Wednesday, November 25, 2015

[iChef] Restaurant-Grade Ingredients for Home Cooking

This Christmas, why not make it a little bit more special by preparing a Japanese-themed Christmas feast right in the comfort of your home. 


iChef, the brainchild of Suki Group just unveiled its second retail store at The Cathay. One of Singapore online grocery sellers, iChef was listed in Qoo10 in 2012. The brand has grown from strength to strength since then. 

Customers is able to purchase premium-grade ingredients that are used at popular restaurants in this store. These ingredients are imported from countries around the world including Japan, Argentina and Norway. 


iChef has launched a brand-new menu just in time for Christmas with affordable and special Christmas must-haves. Price starting from just S$98, one can choose from the three exquisite hampers for Christmas feasts : Chicken (Christmas Carol Hamper); Sashimi (Winter Warmer Hamper); Chicken / Seafood editions (Festive Indulgence Hamper) and be amazed by the restaurant grade selection of ingredients they provide. 


Chicken Hamper

You have a choice of two chicken delights. Get the Shrimp Paste Chicken and deep fry it until it turns golden-brown. The marinade follows a secret recipe. Go with the Cajun Chicken Chop for an exotic taste or Lemongrass Chicken for a familiar homely flavour. The Panko Chicken or Chicken Karaage will prove to be a hit as well. The hamper comes with Potato Croquette, Wagyu Beef and choice of Durian Puffs or Eclairs. 

Sashimi Hamper

Relish the bold flavours of the sea with this hamper. The Snow Crabs are imported from Greenland. The Argentina Deep Prawns are bound to excite with their succulence and moist textures. The Salmon Belly is rich in omega-3 and takes only a few minutes of defrosting before it can be enjoyed. Other items in this hamper include Salmon Sashimi, Sashimi Oyster, Premium Ikura and choice of Durian Puffs or Eclairs.

Chicken/Seafood Hamper

Get the best of both worlds with this hamper. Add a touch of elegance to your feast with the Premium Ikura: salmon fish roes imported from Japan. The irresistible Panko Chicken boasts a crispy exterior and juicy inside. Have Takoyaki, Osaka's most popular street snack, right at home. The Raw White Shrimps can be prepared in any culinary style you like: baked, grilled or steamed. The hamper also comes with Wagyu Beef, Raw Scallop and Snow Crab Leg Meat. 


I went down to their retail store at The Cathay and watched a live cooking demo guided by Chef Pang who came from Taiwan and have worked in China. He used to cook for the president. 


The first dish that the lady prepared under the guidance of Chef Pang. Fresh prawns can be bought at iChef. 


Prepared by the chef himself. 


We were served with some of the delicacy during the event launch and I was really satisfied with what I ate.


Salmon & Ikura Salad. Fresh and healthy, I love the presentation of this dish. 

The salmon used for their sashimi is of the most premium grade. Directly flown in from Norway via DHL Express everyday, the salmon is cleaned, descaled and sliced by their professionally trained staff to ensure the highest standard of freshness and quality. Since it is processed in-house, they are able to sell it at a more affordable price. 

Ikura, or salmon roe is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Despite it being frozen, it is still just as fresh and delicious when thawed. Their Premium Ikura is imported from Japan and which is already seasoned with Shoyu, Japanese soy sauce and mirin.


Snow crab and cooked prawn. This dish is just amazing. The meat of the snow crab and prawn is so fresh and succulent that one can taste the natural sweetness. 

For the snow crab, it's one of iChef star products. The snow crabs are caught from Greenland, boiled and then individually quick frozen (IQF) to ensure the freshness and the quality of the crab. 

The Argentina prawns are naturally red in colour. They are wild caught in the deep sea and immediately individually quick frozen (IQF). This means that there are no chemicals injected in the prawns. The argentina prawn have a texture that is similar to the lobsters and can be eaten raw. It is also ideal for barbeques or a quick steaming with light seasonings to bring out the natural flavour. 


Aka Ebi Mentai, Salmon Teriyaki and Cream Sauce Scallop. The different sauces used really enhance and make the dish more flavourful. 

The special point about their Aka Ebi Mentaiko, also known as Mentaiko Red Shrimp, is the red shrimp itself. When grilled, the combination of the mentaiko with mayonnaise, gives a tangy and charred flavour that is addictive. This is one restaurant grade dish that you can now have in the comfort of your own homes.


Dory Katsu, Oyster Katsu, Ika Karaage and Shrimp Paste Chicken. By the time this dish of fried items were served, I was already super full so only tried the chicken and dory. Not used to the sauce that comes with this dish though. Felt that the sauce is too strong and overpowering. 

 iChef's signature item is the fragrant shrimp paste chicken. The shrimp paste chicken is made from a special recipe concocted from their own chefs. It is marinated and produced in house and sold in their sister restaurants as well. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the shrimp paste chicken wings can be air fried as well for those who are more health conscious. 


And finally, desserts were served. 


Cheers to the success for iChef and to our friendship! 


Beside having to visit the retail store at The Cathay or iChef's flagship store at Suki Group's headquarters in Tai Seng, customers can order these exquisite ingredients from their online website and either opt for delivery or self collection at all Nihon Mura outlets. 

A comprehensive array of easy-to-cook items such as salted mackerel, white boiled clams, chicken yakitori and squid skewer can be found through the online website as well as the retail stores. Even the premium Japonica Pearl Rice can be ordered as well! 

OUTLETS DETAIL

I-CHEF AT TAI SENG

26 Tai Seng Street
#01-03P 
Singapore 534057

I-CHEF AT THE CATHAY

2 Handy Road
#B1-K2
The Cathay
Singapore 229233

ONLINE DETAIL




XOXO

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