FATFUKU - ANNETTE TAN

Established food writer Annette Tan contributes extensively to Singaporean and international media such as CNALuxury.com, 8DaysEat.sg, Conde Nast Traveler and Wallpaper. She also creates recipes for publications and consults on menus at restaurants and bakeries in Singapore.

She is the author of Savour Chinatown: Stories & Recipes From An Iconic Neighbourhood, which celebrates Chinatown’s rich historical and culinary legacy through the stories of the enclave’s original hawkers and restaurateurs. She is also the editor of cookbooks like Heritage Feasts: A Collection of Singapore Family Recipes, which was named Best Cookbook –Singapore at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2011.

In 2017, Annette established FatFuku, an intimate private dining establishment that celebrates Peranakan and Eurasian dishes. Through these dinners, she shares her favourite recipes, food stories, and her support for small local businesses.

The complex flavours and preparations of Peranakan cuisine are the result of Singapore’s unique intermingling of races and cultures. It is heavily influenced by Malay and Indonesian food, but features pork and prawns as its central proteins. Similarly, Eurasian food derives its roots from Portuguese settlers in the Malaccan Straits. It is rich with ingredients from the Portuguese canon (garlic, onions, vinegar) and tinged with spices from the Straits like chillies, tamarind, and turmeric.

These are the cuisines of Annette’s childhood, which she updates with modern touches that speak of her experience as a dining industry insider.