Vibrancy

We must say, we love your eclectic style!
Thank you! I’m actually wearing a tee that I designed myself—I have my own brand called Skull Porn, where I draw skulls, no porn! I got the domain name, so I thought it was a good catch, you know? So as part of the brand, I make merch and T-shirts.

I used to work with textiles, and I’m in digital design now so I work with a lot of patterns and colours, which is reflected in what I wear. I wear a lot of Italian classics mixed with modern T-shirts and prints. But it was my wife’s idea to include these Bacha Coffee stickers in my outfit today. She too likes to dress up, though in a more fusion punk rock style. She’ll be very amused (or annoyed) that you’ve stopped me today!

We hear you and your wife met on a dating app! Tell us more about that.
Yes, we met on a dating app, dated for a couple of years, and got married in March 2024.

How has married life been like for you?
It’s been pretty great! We have different preferences when it comes to food—she likes fried foods, I like salads; she likes rice, I like pasta—so we’ve been adjusting the way we eat and finding compromises that work for us while also trying to adopt a healthier diet. We both love to eat, so we’re trying to have food be an enjoyable ritual for us both rather than a necessity.

Do you two cook a lot at home?
We try. We always do, when we have the time. I cook pasta a lot—I don’t make my own pasta, but I do make my own sauces.

What’s the best pasta place you’ve found in Singapore?
Forma at Joo Chiat—they have a fantastic set dinner. It’s sort of like an omakase, an Italian chef sampling menu. It’s really good value. Their ragu pasta is great too!

You’ve been in Singapore for many years now—how are you liking it here?
Yes, I’ve been in Singapore for 11 years now. I’m originally Russian, but I got my master’s degree in Italy before moving to Singapore for my first full-time job.

I love it here! I have no plans to move anywhere else. It’s not a popular opinion, but I love the weather here—it feels like summer all the time. I also really love the diversity of food, like Indian (which I love), and of course, Japanese and Italian. We have great restaurants and great ingredients, and you can buy pretty much any type of produce if you want to cook. So as a foodie, Singapore’s perfect for me.