A marvellous match
Katherine Halim is the founder of culinary events business My Turn To Host, and her husband Gani Atmadiredja is the managing director of home furnishing retailer W. Atelier. Their elegant abode, combined with her mouthwatering dishes, provide the consumma
Svelte, youthful and fashionable, Katherine Atmadiredja, 32, gives no clue that she’s also a prolific home cook when we first meet her at W. Atelier’s Henderson showroom. But when we step into her 3,348 sq ft Orchard Road condominium – one of three downtown apartments that she and her husband Gani Atmadiredja, 40, own – for lunch, it’s obvious that she is a domestic goddess through and through. There’s no frenzied scurrying to and from the kitchen when we arrive; an extravagant traditional Indonesian spread lines the length of the dining table, with a nasi tumpeng structure serving as the centrepiece.
It comes as no surprise to her friends, given that Katherine is the brainchild of My Turn To Host (MYTH) – a culinary business project she launched late last year. Catering to aspiring home cooks and bakers, MYTH holds artisanal cooking, baking and party styling workshops by seasoned chefs at the live kitchen of W. Atelier’s Bukit Timah branch. “My husband and I love food and we love to entertain at home. When you entertain, you maintain the tradition and practice of meeting and bonding with family and friends. There is something intimate and beautiful about it
– it connects people of different backgrounds together,” shares Katherine, who is mum to two daughters, aged five and three.
Showroom worthy
With its chic, clean spaces and luxury Danish furnishings, the apartment could easily be mistaken for a W. Atelier showroom. At the living room, we’re welcomed by Fritz Hansen from floor to ceiling. Two chocolate-hued Fritz Hansen Egg Chairs sit perpendicular to an ivory sofa, while golden Fritz Hansen Calabash pendant lamps hang from the high ceiling. Surrounding the dining table are seven Fritz Hansen China Chairs designed by Danish furniture maven Hans J. Wegner. It’s of course no coincidence that Republic of Fritz Hansen is one of W. Atelier’s mainstay brands. Conceptualised by Singapore-based Italian designer Savina Nicolini from SNA Design, the apartment features a unique layout linking the living room to the open concept kitchen via a spacious terrace overlooking the city. The high ceilings and tall windows create depth, while an exquisite blend of boiserie, two types of marble – Noir Saint Laurent and Carrara – and copper-coloured mirrors add texture to the spaces.
Food with thought
While Katherine entrusts the interiors of her home to professionals, it’s a different story when it comes to food. She cooks for her family up to four times a week, and every meal is void of oyster sauce, MSG and ketchup. “Food plays an important role in the development of a child, so every meal I prepare for my kids uses only wholesome ingredients. Everything is made from scratch. If store-bought sauces are used, they have to be free of MSG or chemicals that we can’t pronounce,” shares Katherine. “Every meal includes one soup – I alternate between Chinese double-boiled broths and Indonesian soups like rawon. I also enjoy preparing one-pot meals such as donabe, or anything braised.”
Naturally when Katherine entertains, she enjoys showcasing Indonesian food using recipes handed down from her mother, grandmothers and aunties. “It is challenging to find authentic Indonesian food in Singapore, so many of my guests love it and request for it!” she enthuses.
Today’s luncheon features dishes that are meticulously arranged on beds of banana leaves. The most visually exciting dish – nasi tumpeng – is typically made and enjoyed during special occasions in Indonesia. Arduous to prepare, the elaborate version Halim has created boasts three tiers of yellow coconut rice surrounded by a luscious array of meat and vegetables.
The impressive spread draws appreciative gasps from Halim’s guests – entrepreneur Jennifer Medveckis; Joycelyn Shu, a culinary instructor at MYTH; Annie Li, a stay-at-home mum; Deborah Widjaja, the deputy chief executive officer of a real estate management company; and Stefani Budiman, who runs an artisan soap business.
Although Katherine gains much of her inspiration for cooking from her large collection of recipe books, she admits that being a foodie and having like-minded peers have also honed her culinary skills. “Gani and I met many of our friends through a common love of food and wine. Among them are foodies who cook and bake very well, as well as incredible chefs who are willing to share their knowledge. My inspiration comes from them,” she shares.