The Disgruntled Chef's Daniel Sia doesn't have enough time for cooking

The Chinese, who believe that names can define the future, regard the choice of names as a sacred art.

So when a gastro-bar with a name such as The Disgruntled Chef -- helmed by a Singaporean-Chinese chef Daniel Sia -- was launched at the hip Dempsey enclave, it had all the right ingredients to send tongues wagging.

To add insult to possible injury, Sia was formerly executive chef at The White Rabbit, a mere three minutes hop away.

The cool gray and glass interiors of TDC.

What's in a name?

The truth though, is more a case of misunderstood British humor than angst à la Gordon Ramsay.

In fact, Sia earnestly explains that he is still on cordial terms with the owners of The White Rabbit and the name, a mere nod to the quirky, tongue-in-cheek names common to British gastro-pubs.

His partners, the Codlings, a husband and wife team who run an architectural practice, were so tickled by the limelight that a statement explaining the intention behind the name can now be found on the daily specials blackboard.

The birth of TDC

“What we wanted to do was to create a space where people can have good food and drinks without all the stuffiness of a restaurant,” explains Sia.

His concept: To eliminate the appetizer, main course and dessert structure and collapse that into "small plates" and "big plates." Sharing portions, served up tapas style, would allow for variety and friends to dine in a more casual, communal manner.

Partners in crime: Sia with The Codlings.

His partners took to the idea in an instant. It was not the first time Sia and the Codlings had brainstormed together. His friendship with the wife, Dawn Codling, had started since his days as a junior chef at Les Amis and she, a trainee cook. Even when she moved on to Vong’s (by Jean-Georges Vongerichten) in London, they kept in touch.

As Sia progressed up the ranks -- from chef de cuisine at Marmalade Pantry in Singapore to Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong, then Le Platane with Singaporean chef Justin Quek in Shanghai -- both parties found themselves returning to Singapore around the same time. 

It was the perfect time to dream about a new project together, one that would combine her design abilities and his culinary skills.

Going a different route

While it is natural for a chef to dream up his own restaurant, a gastro-bar isn’t always at the top of the list. Pub grub in Singapore, after all, has often been relegated to the predictable deep-fried chicken wings and topshells combination.

Credit must go to top Melbourne chefs such as Luke Mangan with The Palace and Michael Lambie with Barkers Wine Bar and Bistro, who gave the pub nosh reputation a makeover by replacing frozen produce with fresh meats and canned food with artisan ingredients.

TDC: Baked bone marrow and persillade spread.

AT TDC, rather than carrot sticks and a pre-packaged dip, you're served breaded oysters and tuna tartare. For carnivores, there are crispy lamb short ribs with chilli and cumin and steak tartare with soft quail eggs and potato chips; hardly your typical deep-fried snack menu.
 
Sia’s "small and big plates" go along the same vein. A majority of the dishes are made from scratch in his kitchen -- garlic bread served with the baked bone marrow and persillade spread (a mixture of parsley, garlic, herbs, oil and vinegar).

Complementing the ‘small and big plates’ concept is a creative cocktail menu adhering to the classic gentleman’s pour of 45ml instead of 30ml.

The cocktails revolve around the use of fresh fruits and juices and creative alternatives: thyme replaces the usual mint for the caipiroska, while a margarita is jazzed up with sea salt and chili flavors.

Drinks that pack a punch: At TDC, they're generous with their booze.

The juggling act

Sia, however, admits there is a dose of irony when a chef wears the restaurateur hat. You just don’t have enough time for cooking.

“It’s a different ball game running your own show," says Sia. "In the past, I was just an employee. Now, I am the human resource, accountant and marketing.

"Instead of just an ingredient list, I now look at the bigger picture and try to think of how to bring customers through the door.”

At The White Rabbit, he had a team of 15 chefs who churned out meals for a 120-pax restaurant daily, not including any events. At The Disgruntled Chef, he has a trim strength of just two chefs, serving 73 seats.

"With a smaller restaurant, you are less restricted as a chef," says Sia. "You can play around more with your menu; but you don’t have the luxury of systems such as an accounting team.”

In spite of having to put in more hours and effort than before, Sia recommend other young Singaporean chefs follow his lead.

“Yes, because it is almost every chef’s dream," says Sia. "There are talented Singaporean chefs out there. With the dining scene growing, it’s now all about finding the right partners and team, then making the big decision to step out.”

He adds, “I hope that with my experience, I can help chefs start their restaurants in the future.”