Chef d’ Table, which literally translates to the Chef’s table, is an unfussy, minimal restaurant with an open kitchen, whose best seats are in the al fresco area where one has a view of the beautiful CHIJMES chapel. A born-and-bred Singaporean, Chef Jason Lee has spent 20 years honing his craft overseas, opening restaurants with varied cuisines ranging from French, to Spanish, Japanese, and of course Singaporean. As a result the cuisine offered is true to his French culinary roots, but distinctly influenced from this plethora of experiences.
While enjoying the excellent fare on offer, with the glow of the setting sun reflecting off the chapel walls, we were reminded why so many regulars return to this quiet corner of CHIJMES. The food, the ambience and the serenity, make Chef d' Table the perfect spot to enjoy a hearty meal.
"Chef Jason Lee prides himself on offering value-for-money degustation menus with dishes such as a cold angel hair in truffle oil served with barbecued prawns, roasted duck fillet with vanilla mash potatoes and a hearty lobster bisque cappuccino." -CNNGo.com
"With its friendly wait-staff, convenient location and real value for money, one meal at Chef D’Table will turn you into a regular. We’re already planning on returning for their chef’s dinner." -I-S Asia-City
"Cooked from premium Australian beef tenderloin, this beef fillet was a perfect medium rare; red but not bloody. The beef was very tender and well-complemented by the really smooth sweet potato mousseline. The overall texture of this dish got even better when I paired the beef and mousseline with the crispy fried greens, according to the chef's recommendation." -Her World
The degustation menu is a must try, offering fresh seasonal fare. Items such as the cold angel hair pasta in truffle oil with barbecued prawns, and the pomodoro-licked dory fillet with baby spinach and basil pesto are well executed with the flavors well balanced. The grilled Kurobuta pork loin with apple sauce and pineapple-prune mash was extremely flavourful and grilled to perfection.
The best part about the degustation menu is that for indecisive diners like the Chope team who want to sample everything, we no longer have to decide between meat or fish and can have it all! Of course no meal is complete without dessert, and with Chef d’ Table’s ever changing rotation of desserts, you are guaranteed to feast on something delectably new on each visit. For something different, try the sago panna cotta with gula melaka. And for those who like to stick to familiar favourites, the chocolate lava cake is as perfect as they come.
Chef d’Table is truly an excellent place to unwind and enjoy the best of CHIJMES, while feasting on some well-executed French fare.
"Every table is a chef’s table here – the kitchen overlooks the 45-seater dining room so chef Jason Lee can keep an eye on his diners. The Chef d’Table Deluxe dégustation dinner menu ($85++, minimum two persons) is a value-for-money four-course menu because in actuality, it’s seven courses in generous portions: two appetisers served together, one soup, a second course, two mains and a dessert. Of the various prettily painted (he uses parsley oil as his greens) modern-European-with-a-hint-of-Asian plates, we favoured the grilled prawns with cold angel-hair pasta cooked with konbu, a comfortable amount of truffle oil and ebiko roe. This refreshing dish also makes for a good à la carte lunch main ($18). The best part: despite the tables’ close proximity to the kitchen, diners don’t stink of kitchen fumes."
-Time Out Singapore
