Emmanuel Stroobant

Greatly encouraged by his mentor chef who noticed the natural talent of his young charge, Emmanuel took to his working environment like fish to water, and before long he was on his way to peeling, chopping vegetables and making salads!

The journey to hone his culinary skills covered Europe, America, Australia and finally Asia. His flagship restaurant, Saint Pierre, opened in 2000 and two years later he moved to premises with better frontage and more room in the kitchen to facilitate his creative streak.

In 2004, Emmanuel started San Marco at the Lighthouse in the Fullerton Hotel, as well as Townhouse and the refurbished Molly Malone’s in Boat Quay. His Belgian restaurant, Brussels Sprouts, was formed in 2006, followed by the suburban family restaurant, Picotin, in 2007. In 2008, Fullerton Hotel took back its space, and San Marco was transformed into Rocks – Urban Grill + Bar, a contemporary barbecue restaurant located at the Sail. The French Kitchen opened its doors in early 2009. Townhouse and Molly Malone’s were sold to an investment company in 2009.


Cookbooks

Emmanuel widened his professional horizons with the writing of two cook books, ‘Cuisine Unplugged’ and ‘Vine Dining – White’ which won the Gourmand World Media Award for “Best in the World Matching Food and Wine”. He also has his own TV series titled, ‘Chef in Black’ and subsequently ‘Chef in Black II’. In addition, Stroobant has also carried out several overseas consultation projects and guest-chef appearances.

Cuisine Unplugged features 60 original recipes created by Chef Emmanuel Stroobant in his signature style of adapting European flavours to the tropical climate and reinterpreting traditional dishes with a modern approach.

These recipes are carefully adapted and improvised for reproduction in the comfort of one’s home without compromise in the quality or taste as is evident in the culinary creations that has garnered him numerous awards.
Contemporary ingredients that are readily available in supermarkets are ingeniously selected to specially enhance the creation of the dishes. Each recipe is presented in approachable steps so that it can be effortlessly reproduced by all – even at the hands of a novice. Readers will be delighted at the uncomplicated manner in which each innovative menu can be assembled in the home kitchen.

The book’s contents are presented in serving order, from canapes and soups to main courses and desserts, making it a breeze to follow and easy to refer. Characterised by the bold use of colours and peppered with playful close-up shots of the dishes, Cuisine Unplugged stands out for its creative simplicity and excellence and is a must-have for all cooking enthusiasts.


Vine Dining – White features great recipes to go with that perfect glass of wine. The first in a set of two books on pairing wine with food, Vine Dining - White is a book that will appeal to those who enjoy entertaining with a good glass of wine. This award-winning publication provides information about eight different grape varieties and stunning recipes to complement the featured wines, bringing out the best from both. The eight grape varieties featured are Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Rielsing, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Viognier. A detailed introduction and ten newly created recipes accompany each grape. The contents are beautifully presented with artistic photographs making it a feast for the senses! Look out for the forthcoming partner title, Vine Dining - Red.

All cookbooks can be purchased at Amazon and all major bookstores.

Venture into an exciting food exploration with Chef Emmanuel Stroobant, the Chef in Black! In the first and second season of this popular series, Emmanuel travels South East Asia in search of new flavours and inspiration.




In season I, culinary explorer Emmanuel Stroobant goes on a motor cycle journey to the various nooks and crannies of Singapore to discover the food that defines Singapore cooking. From the fanfare of the hawker centres to culturally diversified areas like Little India and Chinatown, from the secrets of home cooked Peranakan cuisine to the most expensive designer Chinese restaurant in town, Emmanuel creates his very own version of the same cuisine.

In season II, Emmanuel travels beyond Singapore to Asian countries like Macau, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia to explore more wonderful cuisines from South East Asia. He takes the traditional and transforms it into the modern with just a little inspiration and whole lot of style.