In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), each season corresponds with an element and an organ, guiding the choice of ingredients consumed to support one’s health. Spring is associated with wood and the liver, with a focus put on detoxifying and energy-boosting food, while summer, connected with fire and the heart, is for cooling and circulation-enhancing dishes. Autumn, linked to metal and the lungs, is a time for moisturising and immune-boosting, and winter, linked to water and the kidneys, is for warming, restorative meals. This is the basis that Asu is built on.
Housed in a refurbished colonial bungalow in Labrador Nature Reserve, Asu is a progressive Asian fine-dining restaurant that introduces new tasting menus every season to utilise the ingredients accordingly. To go back to eating as nature intended is how chef-owner Ace Tan describes it. “The concept of the restaurant is to explore the use of food as therapy through the history of Asian culture, cuisine and seasonality. We aim to better understand how ingredients came to be, and through this, create a library of new Asian flavours and ideas while also preserving lesser-known traditions.”
The inspiration, Tan shares, came from his childhood growing up in the TCM shop that his aunt and uncle ran. As a young child, he had different dietary preferences from his friends—never really understanding why his peers clamoured for items that were, for example, high in sugar. “These instances raised the questions of why we eat what we eat, and why we crave certain foods. Today, I better understand the importance of listening to our body’s needs. For example, if we crave sugar, it could be the body’s way of signalling that we may lack certain minerals like magnesium, iron and zinc.”
Then came a stint spent working in South Korea, where Tan noticed that his peers would go hiking and foraging for fresh, seasonal ingredients. It was there, watching them adjust their diets to prepare their bodies for different times of the year, that Tan learnt the importance of eating with the seasons. “Something that sparked my curiosity was the origins of how our diets came to be. Why do we eat certain things during certain times of the year? This led me down a path to discover that, while some dietary practices are done for taste, many hold benefits for our health.”
At Asu, intention in eating is key. Good food becomes not just an indulgence, but a form of well-being. “Our intention is not to medicate, but to introduce these food therapy concepts through the different tasting menus of each season, in an environment which lends a sense of ease. We focus on the ingredients of each season, highlighting their individual benefits while creating menus that are indulgent yet somewhat familiar to our taste buds,” notes Tan.
“While some dietary practices are done for taste, many hold benefits for our health”
With a deep understanding of how food plays a huge role in both our social fabric as well as our overall wellbeing, Tan crafts a menu that puts health on the same level of importance as flavour. “We may not feel that we experience changing seasons in a traditional sense here in Singapore, but it is important to eat to the season as our surrounding nature intended,” he explains. “Drastic changes in diet are not sustainable in the long run for most. Instead of depriving ourselves of certain foods, we make adjustments to the things we already enjoy. We want to show people that they can have food that doesn’t just taste good, but is also good for the body— and that becomes a change you can upkeep in your daily life.”
The result comes in the form of creations such as the Lu Shui An Chun, a braised quail dish that showcases a stunning fusion of Asian culinary traditions. For this, Tan revives the ancient practice of ageing braising liquids, allowing the complex flavours to deepen. Quail—known to vitalise qi and blood, expel heat and regulate hydration in TCM—is marinated in the aromatic essence, then poached gently so the meat remains deliciously succulent. Accompanying it is rice cooked with mountain yam and red dates to offer both flavour and nourishment, and house-made pickles crafted from oftenoverlooked parts of vegetables. A beautiful blend of tradition, innovation, flavour, health and sustainability, it is this dish, perhaps, that best encompasses what Asu stands for.
The January/February ‘Resolution’ issue of Vogue Singapore is available online and on newsstands now.
