Francis

Francis on the Hot Seat 

1. What inspired you to become a Chef?

I was determined to become a cook when I witnessed the happiness and warmth food provides people. I specifically remember having a professor in cooking school who showed us the significance of scents and flavours – the warmth that lingers around them. The yumminess of simple recipes can take people back to their childhood, or multicultural dishes can make some think of their favourite country to visit. I enjoy seeing people feel this happy when they taste each dish I create for them. 

2. What is your signature dish? What do people love about it?

My love for baking is rooted in the French affinity towards cake because that’s where I am from. So, I have a special place in my heart and menu for Strawberry Fraisier Cake, and the customers seem to love it. It’s the weekend special in my kitchen. This traditional French Fraisier Cake made with two-layer of Genoise Sponge, Diplomat Cream, a Strawberry Syrup and Fresh Strawberries make the most delicious Summer Cake packed with fresh berries!

3. How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy?

I don't have a concrete food philosophy. A lot of my cooking is about feeding the family and making the associated family time a good time. We eat together for breakfast on school days and dinner every night. I try to minimize waste which means recycling and re-purposing leftovers. And certainly, the family budget enters into it.

4. What is it about cakes that you love the most?

Cakes are indeed a bundle of joy that not only flatters your mouth but also adds taste to every function. Everybody loves them for their flavours, taste, and beauty. You get them in every shape, and every flavour and something more appealing is the characteristics of cakes. What makes a cake good is the baking method involved and all the ingredients used in the process. 

5. So when you’re not making the world a better place (pun intended), what are other things you enjoy doing?

I love bird watching. Human beings are not alone in the world. But in modern society, our contacts with our fellow creatures are artificially constrained. We need to be in some way connected to nature and other living creatures: I’m convinced that it is a real psychological requirement. Birds can be that connection for us, or they can be only the beginning of wider connections with the natural world.