He came on stage and introduced me as a friend whose “food guide gave me a better idea for flavours at his (Spice Market) restaurant” in New York. Of course, it wasn’t what I suggested but it was what he ate at all those die-die-must-try eateries rated in our Makansutra food guide six years ago. He came then, saw (and was the well placed company of food evangelist and consultant Aun Koh) ate, paid, conquered and went home to set up Spice Market, saying “I went in search of flavours in India, Thailand, Malaysia and even Indonesia but Singapore was the most convenient, they had it all in one place.” I was not able to guide him on that fateful trip then as I was out of town on assignment.

Then, 3 Michelin star living legend Jean George Vongerichten, or JG as well call him, handed the floor of about eighty top New York food and related media guest to me for my cooking and demo stint in his prestigious Spice Market restaurant- a stint arranged by IE Singapore to promote our cuisine, flavours and products to the American palates. To have Jean George personally introduce me was a rare honour (he is often on the road around the planet to oversee his 30 eateries and business affairs.) I mentally rehearsed the entire scene the day before, right down to chopping, deboning and slicing up a chicken into 12 portions, for a tale on our beloved “kai fan” – chicken rice. Then, this thought, like a guillotine, headed for my neck- I had not eaten nor tried the food at Spice Market, “alamak, how to tell the media guests with a straight face, my honest opinion and views on JG’s food?” was knocking in my head. Solution -head there that very night and conquer.

The eatery is vintage New York chinoserie – decadent with woody touches of intricate Indian temple door frames (which JG actually bought from India) and a hint of contrast in the leather armchairs reminiscent of colonial British country clubs with a mini Chinese pavilion alcove hanging from the second to the lower ground floor. It rings a little flavour of the old Raffles Hotel and the bar, framed with Thai style village windows, offered some amazing cocktails like a ginger margarita and the seducingly addictive kumquat mojito. Each night, about 150 throng the bar while about 400 are chowing down on their interpretations on SE Asian makan.

Executive chef of Spice Market Anthony Ricco

Sixteen dishes, desserts and appetizers later, executive chef Anthony Ricco popped up and asked if I wanted more. I was about to fall off the chair and I managed a polite “enough, chef”. I quizzed him a little on his strangely familiar pepper salt crispy stingray with Thai basil and lime (cannot stop munching), the almost-anyhow-do avocado with chinese mustard, radish salad and onion tempura rings (was like eating leftovers from three dishes but this was my fave), a comforting Thai shrimp cake with cucumber peanut relish (same sensation as those you get by Sukhumvit streetside in Bangkok, except jazzed up with a funky dip) and even a grilled chicken with kumquat lemongrass dressing (very refreshing, for a grilled chicken breast). Then he unleashed a shocker- he had never visited Asia and tasted anything there and I thought “yeah whatever..but nice food lah”. But before I could protest and pass snide remarks, he fired another stunner to finish me and my colleague Yong Kuat off in the form of Vietnamese coffee and jasmine tea – one came with a bittersweet Viet-coffee tart with a blob of condensed milk ice cream littered with brown sugar bits, the other was a teh tarek ice cream with brown sugar meringue and fruits. (The average cheque there is about $50 per head).

Bittersweet Vietnamese coffee tart

I had to grovel and beg him for the Viet coffee dessert recipe, which he promised. JG, if he doesn’t, fire him!