“Mmm, sashimi,” Raymond Blanc says, breaking into a grin.
One of the world’s most recognised French chefs has just popped a live baby fish into his mouth and chewed it up whole - and the staff at local fish farm, Kuhlbarra, aren’t quite sure how to react. After all, the baby fry - raised in freshwater tanks till they are ready for release into floating fish nets at the age of two - are as clean as they can get, but it’s not everyday you get visitors popping them straight into their mouths.
Then again, Raymond Blanc is no everyday visitor.
The chef-patron of Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, England, was in Singapore as a guest chef of Kenwood’s Garden to Plate series of sustainability and health-driven culinary workshops held at the Botanic Gardens, and he had specially requested to pay a visit to two of Singapore’s leading farms. So here we are, on a scorching Tuesday afternoon, watching him feed on ‘sashimi’ at Singapore’s largest commercial fish farm, a 30-minute boat ride away from Singapore’s southern shores.
One of the world’s most recognised French chefs has just popped a live baby fish into his mouth and chewed it up whole - and the staff at local fish farm, Kuhlbarra, aren’t quite sure how to react. After all, the baby fry - raised in freshwater tanks till they are ready for release into floating fish nets at the age of two - are as clean as they can get, but it’s not everyday you get visitors popping them straight into their mouths.
Then again, Raymond Blanc is no everyday visitor.
The chef-patron of Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, England, was in Singapore as a guest chef of Kenwood’s Garden to Plate series of sustainability and health-driven culinary workshops held at the Botanic Gardens, and he had specially requested to pay a visit to two of Singapore’s leading farms. So here we are, on a scorching Tuesday afternoon, watching him feed on ‘sashimi’ at Singapore’s largest commercial fish farm, a 30-minute boat ride away from Singapore’s southern shores.
“Buying seasonally and close to home is what I grew up with and it makes sense - it's better for you, contains more nutrients and has better flavours and textures,” explains Blanc, who is also the president of the Sustainable Restaurants Association in the UK and host of popular BBC documentary, Kew On A Plate, where he and presenter Kate Humble spend a year growing and cooking with produce grown in the UK’s Kew Gardens. “The seasons have always been at the very heart of my gastronomy, as has my profound appreciation for gardens.”
At Kuhlbarra, Blanc met with founder Joep Staarman, who previously worked at Marine Harvest, one of the world's largest seafood companies before starting the farm in 2008. Today, the farm produces 500 tonnes of barramundi fish a year at its 7.5ha European Union-certified farm off the Straits of Singapore, which has a maximum capacity of 3,000 tonnes of fish. To preserve the freshness and the flavour of the fish, the barramundi are harvested only upon order, filleted and vacuum packed and sent to a customer within 48 hours.
“This fish farm made me very happy because I could see a whole team - not just one man - embrace certain ethics, certain values, which translates into one of the most extraordinarily clean operations,” he observes. “What I found really wonderful is the amount of detail, and care, in this fish farm.”
At Kuhlbarra, Blanc met with founder Joep Staarman, who previously worked at Marine Harvest, one of the world's largest seafood companies before starting the farm in 2008. Today, the farm produces 500 tonnes of barramundi fish a year at its 7.5ha European Union-certified farm off the Straits of Singapore, which has a maximum capacity of 3,000 tonnes of fish. To preserve the freshness and the flavour of the fish, the barramundi are harvested only upon order, filleted and vacuum packed and sent to a customer within 48 hours.
“This fish farm made me very happy because I could see a whole team - not just one man - embrace certain ethics, certain values, which translates into one of the most extraordinarily clean operations,” he observes. “What I found really wonderful is the amount of detail, and care, in this fish farm.”
Chef Raymond Blanc with Kuhlbarra's founder, Joep Staarman.
Besides Kuhlbarra, Blanc also made a stop at Open Farm Community, a farm-to-table concept in Dempsey run by the Spa Esprit Group and urban farming consultancy Edible Garden City. There, Blanc and his team sniffed and sampled their way through a variety of local fruits, herbs and edible flowers, before bundling back a selection of favourites that they showcased in a special dinner for over 30 staff of the Singapore Botanic Gardens that weekend.
“I discovered lots of new tastes and textures....I learnt about varietals, I learnt about seasonalities. I was really lucky to learn all these things which shape how I see food, and how I pass on my knowledge to my young people,” says Blanc.
“I’ve trained 34 Michelin starred chefs and hundreds of top craftsmen, and these young people are now passing on what I’ve taught them. That’s what I like the most.”
“I discovered lots of new tastes and textures....I learnt about varietals, I learnt about seasonalities. I was really lucky to learn all these things which shape how I see food, and how I pass on my knowledge to my young people,” says Blanc.
“I’ve trained 34 Michelin starred chefs and hundreds of top craftsmen, and these young people are now passing on what I’ve taught them. That’s what I like the most.”
Exclusive Promo
Can't wait to get your hands on some of these delicious barramundi? Kuhlbarra is offering 20% off storewide with a minimum purchase of $100. Simply key in the promocode: KUHLBLANC when you check out. Valid till 22 May 2017. Visit www.kuhlbarra.com for more.
Can't wait to get your hands on some of these delicious barramundi? Kuhlbarra is offering 20% off storewide with a minimum purchase of $100. Simply key in the promocode: KUHLBLANC when you check out. Valid till 22 May 2017. Visit www.kuhlbarra.com for more.
