Former Sous Chef Kirk Westaway is the new man leading the kitchen of this award-winning restaurant

On first impression, it seems like JAAN hasn’t changed at all. Housed on the 70th floor of Swissotel The Stamford, it still boasts a majestic view of the Marina skyline. The interiors are the same with its big round tables and the stunning murano crystal abstract chandelier giving the whole place a more romantic feel. And when it comes to its offerings, they remain topnotch with beautifully-plated dishes that look as good as they taste.  


But what’s new at JAAN? Well, there’s a new man helming the kitchen—Chef de Cuisine Kirk Westaway. While he’s actually not that new, serving as Sous Chef of previous Chef de Cuisine Julien Royer for four years, he was recently thrust into the spotlight with the opportunity to lead the culinary team of this acclaimed French restaurant.  


With his new role, he didn’t waste any time to show the world what he can do by introducing stellar new creations that showcase nature’s finest produce. One of his standout starters is the Tomato Collection, which looks quite simple but takes your taste buds on a roller coaster ride with different flavour profiles. The cooking process also deserves a mention as it involves dehydrating and rehydrating the fruit, stuffing it with different ingredients and dressing it with tomato consommé. It’s just a testament to Chef Kirk’s sophisticated techniques, which also define his other dishes such as the Langoustine Cannelloni, Pumpkin Cannelloni and Zucchini and Crayfish Salad. 


Chef Kirk also puts his stamp on the main dishes with his Forest Pigeon served with white polenta and cromesqui. Ensuring that the meat is tender and full of flavour, its marinated in thyme, bay leaves and garlic. The leg is confit and breast is cooked sous vide before they are pan-fried to get that oh-so-crispy skin.  

Down to the desserts, he still has a few tricks up his sleeve with his own take on the Roasted French Peach. The fruit is presented two ways—half of it is cured overnight with lemon juice while the other part is coated with butter and sugar before it’s roasted to get that added crunch. It’s then presented with almonds, vanilla ice cream, lemon verbena meringue and lemon and olive oil sponge.

It’s only been a few months since Chef Kirk took the reins to steer the kitchen of JAAN to new and better heights. Judging by the creations he has introduced in such a short period, we can all agree that there will be bigger and more delectable creations to come. And we can’t wait to see what he’s going to whip up next.