IMAGES: JOSEPH BATINO
STOPOVER
food
FAHTHAI
29
B
ochinche boasts one of the most
original concepts for a restaurant
that Singapore has seen in quite
some time. The brainchild of
Argentine chef Diego Jacquet and homegrown
entrepreneur Cynthia Chua, the restaurant
offers a range of small plates marked by bold
flavours and featuring quality ingredients. We
recently sat down for a chat with Jacquet.
What are your earliest memories of cooking?
All from my grandmother! She was a beautiful
person and an excellent cook.
Where did you train?
I had several influential chefs: Francis Mallman
and Ramiro Rodríguez Pardo in Argentina,
Ferran Adrià at elBulli in Spain and Marcus
Samuelsson at Aquavit in New York.
What's the hardest
lesson for a chef?
Discipline and
determination are the
hardest; either you
have it or you don’t.
Many people have stereotypical views of
Argentine food. Are you challenging this?
It’s my only goal. At Bochinche, it’s not just
about huge slabs of meat. We have a diverse
range of dishes, all of which are packed with
punchy flavours that explode on your palate.
How do you source local produce in Singapore?
It’s about meeting as many suppliers as you
can, tasting and visiting the markets. Our
suppliers have been great at helping us obtain
high-quality ingredients.
In Spanish,
Bochinche
equates to an “uproar”, a
“ruckus”, a “hullaballoo”,
a “commotion” and/or a
“rave up”.
Argentine chef Diego Jacquet offers his pick
My favourite dish
MAN ON A
MISSION
Diego wants
to change the
perception of
Argentine food
H O T D I S H
Know
the name
D I N I N G
Was it a gamble to set up in Singapore?
I would say it was a risk but not a gamble and,
in fact, any venture outside London would’ve
been just as challenging. Singapore is exciting
for me as I see how much the people love food.
So what's your favourite dish at Bochinche?
I have a few, but if I had to choose one it
would be the dulce de leche crème brûlée, as
the “banana split” ice cream reminds me of my
childhood!
bochinche.com.sg
