It’s been a long journey for One Farrer’s executive chef Marcus Tan. He started as a server and received no formal training, but a strong work ethic and teachable attitude propelled Tan upward. The heat of the Chinese restaurant that he started at eventually led him to Osaka, Japan, helming the kitchen of a fine dining restaurant.
He returned to Singapore to become the banquet sous chef for a luxury hotel. Finally, he joined One Farrer close to a decade ago in Sept 2014. Four years later, the hotel’s management noticed his consistent performances and promoted him to his current role.
Managing a hotel’s food and beverage operations is a world away from a typical restaurant. There are events to plan, budgets to balance, and operations to run. Tan thrived in the environment. “One of my favourite highlights is the annual gala dinner for One Farrer Hotel. I love creating bespoke menus for our guests,” the chef shares.
He also counts collaborating with renowned Filipino chef Michelle Adrillana during the World Gourmet Summit 2022 and cooking for the Paddock Suites guests during the F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023 as memorable highlights.
One Farrer's Festive Offerings
The Christmas platter at One Farrer. 
The festive cocktails at One Farrer.
For this year’s festive season, Tan is venturing into Mexican cuisine. It’s a departure from the usual fare. “Our forte is introducing local flavours into our Christmas offerings. I want to be bold and introduce spicy, fresh tastes into the menu. We’ll be using winter-themed ingredients of course.”
One Farrer’s signature salt encrusted turkey returns with a slight twist. Tan created a “Delicioso” Mexican-style turkey served with tortilla skin, tomato salsa, jalapeno, gherkin and cheese sauce, and his homemade mole sauce made from dark chocolate and chilli. But if you prefer the original bird, Tan shares that it’s still available.
He has a new protégé in the kitchen, too. Young pastry chef Wee Pai Hau is making his festive debut with his log cake rendition: Macaron Tree and Carousel Fruit.
One Farrer offers private gatherings this Christmas with its Magical Christmas dinner menus. Held in its private dining concept Nest, the dinner is priced at $168++ per pax and requires a minimum of four guests.
