'Understand the tradition first': Chef Damian D'Silva shares his take on 'modernising' heritage dishes

Whenever a chef attempts to tweak or provide their own take on heritage dishes, the discourse around tradition versus and modernity is often brought up.

Foodies are a passionate group and for some, tradition is something not to be messed with. Ingredients and methods of preparation should be kept consistent and not differ from how it was back in the day. 

However, chef Damian D'Silva doesn't exactly buy into this way of thinking. This can sound rather odd given how big an advocate he is for local heritage cuisine.

We caught up with him at a preview for the upcoming Singapore Food Festival (SFF) 2022 and gleaned some of his personal insights on Singapore's evolving food scene.

Learn traditional methods first

Chef Damian mentions that he has no qualms when it comes to creativity in the kitchen and chefs providing updated versions of traditional dishes.

During the event, he introduced us to his Peranakan fish cakes recipe that was passed down from his grandmother.

He runs through a list of ingredients, which includes dry and fresh chilliies, shallots, candlenuts, belacan (shrimp paste) and lemongrass. 

Mind you, this is for the paste alone. 

If you're keen on giving this dish a go, you can head to the SFF Facebook page on Aug 25 at 7pm. Chef Damian will be conducting a live virtual masterclass.

Alternatively, you can head down to Chef Damian's restaurant Rempapa to munch on these delectable goodies.

"I don't mess around, I take what I learned [from my grandmother] and do the same as what was taught to me," the 66-year-old said.

Although Chef Damian is not against the idea of heritage dishes being given a modern twist, he mentions that "the most important step" is one's ability to first "execute the traditional dish".

He tells AsiaOne: "Once you get that right, then you can do whatever you want to do with it. [Understand] tradition first and then you modernise it.

"You don't modernise it without understanding the tradition."

Are you ready for it?

At SFF 2022, you can expect both modernity and tradition. 

Themed Real Foodies Only, the 29th edition of this festival runs from Aug 24 to Sept 11 and promises over 70 gastronomic experiences based on the pillars of heritage, contemporary and innovation.

The return of in-person experiences is very much a welcomed change from previous years — 2020's festival was fully virtual due to the pandemic.

There are curated workshops and various restaurants across the island that will be offering festival-exclusive events and dishes.

But the star of the show is definitely the Festival Village, held at the iconic Bayfront Event Space from Aug 31 to Sept 11. 

Over 25 food establishments will be ready to serve local favourites (and some with an innovative twist).

We were lucky enough to get a taste and here are some standout dishes.

@asiaone The annual Singapore Food Festival is back from 24 August to 11 September! Take a peek at the scrumptious dishes we feasted on that will be available at the Food Village 😋 #fyp #foodie #tiktoksg #sgtiktok #singaporefoodie #localcuisine #yummy #delicious #singapore #foryou #foryoupage #fypシ ♬ Corporate modern chill out food and drink video music - JaysonWayneBrown

Any nasi lemak lovers out there? That question was, of course, rhetorical. If you're Singaporean, being a fan of this dish is a default.

Mezcla Taco & Tequila Bar and Dickson Nasi Lemak have sprinkled in some Mexican and Japanese influence to the traditional dish and voila — the nasi lemak taco is the result.

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It's a rather strange combination, we get it. But before coming to any conclusions, give it a go. Be warned, this deceptively tiny dish packs a punch.

Another dish that caught our eye was the golden chilli crab burger, a creation from Singapore's hottest food truck The Goodburger.

This homage to a local favourite is a collaboration with Blue Lotus Eating House. Oh, and did we mention that this burger is completely plant-based?

This had us feeling intrigued but one bite into this burger and the tastebuds immediately register that sweet and subtle flavour of crab 'meat'.

These are just two of the many dishes you can look forward to discovering at this year's Festival Village.

If you consider yourself a real local foodie, this should be right up your alley.

ALSO READ: Take note, foodies: Singapore Food Festival is back with live masterclasses, physical workshops and lots of good food

amierul@asiaone.com