The long road to a Michelin star

Chef Daniel Cheung from the Shangri-La Singapore currently in Colombo to offer a special culinary experience talks about what is takes to reach that coveted culinary pinnacle

Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Cheung, Executive Chinese Chef at Shangri-La Singapore is in Colombo this week to host four exclusive dining events where guests can experience the age old traditions of authentic Chinese cuisine. 

This is particularly so as Chef Daniel he loves incorporating traditional Chinese cooking with Western elements, infusing different ingredients to create a burst of unexpected flavours. He is keenly looking forward to using the variety of seafood here to create some interesting dishes at Shangri-La Colombo.

 “I also like to experiment with presentation – one such dish is my Fried Rice with Wagyu Beef served in Whole Tomato – you get the natural sweetness of the tomato in the rice with bits of the beef. I enjoy preparing Cantonese stir-fried dishes, because it allows guests to enjoy Cantonese cuisine with a full range of flavours in a short period of time,” he says.

The road to the Michelin star, that most coveted accolade for Chef Daniel was long and hard. He says candidly that growing up, school was not his strength, but it was a tough transition to the industry. “The professional kitchen was quite hierarchical and the chefs were tough masters. It was a completely different world that I had to get used to and I began as a pot washer, like many newcomers and eventually worked my way up to learn the fundamentals of cooking.”

He worked his way up the culinary world over many years and says he sharpened his skills in different sections of the kitchen. “Over time, with rigorous practice, I mastered the three complexities of Cantonese food -- Temperature, Taste, Fragrance – as well as the intricacies of operating a Cantonese kitchen. 

“I was privileged to have the opportunity to then work at leading culinary establishments which allowed me to hone my skills,” he says. In 1994, he joined Spring Moon at the The Peninsula Hong Kong where he worked for 14 years. Then he joined one of Hong Kong’s oldest institutions -- The Jockey Club “a memorable milestone for me”, he says. “It’s a revered institution and I got to cook for the city’s rich and famous. I will also have look back fondly on my time here because this exposure is what gave me increased visibility as a Cantonese chef.”

“After that, I joined the Shangri-La Group which has also been very special. We received our one-Michelin-star status when I was the Executive Chinese Chef at  Shangri-La Hong Kong and it was good to be recognized for the hard work and dedication that myself and my team put in every day.

“Achieving and maintaining a Michelin Star requires an incredible team to be by your side. At the core, you need to source and use the best quality ingredients from your suppliers and a team of chefs who genuinely respect and love working with seasonal produce, local ingredients and unique flavours.”

But at the end of the day, the most enjoyable thing about being a chef for Chef Daniel is “simply seeing my guests happily enjoying the dishes with a smile on their face, and of course the beauty of cooperating seamlessly with my colleagues to deliver exceptional experiences to our guests.”

Chef Daniel will present four exclusive events hosted at Shang Palace, Shangri-La Colombo from August 9-12 from| 6.30 p.m. till 10.30 p.m.

The four course set menu is priced at Rs19,888 ++ per person (beverages not included). For more information, please contact +94 76 355 1418.