Kitchen Talks: Chef Bruce Lim | OpenRice Singapore

Best known as the Filipino Food Ambassador, Chef Bruce Lim is ready to take centerstage and bring the well-loved Filipino dishes at this year's Hubalicious Food Adventures. Together with three celebrity chefs from different channels, they will bring all of us on a gastronomic journey wherein participants will have a chance to learn first-hand the art of cooking. Despite his busy schedule, Chef Bruce takes time off from the kitchen to tell us what we can expect from them in the Hubalicious Food Adventures.

How did food influence your life while growing up? Food has kept me on the straight and narrow. My passion for food always has me looking for new and creative ways to cook (and of course to eat!). As you can see on my programme Tablescapes, which airs on the Asian Food Channel, I travel far and wide in the Philippines looking for new and interesting dishes to learn and try! You can say my whole life is the ultimate food quest! Who taught you at home? Who were your inspirations while growing up? My primary inspiration was my grandmother, she was my first and best teacher. Other than that, I used to watch Chefs like Julia Child and Martin Yan when I was younger and that was what inspired me to learn more! What was the first dish you cooked and how was it like? I cooked my first meal when I was 7 years old. It was garlic-fried rice with adobo and it was really salty! But my mom still ate it with a smile on her face; she has always been a great supporter of my cooking. How did you expand your skills in cooking? Did you take professional training? Yes, I studied at Le Cordon Bleu…I also worked in many different restaurant kitchens to gain as much experience as I could. I have learned to hold onto the positive knowledge that I have picked up, and left all of the negative experiences behind. What was the hardest lesson you learned in the kitchen? Nothing works out quite the way you plan. Imagine, if you are planning a meal that uses Dublin Bay spot prawns and all of a sudden the fishermen tell you that they weren’t able to catch any, what are you supposed to do? Just roll with the punches and you will be fine! You should always have a backup plan. Have you ever thought of giving up and pursuing other interests? Never! This is what I know and what I love, so what else can I ask for? What’s your favourite ingredient and why? Garlic! It reminds me so much of my childhood, I can create magic with this one simple ingredient! Could you please describe your style of cooking? Modern Filipino. As you will see in the AFC Original Production, Tablescapes 5, I enjoy bringing all the different flavours of each province back to my kitchen and taking them to the next level. My dishes are not only about the final product, it’s also about the journey I take to create them. How do you come up with new dishes? Whenever I try new dishes in the different provinces, I feel challenged and inspired to make something special. I love that the Asian Food Channel gives me the opportunity to showcase the beauty of my country to the rest of Asia. Where do you get your inspiration? Travelling and trying new dishes is my inspiration. Playing with my son Brandon always puts me in a creative mood as well. What do you think is the trend now in food/cooking/dining? A lot of chefs are now opening restaurants, we don’t just work in the kitchen anymore! I also feel that dining is starting to be a bit more casual as far as the feel is concerned, but the level of excellent service should always remain consistent. What do you think of the diverse Singaporean cuisine? I love it! I often find myself in a moral tug of war between eating at my favourite restaurants or trying something new. Singapore has such a superb variety of food as well as outstanding caliber of local chefs. What’s your favourite Singapore food? I love jumbo chili crabs and chicken rice… of course, fried kway teow and prawn noodle will be on the list as well. You’ve achieved so much throughout your career. What’s next for Chef Bruce Lim? My newest programme, an AFC Original Production called Tablescapes will be premiering on the Asian Food Channel on Monday, 22nd August 2011 at 9pm. It showcases myself and my good friend Angel Aquino, travelling to different provinces throughout the Philippines, cooking up a storm and visiting the most amazing destinations. Other than that, I want to spend more time with my son. He is growing up so fast! Plus, I would love to open a restaurant in Singapore as well! How’s it like to be part of the Hubalicious Food Festival? It’s a true honour that the Asian Food Channel has invited me down for the Hubalicious event to showcase Filipino food. The fact that I was chosen to be the representative is such an honour! I am humbled for the opportunity to participate in the event. What can people expect at this year’s event? Great food from great chefs! It will also be a good place to learn about new ideas and techniques from chefs who love doing what they do. For a list of Hubalicious sessions, click here. Tickets are on sale from SISTIC. Interested participants can also log on to Starhub for more information. -- Hubalicious is Starhub’s food and lifestyle platform that aims to ‘bring food to life’. Through engaging consumers via a specially-crafted suite of integrated activities and programs, including a food application for iPhone, Hubalicious hopes to draw consumers closer to its offerings and personalities on all our Food and Lifestyle Channels, AFC (Asian Food Channel), BBC Lifestyle, Food Network Asia, and TLC. Can't get enough of Filippino food? Singaporean delights you don't want to miss