A GOURMET APPROACH TO APPRECIATING LOCAL ART
At Alter Native – the recently opened private dining-slash exhibition experience by chef Desmond Shen – the worlds of food, art and crafts are intertwined beyond the decorative. Taking place in a terrace house on McNair Road that the 29-year-old calls home, it’s his first in-person project under his own name and roof (he’s previously hosted pop-ups in restaurants).
Every session starts with Shen greeting guests in the living room – an unexpected touch not only because he’s a one-man operation in the kitchen, but also because the space is where the first half of the meal is served. Works of local artists and artisans are scattered across the modest yet cosy hall. Think earthy textile wall hangings and weavings by the natural dye studio Project Coal, or “farmers-turned-florists” The Flower Factory’s bucolic arrangements draping from the walls or poking out from vases and lights. Part two is set in the dining area, where vessels that resemble lost treasure hauled up from the sea – the creations of ceramic label Field Pottery – take centre stage.
Tying everything together is Shen’s elaborate 15-course menu with several of the dishes inspired by the works on show. The vividly hued dragon fruit, sorrel and mint raita, for example, evolved from a conversation he had had with Project Coal cofounder Crystal Lee on how she manipulates the pH levels in her fruit dyes to achieve the desired colour.
This story is from the May 2022 edition of Female Singapore.
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This story is from the May 2022 edition of Female Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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