STI: Coin toss wins it

March 29, 2009

Coin toss wins it

Chef Heinz Beck got to go to culinary school over his brother after his father flipped a coin to decide

By Fiona Low 

 

Renowned German chef Heinz Beck has three Michelin stars, five cookbooks and numerous other culinary accolades under his belt. Curiously, this is all thanks to a lucky gamble many years ago.

 

When his father heard that both Heinz and his twin brother, Hermann, wanted to enter the culinary profession, the senior Beck decided that one chef in the family was enough. He wanted at least one son to continue the family jewellery business.

 

The result: a coin toss that Heinz won, landing him in culinary school.

 

The 45-year-old, who is famous for his distinctive style of Mediterranean cuisine, will be in Singapore next month for the annual World Gourmet Summit.

 

Since 1994, he has helmed the kitchen at La Pergola - the only restaurant in Rome to have received three Michelin stars - which makes him one of the most famous chefs in Italy.

 

'I want to transmit emotions through a balance of aromas, flavours and colours,' says Beck of his food.

 

Those hoping to pick up some cooking tips from him can look forward to a masterclass he will conduct on April 27 at the Singapore Tourism Board auditorium.

 

But for those who prefer to simply sample his cuisine, there is the Iconic Dinner: Cuisine of Heinz Beck with Chianti Classico Wines later the same day at The St Regis Singapore.

 

You have recently written your fifth cookbook. Tell us about it.

 

The book is called Heinz Beck - L'ingrediente Segreto, which means The Secret Ingredient. It contains 32 recipes as well as a memoir of my life and my philosophy on food and cooking.

 

I wrote about the things that inspire me, the process I go through in creating a dish. The book will be out in stores at the end of next month.

 

You are also a professional sommelier from the Italian Sommelier Association. What is your favourite wine?

 

At the moment I like very much the wines from Apulia, a region in south-eastern Italy. They are made from the Nero di Troia, a red wine grape variety grown in the Italian region of Puglia. It reminds me of the flavours from the Mediterranean countryside.

What is your favourite dish to cook for your wife, Teresa?

 

Mediterranean lobster with orange sauce and basil olive oil.

 

What was your favourite German dish as a child?

 

Rinderroulade, which is a German meat roulade consisting of bacon, onions, mustard and pickles wrapped in thinly sliced beef.

 

What do you think is the winning formula of a good restaurant?

 

Doing your best to make the client feel like a king.

 

Name three things in the kitchen that you cannot do without.

 

Passion, creativity and good staff.

 

Do you have a sweet tooth?

 

Yes, I do. When it comes to desserts, I love all preparations that involve fruits.

 

What is one thing you will never eat?

 

Oysters because I'm allergic to them.

 

Of all the recipes that you have created, which is your favourite?

 

My Fiore Di Zucca, which is a deep-fried zucchini with quail eggs and caviar on a saffron consomme.

 

I chose the picture of it for the cover of my first book because it is a beautiful dish. It almost looks like a shining sun.

 

The flavours and texture of the dish meld perfectly with each other in your mouth. It is a wonderful dish.

 

What is the best part about being a chef?

 

Making people happy with the food that I cook. That is the most rewarding part of the job.

 

Are you a healthy eater?

 

Yes, definitely, because I believe that you are what you eat.

 

What is your signature dish?

 

My fagottelli from La Pergola, which is a fat pasta parcel filled with a heady explosion of liquid butter and parmesan, served with a parsley sauce and topped with caviar.

 

WHAT WOULD YOUR LAST MEAL BE?

 

I don't know yet, but I hope that I still have plenty of time to think about it.