INDULGE Text and photos by Dr Valerie Tay "People who love to eat are always the best people." – Julia Child 1 My love for food has been lifelong; me to explore the possibilities of working in the kitchen and in that surely must explain the photos my tiny galley kitchen. As with all medicine. of me as a beaming, overweight good Singaporeans, I decided to toddler. Thankfully, that did not upgrade myself (after my exit exams Nature of the work carry over into adulthood. Being of a of course). I parlayed my SkillsFuture • Art and science small frame, it is my firm belief that credits into a cake-decorating course. We all know that medicine is having a lower metabolic (ie, caloric) The feedback from kind friends both an art and a science, and requirement has led to me being and acquaintances was nothing that is surely true when it comes to cooking or baking as well. The more discerning about what I eat. but stellar. The immediate return precision required for tempering After all, for most of our working on investment was probably better chocolate involves narrow life, especially when we are on call, than any hands-on surgical course temperature ranges in heating and the food we consume when we have I had ever attended. Perhaps it was melting the chocolate, cooling it the opportunity for a decent meal time for me to explore further afield! and then raising the temperature is often the only luxury that we can It was with that inflated sense again by only around two to three look forward to. of self, which all surgeons must degrees Celsius. This process As a prominent food writer of surely possess to some degree – allows the pastry chef to shape the our fraternity famously says, “Never that I trooped off to Paris, probably chocolate into towering sculptures waste your calories on yucky food!" also exuding the same bright- or cute rabbits for Easter. eyed enthusiasm seen in medical Food is a universal language • Perfectionist streak students who come into the wards and eating together helps to bring Just as each station cook will have people closer to one another. for the first time. his mise en place, where each dish In recent times, it has also been Since then, I’ve spent a good and ingredient would be ready elevated to an art form. Of course, amount of time taking short courses and laid out in a certain order splatters of sauce on a plate aspiring in various culinary and pastry schools before service, each procedurist to be a Jackson Pollack painting in Paris, and of late, I have ventured will have his instruments laid out have turned many off the idea into local Peranakan cooking. in a particular fashion before the of haute cuisine, but if one has a Despite the aforementioned inflated start of a procedure. And I’m sure well thought-out dish with a good sense of self, I am not delusional. My that just like every resident who balance of flavours, presentation skill at cuisine is only good enough would have had their unevenly certainly does enhance the for home parties. Pastry is certainly placed skin sutures snipped off experience for the diner. my stronger suit; I have sold my and redone by their seniors, the cakes in cafes and also taken in line cooks would have had their How it began private orders. julienned carrots rejected for being uneven. My social media feed comprises mainly posts of food and pastries. From operating theatre “When you acknowledge, as you Seeing how numerous home-chefs to kitchen must, that there is no such thing as seemed to be able to create dishes Over time, I have realised that there perfect food, only the idea of it, then with complex components inspired are many similarities between the real purpose of striving toward 36 JAN 2018 SMA News Dr Tay is a consultant perfection becomes clear: to make • Of meringues and irrigation in the Department of people happy. That's what cooking A colleague once said to me, as we Otolaryngology at Tan is all about." – Thomas Keller were irrigating a dirty wound: “The Tock Seng Hospital. solution to pollution is dilution”. She believes that Environment chocolate is a panacea Whipping up a meringue for human ills of the • Physically demanding from egg whites requires a clean non-medical variety. It is no secret that those in the and non-greasy stainless steel Email: drvalerietay@ food and beverage (F&B) industry gmail.com | Instagram: whisk and bowl. It has often been @dr.epicure. work long hours. In fact, as a advised that the meringue will fail whole, they do work more unsocial if there is even a tiny drop of yolk hours than doctors do. In both in your bowl of egg whites. It is my fields, we spend a lot of time on experience that if one has enough our feet and work with sharp egg whites, the drop of egg yolk is instruments. inconsequential. • Injuries Burns and sharps injuries are • Finishing common. Just that kitchen staff Senior surgeons often allow the don’t have to take blood tests juniors to close the wound after to screen for HIV when they get a long surgery, and that would pricked or cut. be accompanied with a stern admonishment to “make sure it In practice looks nice”, for it would be the • Team approach only thing the patient can see. The “Brigade de cuisine” was created Similarly, in our age of social by Chef Auguste Escoffier and media, the focus of many F&B serves as a hierarchy to maintain a establishments is in the finishing chain of command and to separate and presentation of the product, roles and specialised tasks. for that is what attracts consumers. From the chef de cuisine (“chief In conclusion 2 of the kitchen”), who is responsible Given the uncanny similarities for the overall management of between our professions, it wouldn’t the kitchen, to the pastry chef be a stretch to take the discipline and the line cook, everyone works and skills that we have honed in our together as a team to create the industry and apply it in the kitchen. dishes that get brought up to the pass, where they are inspected and Personally, I truly enjoy the finished before being served. creative process. To be able to craft a dish or pastry to my taste buds’ liking Indeed, our clinical units all and also share it with others, gives work in teams these days, and the me great joy and satisfaction. most important job of the house officers is, of course, making sure they know how their consultant likes his coffee (permutations Bob being siu dai, gah dai, C, peng, Desire to The Hammer Help People 3 kosong, gao… have I missed any?). Builder • Of gods and minions Orthopod Working in the kitchen and Jesus Thor operating theatre are both largely Legend apprenticeships. Along with that, God 1. A golden sail cake that even one has to put up with the quirks Complex Midas would be proud of and temper of the supreme being 2. Back to the bottom of the food chain in Paris of the day. 3. Tarte aux fraises; strawberries in a shortcrust pastry JAN 2018 SMA News 37.