Kitchen Talks: Chef Dad Ho Chan Fei

As the Executive Sous Chef of The Orchard Hotel, Chef Ho Chan Fei is definitely a busy man. Taking charge of the kitchen as well as his Go Local Buffet, one would wonder how this father of 2 could balance work and family life. Read on and find out how he can still spend time with his family despite his 24/7 job in the kitchen.

How did you discover your passion for cooking? It was during my O Levels when I decided to look for a part-time job. I was lucky enough to be hired as a waiter at a hotel café. Though work was a bit tough at times, I found it quite interesting especially when chefs would prepare different dishes such as Western food, Cantonese food, etc. What made you decide that you wanted to work in the kitchen? As I’ve mentioned, I found out that work in the kitchen was very interesting. However, I found satisfaction in the busy schedule, the noise, etc. That was the time when I decided that being a chef was what I really wanted to do. Where did you train professionally as a chef? At SHATEC then at the Singapore Hotel Association. Then, I had the chance to work at Raffles, so I got the comprehensive training that I wanted. What was the first dish that you cooked and what was it like? During my time as a waiter, I was an expert in cooking instant noodles. After work, I was always hungry, but I was too lazy to buy my food. So, I always had a pack of instant noodles with me. But, I didn’t want to cook it like it was, so I would add other ingredients such as eggs to make the dish much nicer. Sometimes, I would also buy Campbell soup and this would be my appetizer. Did you inherit your cooking skills from any one in your family? Well, my mum was the one who cooked for the family. She would always cook Cantonese food. I helped her out while she was preparing the meal for us. Who were the chefs who guided you while you were still training? I was mentored by so many great chefs while I was still training. One of them was Eric Teo. He was a sous chef during my stint at Raffles. What were your biggest challenges when you were still studying? My biggest challenge was getting the chance to cook. Not every one of us got the chance to prepare the diners’ meal. I was lucky that I had experience working in a restaurant, so they gave me a chance. Where do you get inspiration for your dishes? It can be from anything: magazine, TV, internet. Sometimes I would try traditional dishes I encounter then just add a twist to it to make it modern. What is your favourite kitchen gadget? For me, it could be a PACO JET. Sometimes, it can freeze up an ice cream in a matter of seconds. It’s a machine where you can put in any mixture to freeze it up. A lot of restaurants use this tool. It’s very good! What is your favourite ingredient? Hmm. It would have to be garlic because you can use it in any dishes be it Western food, Italian food, or Chinese food. It’s my favourite because it’s quite healthy and flavourful. Too much of it, though, is quite overpowering so it has to be moderately added to the dishes. Its purpose is to bring out the flavours of the dishes. Your specialty is? French food, because I am trained in this type of cuisine. What is your advice to people who want to be chefs? To those people who want to pursue this kind of profession, they have to know that it’s a lot of work and hours are long. You have to be ready to take in criticisms and stay positive no matter how harsh the comments are. You always have to be creative as well. We know that being a chef is hard work. How do you balance work and family life? Time management is very important. As a chef, I work from morning ‘till night. Every time I get the chance to go home early, I spend much time with my family as I can. Most times, my kids are still asleep when I leave and come back from work. Explore more dining options here Get hands-on with these DIY restaurants