Yes, Chef! Zor Tan of Born Restaurant on Heritage, Growth, and Identity
Chef Zor Tan’s cooking is personal in the truest sense. Rooted in his Hokkien heritage, his food reflects a life lived through flavor, memory, and movement.
“My earliest memories are from a small kitchen where food was how my family expressed love. I remember the heat of the wok, the smell of soy and garlic, and my parents cooking without ever measuring. Those moments made food feel emotional to me, not just technical, and that became the foundation of my cooking,” the chef shared with The Beat Asia.
At his Michelin-starred restaurant, Born, Chef Zor brings this to the forefront through his “Circle of Life” philosophy, where each dish tells a story drawn from his own journey. Currently ranked among Asia’s Best Restaurants, Born feels less like a destination restaurant and more like an ongoing conversation between the chef, his past, and the present.
“It started with wanting my food to be honest,” he said. “Instead of creating dishes for trends, I began creating dishes from memory. Over time, those memories formed a narrative, each dish representing a chapter of my life, the lessons I learned, and the people who shaped me.”
Apart from taking inspiration from his personal memories and Hokkien ancestry, Chef Zor’s cooking was also shaped by years spent working across different countries and kitchens. Born and raised in Malaysia, the chef moved to Singapore at age 17, where he first worked as a conductor operator at an electronics factory. But it was when he started working in a Japanese chain restaurant that his culinary journey began.
He studied at SHATEC Singapore and immediately began working at Restaurant Jaan after graduation, where he met his mentor Chef Andre Chiang. When his mentor launched Restaurant Andre, Chef Zor followed suit, where he rose steadily through the ranks. It was also while working here that the opportunity to join a culinary program in Spain came, where he got to work in world-class kitchens, including restaurants DiverXO and El Cellar de Can Roca.
Also adding to his impressive resume is becoming the Executive Chef of Restaurant Raw in Taipei and Sichuan Moon in Macau, where he was able to expand his knowledge on Sichuan cooking. When asked if there was a chapter in his culinary story that had the biggest influence on his cooking style, he replied, “There wasn’t one big moment. Cooking was simply where I felt most grounded. When I saw how a dish could make someone feel something, I realized it was a language I wanted to speak for the rest of my life.”
“Working overseas shaped me. I learned discipline, precision, and humility, but also the importance of identity. Being far from home made my heritage even more meaningful, and that tension between global technique and personal memory defines how I cook today.”
His skills and experiences gave birth to a unique brand of contemporary cuisine, which is highlighted in his first restaurant located at the heart of Singapore’s vibrant dining scene. Chef Zor describes “contemporary” as something that is all about clarity, quoting, “It’s knowing who you are and cooking with intention. It’s less about pushing boundaries for the sake of it, and more about expressing identity with honesty.”
According to the restaurant’s website, Born serves contemporary cuisine of cross-cultural techniques that are imbued with French and Chinese influences. It’s an intricate design of flavors, one Chef Zor balances incredibly well. When asked how he’s able to balance heritage with innovation, heritage and is own personals storytelling, he shared, “I begin with a memory or a flavor from my roots. Technique brings structure, and creativity refines the expression. When heritage and innovation feel seamless, that’s when the storytelling works.”
Chef Zor’s extensive experience in the kitchen hasn’t dulled his curiosity. If anything, it continues to fuel his desire to learn and evolve. Recently, he brought that spirit of exploration to Manila with a special kitchen takeover at Red Lantern in Solaire, where he unveiled an eight-course menu inspired by his Hokkien heritage and shaped by the many culinary traditions he has encountered throughout his career.
“A takeover brings a sense of adventure,” he said. “New ingredients, new tools, new team. It pushes me out of my routine. That energy reminds me of why I love this craft.”
The menu was both personal and progressive, weaving familiar flavors with refined techniques and unexpected touches. Guest were able to enjoy dishes such as the Kanpachi with Ginger and Watermelon Radish, which was made as a tribute to the Chinese New Year raw fish toss; the Crisp Fried Bao with Wagyu and Oyster, a reinterpretation of the traditional Haobing oyster cake through Spanish culinary influence; and the King CrabRisotto, enriched with Talangka and paired with Fish Maw.
When asked how he went about weaving local Filipino elements into the course, he replied, “I approached it with respect. I didn’t want to force fusion; I wanted the Filipino elements to feel naturally integrated into my story. I looked for flavors that resonated with memories from my own upbringing.”
Chef Zor also mentioned taba ng talangka, pili nuts, and calamansi as some of the ingredients that have captured his attention for their personality, and he would love to explore them further.
As for what lies ahead, Chef Zor hopes to keep doing what excites him most: discovering new cuisines, exploring unfamiliar ingredients, and learning along the way. He shared that he’s eager to work more closely with other chefs, especially those who cook with a strong sense of identity. For him, the most meaningful collaborations are with people who, like him, value culture, purpose, and storytelling on the plate. With Born already landing at No. 25 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2024, we asked Chef Zor which chapter of his “Circle of Life” he feels he’s in right now. He reflected:
“I’m in a chapter of growth and gratitude. The awards validate the team’s work, but they also remind me to stay grounded and keep evolving. There’s still a lot I want to express. The awards are meaningful because they reflect the commitment of the entire team. My advice to young chefs: stay patient, know your voice, and cook with intention. When you stay true to your identity, recognition will follow naturally.”
To learn more about Chef Zor Tan, follow him on Instagram. You can also learn more about Born through its website and Instagram page.
Enjoyed this article? Check out our previous Yes Chef! profiles here.
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
