As SG60 approaches, we can’t help but reflect on our history which also explains this year’s celebratory theme – Building Our SG Together. It aims to celebrate our nation-building journey and meditate on our shared values of multiculturalism, boldness, resilience and openness. 

As the famous Telugu poet, Gurujada Apparao, once said, “A nation is not just its soil, a country is its people.” There are many people who’ve embodied all the different facets and values of our Singapore – from Mr Lee Kuan Yew as our founding father and Jamus Lim as the mouthpiece of the new generation; the late Sim Wong Hoo of Creative Technology and Tan Min Liang of Razer Singapore in tech; all the way to Joseph Schooling, our only Olympic gold medallist whose winning time of 50.39 seconds in the 100m butterfly broke multiple records at the SEA and Olympic levels. 

Naturally, Singapore’s most beloved industry – food – also has these different chefs who’ve walked the different culinary roads and embody the different cultural memories of Singapore. In our minds, they are:

• Damian D’Silva, Rempapa and (the upcoming) Gilmore & Damian D'Silva – The Perseverant Grandpapa of Heritage Cuisine 

• Dee Chan, The Black Pearl – Not Singapore-born, But Definitely Singapore-bred

• Bjorn Shen, Artichoke and Small’s – Free To Be Myself 

• Dylan Ong, The Masses and Choon Hoy Parlor – Our Heartland Soul

• Leon Lim & Nicholas Koh, Kaya Rebels – Back To The Future 

Interviews can be arranged; quotes can be requested. 

Hero Image Credit: Shutterstock | Creator: Antony McAulay

Damian D’Silva, Rempapa and (the upcoming) Gilmore & Damian D'Silva

The Perseverant, International Award-Winning Grandpapa of Singapore Heritage Cuisine

From the very start, Damian D’Silva’s life was rich with variegated flavours. He watched his maternal grandma – a Peranakan – proudly cook the dishes of her culture; while ‘Pop’, his paternal grandad, whipped up a storm of Eurasian, Chinese, Malay, and Indian food. Under his grandparents’ tough but loving eyes, with time and arduous effort, Damian learned to coax out the most soulful flavours. Typical of the era, recipes were not written down but ‘stored’ in the head; the recipes became as familiar to him as the back of his hand.

Through a succession of celebrated restaurants over some two decades – namely, Soul Kitchen, Immigrants, Folklore, Kin, and Rempapa – Damian brought his passion for Singapore food via glorious, often little-known recipes, and vivid story-telling, to a wide audience. Through his relentless efforts, our rich culinary heritage received its rightful due and became lauded. Damian helped popularise Singapore cuisine across Asia, America and Europe, and through his appearances as a judge on the reality TV series MasterChef Singapore – becoming affectionately known as ‘the grandfather of heritage cuisine’.

Having dedicated a lifetime to championing the preservation and continued elevation of heritage cuisine in Singapore, Chef Damian has been named the international award recipient of the prestigious La Liste Artisan & Authenticity Award 2024 — a special distinction that recognises efforts of establishments and chefs across the globe to spotlight the culinary heritage of their region or country.

Through belief in the transformative power of flavour and memory, and his indomitable spirit, Damian D’Silva continues to make a personal contribution to the ongoing story of cuisine in Singapore.

Dee Chan, 黑珍珠 The Black Pearl

Not Singapore-born but Singapore-bred: a deep love for Singapore has led this naturalised citizen to step on international stages as a national representative in culinary competitions

Dee Chan was born to a Cantonese father and Teochew mother in Hong Kong. When his father relocated to Singapore to work, Dee went along, and studied English in his adopted home country while part-timing as a cook. He obtained his citizenship after completing National Service; becoming a Singaporean was a point of pride and joy.

When asked why, Dee recalls a particular incident that left a particularly deep impression on him. At a community cooking activity he once attended, everyone shared the tasks and responsibilities. Amidst the happy chatter, the Malay auntie patiently taught him the secret of mixing a good satay sauce, the Indian uncle shared what he knew about how different spices can be matched, and the Chinese grandma taught him how to wrap rice dumplings step by step.

In that one moment, the kitchen was not simply a place to cook, but a warm and joyful harbour where cultures interacted and feelings converged. It made him sincerely feel that unique charm that all Singapore is a happy multicultural family. 

He solemnly notes that:

“To me, taking pride in Singapore society, and taking pride in being a Singaporean is a form of belief and pride in a society that is open and tolerant to many different cultures, a society that is both efficient and cooperative, and one that believes in unity.”

Dee was by then an experienced and accomplished chef, evidenced by his slew of national and international awards both as an individual competitor and as a representative of Singapore. He reflects: 

“Representing Singapore on various international culinary competitions is an honour but even more a responsibility. Under the bright spotlights, I feel deeply that at that moment, I’m not simply a chef but a sort of culinary ambassador for Singapore.” 

Bjorn Shen, Artichoke & Small’s

The Free Spirit, exploring the boundaries of yesterday, today and tomorrow 

Bjorn Shen, the rebellious oddball chef, or so it’s often claimed. But he is a paradox – carefully learning about the ins-and-outs, ups-and-downs of the various cuisines he’s interested in, then finding creative ways to pull out the different nuances and unseen subtleties that he’s discovered. 

His longest-running restaurant Artichoke is one such case, showcasing what he calls the Singapore’s “most un-authentic Middle Eastern food” while Small’s is both a culinary research and development studio and private dining experience where he experiments and road-tests all his wildest and most unorthodox ideas. 

Bjorn truly started his culinary career from the bottom: as a dishwasher earning $4.50 an hour and worked his way up step-by-step. The trajectory of his path, however, is as unconventional as his own cuisine and his own culinary research. He attended and then dropped out of culinary school; completed both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s; worked at 7-11 and hippie cafes; opened his own businesses and consulted for others. 

In the inaugural season of MasterChef Singapore, Bjorn was unveiled as one of three resident judges and has remained one through all three seasons; famous for his incisive comments and tofu heart. 

Today he is an icon in Singapore as a chef who walks his own path without wavering; committed to freedom, creativity and innovation.

Dylan Ong, The Masses & Choon Hoy Parlor

Our Heartland Soul – fulfilling his hopes and dreams through hard work, putting Singapore Soul Food on the global map 

Dylan Ong’s childhood was the chaos of growing up alongside six step-siblings, packed into a flat in Whampoa — a stone’s throw away from the hawker centres in which the tight-knit family operated two stalls. He began helping out when he was just 7; working into the wee hours and sleeping rough at the stall were routine. 

When Dylan was 14, illness forced his father to stop working; and Dylan took on the role of primary caregiver.  At 18, Dylan lost his father, and ran afoul of the law. These events were a shock to his system — he knew then that he had to take control of his life and turn it around. 

With newfound clarity, he enrolled in a culinary course at SHATEC. Food had transformed from functional necessity and burden into an obsession, an escape from his worries, and most importantly: a path of hope. 

Later, inspired by the trend of culinary “democratisation”, Dylan opened Saveur with a business partner in 2010. Run in a hawker stall, the idea was to bring quality French food to a wide audience at accessible prices. Even when profits remained slim and doubts crept in, Dylan stuck to his ethos of accessibility and his vision of an authentic French experience for all. He went to the lengths of laying out tablecloths in the hawker centre. With time and perseverance, success followed.

Dylan launched his inaugural independent venture, The Masses, in 2017. It proved another hit. It moved to bigger premises at Arcade @ The Capitol Kempinski in 2024 – a manifestation of constant progression, and a way to share the joy of food with the widest possible audience. 

His second independent venture, Choon Hoy Parlour (CHP), opened in 2024 and moved to bigger premises in 2025, next to The Masses in the Arcade @ The Capitol Kempinski. Serving Singapore Soul Food – heirloom recipes, heritage fare, and hawker classics that tug at the heartstrings, Chef Dylan named the concept after his mum in gratitude for her lifelong love, support, and guidance; shaping him into who he is today. 

CHP is a return to Chef Dylan’s roots — a showcase of sincere, honest cooking and Singapore’s multicultural culinary heritage.  He aims to put Singapore Soul Food on the global map in hopes that this distinct culinary genre reflective of our food history is recognised by a local and international audience, inspiring future generations.

Leon Lim & Nicholas Koh, Kaya Rebel

Running to the future while cradling history in their hands

Leon Lim

Quiet and low-key, Leon Lim is a talented polymath – he used to work as an MOE School Teacher specialising in Chinese Language and Literature; and a Chinese Language Tutor and Chinese Curriculum Director. He ran two Baking Interest groups in community centres from 2013 to 2018. Leon is also a trained vocalist and a trained bilingual host: he performed at and hosted various community events and festivals, weddings, and livestreams. 

In 2021, Leon competed in MasterChef Singapore Season 2 where he emerged as the first runner-up. During the competition, Leon showed great interest and flair in championing the local hawker cuisine.

As a culinary enthusiast and former educator, Leon brings a unique perspective to his cuisine. His methodical approach to flavour has led him to creating new food concepts. Since 2021, Leon has judged cooking competitions, appeared on TV programs, conducted culinary demos, and co-authored the cookbook "Local Labels, Global Flavours" in 2023. Today he works with Chef Nicholas Koh, reimagining traditional kaya with innovative twists – celebrating local heritage while pushing the boundaries with an eye to the future. 

Nicholas Koh

From a young age, Nicholas Koh found himself in the kitchen learning to cook at the side of his grandmother and mother who ran a humble zi char stall. Though he eventually entered the corporate world, a desire to return to his culinary roots led him to leave his sales job in 2018 and compete in MasterChef Singapore, where he aimed to make a meaningful impact in the food world.

Before competing in MasterChef Singapore, Nicholas was already working towards this goal. For instance, in 2022, he volunteered for a Singapore Food Festival initiative called Happy Heart Days SG where he worked with special needs youths to develop and sell their own kaya in hopes that they could be equipped with practical income-generating skills that could empower them and their families. 

At this Singapore Food Festival was also where he first fused kaya with cross-cultural elements; each item a meld of precision and creativity, with respect for the cultural significance of the dishes he reimagines.