While the Filipina chef hasn’t been based in the Philippines since 2003, she can't help but miss the variety of nostalgic dishes that shaped her love for food
Johanne Siy’s profession as a chef has taken her all over the world. Her journey started in New York when she enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America and further honed her skills under celebrity chefs Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin and Daniel Boulud at Café Boulud. She moved to Singapore to join Taiwanese chef André Chiang's culinary team, and helped the restaurant earn two Michelin stars in 2017 and attain its highest ranking (No. 2) at the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2017.
When Restaurant André closed for good in 2018, she spent a few years travelling the globe and doing short stints at lauded dining establishments, including Faviken in Sweden, and Relae and Noma in Copenhagen, to expand her palate and knowledge about food. After her sojourn, she's back in Singapore as the head chef of Mediterranean-inspired outfit Lolla where she whips up creative plates inspired by her travels.
She may have a global palate, but comfort food for her is always the Filipino dishes she grew up eating in her hometown of Dagupan in the Philippines. Here are some of her favourites.