Chef Hafizzul Hashim of Fiz on weaving Southeast Asian traditions into a contemporary dining landscape

At Fiz, a bowl of porridge is not to be underestimated. More aptly, its Shima Aji Pekasam: a fish-based congee which sees chef-founder Hafizzul Hashim reinterpret and elevate the ikan pekasam (fermented or cured fish). Don’t let its seeming simplicity fool you—it just might be the most indulgent dish par for course on Fiz’s latest lunch menu, yet it manages to maintain the warm, familiar comfort of eating porridge at the family dining table.

The fare at Fiz has the ability to transport you right back home—in a curious way that is at once reminiscent of the dishes some of us grew up eating in our childhood, yet gratifyingly unfamiliar in other ways. Born in Kuala Lumpur and raised in the coastal town of Lumut, Hashim’s Southeast Asian influences are pronounced, and are the heart and soul of Fiz. “I wanted to celebrate Southeast Asian cuisine’s complexity and diversity, showing it off in a light that perhaps hadn’t been seen before,” explains Hashim. “It’s about honouring the traditions and recipes passed down through generations while inviting our guests into a conversation about what makes our food so unique and special.” 

Hashim extends this notion to Fiz’s interior as well. A flush of natural, earthy elements are punctuated by ornate details that pay tribute to the angled coves and vaulted ceilings of Southeast Asian temples. What appears to be an artful statement piece is actually the main entrance door: crafted as a majestic, single-pivot door endowed with intricate textures and motifs. The open kitchen is where one will see the magic unfold; and its congenial team of staff—from the sous-chefs to the waiters—are decked out in uniforms that call to mind traditional costume silhouettes from around the region.

In order to procure indigenous ingredients that have disappeared from an urban environment like Singapore’s, Hashim continuously puts in the work to grow and cultivate a stable supply with farmers in Malaysia. ”We hope to offer a unique dining experience as well as to play a role in reviving the appreciation for the diversity and richness of our region’s natural produce,” offers Hashim. In essence, Fiz is not only borrowing from tradition, but returning them to where they belong. 

“The idea of serving one dish per diner is a Western tradition and we’re injecting the fine dining experience with our own culture. We’re on a mission to show that our way of dining, full of warmth and community, belongs right up there with the best of fine dining.”

And ultimately, it is the food that speaks for itself. In a sea of contemporary fine dining options that cater to the outsider’s palette, the flavour profile at Fiz truly honours and nourishes the soul of a Southeast Asian diner. It’s why a sotong bakar sambal ijo could serve as a dish’s starting point, subsequently transformed into something like the Gurita Belado, which sees a sous-vide octopus, grilled with a spice rub and paired with a luscious pistachio miso and Indonesian green sambal. Or why the restaurant’s iteration of the simple kueh bahulu deserves its throne as the simplest, yet most delicious way to end a meal at Fiz.

On a mission to bring the best of Southeast Asian cuisine to the world, Chef Hafizzul Hashim offers us a deep dive into his culinary ethos that honours his roots, the forgotten ingredients of the region and his favourite Southeast Asian dish.

What drove you to first start Fiz?
Creating Fiz was really about stitching together my personal experiences, my heritage, and my culinary adventures into a dining experience that others could taste and appreciate. I’ve always had a deep-seated love for the rich flavours and traditions of Southeast Asian cuisine even as a young chef in Kuala Lumpur.

As years passed, I noticed a change. People began to crave the tastes and heritage from home, sparking a renaissance of sorts in Asian dining. Singapore, with its vibrant food scene, seemed like the perfect place to bring my dream to life. It’s a melting pot where new ideas meet an eager audience, and though finding the right ingredients can sometimes feel like a treasure hunt, it’s part of what makes this journey so special.

I wanted to celebrate Southeast Asian cuisine’s complexity and diversity, showing it off in a light that perhaps hadn’t been seen before. It’s about honouring the traditions and recipes passed down through generations while inviting our guests into a conversation about what makes our food so unique and special.

What do you think makes Fiz special in Singapore’s diverse and myriad landscape of fine dining restaurants?
As a contemporary Southeast Asian restaurant, our cuisine is tied to the land, its produce, its cultures and its intrinsic beauty. One of the hardest things we’ve had to do is revive the use of forgotten indigenous ingredients, which were once common on Malay dining tables but are disappearing as they’re often cultivated in kampong backyards or foraged out in nature.

It wasn’t easy to procure a stable supply of these ingredients and we work closely with farmers in Malaysia to cultivate these varieties. The work is ongoing and we haven’t found or secured everything we would like to but we hope to get there some day.

Secondly, we are committed to honouring Southeast Asian dining traditions. The idea of serving one dish per diner is a Western tradition and we’re injecting the fine dining experience with our own culture. This is why we have the Hidang course. It’s all about coming together, sharing dishes, and enjoying a meal as one big family.

Thirdly, we do everything in-house as much as possible using ancient methods. For example, we make our rempah by hand, using the mortar and pestle, preserving a technique that’s been passed down through generations, whilst preserving the integrity of ancient flavours.

How did you come up with the flavour framework for the different lunch course menus?
At the core of each dish are the flavours and experiences I personally cherish. These recipes are a part of my culinary identity. They are dishes that I love to eat and feel a deep connection with.

I’m also constantly on the lookout for dishes that can’t be found here. I see it as an opportunity to introduce our diners to dishes that are both familiar in their comfort and exciting in their novelty.

Take the Shima Aji Pekasam, for example. It was born out of a blend of curiosity and experimentation, a desire to see how traditional methods like pekasam (curing fish) could be reimagined within the context of fine dining.

My approach to developing these menus is somewhat like working on a puzzle. I begin with the flavours and then work backwards. Sometimes, this means building upon basic recipes and using them as a foundation to experiment and innovate.

Other times, it’s about paying homage to a dish that’s already perfect in its simplicity, focusing on sourcing the best ingredients to truly honour and elevate it. For example, the Gurita Belado is an appetiser on our newly launched lunch menu. For this dish, we sous vide the octopus for three hours before it is grilled on the Josper oven with a barbecue spice rub. It is served with a pistachio miso and a side of sambal cabe ijo. It’s a dish that’s inspired by sotong bakar sambal ijo, one of my favourites to have when enjoying nasi padang.

You mention the use of ‘ancient techniques and forgotten ingredients’ as something that you want to offer through your new dishes. What is one such ‘forgotten ingredient’ you’ve incorporated into your menu and what inspired you to experiment with this particular ingredient?
One intriguing forgotten ingredient’ that we’ve reintroduced at Fiz is cabe jawa, or Javanese long pepper. This spice is a cornerstone of traditional Southeast Asian cooking, yet it’s surprisingly absent in many modern kitchens. Communities around Southeast Asia were using this to spice up dishes before chillies were introduced by the Spanish. It offers a complex heat, a sort of peppery piquant warmth complemented by an earthy, almost sweet undertone. This depth of flavour makes it a versatile ingredient that can enhance dishes with a distinct note that cannot be replicated by more commonly used spices.

Beyond our work at the restaurant, we want to champion these ingredients. We have a mini series on the restaurant’s Instagram feed we call ‘Forgotten Ingredients’ where we showcase and highlight these botanicals. This way, even the general public and those overseas who haven’t visited our restaurant will have access to this important knowledge.

“The concept of terroir is so critical here—no two ingredients, such as lemongrass from different regions, will ever taste the same.”

Do you have a personal favourite Southeast Asian dish? What is it?
I have so many! But, if I really have to choose, it’s the humble pepes or fish wrapped in banana leaves. There’s something about the way the banana leaves gently infuse the fish with its distinct, aromatic scent. I love the blend of bold spices and the kick of heat, but what really draws me to this dish is how it connects me to the past. This method, wrapping food in leaves and cooking it, is ancient—timeless even. It speaks volumes about the wisdom and creativity of our ancestors, using what nature provided to elevate their food.

We’ve noticed a certain gap of fine dining restaurants that offer Malay-inspired fare in Singapore. What are your thoughts on this?
At our core, we are not just inspired by Malay cuisine but Southeast Asia as a whole. This distinction is crucial because the Malay realm as a cultural entity spans a vast area across Southeast Asia, including parts of South Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, eastwards to Bali, and on to southern Philippines. This area is home to an incredibly diverse population of over 300 million people, each contributing to the rich tapestry of traditions, flavours, and culinary techniques that we celebrate at our restaurant.

Even so, we are a contemporary Southeast Asian restaurant because culture doesn’t fall into neat lines. There are also commonalities between culinary cultures—a Cambodian kreung is technically very much the same as rempah—and we all share a similar basket of ingredients but use them in different ratios.

In general, there is a lack of clear direction when wanting to refine Malay cuisine within the fine dining context. Chefs who look to present traditional dishes in a modern setting have to walk the fine line between enhancing the dishes to meet the expectations of a luxury setting while preserving their authentic, often humble essence. The fear of losing the authenticity of these dishes in the process of refinement is something that many chefs, including myself, grapple with. When I doubt myself, I think back to our compass, and that’s to honour our traditions while presenting them in a form that resonates with contemporary diners.

At the end of a meal here, what do you hope your customers will remember most at Fiz?
At the end of a meal at Fiz, my deepest hope is that our guests walk away with memories of the journey. It’s all about the entire experience—from the moment they step in—to the last bite they savour. I wish for parts of our menu to strike a chord with them, perhaps stirring up cherished memories or creating entirely new ones.

What I really want is for people to leave with a newfound appreciation for the richness and diversity of Southeast Asian cuisines. These cuisines are a reflection of a deep, intertwined history and a profound connection to the natural world around us. Fiz is a celebration of our roots, our culture, and the incredible tapestry of flavours that Southeast Asia has to offer.

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