Michellin-starred chef Jeff Ramsey

Uncovering Babe
We’re creating a fun dining experience. We want to blow people’s socks off with the flavours, presentation, and the environment. We want to be the antithesis of fine dining. The [usual] fine dining [scene] usually presents very nice food, but it is not the kind of place where you can let your hair down. Hence, the name “Babe” – it is not pretentious.

The Menu It helps me take full advantage of mirroring my unique approach to food. It basically revolves around Japanese-inspired tapas, which I call “Japas.” There were more than 100 items that could have made it, but we’ve pared it down to 60 savoury dishes and desserts, to start. We still have a lot of ideas left in our back pockets!

On Modernist Cuisine
The challenge with modernist cuisine is that people are always anticipating what comes next. Everyone will ask, “Show me something new.” We always have to present new ideas. But there are always tons of things that we can do.

Cappuccino cotton candy balls

Chef’s Recommendation
There are a lot of flavours on the menu that I’d have – with a beer in my hand – but I really like our Japanese clam chowder. It’s a a deconstructed version of your usual clam chowder. It tastes really luxurious and sumptuous. It is served with vegan bacon strips that are actually made of coconut, which elevate the chowder’s taste to signature status.

Opposites Attract I’m not about weird combinations. I like a lot of classic flavours and I like discovering new ones. I once made passion fruit-marinated salmon roe. I’ve also made awesome scallion avocado sauce, which is like sweet Asian guacamole with its [inclusion of] lime juice. One of my favourite combinations from Babe is our mango spheres with chilli and prawn powder. We also have marinated salmon roe served on top of hot rice mixed with butter – a flavour combination inspired by one of my favourite restaurants in Japan. Unexpectedness is a way to have fun.

Explosion Of Flavours
With sushi, you eat the fish, and it’s got that sublime texture and flavour. Each grain of rice is separated in your mouth before you get that sour, sweet mixing. That’s the magic. They’re separate but they come together in your mouth through interplay. That interplay has become my focus over time. Because of my sushi background, I like making small food, with which I can control the variables. With big servings, you don’t know what’s going to happen in people’s mouths.

Candy floss unagi

Daily Mantra
Don’t take life too seriously. Learn to enjoy yourself.

BABE is at 11F/L Work @ Clearwater, Changkat Semantan, Damansara Heights. Tel: 03-2095 1999