As a young boy Daniel was given chores to help his grandmother in the kitchen. This engendered a fascination for, and curiosity about, fresh produce, preparation and food. Daniel enjoyed an apprenticeship at Delifrance and spent some time in the kitchens of The Four Seasons in Singapore before working his way through several of the city's most notable restaurants, namely Les Amis, Au Petit Salut and Au Jardin.

To gain international exposure Daniel traveled to London to stage at La Gavroche with Michel Roux juniour and at The Oak Room with Marco Pierre White, both Michelin star chefs. Back in Singapore he opened Marmalade Restaurant and Marmalade Pantry with fellow chef Robin Ho for Marmalade Group and developed Marmalade at Home (their home catering arm). When it was time for expansion he set up and ran Marmalade’s central kitchen. Having proven himself with commercial concepts, he helped with the expansion of Bakerzin doing R&D for new menus and running catering operations.

Daniel set up and ran The Fourth Floor at Harvey Nichols, Hong Kong and La Plantane, Shanghai for Justin Quek. In 2008 He was headhunted for the position of Head Chef for a new kind of restaurant at Harding Road, called The White Rabbit (”One of Asia’s Finest Restaurants” - Miele Guide 2009).

Together with his partners Dawn and Keith Codling, Daniel decided to make a dent in Singapore's dining scene with The Disgruntled Chef; a place that had a more informal and less trendy atmosphere, where guests could be more relaxed while going beyond the usual celebrity chef culture of degustation menus and formal dining.

L&S: The Disgruntled Chef is a great name. There has to be a good story behind this:
DS: There is no juicy story behind it ( The Disgruntled Chef is NOT actually a chef who is disgruntled, It's our off-beat sense of humour). It just reflects the way we do things and throwing out the "set menu" mentality, the stuffiness of a celebrity restaurant and letting our patrons decide how and what they would like to eat.

L&S: How does The Disgruntled Chef stand out from other establishments in Singapore?
DS: We are as much a bar as we are as a restaurant. We have a unique sharing concept and we are unpretentious. We also believe that having a good meal does not need to cost an arm and a leg.

Being trained in Classical French cuisine for many years and having worked in top restaurants internationally, I want to offer my patrons a unique dining experience of being able to share the many small plates and the big plates we offer at The Disgruntled Chef. Patrons can enjoy our bespoke cocktails and extensive of wine list in a relaxed, unpretentious dining environment surrounded by lush greenery.

L&S: What motivated you to begin cheffing in the first place?
DS: I realized that I have a passion for cooking and it was all I had any interest in. I like the freedom in the kitchen. It's a great way to express creativity without the constraints of a desk bound job.

L&S: What are some of the professional challenges you've had to face?
DS: People who you work with that do not have any passion or interest in what they are doing. It just gets on my nerves.

L&S: A peek into your fridge would reveal:
DS: Iberico Chorizo Sausage is my current favorite, the fat and the spice in it is just so good that you just cut a few slices straight of the fridge and it taste so good.

L&S: Essential items that every cook should have in their pantry:
DS: Salt, people just don't realize that salt brings out the natural flavor of the ingredients and you need to put enough salt.

L&S: A food personality you would happily have a meal with:
DS: Nigella Lawson.

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• The Disgruntled Chef