The young talent is the second chef from Singapore to earn the honour to represent the region at the finals in Milan.

Photos: S.Pellegrino

It is still early in the competition’s history to make any big assumptions, but Jake Kellie’s win at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Southeast Asia Regional Final is a huge nod to Singapore’s celebrated culinary scene. Besting nine other contenders from Singapore, Indonesia, Maldives, India, Thailand and Malaysia, the composed 27-year-old earned the honour of representing the region at the global finals, which will take place from May 11 to 13, 2018 in Milan, Italy. He is the second chef from Singapore to do so following Jaan head chef Kirk Westaway’s win at the inaugural competition two years ago.

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Even at such a young age, Kellie is no stranger to success. He began his career in 2011 and quickly became one of Australia’s rising chefs, garnering a long list of achievements, including being named The Age Young Chef of the Year for two consecutive years in 2015 and 2016. He relocated to Singapore this year to join Burnt Ends as its head chef.

It was this apparent confidence in the kitchen that helped his choice dish of aged pigeon shine. Kellie also smartly chose to make his favourite protein to work with the star of the dish and paid homage to his birth country by using native Australian ingredients, including the pepper leaves and strawberry gum the bird was first aged in for two weeks. It was then paired with a riberry and blackberry compote finished with finger limes, beetroot salt-baked in wattleseed with roasted pigeon drippings, and a pigeon broth finished with an eight-year-old fortified wine from South Australia. The plate was also specially made in Australia, and glazed with the ashes from the oven of Burnt Ends.

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“I’m in this to represent the region, and also to win,” shares an emotional Kellie.

“I’m a person who won’t hold back, and I’m very determined, so, I’d like to say I’m going to give it a good run for their money,” he adds. This, though, will involve improving on the dish. “You can’t really create that perfect dish, you always want to be better at what you do, and that dish can always be better,” he affirms.

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He will find good advice from Amber’s Richard Ekkebus, who will be leading Kellie to the grand finale as his assigned mentor. “It was a unanimous decision,” Ekkebus says of the judges’ pick. “Jake impressed us with his confidence; he was organised and composed, and most importantly, the dish was tasty and technically strong.

“It was the one dish that all of us could finish eating, which is not an easy feat with ten dishes to taste,” he adds. He goes on to point out the strong story behind Kellie’s dish, which truly reflects his Australian identity. “Great chefs who are highly successful today are also highly communicative,” he says.