PETALING JAYA, May 3 The white truffle soil just melted in my mouth and exploded with flavour. It was simply divine with the mushroom duxelle. I was in the kitchen with Darren Chin and he had asked me to try the dish. Hes the winner of the Delifrance Sandwich World Cup competition in France earlier this year.
Elsewhere in this central kitchen of Daves Deli in Petaling Jaya, whose owner David happens to be Darrens Dad, French patisserie chef Hubert Ly had just baked a tray of dacquoise, a cake base made of ground almonds, icing sugar and French meringue. I got to taste this too, and the chocolate ganache with passionfruit.
Darren and Hubert were prepping for a dinner billed From Farm to Table, which took place recently at Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia, Sunway Institute of Culinary Arts. The week before, Darren, who had come back to Kuala Lumpur after one and a half years at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, had done a cooking demonstration with Hubert at Daves Bistro in 1 Utama.
Darren is broad-shouldered and solid, earnest and generous with what he has learnt at the world-renowned French culinary school. (The legendary Julia Child was one of its more famous graduates!) He graduated from KDU School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts 12 years ago and then went to work at Daves Bistro, which father David started.
After 10 years I suffered from job burnout and one and a half years ago I signed up at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, said Darren. He didnt speak French and he chose the school because the syllabus was in French as well as English. The chef would speak in French during his demo and this would be translated into English. He would demonstrate three recipes and let us be hands on in one recipe. We had to sit for a written exam as well.
Darren, 32, speaks French now, and thats how he communicates with Hubert, 21, who speaks a little English. The patisserie chef, who is part Cambodian and Vietnamese, is from the Patisserie Nicolas Bernarde in Paris, which won the Meilleur Ouvrier de F! rance (M OF) award in 2004.
My turning point in the school was when I submitted my application in September 2011 for the Delifrance Sandwich World Cup Competition in France. I was selected to represent the school for Malaysia. I did a lot of research for Banh Mi, the Vietnamese baguette sandwich, in Hanoi, Danang and Hoi An. I also went to the Morning Glory Cooking School and restaurant in Hoi An. Its a slow food restaurant endorsed by the Slow Food Movement because of the terroire.
We want to celebrate terroire, using techniques we learnt in France, and using local ingredients. Thats the future of Malaysian cuisine. We have some really good stuff here, and with the right cooking techniques we can bring out their flavours.
Darren has worked with Tony Bilson, one of Sydneys best known chefs and restaurateur, in Paris, cooking for the Australian ambassador there, at a dinner that served the Penfolds Grange 1953. We ordered 10,000 (RM40,000) worth of truffles from Australia. Each guest got one big truffle, but it was still not as good as the French ones.
Darrens course at Le Cordon Bleu covered three parts basic, intermediate and superior. I went for both cuisine and pastry. It makes me a better chef. I can understand what Hubert is doing but pastry is not my forte. I specialise in cuisine.
Going back to be a student was the best decision I ever made. It made me realise my mistakes. I know now how to do a proper stock, jus and sauce.
During my time working with Dad, I won medals at Food & Hotel Asia and Food & Hotel Malaysia. When I was at Le Cordon Bleu I was first in my intermediate class, and got special mention from the jury in my certificate. In the Superior course I had to juggle classes and the competition, but came out first in this course too.
I excelled in Le Cordon Bleu because of my work experience. It was an advantage over the rest of the students. I went all the way and reaped the rewards. The younger generation doesnt know the meaning of hard work.
For him, taste is everything you must have a sense of what works, and what doesnt. It gives me great joy to see a persons reaction when I cook for him. Its not to fish for compliments, but for the pleasure it gives me.
Darren is going back to France, where he has a four-month internship with a 2 Michelin-star restaurant. After that, the owner will decide whether to take him on as a regular staff.
The future is bright for gastronomy in South-East Asia. Id like to play a part in it. My ultimate dream is to open a restaurant, and be part of the transition to Michelin-star status.
The biggest thing he has learnt in France is about sharing. The MOF top chefs come together to teach the younger generation of chefs so that they can take over. Id like to share as much as I can.
His advice to young students: Move out of your comfort zone if you are serious about being a chef. You will see things in a different light. Go for international competitions. The sandwich competition gave me the confidence to improve as a person.
Darren met Hubert at Le Cordon Bleu. Hes so talented, Darren said of the 21-year-old. He did his internship and secured a job. Darren brought Hubert over to help him with the cooking demo and dinner. I like working with him because he shares my ideas. He does pastry as how I cook, though there is a gap of 10 years between us.
He recalled the yong tow foo he liked to eat as a child, and recreated the feeling it gave him in the consomme of fish with grated abalone garnished with crispy beancurd fish mousse and marinated fillet of seasonal fish. It was one of the 3-Part Seafood Course in the degustation menu he served at Le Cordon Bleu at Sunway. The key to great cooking is to transmit a good feeling to someone. I met a Japanese guy in Paris who told me that every time you serve a dish you try to pass the good energy to the person, and it lands a sensation. It made me think.
When I went to France I was lost. Now Im revitalised. I dont want to do 1,000 sandwich! es anymo re. I just want to do 10 and transmit the good vibes.
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