Flash-grilled: Andrei Soen
What was your first industry job?
Dishwasher, food runner, server and prep chef in my family’s restaurant.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
Hang with my chow chow Kobe or explore Asia to surf.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Masaharu Morimoto, I grew up watching Iron Chef and he was my favourite to watch on tv.
Pet hate in the kitchen?
Cleanliness and short cuts. Not a fan of dirty kitchens and chefs taking short cuts to try to get an easy way out of a dish.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
My sandwich is cold. They ordered a cold sub…
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Big and loud.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
When I opened Park Bench Deli, someone used a bot to give us more than100 one star reviews. Our customers helped us out and brought it back up to five stars!
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
Rational oven.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Chinese nasi lemak – coconut rice, luncheon meat, fried chicken wing, fish fillet and a fried egg. Or a Hong Kong-style spam and egg sandwich.
À la carte or tasting menu?
À la carte.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
Super Peking Duck from Imperial Treasure.
Favourite fast food joint?
In-N-Out Burger or Taco Bell.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart and Kobe Bryant.
Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram.
Tipple of choice?
Bourbon, neat.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
"Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your inner voice. Have the courage to follow your own heart and intuition." – Steve Jobs.
