Executive chef at Jade, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

Igrew up in a family of artists. My brothers are all artists, and being the youngest, I always looked up to them and followed what they did. Having studied in a Chinese school, we learnt Chinese calligraphy and used ink, brushes and paper.

Somehow, I always knew I would be a chef one day. I used my calligraphy skills to ‘paint’ on plates. By then, I had learnt to make sugar, butter, ice and dough sculptures.

I also picked up pottery. It started when I represented Pan Pacific hotel at the Food & Hotel Asia exhibition in 1990. In 1993, I decided to make my own plate to showcase my petit four dish. One of my brothers who went to pottery school then taught me how to make my own plate. It turned out looking like the sole of a rubber shoe, and I didn’t use it for the competition.

But that got me hooked and once I started, I couldn’t stop. I even bought a kiln for my home. I made teacups, bowls, everything. I did want to go for

LEONG CHEE YENG

pottery classes and I found one in Kampong Glam Community Club. I’m now a member there. I go around twice a week, it’s part of my life.

I enjoy making pottery that has texture. I discovered an interesting method for doing this – I run the clay under water for a second, and it cracks. Some methods of painting are difficult as some types of paint don’t stick on the clay. I’ve painted on paper, plates, and now, I paint my ceramic work.

I’ve made over 1,000 pieces and my most treasured piece is one I made for my daughter. It has Chinese words, which mean ‘double happiness’, and I designed the characters to represent a boy and a girl. The mountains in the background mean ‘I have the mountain, and the mountain has me’. I want my daughter to know that she will always have me. I am the mountain she can lean and rely on. This will be her wedding gift. She is still young, though, and doesn’t know I’ve made this for her.