But you won’t find overt TCM overtones at Asu. In Asu’s food, he said, his purpose, apart from showcasing flavours and creativity, is to “share why seasonal ingredients are good for your system”. In Asia, “There’s a history of how the influence of the seasons affects what you should be eating. Instead of looking at it medicinally, I’m more interested in the natural benefits of ingredients (and) eating ingredients at their peak… It’s not necessary to ginseng everything.”
In his menus, for instance, Tan shared that he uses ginger, which, according to TCM, promotes digestion, reduces nausea and fights colds. Yam is high in potassium and manganese, which support bone health, metabolism and heart function. Lotus root, when eaten raw, is considered “cooling” and helps to rid the body of excess heat; when cooked, it warms, strengthening the spleen and stomach.
Tan, who pivoted from a career in media planning to following a passion in food sparked by Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White cooking shows, is a chef without formal training. He started out in 2008 at a casual Japanese-French dining concept, moving on to Pollen and Les Amis before opening Ards, his own fine-dining fusion restaurant. He then moved to Korea to work – the name “Asu” is a playful reference to how Korean colleagues pronounced his name – returning to Singapore in 2023 as head chef at a hotel.
