Lee Siow Geok – Dim Sum Chef at Li Feng at Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta

If you’re not familiar with Chef Lee Siow Geok, or mostly known as Chef Jade, it’s quite understandable.

Her position as the dim sum chef at Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta’s renowned Cantonese restaurant, Li Feng,

and her humble demeanour make her comfortable being behind the scene. Yet, everyone who has been to Li Feng must have enjoyed her amazing creations – be it elaborate dim sum creations or elegant handmade mooncakes.

We talked to the super busy chef about her career.

– by Rizki Pradana –

E: Tell us about how you started cooking and how it took you into the hospitality industry.

A: When I was a little kid, my dream was to become a chef. Now, my dream has come true. I’ve worked in this industry for almost 12 years. I have faced a lot of challenges in my career. I have also participated in many competitions to train my culinary skills and increase my knowledge. Becoming a chef is knowing that gender is not the defining factor for success, and ultimately, it’s all about the flavours that you bring to the table.

E: Tell us about your culinary journey before joining Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta?

A: I started as an apprentice and learned to make dim sum when I joined my first hotel job at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur for three and a half years. Then I went to Sime Darby Group for two years as chef de partie, before becoming the head chef, being in charge of the Asian cuisine for two years.

E: What is the difference between working in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta?

A: There are a few differences between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, among them are cultural influences, as well as ingredients and flavours. The Chinese cuisine in Kuala Lumpur is influenced by a mix of Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka and Teochew traditions. These culinary styles have evolved over generations and are well-represented in the city’s vibrant food scene. While in Jakarta, the Chinese cuisine is quite similar, but with a dash of Peranakan (Chinese-Indonesian) flavours. The use of local ingredients and spices gives Jakarta’s Chinese dishes a unique twist.

E: You’re responsible for Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta’s mooncake production every year. Can you tell us about it?

A: Certainly. We take great pride in the annual mooncake production for the Mid-Autumn Festival. These exquisite mooncakes are handcrafted by me and my team, using the finest ingredients and traditional wooden moulds. Last year our mooncakes come in four scrumptious flavours: black sesame with salted egg yolk, white lotus with salted egg yolk, green tea and red bean paste with almonds. In addition, we also broke the record for the highest mooncake sales in the hotel’s history.

E: In your own words, what do you think is the Li Feng experience?

A: You can enjoy exquisite culinary delicacies beautifully presented with a surprising modern twist at Li Feng. The tempting menu presents a delicious and flawless blend of traditional Cantonese dishes offered alongside creative contemporary renditions of classic favourites.

E: What do you think is your biggest achievement in your career so far?

A: My biggest achievement in my career so far is continuously improving my skills and adapting to new challenges but also broadened my network. Throughout my professional journey, I’ve had the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute to various projects. Whether it’s mastering a new language, successfully leading a team, or delivering impactful solutions, each milestone has been a stepping stone toward personal and professional development.

E: What do you think is the best dish that you have ever created, especially one that we can find at Li Feng?

A: I would say, the signature creations for lunch and dinner at Li Feng, such as Swan Dumpling with black pepper duck meat, Butterfly Pea Shrimp with asparagus dumpling, Phoenix Shrimp Dumpling with egg white crab roe, morel mushroom with goldfish prawn dumpling and Blueberry Snow Skin Dumpling.

Black Swan Dumpling

INGREDIENTS

Dough skin

950g fairy flour
300g local flour
30g charcoal powder
50g egg
180g shortening
500g water
65g sugar

Dry ingredients

15 bay leaves
35g thyme leaves
35g smoked paprika

Oil dough

600g fairy flour
600g shortening
100g butter
30g charcoal powder

Filling

1kg roasted duck
200g black pepper sauce
150g carrots
150g string beans
100g red onion
30g chicken powder
50g sugar
80g dark soya

METHOD

Swan dough

Make the skin dough by mixing all the flour, shortening, egg, charcoal powder and water.
For the oil dough, mix all the flour, shortening, butter and charcoal powder.
Roll up the skin dough with oil dough into a flat shape and fold three to four times for the layers.
After finished folding the dough, place in chiller overnight. This is ready to use.
Take out the chilled dough, cut in long tapes of three centimetres wide. Roll up in a thin sheet, use round cutter cut into circular dumpling skins.

Duck filling

Debone the roasted duck and dice. Furthermore, dice the carrots, string beans and red onions.
Heat up oil in a wok, sauté the roasted duck with the vegetables until fragrant.
Add in all seasoning and black pepper sauce, stir well.
Lastly, thicken with potato starch water.

Dumpling