Matt Tan
"Contrary to popular belief, Nonya food is not tedious to prepare and cook and you can easily whip up simple yet tasty recipes based on what is available in the kitchen. I want to pass on my knowledge of Nonya ingredients, preparation and cooking as I feel that recipes can only continue to live on if it continues to be made and enjoyed."
A sixth generation Chinese Peranakan from Singapore, Matt is a cookbook author documenting the lesser known recipes in his books Daily Nonya Dishes and More Daily Nonya Dishes which are not commonly found in restaurants. They are tasty simple home cooked dishes often eaten daily in a Peranakan home.
Growing up he enjoyed sedap (delicious) Nonya food cooked by his late parents. He was motivated to learn how to cook in 2001 when his father passed away and this started him on a the journey to document his family recipes.
When he expressed his interest to learn, his mom merely mentioned “masok dapor prati apa mummy same daddy buat" - go to the kitchen and observe what we do. He picked up his cooking skills under the watchful eyes of his mom and dad who in turn learnt it from his maternal grandmother, Khoo Quee Neo, the daughter in law from the historic mansion, Bonny Grass.
In his free time he continues with his research and runs cooking workshops and private dining, and he is an active contributor to various social media sites where he shares his stories and cooking adventure.
Sign up for Matt Tan's classes here
