laden stock consisting of a housemade red chili blend is slow boiled for over eight hours in the kitchen, then fired up under intense heat before being served with housemade sambal belacan and a fresh squeeze of lime.

Junior Sous Chef Adam Bin Razali serves up nasi lemak with a lavish side of sambal onion prawns and sweet pineapple relish.

Junior Sous Chef Adam Bin Razali presents two of his favorite local dishes – satay and nasi lemak.  The latter evokes memories of his early career where he could only afford quick meals during his short breaks.

Chef Adam’s take on the nasi lemak is rooted in his Malay heritage, but he puts a spin in his rice by infusing it with coconut milk and freshly squeezed pandan juice to give it a beautiful pale green hue.  The dish is served with a side of sambal onion prawns and sweet pineapple relish.

To Chef Adam, the mark of a perfect satay is grilling it to perfection with the right precision and timing to result in a caramelized and crisp exterior.  These flavors are reminiscent of his childhood, where his family would often buy 80 sticks of satay in one seating to enjoy by the sea breeze at East Coast Park.  There are three different meat variations on skewers – chicken, mutton, beef – served with ketupat, cucumber, red onions and spicy satay peanut sauce.

Pastry Sous Chef Pang Yoon Hwa adapted from his mother’s recipe of bubur cha cha and transforms it into an Instagram-worthy treat at RISE.

Growing up in a kampung, Chef Pang often helped his father tend to the produce at their family farm.  Every two months, the father-son duo would harvest sweet potatoes while his mother would make the family’s favorite bubur cha cha dessert.

Adapting from his mother’s recipe, Chef Pang transforms his favorite childhood dessert with three types of sweet potatoes – yellow, purple, and orange – alongside yam, colorful sago, and fresh coconut puree for a refreshing, mid-summer delight.

Nestled in the heart of Marina Bay Sands’ iconic hotel lobby (Tower 1), RISE offers a comfortable dining experience amidst its lush greenery. The restaurant’s décor seamlessly combines the artistic expression of Rising Forest – giant indoor trees housed in stoneware ceramic vases.  The soothing tones of emerald blue, jade green, light ash timber and a touch of elegance with bronze create a cozy dining environment that allows guests to feel right at home, as they lounge in plush booth seats partitioned by undulating timber screens.

After dinner, take a stroll in the restaurant’s outdoor Herb Garden to view a variety of edible plants that are harvested daily for the restaurant. With over 100 varieties of herbs such as basil leaves, mint sprigs, and thyme, the garden has inspired creations of cocktails and mocktails in RISE’s new beverage program.

The à la carte and family-style set menus are available for lunch and dinner from 12pm to 10.30pm daily, while the breakfast menus are available from 6.30am to 11am daily. 

Photos: Marina Bay Sands