A little over a year ago, a modest little restaurant called The Candlenut Kitchen, opened on Neil Road.

Opened by my cousin – Chef Malcolm Lee – the restaurant serves Peranakan dishes with recipes from our dearest ‘Por Por’ (Grandma) but with a modern twist.

Malcolm with a Miele Guide Culinary Scholarship graduated at the top of his cohort from the Sunrice GlobalChef Academy in ’09. While he could have worked at any of the top restaurants, Malcolm answered his calling to open his first restaurant. And nothing called him home like Peranakan food.

Ayam Buah Keluak: A peranakan signature of buah keluak nuts and chicken

Babi Chin: Braised pork belly, black mushrooms and potatoes in tau cheo gravy.

While Malcolm may be top chef, Aunty Kym (Malcolm’s mother) is the head of the kitchen, making sure that the food that gets plated tastes just like Grandma’s. Now, if you know the Peranakans no one else’s food tastes better than their own Grandmother’s. And there is always something lacking in some other restaurants food. But I think when your own Por Por who has visited the restaurant gives her stamp of approval, then there surely must be something right.

Itek Tim

Kueh Pie Tee: Braised turnips with pork belly, served in kueh pie tee shells with prawns.

Fish Curry

Chendol Cream

Sago Melaka

Desserts

The restaurant may have a deep family spirit – picture frames with photographs of our families and Por Por’s beaded slippers hang on the wall – but the restaurant is very much Malcolm’s own creation. I am so proud of him to have followed his passion and put in all the hard work to open and run his own restaurant.

I only hope these photographs do some justice to the delicious food.

The Candlenut Kitchen
http://www.candlenutkitchen.com/

25 Neil Road
Singapore, Singapore, 088816
+65 6226 2506

Mon – Sat:
11:30 am – 3:00 pm
6:00 pm – 10:30 pm

In the short span of four years as a wedding photographer, I’ve mostly photographed couples who are embarking on a fresh phase of life as newly weds. It is always a joy for me to be able to witness the spirit of two individuals coming together with an exciting and amazing path ahead of them. And I guess it would come full circle for a photographer, to be able to capture the spirit of a couple who have stuck through the thick and thin for years long after their wedding day.

And so several weeks ago, Mr and Mrs Chua celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. As a gift to her parents, wordsmith wannabe and twitter addict – Nicholina – thought that a series of portraits would commemorate the tale of Mom and Dad. ‘Uncle’ Vincent and ‘Auntie’ Patricia were a joy to photograph, my assumptions of an older couple hugging and stealing kisses, quickly went out the window as we spent one morning walking about and chatting during our shoot.

“His sincerity”
“I just knew”
“Dad makes a mean Crackling Roast Pork”
“Not after many failed attempts”
“Are your parents the hugging sort?”
“Awwww…”

Are but snippets of that morning, but this I remember most of what Uncle Vincent said;

“Understand each other and know when to give and take” was the straightforward and thoughtful answer that Uncle Vincent revealed was the secret to his and Auntie Patricia’s 35 year union.

And I think that surely must be the right recipe for Mr and Mrs Chua’s years together.

Last Thursday (25th March) at the microbrewery’s Riverside Point outlet – through only the use of social media via twitter and facebook – a gathering of people who cared about the needs of others, turned up for Twestival or Twitter Festival. Twestival is a 100% volunteer organised event that transpires around the world on the same date and each time for a different cause. This particular Twestival’s focus was on the 72 million children that aren’t provided the opportunity of an education.

In 2010, we turn our focus to education and 72 million children in the world who don’t have the opportunity to go to school. @Concern Worldwide has been selected by the Twestival global team and local organizers to be the recipient because of their comprehensive and well respected approach to education. This is an issue that involves many different elements; hunger, water, teacher training, building of schools, etc. We hope to use the power of our global event fundraising and social media influence as a vehicle to give people insight into this cause on a deeper level.
(from twestival.com)

‘Tweet, Meet and Give Lah!’ was the local chapter’s tagline and give they did. In Singapore at current estimates, US$6,112 was raised for the cause, not including sponsorship figures. Not bad for the Singapore Twestival team that organised the event in a mere 3 weeks. In that short time, the local team managed to pull in support from emcee Joe Augustin (@joeaugustin), local band Jack and Rai (@jackandrai) and singer/composer Deborah Lee as the evening’s entertainment. And just to name a few – Samsung, Lenovo, Crocs and Cisco threw in their support as well. But it didn’t end there though, The Lens Man (@thelensmen) pledged part of their daily sales to the cause. And to top it off Brewerkz (@BrewerkzSG) not only sponsored the venue, but donated 10% of the evening’s revenue to the event.

Everytime I shoot @jackandrai at an event, Jack loves to lean to Rai for the shot. True story.

Fellow tweeples coaxing Sherwin Loh of Digital Life to do a pole dance. (-_-’”)

The smarter emcee @joeaugustin says I’m…

I jumped at the chance when (@blackawfee) a good mate of mine, asked if I would sponsor my time as a photographer. How could I say ‘No’ to her when I’ve photographed a bunch of her friends’ weddings, all thanks to her? ;-)

And I’m glad to say I was part of the evening’s activities, it was fun to have met the many fellow tweeples for real that evening. But ‘met for fun’ wouldn’t be right to say, to have ‘met up for a good cause and then partied some!’ now that is so much more worthwhile.

The organising team.

More about Twestival Singapore:
Twestival Singapore – singapore.twestival.com
Follow Twestival Singapore at – @twestivalsg
Photographs by @dazzachazza and @inrsoul
The Twestival Singapore flickr pool – flickr.com/groups/twestivalsg/
And to keep track of all things Twestival (Singapore) – #TwestivalSg tag.

PS: Brewerkz is running a Twitter promotion now till April 11th. Mention @BrewerkzSG at any outlet to receive 10% off your total bill.

Kevin (@inrsoul) and I.

XD

I met Candice and Howard late last year over lunch, where we chatted about their wedding plans for this year. And I got super excited when they told me later that they had decided to hire me. I almost Gummi Bear bounced about the walls of  my room. Cool or what?! And a few days before the Chinese New Year celebrations, I receive an SMS from Candice about wanting to get some family portraits done as a present to her parents. It was a bit of a last minute idea, but I knew it would just rock. And I would later learn, that the timing couldn’t be more right for it. Stars align as they say – shared birthdays, anniversaries and everyone back in one place in Singapore.

And so a few hours before the traditional eve of chinese new year reunion dinner, over ‘kuey kueys’, mid afternoon beers and alot of jumping about, the Koh Family Rockstar Portraits were produced. I knew I left the studio buzzing from the warmth of family and an awesome fun time. And then I went off for my family reunion dinner smiling and thinking – more please!

I know I’m looking forward and counting down the days guys, Candice and Howard!

‘Gummi bears… bouncing up and down and everywhere….’