Ben McBride

Executive chef at Bistro Soori

Why we dig him: A fresh arrival on the local culinary scene, McBride’s responsible for some high notes in our recent flavor memory bank. Anyone who insists you can’t trust a skinny chef clearly hasn’t tried his food yet, although in this case we reckon lean’s probably more apt. This hotshot’s one of those strong, silent types, with a manly five o’clock shadow to boot.

Dish to die for: Just the thought of his foie gras duo ($21) makes us weak in the knees.

The lowdown: Unfortunately for us, this 33-year-old is off the market (we’ve met the missus and she’s gorgeous), so back off ladies.

Little-known fact: McBride comes from a long line of cattle ranchers; in fact, his family still owns the oldest family-run cattle ranch in Texas. Oh, and he has a serious addiction to Dr Pepper.

Mark Richards

Chef de cuisine at Keystone Restaurant

Why we dig him: After several stints overseas at establishments like MoMo and Ondine in Melbourne, this local’s back; and boy, are we glad. Sure, he whips up some mean fare, but who can resist those puppy-dog eyes and cheeky grin?

Dish to die for: We love our beef, and Richards’ signature Rangers Valley filet mignon ($58) with brown butter is one fine piece of meat.

The lowdown: We almost didn’t believe him when he told us, because this 36-year-old doesn’t look a day over 30. Sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but Richards is already in a committed relationship.

Little-known fact: He once slept on park benches in Melbourne two nights in a row when he was too broke to pay the rent.

Tim Ross-Watson

Owner and chef of The Garden of Eden

Why we dig him: He really is a bit of a dish, and proof that they sure do grow ‘em cute in the UK. This Londoner has called Singapore home for almost four years and serves up some yummy, avant-garde nosh in his very own establishment. Ross-Watson works out twice every day, so it’s no surprise that he’s got a banging bod. There’s also the whole bad boy vibe; with tatts on his back, hand, hip and a half-sleeve on his left arm.

Dish to die for: His rendition of Jelly ‘n’ Ice Cream ($15) brings back warm, fuzzy childhood memories; you could say it really hits our sweet spot.

The lowdown: Interested parties will be pleased to know that this 27-year-old hottie is single and very much available. Yes girls, you read that right. There’s hope yet.

Little-known fact: When he’s not working his ass off, working up a sweat or indulging in Jack Daniel’s on the rocks, he admits to praying a lot. On Sundays, you’ll find him at City Harvest Church. We suspect the female population’s attendance might enjoy a spike this coming weekend.

Randy Torres

Sous chef at Krish

Why we dig him: This fine gentleman has a wholesome all-American appeal, complete with a laidback boyish charm; pretty much exactly the kind of guy you’d want to bring home to meet mom and dad. Not to mention, the fact that he’s easy on the eyes doesn’t hurt either.

Dish to die for: We’re willing to drag our lazy asses out of bed on the weekends for the absolutely scrumptious crab cake Benedict ($16), only available during brunch.

The lowdown: He’s 30, but we reckon he’s an old soul, in a good way. According to our very dependable sources, Torres has very recently started dating someone. Dang it.

Little-known fact: Torres is a bona fide romantic, and not afraid to say it (brownie points). We’re talking about someone who believes in the good ole fashioned things like buying flowers, writing poetry, and cooking dinner for his special someone from scratch. He even unabashedly admits to not just watching but actually enjoying rom-coms.

Here are a couple of recipes if you're on a liquid diet, courtesy of Néktar's Raveen Misra.

Gordon's Breakfast

60ml of dry gin
1inch of peeled Japanese cucumber
5ml sugar syrup
15ml Lemon Juice
10ml of Worcestershire sauce
2 to 3 dashes of Tobasco sauce
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper

Muddle cucumber, sugar syrup,salt, pepper and tobasco and let it macerate for a couple of minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients in and shake well with ice. Pour everything into a glass. Add more tobasco, salt or pepper if desired.

Passion Fruit Mimosa

1/2 a fresh passion fruit
15ml of honey
15ml fresh orange juice
Champagne

Scoop out the contents of the passion fruit into a shaker and add the honey and orange juice to it. Shake well and strain into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with Champagne and serve.

If you’re a bit of a daredevil and like to get your kicks from a little pain, then you might want to try these spicy numbers. We hunted down some of the hottest dishes in town, just to see if they’re really as dangerous as they claim.

1. Level 35 Buffalo Wings from Sunset Grill & Pub

Hands down, the spiciest (and most expensive) of the lot. The wings come in 35 different levels; we cut to the chase and went right for the highest—dunked in a sauce made from the fires of Hades, conceived and made in Hell’s Kitchen by a woman scorned no doubt. As if that’s not enough, these weapons of mass destruction are also sprinkled with dried chili flakes. They look like they’ve been ejected from a volcano; and taste like it too. The smell alone is enough to make your eyes water and three bites is all it takes to shut you up for ten full minutes. As much as we love getting our kicks from spicy food, our idea of hell would be eating wing after torturous wing for an eternity. Consider yourselves warned: Don’t try this at home, kids.
Spice level:
Damage to your wallet: $35 for half a dozen
Damage to your body: Prepare for total, utter annihilation and lots of pain. Your mouth will be scarred for life, your stomach and intestines stabbed with shards of broken glass and your body’s not going to thank you after. We’re just glad we survived.

2. Chongqing Diced Chicken from Peach Garden Sichuan @ Miramar

Imagine deep-fried golden pieces of chicken peeking out from a bed of dried chili. Before you’re tempted to dismiss it, we’ll have you know that there’s real muscle behind it. Pop a piece in your mouth, and once you start chewing, the heat starts to spread. It’s not just the immediate effect of the chili powder and dried chilies though; what really gets you is the combined action with the ma la (mouth-numbing) Sichuan peppers. Your tongue tingles, your nose waters, and yet it’s so delicious it’s actually addictive.
Spice level:
Damage to your wallet: $20
Damage to your body: It’s a fierce competitor, and delivers a real punch to your mouth and gut that’s mostly worth it. Rookies need not apply.

3. Kung Chae Nam Pla from Nana Thai restaurant

This rendition of kung chae nam pla (prawns marinated in fish sauce) is a winner; a Thai ceviche if you will. Take fresh, raw prawns, butterfly them, then marinate in fish sauce, a touch of lime juice, slices of garlic and pile on heaps of chopped chilli padi, seeds and all. Tear some mint leaves and sprinkle over, then douse with more chilli sauce. What you get is a very tasty and tangy bite, coupled with an assertive attack on your tongue. You could easily eat four or five of these beauties before you start to feel the chili do its work.
Spice level:
Damage to your wallet: $10
Damage to your body: We resisted the urge to drink any water till after, and it was still completely bearable. Guess the years of eating chili padi with our mee pok finally paid off.

4. Level Six Treadfin Fish Curry from Lagnaa Barefoot Dining

At Lagnaa, they pride themselves on producing some of the most potent curries; they do them up to level 10 here. Despite our begging and pleading, the highest we could try was a six (you have to wait till their full moon party once a month to attempt level seven or higher; next one’s on Nov 10, 7pm). So we ordered one of the chef’s signatures: A thick red-brown fish curry that’s easily the most flavorful and fragrant dish of any of its competitors. The first spoonful is very enjoyable, and after at least six, a slow pleasant burn starts to build up in your mouth. Even after consuming the whole thing, you can leave feeling still comfortable. It’s the most spiced, but certainly not the most spicy.
Spice level:
Damage to your wallet: $15
Damage to your body: Fairly minimal, although if you’re hoping for a mango lassi to help you out, you’re fresh out of luck. Lagnaa has a strict no yogurt-based items policy.

5. Level Five Thin-sliced Boiled Beef Curry from CoCoICHIBANYA Curry House

At just over a month old, this curry house from Japan is one of the newest additions to the scene. Level five is the highest you can go here, but despite its description to be “crazy hot” with 24 times the chili, this really is for the amateur; although it is spicier than the average Japanese curry, it’s still a bit wimpy. We reckon even a four-year-old could finish it (we did without so much as blinking). It wasn’t just the lack of heat that disappointed us; the stingy portion of beef (we counted no more than ten thin slivers) didn’t impress either.
Spice level:
Damage to your wallet: $12.50
Damage to your body: Next to none, which incidentally is also the level of satisfaction to be had.

Matsuura Tongarashi Umeshu

You wouldn’t expect it, but this fragrant chili wine has quite some heat to it. If you’re a fan of the sweet and spicy combo, this is just the ticket. Our suggestion? Have it on the rocks or with soda water; it’s much too sweet to have on its own. $10 per glass, $68 for a 720ml bottle at Ippudo TAO.

Chili-infused Vodka

How to make Buyan’s chili vodka: First, get an entire bottle of Russian Standard vodka. Next, chop up 300 grams of red chilies and add it to the vodka, seeds and all. Then, throw in a generous handful of black peppercorns and raw garlic, and leave to infuse for at least two weeks (the longer the better, of course). The result is a clear, innocent-looking spirit that’s surprisingly potent. $13 per shot, $240 for a 1 liter bottle at Buyan Russian Haute Cuisine & Caviar Bar.

Vampiro

This concoction of plata (silver) tequila with diced onion, habaneros, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce is really just a vamped and amped up version of an old favorite, the Bloody Mary. Tempered with orange juice, it’s tart and refreshing, with a real kick. $12.50 at Senor Taco.