Chef Damian D’Silva’s love for Singaporean cuisine developed when he was a young boy, watching his Peranakan grandmother proudly cook the dishes of her heritage and his Eurasian grandfather whip up a diversity of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Eurasian food. With time and keen observation, he learnt how to replicate their recipes and coax out the most soulful flavours.
Damian first worked as an aviation engineer, but through the years his culinary passions never wavered. He made the decision to switch professions at 40. After European culinary training in Italy and France, he knew his calling lay closer to home: in the flavours he grew up with, and which were close to the hearts of his fellow Singaporeans. He saw the uniqueness of our local cuisine, with its long and organic assimilation of a multitude of migrant cuisines into a complex yet coherent whole. And he became convinced it deserved to be celebrated, showcased, and elevated in recognition both at home, and on the world stage.
Chef Damian has been named the international award recipient of the prestigious La Liste Artisan & Authenticity Award 2024, and also received the Special Recognition award at the Singapore Tourism Awards 2024.
