ACV 25: Work Hard and Build Your Skills (Rishi Naleendra, Michelin-starred chef, Part 1)

02/19/20 • 31 min

Chef Rishi Naleendra recounts his journey from part time kitchen hand, cleaning dishes to fund his university education, to becoming the first Sri Lankan to be awarded a Michelin star.
Chef Rishi’s impressive culinary career includes stints as Chef de Partie at the world-renowned Tetsuya’s in Sydney, where he developed a fastidious attention to detail, and Pastry Chef at the award-winning Yellow by Brent Savage, whom Chef Rishi values as a mentor whose guidance was instrumental in helping him hone his skills.
Chef Rishi’s first restaurant, Cheek by Jowl, was awarded a Michelin star in 2018. He closed it in February 2019 to make way for Cheek Bistro, which now takes up the same space and offers modern Australian fare that marries the fresh, eclectic flavours of the land Down Under with the comforting, hearty notes of bistro cooking. Parallel to the operation of Cheek Bistro, Chef Rishi has since opened a new restaurant, Cloudstreet. Founded in partnership with Gareth Burnett, this establishment showcases the innovation of his kitchen and has received numerous accolades. The menu marries disparate cultures and influences in an exuberant expression while championing ingredient-driven cuisine and seasonality.
In April of this year, Chef Rishi is set to open Kotuwa, a traditional Sri Lankan restaurant in Singapore.
3 things I learned

Practical experience teaches more than the classroom - Rishi worked in kitchens whilst in culinary school, and notes that getting out into the real world, holding down a job and adhering to a routine are skills that simply can’t be taught in formal education. To truly do great things, one must get out of the systems that support them, and learn to achieve things on their own.
Work for skills, not for money - Rishi guides his career choices on the skills he would be developing over the money he would be earning. To get his foot into Fine Dining, Rishi’s income halved, but in return he laid the foundation which developed into the expertise he wields today.
The difference is in the details -the key difference between pub food and fine dining is the detail that goes into the food. Fine Dining practices precision to a tee. Every element of a dish must have the same dimensions (measured by a ruler!) or else it would not go out. It’s this level of detail which separates casual dining to world class chefs.

Practical experience teaches more than the classroom - Rishi worked in kitchens whilst in culinary school, and notes that getting out into the real world, holding down a job and adhering to a routine are skills that simply can’t be taught in formal education. To truly do great things, one must get out of the systems that support them, and learn to achieve things on their own.
Work for skills, not for money - Rishi guides his career choices on the skills he would be developing over the money he would be earning. To get his foot into Fine Dining, Rishi’s income halved, but in return he laid the foundation which developed into the expertise he wields today.
The difference is in the details -the key difference between pub food and fine dining is the detail that goes into the food. Fine Dining practices precision to a tee. Every element of a dish must have the same dimensions (measured by a ruler!) or else it would not go out. It’s this level of detail which separates casual dining to world class chefs.

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ACV 24: Starting and Building a New Church (Pastor Tan Huai Tze of One Covenant Church Singapore, Part 1)

Pastor Tan Huai Tze discusses what to expect from a theological seminary education, and the challenges he faced growing a new church from scratch from his living room.
Tze is the Lead Pastor of One Covenant, a church he started in his living room (since outgrown) together with his wife, Cindy and 2 young daughters in 2016. He has a passion for preaching Christ from all parts of the Bible, and for making connections between the good news of Jesus Christ and everyday life. Tze grew up in Malaysia, and came to Singapore to study at age 15. He then went to the UK for further studies before coming back and making Singapore home.Before becoming a pastor, he worked in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and before that in IT Consulting in Accenture. A few years ago, Tze and the family spent 1.5 years in Australia, where Cindy did a medical fellowship, and Tze finished his Master of Divinity in Presbytarian Theological College in Melbourne, Australia.
3 Things I Learned:

There is no template for life - Tze says there is no need to mechanically plan out one’s life, or use his experience as a model for their own. It’s all about putting faith in the small things, building the right relationships, and having faith in God for things you can’t control.
Theological study is not a ‘four year passion conference’ - it’s hard work, filled with assignments and exams like any other training program. But, even though it is a vigorous exercise, it should not be done without heart. Seminary study cannot be done in isolation, and sustains on an active relationship with one’s Church and Bible.
Be prepared to have your heart broken - like any startup or new venture, 80-90% of new Churches fail. Pastor Tze’s Church is his whole life, so setbacks have rippling effects. But this pain ultimately makes him a better Pastor.

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ACV26: Starting a Restaurant, Inventing Dishes, Appreciating Food and More (Rishi Naleendra, Michelin-starred Chef, Part 2)

Chef Rishi Naleendra talks about starting his own restaurant and building a team around him who shares the same culture of excellence. We chat about his creative process, as well as how one should simply enjoy any meal, be it fine dining or plain burger.
Chef RIshi’s impressive culinary career includes stints as Chef de Partie at the world-renowned Tetsuya’s in Sydney, where he developed a fastidious attention to detail, and Pastry Chef at the award-winning Yellow by Brent Savage, whom Chef Rishi values as a mentor whose guidance was instrumental in helping him hone his skills.
Chef Rishi’s first restaurant, Cheek by Jowl, was awarded a Michelin star in 2018. He closed it in February 2019 to make way for Cheek Bistro, which now takes up the same space and offers modern Australian fare that marries the fresh, eclectic flavours of the land Down Under with the comforting, hearty notes of bistro cooking. Parallel to the operation of Cheek Bistro, Chef Rishi has since opened a new restaurant, Cloudstreet. Founded in partnership with Gareth Burnett, this establishment showcases the innovation of his kitchen and has received numerous accolades. The menu marries disparate cultures and influences in an exuberant expression while championing ingredient-driven cuisine and seasonality.
In April of this year, Chef Rishi is set to open Kotuwa, a traditional Sri Lankan restaurant in Singapore.
3 things I learned

Build a team united by a shared vision - Rishi’s success with Cheek by Jowl was driven by the sheer force of his team’s vision. They were all laser focussed on getting a Michelin star, and they did not stop until it happened. It is this vision and attitude that now guides all of Rishi’s hiring choices. People concerned with politics will necessarily muddy the shared intention.
Don’t rush to reach your peak - Generally we have a good 40-50 years of our working lives. Rushing to achieve success in one’s 20’s is a surefire way to burnout. Rishi notes that many young chefs who run kitchens at 25 are not seen in their 30’s.
The key to enjoying food is to stop thinking - In the age of social media and online reviews, everyone is a foodie. Rishi urges patrons to stop assuming they know all there is to know about food, and trust the chef to put together a good dish. He also reminds us that running a restaurant is a job, and sometimes people have a bad day at work. An isolated mistake is no excuse to leave a vindictive review, or never go to a restaurant again. The key indicator of quality is what a restaurant will do after their mistake is pointed out.