Some of the treats at SweetSpot and the Cheese and Chocolate Bar at Marina Bay Sands. (Photo courtesy of Marina Bay Sands)
Almost four years after its opening, Marina Bay Sands, the integrated resort in Singapore developed by Las Vegas Sands, remains a hot spot in Singapore and draws residents and tourists to its premises for shopping, entertainment, as well as its various arts and culture programs.
Both the hotel and the mall also feature a number of celebrity chef restaurants, and other fine dining eateries. As the executive pastry chef of Marina Bay Sands, Ryan Witcher oversees the entire bakery and pastry production. He is also responsible for the menus at SweetSpot, a deli specializing in desserts and sweet treats, as well as the Cheese and Chocolate Bar, which, located on the 57th floor, not only provides an extensive buffet featuring cheese and chocolate creations, but also a spectacular view of the city.
Originally from Michigan, where he grew up around farmers’ markets and was exposed to fresh ingredients, Witcher worked at prestigious hotels throughout the world, including New York and Shanghai, before moving to Singapore last year. He sat down with the Jakarta Globe and talked about his devilishly delicious creations.
When did you decide that you want to become a chef?
While I was in school, I took my first job as a dishwasher at the age of 15. I worked my way up in the kitchen and found a love for cooking. The amount of excitement, adrenaline and the guests’ reaction to seeing and tasting something that you have created was priceless.
How did you feel about moving to Singapore?
Working in Marina Bay Sands is not my first job in Asia, as I was in Shanghai for a while. I knew Singapore would be a great experience, especially coming to work for an amazing integrated resort such as Marina Bay Sands. Singapore is world-renowned for their food and I was looking forward to using my knowledge of food to pair with local ingredients.
Ryan Witcher. (Photo courtesy of Marina Bay Sands)
You have a reputation for combining sweet and savory in your desserts, such as strawberry and basil and chocolate and thyme. How did you discover these flavors?
I started my culinary career on the savory side of the kitchen. I learned flavor profiles — especially herbs and spices — along with cooking techniques, and this helped when I transitioned into pastry. Basil and thyme are my favorite herbs, so it was easy to pair with desserts.
Growing up in Michigan, I was constantly surrounded by amazing produce so I want to use products when they are at their peak. The strawberry- basil combination started off as a sorbet flavor and I quickly transitioned into other desserts due to the amazing and refreshing flavors.
What are the biggest challenges of being the executive pastry chef at Marina Bay Sands?
The biggest challenge is being everywhere at the same time to ensure the best possible experience for our guests and the best learning environment for my team.
Could you tell me more about the concept of both SweetSpot and the Cheese and Chocolate Bar at the Club?
SweetSpot is an espresso bar, bakery and dessert store that offers our finest selection of whimsical and contemporary pastries. We pride ourselves on creating all its bread, pralines and desserts by hand. You will find over 80 different types of exquisite desserts and pastries, artfully crafted pralines and freshly baked breads available daily.
The Cheese and Chocolate Bar offers a spread of more than 40 chocolate-themed desserts and 12 types of cheese with wine pairing options. This is a full-blown chocolate and cheese buffet featuring desserts that are hand-crafted by my team as well as the finest cheese from France, Italy, Spain and the UK. The Cheese and Chocolate Bar is an inviting spot for after-dinner desserts and drinks long into the night, as our guests enjoy the light breeze and majestic views from the Sands SkyPark.
Do you have any special menus coming up for the holiday season?
For Christmas this year, SweetSpot is bringing back the popular 100 percent chocolate SweetSpot Signature Christmas Tree. The chocolate tree this year is different from previous years as it is made with sustainable Javanese chocolate. The tree is embellished with candied almonds, chocolate stars and chocolate snowflakes, making it perfect as a decorative gift or as an after-dinner treat.
SweetSpot is also offering two new log cake flavors in Exotic Fruit and Chocolate-Raspberry. The Exotic Fruit Yule Log is a refreshing and fruity blend of tropical fruit with toasted coconut-almond cake, passion fruit and mango gelee, as well as creamy banana and vanilla creme. In contrast, the Chocolate-Raspberry Yule Log is a dark chocolate mousse with chocolate-raspberry cremeux, raspberry gelee and sacher sponge with a praline crunch.
Do you ever get tired of sweets?
I usually get tired of particular sweets as opposed to sweets as a whole.
When that time comes I will just change the menu.
What is your favorite comfort food?
I have two favorite foods: Spaghetti Bolognese and ice cream topped with sprinkles.
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