Singapore Tourism Board and Candlenut Invite You to the Temple House in Chengdu to “Savour Singapore”

From now until 30 November 2022, Chef Malcom Lee of Singapore’s Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant Candlenut will bring his unique blend of Singaporean cuisine and culture to the table at The Temple Café at The Temple House, Swire Hotels’ prestigious resort in Chengdu, China.

Candlenut offers the rare opportunity for Chinese foodies and Singapore expats alike to sample its sophisticated Peranakan fare in China. Diners will get to taste Chef Lee’s trademark contemporary take on classic Peranakan cuisine that is the signature at Candlenut.

Diners can expect classics the likes of Pork Satay, Ngoh Hiang, Wagyu Beef Rendang, and Yeye Alaska King Crab Curry from Chef Lee. For a fitting conclusion to the culinary adventure, Chef Merlo of The Temple Café will also serve up some of Singapore’s most beloved delicacies, such as Laksa Noodle Soup, Char Kuay Teow, and Chendol.

Aimed at encouraging diners to “Savour Singapore at Every Bite”, this culinary partnership seeks to broaden the distinct tastes of Candlenut to Chengdu.

In cooking up this culinary partnership, the two chefs coordinated their efforts across time zones and continents by exchanging recipes and photos of traditional Peranakan delicacies via the internet. Then, back in the kitchen of The Temple Café at The Temple House in Chengdu, Chef Merlo and his staff painstakingly recreate Candlenut signatures.

Chef Merlo grew up on Réunion Island, where the Chinese presence influenced the food and culture. Immersed in Chinese cuisine since boyhood, he studied Mandarin and moved to China a decade ago.

In his 20 years as a chef, he specialised in Western fine dining but never stopped experimenting with Asian flavours. Chef Merlo has led The Temple Café’s crew to explore Asian cuisines such as India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Korea, thus the Singapore project is a perfect fit.