MasterChef Singapore Semi-Finalist, Who Had “No Idea What Michelin-Styled Dining Is Like”, Is Not Watching Cooking Competition Shows For A While: “They Trigger My Adrenaline”

Calling all future MasterChef Singapore contestants: if you ever want to do well in the competition, it helps if you know a thing or two about Michelin-styled fine-dining.

Take it from Sharlene Tan, the nutrition and food science teacher who was eliminated from MasterChef Singapore last Sunday in the semi-finals, paving the way for a showdown between visual arts instructor Azwandi ‘Andi’ Robani, dental student Johnathan Chew, and car sales advisor S ‘Nares’ Nareskanna.

Sharlene’s culinary quest was cut short during the ‘Three-Star Test’ where the contestants were tasked to create “an immersive Michelin-worthy fine-dining experience” using ingredients chosen by Tristin Farmer, the executive chef of the three-Michelin-starred Zen.

“I have no idea what Michelin-styled dining is like,” said a worried Sharlene. "Because I haven’t had such an experience, In the end, she made Handmake Udon with Torched Wagyu Beef but it neither move mountains nor part seas with resident judges Damian D’Silva, Audra Morrice, Bjorn Shen, and guest adjudicator Tristin Farmer.

“I should correct myself,” Sharlene tells 8days.sg over e-mail. “I have eaten at Michelin-starred joints like Din Tai Fung and Tai Hwa Pork Noddle. However, I have not eaten at a Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant, which was what was expected during the competition.”

But now she does. Would she recommend budding MasterChef contestants to dine at Michelin restaurants to prepare themselves?  Yes, and no, says Sharlene, who previously dazzled the judges with her Mee Hoon Kueh Ravioli (Episode 2), Lobster Chawanmushi (Episode 6) and Chocolate Layer Caker (Episode 8).

“I would say work on honing basic culinary skills,” she explains. “You also need to expose yourself to different ingredients and cuisines. Having a good understanding of how they taste and the characteristics of each ingredient will help you to put dishes together in a balanced and creative way.

"With regard to eating at Michelin-styled restaurants, eat if you can afford it. It is a great experience and will definitely help improve your palette. If you can’t, you can still get ideas from looking at pictures and reading articles featuring such food/restaurants.”

Here, the mother of two shares more of her MasterChef adventures and her post-competition plans.

8 DAYS:  You said, “I have no idea what Michelin-style dining is like, because I haven’t had such an experience.” After two Michelin-styled challenges, do you know what it entails now?

SHARLENE TAN: I definitely have a better understanding now. Michelin star dining encompasses an all-round experience; it is not just putting food on a plate. Each dish is well thought through, from the textures to the balance of flavours and plating. They should all fit seamlessly, and be complemented by fantastic ambience and service.

During the kitchen takeover challenge at JAAN, Johnathan broke down during challenge. Were there more such scenes that didn’t make it to the episode?

Well, I think all of us struggled at some point but overall, we handled it well. I won’t speak for the other contestants, but for myself, what you didn't see on screen was that physically, I really struggled that episode. As Murphy’s law would have it, my period started that same day. By the time we reached the restaurant, the cramps were quite bad. That day, I survived on pain killers, water and sheer will-power.

Do you find anything in the kitchen of a Michelin-starred restaurant that surprised you the most?

When I first stepped in, the size of the kitchen was a big surprise. The kitchen at JAAN is actually very small and very compact. It just goes to show how important good planning and communication is in the kitchen.

Your Salted Baked White Beetroot with Caviar Sauce caused a jam in the kitchen — you started the ‘Oven War’! Was it as bad as it looked on TV?

A little bit. I certainly never intended to start any war. I wasn’t thinking straight and should have made the dough first. However, I worked as fast as I could to get the food into the oven. I can’t help it if the food takes more time than it is supposed to. It is inevitable and depends on the size of your produce and other factors. No, I don’t think it was as bad as it looked on TV. What was shown was selected to dramatise and add to the excitement! Many of us needed the oven at some point, and we communicated and tried our best to accommodate each other.

What advice would you give folks who are interested in joining MasterChef? Would you recommend that they eat at Michelin-starred restaurants to prepare themselves?

I would say work on honing basic culinary skills. Those form the basis of more recipes. You also need to expose yourself to different ingredients and cuisines. Having a good understanding of how they taste and the characteristics of each ingredient will help you to put dishes together in a balanced and creative way. With regard to eating at Michelin-styled restaurants, eat if you can afford it. It is a great experience and will definitely help improve your palette. If you can’t, you can still get ideas from looking at pictures and reading articles featuring such food/restaurants. Lastly, don’t give yourself so much stress. Enjoy the process and the journey and remember that no matter the outcome there are no bad chefs in the MasterChef kitchen, only bad days.

What are your favourite MasterChef Singapore memories which TV audiences didn’t get to see?

Definitely chatting and cooking with [corporate services manager] Alfa. She was my roomie from the start till she was eliminated. Initially, it was a bit awkward. But after chatting, we realised we have a lot in common. We complemented each other well when we cooked together in the apartment. There is just a natural synergy. Another great memory is the day we pranked [production assistant] Aloysious. Aloysious was our "jailor"; he was supposed to look after our welfare and keep tabs on us. We had a holding room where we sat and were not allowed to go anywhere. But one day, he left us for a minute to check on something and we collectively decided to play a prank on him. We hid in some nook outside while [car salesman] Nares was inside, secretly filming his reaction and pretending that he had no idea where we went. It was so hilarious and added some much-needed excitement during the waiting time.

What lessons did you learn from your MasterChef Singapore experience?

I have learnt to face my fears, and just go out and try. Filleting fish, dissecting crab, cooking exotic proteins...these are not things I am familiar with. However, you just have to try and you will be surprised at what you can achieve. I have also learnt that sometimes you just need to go with the flow, embrace what happens and just adapt. Like my chawanmushi and “tilted” cake. If the chawanmushi didn't set, I would have marketed it as lobster bisque. The “tilted” cake wasn't supposed to be lopsided... but because it was, I just gave it a creative name and tried to make it seem intentional.

Zander Ng, the first MasterChef Singapore winner, said he doesn’t watch food competition shows because he gets anxiety attacks from watching them. Have you now developed a similar phobia? Are you worried that eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant would bring back memories of the competition?

Yup. Me too. I used to love watching MasterChef shows. These days I don’t (laughs). They bring back memories of the stress and trigger my adrenaline, affecting my ability to sleep. So many things trigger memories of the competition; some are good, some not so good. But it doesn’t worry me. They are all part of the experience. Overall, I had a great time. I will never look at food or a Michelin-starred restaurant the same way again. I have a better appreciation of the effort it takes to produce such food, and I think it is for the better.

What’s next for you?

Well, I am back to teaching for now. I will continue to sell my bakes and food on @artisomefood, as and when there are requests. It is just a small home-based business that allows me to share my food with others. I love cooking but there is only so much my family can eat! And in line with life-long learning — and to use up my SkillsFuture credits! — I am also undertaking a WSQ ACLP course to upgrade my teaching skills. It is closely related to teaching, just geared towards teaching adults instead of kids.

Watch Episode 9 of MasterChef Singapore Season 3 here:

Catch the MasterChef Singapore finale on Sunday (July 3) on meWATCH & Channel 5, 9.30pm. Follow Sharlene on Instagram.