Have Blog, Will Eat

Published March 2008


Chubby Hubby isn't only a name of a Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor. No I'm referring to Aun Koh ; a Singaporean who's personal blog about his passion for all things food related, has garnered such popularity that he receives around 100,000 visits a month alone.

Why the buzz? Simple. It's not often you come across a blog so lovingly polished and defined. And his adoration for food, the experiences that he's had, new recipe ideas and eating obsessions are very easy to enjoy.

Aun has helped put a positive spin on blogging as Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong mentioned his blog in the latter's National Day Rally Speech. Aun has also been featured in international publications such as  Newsweek, the Guardian newspaper and the New York Times, and given his prowess on the art of food it should come as no surprise that his recommendations are actively sought out from readers all over the world.

But Aun isn't a solo savant in his foodieness. His wife, known to us as 'S', is a serious eater as well. States Aun on his blog, "My darling wife S is, in many ways, a much bigger foodie than I am. Not only does she love food, she knows a helluva lot about it."

From personal experience I can safely say that Chubby Hubby is a blog that encompasses everything pertaining to food and the industry. Aun even features products that he uses or new cookery items that are out in the market. The food photography is superior and the images should come with a warning label of sorts : Do not view if hungry.


* Could you give us some background information as to your formative years, life abroad, and how it shaped your love for all things food related :
I’ve always loved food. It helps that my father is passionate about trying foods from all over the world. I grew up in a family that appreciates good food and diverse cuisines. When I was in high school, I started a culinary club devoted to trying different ethnic cuisines. In college (Columbia), I started another culinary club, this one more driven to re-establish the importance of preparing and enjoying meals together.

My first career was as a journalist. While I essentially covered whatever areas my editors told me to, I tried as much as possible to land food-related assignments. I was thrilled to be able to write about something I loved so much. As I got older and more experienced, I started to land bigger and better assignments and eventually made the move to books, helping chefs and/or hotel companies write and produce some lovely cookbooks.

Prior to 2005, I didn’t know what a blog was. At the time, I was working for the National Arts Council in Singapore. One of my tasks was to run the Singapore Writers Festival. Peter Schoppert, a buddy of mine whom I had appointed as Chairman of the festival, suggested we take the (at the time) bold step of inviting bloggers to participate as featured writers. Because a lot of us on the festival’s steering committee were unfamiliar with the blogosphere, Peter recommended some sites for us to visit and then challenged us to start our own blogs. The first few blogs I visited were interesting but nothing that blew my mind. Then I clicked onto a few food blogs (like Nordljus and Chez Pim) that were just amazing and became highly addictive. These blogs inspired me to start my own.

* What is your earliest memory of a much loved meal?

My earliest food memory that really stands out was tasting my first Foie Gras. I was eight years old and was attending, with my family, a Christmas party in New York city thrown by one of my dad’s friends. They passed around a silver platter adorned with toast topped with Strasbourgian pate de Foie Gras. I fell in love with it after just one bite and ended up eating most of the entire tray, much to my mother’s embarrassment.

* Has the popularity of your blog changed life in any way for you and your wife?

Only marginally. While our blog is widely read, we aren’t as recognizable as many full-time critics. Also, since we refuse to accept almost all invitations for tastings from restaurants, we are able to come and go quite anonymously. The one major change is to our own personal schedules. We actually feel pressure these days to put up a smart post with good photos every few days. That means we have to set aside a considerable amount of time each week for the blog. What started as a hobby now sometimes feels like a second job. 

* Is there a single most memorable meal that springs to mind immediately?

There are so many. We have been so very fortunate to have eaten some amazing meals. The most recent one was a wonderful 12 course dinner at Iggy’s, which is one of my favorite restaurants and which might just be Singapore’s very best. We celebrated my wife’s birthday (7th March) there. Because I had let slip that it was Su-Lyn’s birthday, the guys really tried to over-feed us. We had some gorgeous dishes. My favourite was a pan-roasted shirako in green curry foam.

* Could you share some restaurant recommendations for dining out in Singapore?
There are so many places to eat in while here. If you want to splurge, Iggy’s, Les Amis, and Gunther’s are wonderful places with great chefs and some of the best service in town. Il Lido, on Sentosa, offers splendid views of the sea and some lovely Italian fare. For a more modest meal, one should try Wild Rocket; the chef, Willin Low, is trying some really exciting things, combining Western styles and local flavours. Real foodies should also try the crab bee hoon at Sin Huat Eating House in Geylang. This cult coffeehouse is a real experience. It’s al fresco, looks like your typical cheap tze char place, but stocks some of the freshest seafood on the island, charges fine-dining prices, serves wine, and takes credit cards. We broughtAnthony Bourdain there (he later returned to feature it on his show) and he declared it the best restaurant in Singapore.

* You spend a fair amount of time traveling. Any new hot spots that we should be aware of?

Actually, I’ve fallen back in love with Bali. I used to go there quite a bit in the mid 1990s and then stopped. I had to go at the end of 2006 for work and since then, have started revisiting the island. The other place I like a lot is the Hua-Hin area, outside of Bangkok. There is a new resort in the area called Alila Cha-Am. It is stunning and ultra-comfortable. I love that they have Apple TVs, loaded with tons of good movies, and big flatscreens in every room.

*  Is there a restaurant that you have yet to try but would love to go to?
Actually, yes. And it is not El Bulli. The restaurant I most want to try is Frank Stitt’s Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Stitt’s restaurant is considered to serve the best Southern food in America (food of the American South, which is different from Southern American food). I have his cookbook and drool over it constantly.

* What are the must-haves for any aspiring gourmand's kitchen? 

A good oven with consistent and accurate heat. The best I’ve used is Miele. And while it is expensive, it is worth every penny. A Kitchenaid mixer is a nice luxury. Oh, and a sharp knife.

* Can you recommend a good cook book for the novice chef at home?

 The first book I ever cooked from was the Moosewood Cookbook. The second was Real Fast Food by Nigel Slater. I ended up carrying this small, amazing paperback with me when I went to France to work in 1994. It really is an amazing, easy-to-use book with incredible recipes – all of which can be made in under 30 minutes. I would recommend it to anyone looking to start messing around in the kitchen.

Visit Aun at www.chubbyhubby.net.