Adventurous Appetite

Tell us more about what you do as an Operations Manager. Is this something you’ve always wanted to do?
I work for a US-based investment management firm that recently opened an office here in Singapore. My role is to oversee the operations of the office and ensure that everything is running smoothly with our physical location here, resources, and people within the office. I’m also responsible for events management.

I wouldn’t say it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Prior to this, I was pursuing a career in lifestyle and fashion journalism, but I found this company soon after graduating and have loved the people so much. They make me want to stay even though the finance industry is a bit of a departure from my original plans.

What do you love most about Singapore?
I love many things about Singapore, but my favourites are the food and the people.

The food scene here is unreal! I love being able to go to a hawker at any time and have access to so many amazing cuisines at such affordable prices. I’s given me great opportunities to expand my palate as an adventurous eater.

The people are also fantastic. I’ve been happily surprised by how welcoming Singapore is; everyone is quick to introduce me to their social circles and offer help.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
I love to dance, so I spend time taking dance classes—primarily hip hop, girls style, street jazz, and heels. I also love to cook and try new foods at hawkers and restaurants.

Apart from that, I absolutely love to sing and write songs. Most people wouldn’t know this, but I’m always writing random verses in the shower and singing around my apartment. No one really hears them, but it’s a fun hobby for me.

But by far my favourite hobby since moving here is probably travelling. Moving to Singapore was my first time coming to Asia, so I try to travel as much as I can on the weekends. Thus far, I’ve been to Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, andI have upcoming trips planned to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Japan.

When did your interest in cooking start?
I’ve always loved to cook! Growing up, both my parents were chefs, so I was raised around great food. I run an Instagram account called @supperwithsof where I share my home cooking.

Cooking is like a creative outlet that you can eat. For me, it’s really fun to learn about new techniques, ingredients, or types of food, and then think about how to combine them or swap them out to create something new.

I get creative, for instance, by taking my mum’s classic Italian mushroom risotto and giving it a Japanese twist by swapping the chicken broth for dashi, adding miso paste instead of parmesan, and using shiitake mushrooms instead of portobello.

What is your favourite cuisine to explore, be it in the kitchen or out in restaurants?
It’s hard for me to pick just one favourite cuisine.

Before moving to Singapore, I probably would have said French or Mediterranean. Now, I’m exploring a lot more Asian foods that are less accessible to me in the USA. I’ve been taking a lot of cooking classes here in Singapore and whenever I travel.

If you have to live on a single dish or ingredient for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
That is such a hard question! If it’s for the rest of my life, it would probably be my go-to meal of a simple rice bowl with salmon, egg, and some vegetables like avocado or tomato. It’s healthy, tasty, and I almost never get sick of it. Plus, it’s easy enough to switch up so that I don’t get bored.

Slight variations are key, like marinating the salmon differently, or doing the eggs soft-boiled, hard, or onsen style!