A chef’s journey

He has more than three decades of culinary experience under his belt, but Executive Chef Ron Chang still enjoys simple dishes cooked with love.

TEXT Yuki Sun

PHOTOGRAPHY Vernon Wong

Chef Ron Chang’s long and varied career – spanning more than three decades – has brought him into the world-class kitchens at Resorts World Sentosa, Peach Garden, Universal Studios Singapore (USS) and WZ Attractions, as well as Nirwana Garden Resort, J&N Cruise, Singapore Recreation Club on the Padang, Furama Hotel and Li Bai Sheraton. His experience transcends the kitchen, as his passion has taken him into menu planning, food research and staff development.

Could you share your most memorable experience from the past 34 years?

Chef Ron: The most memorable experience in my career should be the time when I worked at RWS as part of the pre-opening team in 2009. I got to witness the first IR (Integrated Resort) in Singapore coming together from concrete and mud till the day it opened to the public and served 20,000 guests.

On 1 Jan 2011, I was appointed to lead the entire culinary team at USS and support the pre-opening of WZ Attractions and the Malaysian Food Street. I was responsible for all BOH (Back of the House) activities, including all BOHs, MICE and stewarding departments to ensure that all areas were operating smoothly.

I was also in charge of all menu designs for the restaurants’ food promotions, as well as catering for all events held in the park. I led the team in terms of the food research and development on all theming and IP products, while ensuring that it aligned with the standards and restaurant concepts at USS. I also got to work with many chefs who came from different parts of the world.

Do you cook for your family? What dish did you miss while working abroad?

Chef Ron: Due to the nature of my work, I have long working hours and irregular off days. I only cook once in a while, mainly simple dishes or hot pot.

While working in Beijing and Russia from January 2009 to February 2020, I missed our local food, such as chicken rice, laksa, kuey chap and so forth.

What are the must-have cooking appliances for any home? Any advice on avoiding common hazards in a kitchen?

Chef Ron: A basic kitchen should have a stove, rice cooker, baking oven, microwave and so forth. Apart from that, it will have to depend on the homeowner’s lifestyle. At Gain City, there are huge selections of great appliances: for frying, stewing, baking, steaming, roasting and braising.

As for kitchen safety, I would suggest for one to purchase an electric induction cooker that comes with a timer, which is available at Gain City. It is a much safer option when you live with the elderly or need to cook something that takes more than an hour.