One of Singapore’s leading food gurus, Violet Oon, 66, is considered a leading authority on Asian cuisine and her own speciality is the Nonya cuisine of Singapore. Her reputation as a chef and food specialist spans the international arena and she often represents Singapore as a food Ambassador abroad. Oon has published three cookbooks of her own and they are Peranakan Cooking; Violet Oon Cooks; A Singapore Family Cookbook. 

On the international arena, she has co-authored the Curry Cookbook in German published by Teubner Publications and has led the Singapore team as Chef de Mission at the Worlds of Flavors Conferences at the Culinary Institute of America for 3 years. She has also cheffed for Singapore for the STB in Korea, the USA, Britain and Australia and has also presented Singapore cuisine for IE Singapore in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Los Angeles and San Francisco. 

With her children Tay Su-Lyn and Tay Yiming as business partners, she launched VIOLET OON’S KITCHEN in July 2012 to critical acclaim and in June 2015, with her business partner Mr Manoj M Murjani, they re-launched the quintessential Singapore restaurant as VIOLET OON SINGAPORE with a dedicated Singapore menu. Violet Oon Singapore has been  awarded the prestigious NATIONAL KITCHEN by VIOLET OON SINGAPORE at the National Gallery of Singapore and this exciting new restaurant representing Singapore cuisine will be launched in November this year. A Preview of what’s on offer will be presented at the SHATEC Gourmet Night Dinner on September 4 2015 at the Recipes Restaurant of SHATEC.

Her association with SHATEC dates back to its early days when Violet Oon reported on the school and students for the newspapers in her culinary life as the food critic for the defunct Singapore newspaper the New Nation, the Sunday Times and the former Singapore Monitor as well as for Her World magazine. In 1987 she launched THE FOOD PAPER, a monthly food magazine that often championed the work and students of SHATEC. She is very proud and honoured to be invited to chef for the first SHATEC Gourmet Night on September 4 2015 at the culinary and hospitablity school’s RECIPES Restaurant. The culinary team at Violet Oon Singapore boasts of 2 SHATEC graduates – one of them heads the catering team in the kitchen and our other SHATEC alumni is our Corporate Chef.