Taking popular Indian dishes and giving it a modern twist to cater to the needs of the younger generation.
This is what noted Chef Devagi Sanmugam is doing since she joined Purple Sage, a leader in catering service in Singapore, in November 2019.
“For instance, the gulab jamun is too sweet for most young people. So even if they love it, they hesitate to touch it,” she told Inside Recent. “I have innovated it by taking shrikhand, an Indian sweet dish made of strained curd, and placed sliced gulab jamun on top of it. And to make it less sweet I have infused it with orange juice. The finish is sweet and sour which all will like.”
Similarly, she has come up with a canape that is a fusion of Peranakan and Indian preparations.
She has stuffed a kueh pie tee shell with spiced potato, tamarind chutney, mint chilli yogurt and murukku. It is crunchy, soft, tasty and spicy, and every Indian will love it.
“My aim is to provide a variety of Indian dishes for Purple Sage,” said Chef Devagi. “These will mostly be vegetarian. People do like Indian food and Purple Sage wants to cater to this group too with authentic, creative dishes.”
In November, Purple Sage also brought on board Chef Justin Quek to elevate its culinary offerings.
“Today, clients are looking for new culinary indulgences beyond the traditional dining experiences,” said Alan Tan, co-owner and managing director of Purple Sage. “Purple Sage is now able to present authentic flavours and exciting creations specially curated by Singapore’s well-known chefs for large-scale events both locally as well as in the region.
“Guests at such events will be able to savour the signature dishes of these well-known chefs. This will also enable Purple Sage to stay relevant in the industry while supporting our local chefs.”
Chef Devagi has over 36 years’ experience in the culinary scene. She has published 22 cookbooks.
Chef Justin is a celebrity chef who is well known for his Franco-Asian cuisine.
Purple sage also recently appointed Immanuel Tee as its executive chef. He has trained in several Michelin-starred restaurants such as Jaan Par Andre, Guy Savoy and Pastorale in Belgium.
“We want to showcase dishes specially curated for our guests with our new concepts yet retaining its authenticity,” said Chef Immanuel. “I hope to present the best of the best culinary creations by working with our panel of celebrity chefs.”
Ms Chris Loh, co-owner and creative director of Purple Sage, said: “It is our desire to provide the ultimate customer experience which is very important in hosting events successfully. At the end of each event, we hope we will be able to impress them with unique culinary experiences.”
