To call him the star of this year’s World Gourmet Summit would really be wrong. His presence was much anticipated as it’s his first trip to South East Asia and he is known to love Asian food. Tickets to his stint were “fully committed” long before he came last week and this man can’t speak English nor he is not even cooking at the summit. He’s just there to talk. You can’t quite call him a star, it shows lack of respect, knowledge or of vocabulary skills, but Ferran Adria is more like an enigma, or perhaps a culinary avatar. The superlatives associated with the brains and this 3 Michelin star champion of molecular gastronomy at the El Bulli in restaurant in Spain can run for miles (just google the man for proof). I read that tickets to his show were already sold out in that same article that told me when and where his talk was to be (ooh, that righteous publication). I could only console in the fact that he will be in the same little red dot of an island as me last week. Aiya, if only I had planned ahead, wrote to him in advance…if only could I share with him the story of our makan heritage over a street food meal (perhaps ask him how he would deconstruct Ayam Buah Keluak or chicken rice as we chow down on it), so many if-onlys. I would also ask him why are there so little good and authentic Spanish restaurants outside of their country. Regret la.

Ferran was wondering out loud how this ice kachang ,
with all the “strange” jellies and toppings could be repositioned as an offering at his famed El Bulli restaurant.

Then, the skies opened and heavens beamed - the call and email came. “Mr Seetoh, this is Ambassador Antonio (Sanchez Jara) of the Spanish Emabssy calling and I wonder if you can spend time with Ms Lourdes Plana of the Madrid Fusion culinary forum and show Mr Ferran Adria around and let them have a sense of local food culture. He loves Asian food.”, plus the email, “Hi Seetoh, I have worked with the folks at No Reservations TV show and… I know Ferran would be would enjoy something out of the ordinary, even street food… and if his agenda allows, we will go on a street food tour with you”, from Ms Lucy Garcia, a researcher and fixer for Mr Ferran. The Madrid Fusion, of which Ms Lourdes is a Director, is a highly respected culinary forum which draws the who’s who of the best in the culinary world. It has Mr Ferran as an advisor. Wah, I must have done something right or some big deal pay it forward deed will knock on my door real soon.

He asked as many questions as the many items we had on the
food tour- and a lot of questions per dish.

So it was fixed for a lunch weekend makan excursion at the request of Mr Ferran. I was warned ahead by Ms Lourdes that this man speaks slower than he thinks and he rattles like lightning when he talks. He looks, digests, then gives you warning that he will say something, and then burst it all out at full speed. And he does. I had the pleasure of showing and telling him how the Tian Tian chicken rice folks (at Maxwell hawker centre) will first poach then fast chill the chicken in ice, and explain to him about the gelatinizing of the fats and juices etc… and immediately realized how stupid it was - he is the finest exponent of molecular gastronomy, and here I was going “then the gelatin will reconstitute and melt under the warmth of your palate”, so paiseh, so malu! But he was quite taken by the quality saying “this street food is not simple food at all. It’s very well complex.” We headed later to the Old Airport Road Food Centre and he was very impressed with the concept and flavour of rojak - he loves the hae ko sauce and marveled at the mix - with tamarind, chilli, sugar and peanuts. But what he so sharply and quickly observed, and in response to a quote he read in our Makansutra food guide about food being “the greatest democracy here” just after my quick brief of our hawker centre heritage and history, was spot on. “This is a fantastic social model. Food brings people together and this brings people together. It is amazing how a country with no agriculture can have such a rich food heritage.” Ferran digested, and promised to speak about this at his future presentations. He hopes to be back for a better feel of our local chow culture and I was only too happy to oblige taking him around again. But first, he said, “you must come to El Bulli and then let me take you tapas bar hopping”. You bet your spherification butt that I’ll be there.