Cuisine Unplugged

Book excerpt: Characterised by a bold use of colours and playful close-up shots of the dishes, Cuisine Unpluggedis a culinary book that stands out with its creative simplicity. Featuring 60 original recipes created by the charismatic executive chef and owner of Saint Pierre, a contemporary restaurant renowned for its modern European cuisine with hints of Asian flavours, Cuisine Unpluggedpresents these recipes in serving order, from canap�s and soups to main courses and desserts for easy reference. Created in the author's signature style of adapting European flavours to the tropical climate and reinterpreting traditional dishes with a modern approach, readers will be delighted at the ease with which each innovative recipe can be reproduced in the home kitchen, with ingredients that are easily available from supermarkets and markets. Each recipe is well thought through and specially designed with approachable steps, so the dishes are flavourful yet highly achievable, even at the hands of a novice. Chef Emmanuel Stroobantstarted his apprenticeship in Belgium. He spent his formative years at various Michelin star establishments within the country. It was during these years that he built a solid foundation in understanding classical French cuisine. This inevitably steered him to being named .Best Apprentice Chef. for the 1987-1988 category. Upon completion of his apprenticeship, Chef Stroobant worked at various restaurants in his hometown. The highlight in this period of his culinary career was the birth of his first restaurant, Le Bal, which he opened at the tender age of 23. Refusing to succumb to the complacency of a comfortably successful reputation in Liege and truly believing that the world was his oyster, Chef Stroobant relocated to Australia. It was there that he first experienced the merging of East and West and his quest for the exploratory led him to Malaysia and later to Singapore. Chef Stroobant.s passion and commitment towards culinary excellence continues to be recognized. He was awarded .Best Expatriate Executive Chef. by World Asia Media, Malaysia in 1999 and .Chef of the Year 2002. Award of Excellence . World Gourmet Summit. His three-year-old restaurant, Saint Pierre was also awarded .Best New Restaurant. and .Most Innovative Menu. in 2002 by Wine & Dine Magazine, Singapore. Also, for two consecutive years running, the restaurant has won .Best New Restaurant. at the Award of Excellence . World Gourmet Summit 2002 and 2003.