Locally produced, French inspired: Chef Allen of Saveur Bistro whips up French dishes with locally produced seafood and greens

Backyard Productions is back with a series of Taste and Dine events this August. Collaborating with the greatest restaurants in Singapore, we bring local produce from our farm partners to the table with chefs who whip up tasty creations using the best that Singapore has to offer.

In our third edition, we have Chef Allen Tan, the Chef de cuisine of SAVEUR! Before joining SAVEUR, he spent 2 years perfecting his skills at Les Amis and worked at JAAN for another 2 years. Chef Allen has 10 extensive years of experience in French cuisine.

In our conversation with Chef Allen, he shares with us his journey as a chef and his thoughts on Singapore’s home-grown produce.

How did your journey as a chef begin?

My passion for cooking was sparked by my mother who was also a fellow chef, a hawker. Ever since I was a little boy, I helped out at my mother’s hawker stall. 

Why the journey into French Cuisine?

Impressed by the beauty, rich history and delicateness of it, I ventured into mastering French cuisine.

What are your thoughts on local produce?

I find that local produce is usually much fresher and has fewer or no pesticides. The freshness of local produce enables us as restaurateurs to offer healthier and more nutritious options to our customers. 

What dishes can we look forward to?

One of the dishes I will be preparing for this Taste and Dine is a ‘Lightly Poached Grouper with Thai coconut tumeric veloute’. I wanted to achieve a local twist on the French bouillabaisse with a variety of seafood in a stew. The grouper is locally reared and local flavours will be unified into this dish. 

What other local produce are you curious to explore with?

Local eggs are one of my favourite Singaporean produce. Be it in a sweet or savoury dish, eggs are one of the most versatile ingredients which I can incorporate into recipes. Also, I am intrigued to experiment with local dairy products such as Goat Milk and Cheese.

About Taste & Dine

Taste & Dine is a series of dining events brought to you by Backyard Productions in collaboration with the best restaurants in Singapore to highlight our homegrown produce. 

By working together with chefs to create a menu that uses locally grown and farmed produce, Backyard Productions aims to bring our homegrown gems to the forefront of the industry, making it accessible for all.

Chef Allen Tan’s magnifique creations using local produce can be found at Saveur during the month of August 2022. 

His magnifique creations are inspired by classic French dishes with a local touch. 

Anticipate a luxurious Taste & Dine Set Lunch/Dinner that comes as a 3 course meal at $68++. They are available for booking from 2nd to 14th August 2022.