Growing up in his mother’s kitchen, cooking has long been an integral part of Eng Chun Pang’s life since he was a child. Later, working his way through New Zealand for a year proved to be a true test of his culinary abilities and resourcefulness.
Both graphic designers, he and his partner Yong Wen Yeu built a small pull-out kitchen island on the back of their campervan. In between absorbing picturesque landscapes, Eng picked fruits on farms, worked in hostels, conversed with travellers, and cooked up a storm of dishes, including Mexican food, nasi lemak, curry, and roast chicken.
At a fireplace campsite one Christmas Eve, they baked smoked salmon sourdough pizza from scratch. To jazz up the table setting, they foraged wildflowers along the riverbank and improvised with whatever they could find in their van and the surroundings.
“We did a lot of crazy cooking in the wilderness,” he recalls. Considering the experience of entertaining guests and cooking in the US, Eng wondered if he could take it back to Singapore.
The concept was simple: to host private dinners offering contemporary South-east Asian cuisine in a setting conducive to gatherings and conversations at their home.
They would serve the food on ceramic plates and bowls crafted in their home ceramic studio under the &natural pottery label they founded in 2016. That marked the genesis of private dining at Potters’ Table.
Meanwhile, his graphic design work was draining him. Tired of sedentary life, long hours at the computer, and backaches, he longed for more hands-on work.
By the end of 2020, Eng quit his day job and devoted himself full-time to private dining from their 50-year-old HDB flat in Toa Payoh.
“The special thing about private dining is that guests get the chance to speak with the homeowner, and as ceramic artisans, we are always eager to share the inspiration behind our tableware and start a conversation. Our intimate setting also facilitates a deeper conversation between them and us,” says Eng, 33.
In February 2021, they moved into a charming walk-up apartment measuring 900 sq ft in Woodleigh Park. They fell in love with the place instantly the moment they saw it. Featuring warm wood tones, a Japanese minimalist aesthetic, a mish-mash of vintage and secondhand furniture, photos from their New Zealand trip, and rattan baskets, the space exudes character.
“We believe that things should be suited to our climate, so ventilation in wares (basket) and furniture (cotton padding or rattan chair) is of utmost importance. A finish of oil or wax prevents fungus growth on the wood furniture,” he explains.
Eng and Yong converted the living room into a dining room and set up a long table for communal dining to make the space more conducive to dinners.
Photo: Mun Kong.
The food is as meticulously thought out as the space itself. For $128 per head, guests can dig into a five-course meal filled with robust flavour creations inspired by the self-taught cook’s childhood.
“We love food as much as we love our craft as ceramic artisans, and want to showcase the beauty of homemade food. Our sauces and marinades are made from miso. We also make tofu,” Eng says.
Due to the heavy menu, he usually starts dinner with a warm soup to help guests digest their food. His otak-otak cigar is a signature appetiser. The crunchy pastry roll is filled with homemade yellowtail and prawn otak-otak wrapped in wild pepper leaves (below).
To mimic the appearance of ash, the pastry tip is topped with paprika, dipped in coconut yogurt, and topped with bamboo charcoal powder. The cold tom yum consommé with whisky served in a whisky tumbler is a delightful but sharp contrast.
Then there’s the nasi ulam, which translates to rice and herbs in Malay. Eng, who uses blue pea rice, calls this the ultimate rice dish, bursting with flavour, umami-rich, and nourishing.
He shares that many establishments don’t serve it because it’s too labour-intensive, requiring 13 herbs and aromatics or more, depending on the cook. “It takes patience and heart to make this dish. It is seriously underrated, but I’m proud that it uses local herbs,” says Eng.
The important thing is not to bruise some herbs while adding them as they could turn bitter. This makes it more tedious than preparing nasi lemak. Adding a modern twist to the meal, he serves it with ayam masak merah katsu. Eng coats the chicken with bread crumbs first before stuffing it with chilli and tomato sauce. Then the meat is deep fried to a crisp golden brown.
Another personal favourite is a phenomenal salad of various local herbs, vegetables, condiments, and green tea leaves they fermented themselves. The dish celebrates the essence of South-east Asian flavours defined by the balance of sweet, sour, savoury and spicy. Eng uses the local herbs because they are unique in taste and mostly underrated because few locals know about them.
Every dish is served on &natural’s ceramic crockery, including eggshell-speckled cups and bowls hand-carved to resemble acorns. Guests can also visit their home pottery studio to learn more about the craft.
“Hospitality is extremely important in our work. We want our guests to feel like they are entering our home instead of a restaurant—to feel a piece of warmth in our space,” says Yong.
In terms of social media posting or hard-sell marketing, they have kept a relatively low profile.
Slowly but surely, Potters’ Table has drawn a wide range of local and international crowds, from chefs, foodies, art gallery staff, and doctors to lawyers and more. Dinners are held from Fridays to Sundays, with groups ranging from four to eight guests. Eng does his marketing at places like Geylang Serai and Golden Mile Complex and buys organic or free-range meat online. His small but thriving balcony garden provides mint, Thai basil, rosemary, curry leaves, basil, kale, chilli, and the like.
They have fallen into an effortless rhythm, with Eng taking over as chef, while Yong, who shares that he is not as crazy about cooking, but has contributed ideas, serves guests at the front of the house.
“When we started private dining, I panicked because I’m not great at socialising and presenting dishes. It took time for me to be more comfortable in front of everyone,” Yong shares.
Eng enjoys finding recipes online and learning new dishes from people he’s met, like his friend’s Indonesian domestic worker. “Learning to cook in person differs completely from studying online due to the small intricate gestures involved.” The duo are jetting off to Bali this month to get more creative inspiration.
The level of devotion to their craft explains why Potters’ Table is booked solid through June without any advertising.
Despite that, they plan to devote more time to crafting ceramic designs and putting their wares on display this year. The idea is for guests to have distinctive tableware sets for everything from their drink cups to their plates and bowls during dinner, says Eng.
Together, they like to practise illustration drawing, garden, play music, observe nature, and pick up unusual leaves and flowers on their walks in the park.
Slow living is a state of mind for Eng. “It’s about taking your time to make the most of the experiences you will have, such as sensory experiences or conversations. The key is being present in the moment,” he explains.
When living in a city so reliant on the Internet, finding a sense of balance is critical. “If one tries very hard to live a slow life and gets stressed, the meaning is lost. For us, balance and moderation play very important roles,” Eng adds.
