Burnt Ends announces international guest chef dinner series

Chefs from all over the globe are descending on Singapore to cook at David Pynt’s barbecue restaurant. 

David Pynt, the Perth-born chef behind Singaporean barbecue restaurant Burnt Ends, has invited some friends over to cook dinner at his place. The response, to put it mildly, has been good.

Starting in January, Burnt Ends will host a monthly guest-chef dinner with visiting cooks giving the restaurant’s custom-built dual-cavity ovens and parrilla-style grills a thorough workout. Among the names announced: James Lowe from East London powerhouse Lyle’s (23 October), Tom Adams and April Bloomfield of Coombeshead Farm in Cornwall (18 December) and James Henry of Hong Kong’s Belon (4 September). Unsurprisingly, there’s a strong Australian accent to the line-up, too, with Mark Best (6 November) and fire-starter Mat Lindsay from Ester (10 July) also joining the fun.

As to the contents of each dinner, Pynt is leaving the menu planning entirely up to the visiting chef. He’ll join the rest of his brigade and learn from visiting cooks, while at the same time ensuring each event runs smoothly. Or as smoothly as can be expected when chefs decide to push the boat out.

“A lot of the chefs have said they’re looking forward to having fun at the dinners and using them to experiment, rather than show off their restaurant’s best dishes,” says Pynt, whose restaurant made its debut at number 70 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list this year.

“The whole series is super exciting for the team and I,” says Pynt. “We’re looking forward to seeing the techniques and flavour combinations they’re going to bring. In terms of inspiration, it’s going to be right up there.”

As anyone that’s eaten at Burnt Ends will attest, the 25-seat restaurant isn’t exactly a big place, and Pynt expects demand to be high. Tickets will be released in the lead-up to each event, with prices to be dictated by the menu and ingredients. The series’ first dinner is on Monday 16 January with guest chef Blaine Wentzel from the remote Willows Inn in Washington.

For the full dinner calendar and ticketing details, see the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Max Veenhuyzen