CHEF / LECTURER STEVE BELCHER

Here is 'Daman' tickling a giant Aussie lobster with a price tag of A$200 .... not that we are cooking it anytime soon. It is more an incentive, 'see what you can do down the road if you put your hearts to it?' Chef Steve is a LCB veteran, joined the school when it opened in 1995. He has a fascinating, global, culinary background and he truly loves food, eating it & cooking it. Above all, he is any student's dream. I just love the way he teaches ... best described as hands-on, empathetic, connected and zest! I cannot get enough of this guy. To quote Dora's favorite line with her youngest students, I am 'like an absorbing paper in class' and the only difference is I do not have that 'reflexive response' when I cook. His job is to build us to think & work professionally in a commercial kitchen. Clearly this single-minded objective has already wiped the grins off a few faces, notably mine, after my first taste of reality. I now feel embarrassed about 'Chez Tang' as it is totally inappropriate a name for our kitchen, and my so-called 'tasting menu'. This view is shared by my older (less young) classmates who all come around to more or less the same sentiment. Yes, it is very humbling. I am more respectful to my Chef Mentors now than ever before .... Donovan, Chris, Cham, Bryan, Satoru, Dan, Bobby, Alban .... and your fraternity, Hats Off!