FiftyThree's Michael Han: Don't call me a celebrity chef

What a difference a year makes. Barely 12 months ago, Michael Han was just another chef trying to open his restaurant in a food-obsessed tiny island. Granted, everyone knew his back story: Lawyer by training, stints at the hallowed temples of gastronomy -- UK chef Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck among them -- and he was backed by fine dining group Les Amis. The hype was tremendous; the expectations even greater.

Then FiftyThree opened its doors in January 2009. The food spoke for itself, and success came swift and furious. Did skeptics who scoffed eat their words right after eating at FiftyThree? In the immortal words of Sarah Palin, "Ya betcha."

CNNGo: In just less than a year, FiftyThree was lauded by critics, made an entry among the Top 20 in Asia's Miele Guide and has been featured in the New York Times. How do you feel about that?

Michael Han: It's all been very unexpected and extremely humbling. I still believe that we have a long way to go before what we have achieved can be lauded as a success. We have also been very fortunate that we have received such a good response from our guests and the media.

CNNGo: You're very much into the locavore movement. Not many people will think that Singapore has lots of interesting produce to be incorporated into European cooking.

Han: It is difficult to use what little local produce we have and to incorporate them into European cooking without being labelled as fusion. Having said that, I believe that there are a lot more local and Asian ingredients and a whole host of wild plants that we have yet to learn more about. Right now, green mangoes, ulam raja [a floral plant commonly known as king’s salad], sayur bermis [duckweed], rice paddy herb are just some of the local ingredients we use. We get them either from a botanist who grows them for us or from the local wet markets.

CNNGo: Is there anything you don't eat?

Han: I eat everything and anything, except maybe insects. [laughs]

CNNGo: What's your favourite restaurant in the world?

Han: I don't have a favorite but some of my most memorable meals have been at The Fat Duck [in England] and at Noma [in Denmark]. But I have also had some equally memorable meals eating by the roads of Vietnam and Bangkok.

CNNGo: How about over in Singapore? What are some of your favorite addresses for food?

Han: That would be Fei Fei Wanton Noodles in Joo Chiat, Hainanese chicken rice from Tian Tian at Maxwell and Curry Rice in Jalan Besar. I'd most definitely include Yoshi's yakitori at Cuppage Plaza and the lobster rolls at Summer Pavilion. Hainanese chicken rice and wanton mee are probably the only food I can eat every day and at any time of the day.

CNNGo: What do you want customers to understand about dining in a restaurant here?

Han: That we are here, first and foremost, to provide a service to them. We try as much as we can to make sure that they have a memorable experience and that they leave happy.

CNNGo: How do you feel about the term "celebrity chef?"

Han: I think it’s a term that has been created by the media. Personally, I would rather it not be applied to me. I'm in no way a celebrity, much less a celebrity chef.

CNNGo: What do you think the rise of celebrity chefs these few years signifies about food culture?

Han: That food and cooking have become increasingly prominent locally and globally. This can very much be attributed to chefs like Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson and Gordon Ramsay, who popularized cooking and consequently eating.

CNNGo: With 2010 around the corner, what are your plans for the New Year?

Han: The restaurant is very much a 10-year project and we have much to do on all fronts for next year. I hope we will continue to improve — find new suppliers and work more closely with farmers and foragers. They are the ones who provide us with a platform for success. I hope the current team at the restaurant continues to stay very much together to work towards this common goal. Personally, my goals are very much tied to FiftyThree. It is in many ways very much an extension of myself.

getting there

FiftyThree
53 Armenian Street, Singapore
+65 6334 5535
Lunch: Tuesday-Saturday, 12-2pm
Dinner: Monday-Saturday, 7-9:30pm
www.fiftythree.com.sg