Page 39 - Cuisine & Wine Asia 2020 - Mar/Apr 2020 Issue

For Chef Haikal Johari, the Executive Chef of “There are still difficulties in using local ingredients
Alma by Juan Amador, S.O.U.L. coincides with because the land is very small, and so sometimes
the meaning of Alma, which coincidentally means the quality may not be consistent. I believe that
‘soul’ in Spanish. At Alma by Juan Amador, Chef my customers have the right to get the best
Johari prepares Modern European cuisine using quality so I don’t only limit myself to only sourcing
sustainable and organic ingredients fine-dining from local producers.” Chef Johari shares. COVER + STORY
style. He also pays close attention to the food
wastage, and jokingly explains, “Sometimes Among the different letters of S.O.U.L., Chef
when I hear other chefs that use only one part Johari resonates with ‘lifestyle’ the most.
of the beef like the tenderloin and then throws E NEED TO ADAPT. AS CHEFS,
the rest away, I will ask them if that is the only “WOUR JOB AS CHEFS IS TO
reason the cow had to die,” he continues, “in my ENSURE WE GIVE OUR GUESTS THE
kamboucha pumpkin dish, I roasted the pumpkin ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE BY PAYING
skin and made it into the stock and I used the ATTENTION TO THEIR LIFESTYLE.
flesh for my ravioli, so there is no waste.”
SO THAT TO ME IS THE MOST
Chef Johari also believes that the younger IMPORTANT.” Chef Johari concludes.
generation needs to realise the importance
of sustainability, he says, “It is a lot of work
because you have to figure out how to use an
ingredient to the fullest and not throw anything
away, but you will realise that sometimes
those parts are the most flavourful, and as
a chef, we have to respect our ingredients.”
His Hungarian goose dish features a 7-days
aged goose with kaboucha, cherry and jus
gras. He used the goose bones to make a
stock, and this added heaps of flavour to the
already intense-flavoured meat. The dish is
overall very aromatic and hearty; it makes one
feel like royalty yet also very comfortable.

However for Chef Johari, he believes that ensuring
the quality of his dishes is the utmost priority. He
says, “As a chef, our forte is cooking and not farming.
We choose not to grow our own ingredients
because we want to leave it to the farmers as that is
their strength. As a chef, it is important for us chefs 米其林星级餐厅也需支持环保
to elevate their ingredients as that is our job.”
荣获米其林一星的Alma餐厅也是这次被采访
Recently the recipient of the Luzerne Special 的餐厅之一，对于支持可持续发展和有机食材
Recognition award at the World Gourmet 的主厨Haikal Johari来说，他非常珍惜每一种
食材，也喜欢“用尽”每道食材。他打趣的说
Awards 2019, Chef Johari is constantly looking 若餐厅订了牛腰肉的部分，他就会尽全力把它
for new ideas to also showcase local ingredients. 每一寸肉都用的一干二净，甚至脊骨也会用来
During a trip to Kuala Lumpur two months ago, 熬汤，这样这只牛才不会 “白死”。他是一位
Chef Johari discovered ambarella, commonly 非常支持本地食材的厨师，但他也说出了许多
known as balonglong among locals, and has 厨师不敢提的重要事项。新加坡土地面积本来
been trying to incorporate the refreshing 就很小，可以种植食材的面积更不用说了，若
flavour to his dishes such as his desserts. 只是因为想支持本地食材而放弃其他国家的入
口食材，新加坡目前真的能做到吗？所以他才
7. 'kuhlbarra' barramundi 说，我一定支持本土品牌，但也会让食客得到
好的食材而选用进口食品。
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