Kokoyo’s menu is a heartfelt tribute to Ernest’s grandmother who poured much love and dedication into the dishes she cooked every day for the Ang family. Growing up with such wonderfully balanced and flavourful Peranakan dishes, Ernest always knew that the kitchen would be his calling. With the launch of Kokoyo, Ernest is ready to share his grandmother’s legacy with the rest of Singapore. Kokoyo is coined from the way Ernest’s illiterate grandmother pronounced “coconut”. As a young boy, Ernest was constantly sent to the wet market to purchase “Kokoyo milk” for her.
Kokoyo aims to achieve the fine balance between the four main flavours of traditional Peranakan cuisine – sweet, savoury, spice, savoury – that makes it so special. According to Ernest’s grandmother, one remarkable aspect of Peranakan cuisine is that there is no definitive or incorrect method of preparation. Each household will have its own distinct recipe, for example, babi pongteh (pork belly in dark soya sauce) may be substituted with beef and mushrooms added to enhance the flavour.
Iconic dishes from the Ang’s family kitchen, such as Inchi Kabin (authentic Peranakan dish of flavourful spiced fried chicken marinated with coconut milk) and the signature Nasi Lemak (rice cooked in traditionally-prepared coconut milk) stand to tease one’s tastebuds with the explosion of finely-balanced spices in each bite.
As a tribute to the Ang family’s matriarch, Ernest and his family have also meticulously compiled the narrated stories behind each dish to create a heart-warming, and compelling menu that curious, palate-worn diners will enjoy.
“Dining out is, and should be, a shared and enjoyable experience – one that is as once familiar yet appealing to keep one coming back for different experiences – in this case, new flavours and tastes. As more Singaporeans dine out, I wanted to set up Kokoyo to create a sense of homecoming, yet with something different for each time diners visit. The complexity of Peranakan cuisine and its familiar Asian flavours makes Kokoyo the perfect place to rediscover the joy of dining out, for even the most jaded diners,” says Ernest Ang, Chef and Founder of Kokoyo. “For this reason, we also set up Kokoyo in a heartland neighbourhood, so that its casual and inexpensive ambience means a welcoming place for Singaporeans to dine in every day. Authentic and good food need not be pricey, and this location will enable us to focus on quality ingredients to provide authentic tastes for all of our dishes.”
Chef Ernest, brother and parents are all involved in the creation of Kokoyo, with aspirations to share their love for their grandmother, authentic Peranakan food and the stories behind them that the Ang family enjoyed growing up, with the rest of Singapore.
“Creating Kokoyo is indeed a family affair, one filled with much love and shared experiences which my family all enjoyed as my grandmother bonded us with her good food. Dining together, we forgot our challenges of the moment, and simply came together for those few hours to enjoy being with family and rejuvenate ourselves. In a fast-paced, competitive country like Singapore, I hope to be able to help more families realise the love and support that family can provide, and that Kokoyo will be this place for many to be rejuvenated after a good meal with family.”
