Ushering in the New Year some tens of thousands of kilometres from home is no easy feat - not least when Singapore’s vastly different tropical climes are stark reminders of the distance.
But for Hokkaido native Masakazu Ishibashi of two-Michelin-starred Shoukouwa and Belgian-born Emmanuel Stroobant of the Emmanuel Stroobant Group, which owns Shoukouwa, festive warmth is more than just a thermometer reading.
“There’s no snow, no open fire place [in Singapore], but in the heart, that’s where we keep the same spirit. We like to bring people together, as friends, as family, as a team, to have a drink and a bit of food,” says Stroobant.
And even though they spend many a New Year’s Eve working in the kitchen - “because we are chefs,” laughs Stroobant - they make up for it by rounding up colleagues, friends, family and the children to have a big meal at home between the festivities.
Chef Masa’s favourite delicacies to indulge in to mark the turning of the year include female snow crabs - available only once a year in November and December - monkfish liver and sea urchin - the latter a popular must-have at Japanese celebrations for its vibrant, gold hues.
Other festive traditions include preparing a futomaki filled with seven ingredients, each one as a tribute to seven different Japanese deities, and a cheery, multi-coloured chirashi spread of preserved fish on vinegared rice.
Chef Stroobant, who has lived in Asia for close to two decades, enjoys giving Belgian holiday classics an Asian twist by working in ingredients found regionally, such as a tomato stuffed with shrimps and topped with a monkfish liver sauce. Shrimps served with cocktail sauce - often laced with a touch of cognac - are a classic dish from his childhood in Belgium as he grew up close to the sea, chef Stroobant reminisces, “I wanted to go back to something similar in terms of flavours, so I recreated some of the fat of the cocktail sauce with the addition of the Japanese monkfish liver.”
To round out the festivities, chef Stroobant, chef Masa and their teams toasted to the New Year with glasses of Hennessy XO cognac handed out all around. Aged patiently in oak barrels, the intense, rising heat and the complex character of the premium eaux-de-vie gradually unfurled over the course of the team lunch to lend an extra warmth to the celebratory gathering.
"When we host people in the restaurant it’s the same concept as having friends over: it’s about generosity, hospitality. The reason why we do what we do [as chefs] is because we love to give back to people. It’s our art, it’s our way of expressing ourselves,” chef Stroobant adds.
“The spirit is the same, it doesn’t matter if outside it’s snowing, or raining, or it’s sunny,” he continues. “What matters is what’s inside the heart - and what’s around the table.”
More on Hennessy
Hennessy is a cognac distillery founded in 1765 by Richard Hennessy, an Irishman and former officer in the King of France's army. His know-how has been passed down for 250 years and elevated to an elegant art form that rests on three concepts: careful selection of the eaux-de-vie, its maturation as well as blending.
The Hennessy X.O featured in the video is a robust amber cognac with peppery and wild cocoa notes softened by dried and preserved fruits. On the palate, it is richly textured and appreciated equally with ice or a splash of sparkling or still water.
Exclusive for Michelin Guide Singapore Digital readers: Experience the magic of Hennessy's sharing spirit and bring home a bottle at preferential rates. Get more details here.
