Chef Sim of R.E.D. believes tasty food is farm fresh and barely tampered with

Before Chef Sim Poh Geok travelled to India in 2003, he was warned that the country was a really hot one. Chef landed in the nation’s capital on a wet, chilly morning, soaked and wet to his bones. Not just the weather, there were other differences he had to reconcile with; differences in attitude towards food, a diverse palate to please, and the momentous task of scouting for the right ingredients before he could do justice to his Singaporean cooking legacy. However, there must have been magic in this country which worked—least, better than Russia which Chef quit after two months of stay—and Chef Raymond stayed put for 10 years now. In fact, he stayed put in the Rare Eastern Dining (R.E.D.) in Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida for the better part of those 10 years that he spent here. “I lost my mother at a young age. My father thought it wiser to send me to stay with my elder sister, a decision which changed my life. My brother-in-law was a Chef and I watched him closely. It was he who encouraged me to pursue this profession right after school. I joined him in his kitchen without any training. I also did two years of compulsory Army service but returned right afterward, picking up from where I had left.” A serendipitous entry into the kitchen led the Chef’s to discovering his calling. Today, he admits that there is nothing that he loves more than cooking and putting his dishes before customers. The humble beginning at a small eatery also had its advantages—Chef Sim remains devoted to (what he calls) plain (I call it healthy) cooking, practised at homes. “I mean little interference with ingredients. Take farm fresh produce, toss them with a little sauce, and serve. Don’t overwhelm the vegetables, meat or fish. I also have a strict policy of not using ajinomoto because it is detrimental to health. Instead, I prefer using aromatic powder (akin to a five-spice powder),” he says. Alas, it seems that not all prefer their food that fresh. “For those who want a bit more oil, frying and cooking I switch between Chinese-Chinese and Indian- Chinese cooking quite expertly. The Indian palate, I’ve come to realise, prefers a stronger taste,” he says with a laugh. This expert-switch-mode took time. Before he became an expert, wars were waged, especially with the suppliers. “Fish was, and remains, an issue. I am used to seeing live catches, cleaned, cooked and served. Here the fish is frozen,” he says with an exasperated shake of his head. When it comes to quality one knows that Chef Sim means business. After the interview is over I taste his prawn tempuras, a Thai chicken salad and broccoli and mushrooms tossed in oyster and garlic sauce. The prawns were fresh and fresh! A glance at him, also tell you a lot. He is perhaps one of the leanest chefs I’ve met. He admits with a twinkle that the food he cooks at home would seem ‘almost raw’ to my Indian tongue. He also chuckles when I ask him his favourite vegetable. “I don’t like greens so much as I like meat,” he says. The man has done something right indeed—under his guidance R.E.D. at the Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida, has become one of the most respected names, serving Pan Asian cuisine. R.E.D. concentrates on Cantonese, Malaysian and Honk Kong cuisines. “Singapore combines all three influences in a melting pot of tastes. If you look at the bigger picture, you will see that the emphasis is on freshness and quality. I believe that Singapore cooks its food a little blander than India, and it is also a little more sweet,” he adds as an afterthought. Chef Sim has served as an Assistant Cook at Prince City Restaurant, as a Chief Chef at The Pier Seafood Restaurant in Singapore (his sea food fetish explained). He also served a stint as the Master Chef at prestigious Raffles Country Club and Changi Beach Club (Singapore). Today, Chef Sim shuttles between Singapore (where his family lives) and NOIDA (his second home). When he is back here, he has all the Singaporean ingredients to add that punch to his signature dishes which include fish in Mala sauce, coffee pork ribs, black pepper crab and a variety of dimsums. I wonder for the man who is thus passionate about cooking, does he not see himself one day to start something on his own? “Well, it is easier said than done. In Singapore especially, it is difficult to start something on your own. We have really strict labour laws and it is difficult to find staff.” So, our country’s doing something right? “Oh no, I have no complaints here,” he says with a chuckle. “It is great to serve people with good food and the satisfaction is enormous whereever you do it.” I believe him indeed, considering he offers me food thrice during the interview. Needless to say, I gave in.