The Chaine des Rotisseurs “Chef’s Table”

There is a event in Singapore hosted by the Chaine des Rotisseurs, which takes place every July since many years… All the way back to the eighties and it is called “The Chef’s Table”

It was held the first time more than 20 years ago in the kitchen of Charles Benz at the Mandarin Hotel. With Charles retirement in 1993, Chef Otto Weibel took on this honor and hard work and does it ever since with a zeal of perfection.

Each year sometimes in June; Chef Otto, calls on all the Executive chef’s and Pastry chefs in Singapore to get together in his Kitchen ( The Swisshotel Stamford) and to plan and execute a gourmet menu usually consisting of 10 courses or more for maximum 50 members of the Singapore Chaine.

Every chefs needs to contribute a few ideas and perhaps a recipe and make himself available on the day of the event. The chefs will be assigned to small groups for every course.

Within their group they plan and fine-tune the dish or course which they are going to cook.  And it works. There are no prima donnas, every Executive chef, no matter if he works in a restaurant or a 5 star Hotel, will put on his apron and hat and cook’s together with others the entire menu.

They are of course assisted by Otto’s cooks who helped to prepare the mis en place and to show the chefs they way around in those vast kitchens.

The tables for the guests in this lunch are set up in the middle of the kitchen and the chefs will cook around them.

The Chaine members will arrive around 11:30 am for a cocktail, normally consisting of oysters, canapés and champagne.

At1 pm they are seated in the kitchen and the first course is served, followed by all the other courses hot and cold, each one paired with the appropriate wine .By the time they arrive at the cheese course; the time tells 5 pm.

For the absolute high light of the day they are treated to a fantastic Dessert buffet, which gets better every year. Pastry chef Kenny Kong and all other pastry chef’s are true artists and the best in their trade.

Sounds like a lot of fun of the Chaine members and hard work for the chefs?

Not at all!  We where this time around, again over 20 chefs and with Otto’s assistants, it was easy to whip up a gala lunch for 50 guests.

We chefs of course have to keep to the time table, which starts with a breakfast and briefing at 8:00 am

A presentation of the actual plate; one each, at 10:30, followed by a small buffet and champagne (for the chefs) and of course there is a time set for each course to be served.

The Chaine members are also our friends and we get to taste some of their wines, and after our work and our own dinner with more wine; we join them at the dessert buffet.

Sometimes those chefs table can last until very late into evenings and in some “rare” occasion into the night.

However, the best thing about this chef’s table is; the camaraderie and friendship it promotes, not only among the various chefs, but also with the members of the Chaine, and this is the very principle on which the Chaine was founded.

And such a friendship among professionals in today’s hectic, economic and profit driven society, is very rare and that’s why, every year, since I left in 2003, I return to the chefs table in Singapore.

 Rudy Muller

Executive Chef

Hong Kong Disneyland

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