Meet the Pros: Chef Gunther Hubrechsen of Gunther's Modern French Cuisine, Singapore

Back in February this year, Hubby took me to Singapore for a weekend getaway. One of the places that we dined in was Gunther's Modern French Cuisine on Purvis St. A meal at Gunther's is how a good meal should be - you leave the restaurant smiling and will still be talking about it many months down the line. (You can read our previous review here)

Chef Gunther Hubrechsen

Gunther's Modern French Cuisine was opened on 2 August 2007, a collaboration between awardwinning Chef Gunther Hubrechsen and Roberto Galetti, representing the Garibaldi Group of Restaurants. Gunther's Modern French Cuisine has made it into The Miele Guide's Asia's Top 20 since 2008, and is currently listed No.14 on the list. They were also listed as no.84 restaurant in the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2010. Most recently in 2012, Gunthers was awarded withthe Restaurant of the Year and Outstanding Caterer of the Year at the World GourmetSummit Excellence 2012; an achievement that demonstrates culinary, cuisine and serviceexcellence in Singapore.

Of Belgian descent, Chef Gunther has worked in several renowned restaurants in Belgium, including Le Bouquet, and Restaurant Gravin van Buren before moving on to Fran! ce where he worked as a sous chef under his mentor, Chef Alain Passard at his three-star Michelin restaurant, LArpge in Paris for 5 years.

In 2002 Gunther arrived in Singapore to work with the Les Amis Group. Thanks to his dedication and talent, he brought Les Amis restaurant to 83rd position in the UK Restaurant Magazines list of Best 100 Restaurants in 2007.

Gunthers cutting edge style and flair using natural jus and slow cooking techniques to enhance the flavors of a dish offer a refreshing change to classic French food. This modern angle emphasizes the importance of textures and flavors and leaves no margin for error in the kitchen.

Not only is Chef Gunther a master of the kitchen, he is also an extremely down-to-earth guy.After our meal, he approached us and started chatting to us as well as giving us a brief tour of his restaurant and kitchen - it felt like we hit the jackpot! He even made us his signaturedish - the cold angel hair pasta served with white truffle oil and oscietra caviar (S$60) which tasted absolutely heavenly. We were truly impressed with the taste, flavours and presentation of all his dishes.

Baby Sumo (BS): What inspired you to open your own restaurant?
Gunther Hubrechsen (GH):Well, after working with other group of restaurants for so many years, I thought its about time that I can present my cuisine that I can truly call my own. Afterall, I've always wanted my guests to focus on my food and to feel at home when they come to Gunthers.


BS: What is your style of cooking? Do you have a favorite cooking method/technique?
GH:I enjoy cooking simple, honest and down-to-earth food, using fre! sh ingre dients. And I like to be creative when it comes to cooking, like doing small little steps so Im able to bring out the flavour of each ingredient. Working too much on the product is not my kind of style simply because I respect the natural shape and flavour for every ingredient. Nothing like a lobster that look like a lobster and nothing cooks better than what nature has to offer.


BS: After we were seated, your waiting staff brought out a tray of produce to showcase to us. We thought it was a brilliant idea. Tell us more about it.
GH:We want to let our guests know that whatever we serve at Gunthers are served fresh and of quality, because what they see on the tray is what we are going to serve on the table. Plus, we are able to do different cooking style to suit our guests taste. So they can ensure that the food they are eating are top-notch and enjoy the whole dining experience at Gunthers.

BS: How often do you update your menu?
GH:We update our menus quarterly to reflect changes in season, and to include the world's finest ingredients. For our lunch menu we rotate it weekly so our guests are able to enjoy different dishes when they come. Our 3-course set lunch menu is very affordable at $38++ only!

BS: (I can attest that it is indeed very good value for money and absolutely delicious!)

BS: What is your signature dish and what is the main ingredients and method of preparation.
GH:My signature dish definitely has to be the Cold Angel Hair Pasta with Oscietra Caviar and this is the dish that I enjoy cooking the most. It is a very spontaneous dish plus, everyone loves it. (Laugh) If I give you the ingredients and method of preparation, I will be giving away one of m! y most p rized possessions.

BS: Is there a particular ingredient that you like to cook with.
GH: I dont really have a particular ingredient but seafood is often my choice. For example, Alaskan king crab, blue lobster, beef, mushroom, clams and also any fresh vegetables.

BS: What are the must-try dishes for anyone visiting your restaurant?
GH:1. Cold angel hair pasta, Oscietra caviar. 2. Fine apple tart la drages, Havana rum ice cream 3. Alaskan king crab leg, chili Monte Poro.

*We would like to thank chef Gunther for taking time to answer our questions. All photos courtesy of Gunther's.For anyone wishing to read my full review of the restaurant, please click here.

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Opening times: Mon to Sat 12.00-2.30pm; 6.30-10.30pm.

Location: Gunther's Modern French Cuisine, 36 Purvis Street, #01-03, Singapore, 188613

Tel: +(65) 6338 8955, or +(65) 8655 0208 for SMS reservation.

Website: http://www.gunthers.com.sg/index2.html