The Alchemist
HAN LI GUANG
Han Li Guang fancies himself a free spirit. A headstrong individual who, while not quite embracing of the rebel label, concedes to being stubborn.
“It’s who I am: stubborn on philosophy, stubborn on techniques,” acknowledges the chef-owner of one-Michelin-starred Labyrinth restaurant at the Esplanade Mall. The philosophy in question? A culinary lexicon that continuously challenges and reimagines the notion of Singapore cuisine—one that places the locavore in focus, as up to 90 per cent of Labyrinth’s menu features produce sourced from local farmers and fishermen.
Labyrinth serves up a “new expression of Singapore cuisine” inspired by Han’s childhood memories and in which familiar Singaporean flavours are elevated and interpreted as edible art guaranteed to jolt jaded palates.
“I named the restaurant Labyrinth because, like a maze, it’s designed to have a surprise element at every corner,” Han explains.
Creative presentation is the name of the game, while preserving the emotional connection people have to the dishes’ traditional form remains a priority. “Never boring or classical,” he insists. And with a little personality and colloquial humour, we might add. On Labyrinth’s current Chef’s Tasting Menu, for instance, there is a Bak Chor Mee, No Bak Chor, No Mee dish, a tongue-in-cheek reference to a local noodle favourite and the uniquely Singaporean way of requesting to hold certain ingredients— but extravagantly garnished with Hokkaido scallop and squid from Jurong Fishery.
This story is from the November 2020 edition of Tatler Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2020 edition of Tatler Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How To Live Like A Royal In The British Countryside
From Windsor to Bray, all it takes is a speedy jaunt away from the hustle and bustle of London to gain first-hand insights into the lives of the British royal family
Where Science Meets Skincare
Through years of research, Chanel has determined the relationship between skin health and well‑being based on neuroscience technologies—and it has the products to prove it
Powder, Peaks And Pro Tips
Embark on a winter wonderland getaway with this Tatler guide to all things ski, from the best destinations in Asia and Europe to looking chic on the slopes
HAUTE SPOTS
Nearly 15 years since her first visit to Niseko, Grace Chong-Tan’s love for this popular ski town in Hokkaido, Japan, continues to grow over the years. The founder and managing director of a dental practice shares her must-visit list
THE GOLDEN AGE
At the launch of the L'Or de Jean Martell collection in Cognac, France, Martell's cellar master Christophe Valtaud unveils the first limited-edition expression of the Réserve du Château series
KINGDOM REIGN
How UAE's largest property developer Aldar is transforming Abu Dhabi into a land of real estate gold for the investment-seeking jetsetter elite
LET'S GET (META) PHYSICAL
Contrary to popular belief, the traditional practices of feng shui and ba zi are not only alive and well, but thriving among the younger set. Today's masters of Chinese metaphysics share how they are modernising the craft
COMING OF AGE
Meet the ladies at the front and centre of last year’s Le Bal des Débutantes
The Path to Parity
Four prominent Singapore female leaders shed light on the under-representation of Asian women in global leadership through the lens of their own struggles and triumphs
Set in Stone
Tatler chats with Victoria Reynolds, the chief gemologist and vice president of Tiffany & Co, about the intricacies of design, her favourite jewellery and what it means to be a female leader in a male-dominated industry