June Lee
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Articles by June Lee
Being the Long-Distance Daughter: A Memoir of Hannah's Early Twenties
HANNAH KAZEMI — A busy social life, three missed calls, and a quiet reminder that I can’t be everywhere at once. BEEDIE LUMINARIES — Hannah Kazemi graduated from Simon Fraser University in the spring of 2023, and every photo from the day tells a similar story: she is wrapped tightly in the arms of her loved ones, grinning ear to ear. In one shot her cheeks are pressed against her sister’s; in another, she’s pulled in close by her mother; in many, she’s happily sandwiched somewhere in between.
How to curate the best sake list for your venue
As sake makes the leap to fine dining restaurants and non-Japanese venues, drinks expert and contributor June Lee find out from industry friends how they create the best pairing menu. by June Lee Don’t speak Japanese? No Japanese cuisine? These are no impediments at all to the ongoing sake wave which has continued to fascinate the modern, adventurous diner.
Early Life Behavior Phenotypes and Cortisol Responses to Common Lab Stressors in a Cichlid Fish
Abstract The stress response is highly conserved across species, and increased glucocorticoid release (cortisol in fishes) is a key element. In the highly social cichlid fish, Burton's Mouthbrooder (Astatotilapia burtoni), stress axis activity is associated with juvenile social behavior and status, and it mediates early-life social effects, yet little is known about early-life stress physiology. We measured water-borne cortisol, a non-invasive method, in juveniles less than 1-week old.
Formal verification makes RSA faster - and faster to deploy
Most secure transactions online are protected by public-key encryption schemes like RSA, whose security depends on the difficulty of factoring large numbers. Public-key encryption improves security because it enables the encrypted exchange of private keys. But because it depends on operations like modular exponentiation of large integers, it introduces significant computational overhead.
With Por Amor, Don Julio stirs up fresh passion for culture, craft and agave
Don Julio González believed in doing things for love as he pursued his vision of making exceptional tequila, and in the process, revolutionising the tequila industry in Mexico. It is fitting, then, that ultra-premium tequila brand Don Julio’s new global campaign is centred on Por Amor, which translates to ‘For Love’. Celebrating and exploring what it means to follow your heart over your head, this universal message resonates with creatives, craftsmen and artists around the world.
Restaurant Euphoria: Custom-made plates make fine dining more fun
Chef Jason Tan is well known in the industry for his love of plateware, a love affair that has lasted 15 years and counting. It is his passionate hobby, one that has seen him amass a personal collection of over 500 mostly unique pieces, which he often brings to the restaurants he works at (as was the case at the one-Michelin-star Corner House).
The Macallan Harmony Collection Green Meadow brings together nostalgia and craft in a travel exclusive
Life is about the adventures you take and memories you make. And nowhere else is the sense of adventure more palpable than when you are standing at Changi Airport, luggage in tow, anticipating the sights, sounds and tastes that are different from home. Yet even as every departure brings an arrival, on the flip side of wanderlust is the invaluable sense of home.
China’s First Advanced Female Sommelier, Meiyu Li
by Some people find romance in Paris, but Meiyu Li found her love for wine in 2009 — and built a career out of it. She would go on to win the title of China’s Best Sommelier in 2011 and become mainland China’s first female Advanced Sommelier, a high-level certification given by the Court of Master Sommeliers. This period also saw the start of the grape rush in China. While global producers sought to sell their wines to China, local wine production started to take off.
China’s first advanced female sommelier, Meiyu Li on the rise of Chinese wines and her sommelier career
Some people find romance in Paris, but Meiyu Li found her love for wine in 2009 — and built a career out of it. She would go on to win the title of China’s Best Sommelier in 2011 and become mainland China’s first female Advanced Sommelier, a high-level certification given by the Court of Master Sommeliers. This period also saw the start of the grape rush in China. While global producers sought to sell their wines to China, local wine production started to take off.
Glenfiddich takes whisky lovers on a grand journey for Chinese New Year
This year, Glenfiddich is bringing back its eagerly-awaited Chinese New Year global gift packs—an annual tradition that sees them collaborate with a luminary artist to bring fresh visions to life. With the theme of ‘A Gift for Blossoming Futures’, Japanese-Canadian multidisciplinary artist Raku Inoue has depicted Fu Lu, the Glenfiddich Stag, in his signature organic style, bringing us on a vivid, blooming journey to the outdoors.
SANDOR KATZ AND THE TINY WILD
Fermentation expert Sandor Katz’s hearty voice punctuates Lori Prince’s overall narration of this picture book. It’s a biography of Katz, who moved to a “community of queer folk” in Tennessee in search of a healthy life after his HIV diagnosis. He has become famous for his recipes for fermented foods. The titular “tiny wild”—the microbes that make the culinary magic—swirl as multicolored dots through Julie Wilson’s humorous illustrations.
The Macallan joins hands with Stella and Mary McCartney for the release of Harmony III
If there is a thread that unites every person on earth, it would be the biophilic connection to the natural world and its beneficial effects on physical and mental health. The Macallan Harmony Collection was born from this cherished relationship with nature, which The Macallan has nurtured over the past 200 years. Each edition of the Harmony Collection has been presented in innovative sustainable packaging.
Why you need to visit Sago House, the most hospitable bar in Asia
A cosy hand-built bar that seats 35 people at most and serves a rotating menu of five to six cocktails in Chinatown received the top hospitality honours at this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards. Crowned the winners of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, Sago House edged out capacious hotel bars that have dominated the category since it started in 2020. Previous winners are BKK Social Club in Bangkok and Singapore’s MO Bar and Manhattan Bar.
These Distilleries Are Making Whisky In Singapore
by The future of whisky in Singapore has never been more spirited. With some of the most avid drinkers and collectors in the region, it may seem natural for Singapore to produce its own drams — but that has not been the case until very recently. Without a history or industry of distilling on the island, coupled with a resolutely tropical climate not suited for the long ageing process, the barriers to entry are daunting, to say the least.
Commentary: Talking crab and the price of a national dish, chilli crab, in Singapore | HungryGoWhere
In the same year that the original inventor of the chilli crab passed away in February 2023 (Cher Yam Tian — her sons are Roland and Richard Lim, who continue her legacy at Roland Restaurant), we have yet another controversy over the dish: Chilli crab prices. A bunch of Japanese tourists called the police in September after they were hit with a S$1,322.37 bill for their seafood meal at Paradise Seafood, which included S$938 alone for a 3.5kg Alaskan king crab. Deja vu.
Think Drink: How do you pair mooncakes with wines?
In the weeks leading up to the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Mooncake Festival, you might be awash in hefty orbs of lotus or bean paste, on the gifting and receiving end. A friend shared that she was dreading the annual tasting of experimental mooncakes made by her darling kids in school as a festive activity. I used to think that pairing mooncakes with wine or spirits was a flight of fancy, or luxurious indulgence. Now I see it might have something to do with fortifying yourself.
Maker’s Mark reimagines whisky classics at 16 of Singapore’s best bars
Born in Kentucky, where bourbon whisky originated, the spirit of Maker’s Mark has always lived outside the box. Founded in 1953, the brand has changed the industry with numerous pioneering innovations—such as using red winter wheat for smoothness, wood stave finishing for more polished flavours, and to top it off, a signature hand-dipped red wax seal to guarantee each bottle of hand-crafted whisky.
A Collector’s Guide to Large Format Wines
From magnums to nebuchadnezzar, dive into the world of large-format wine bottles. W arning: Side effects of browsing wine auctions at Sotheby’s may include widening of the eyes and slight palpitations of the heart. It’s not the alcohol – it’s the frequently massive bottles of wine that’s causing collectors to swoon.
When Size Matters: A Collector’s Guide to Large Format Wines
U pon exploring Sotheby’s Hong Kong Colossal Formats | Towering DRC & Iconic Bordeaux, side effects may include widening of the eyes and slight palpitation of the heart. That bigger wine bottles are preferred is a position that wine professionals have long held when it comes to storing and maturing wine for optimal enjoyment. But what makes large format wine bottles so coveted? Magnum comes from the Latin word magnus, meaning “great”.
Meet the Singaporeans who have started their own local whisky distilleriesThese local Distilleries Are Putting Whisky Into The Forefront
The future of whisky in Singapore has never been more spirited. With some of the most avid drinkers and collectors in the region, it may seem natural for Singapore to produce its own drams — but that has not been the case until very recently. Without a history or industry of distilling on the island, coupled with a resolutely tropical climate not suited for the long ageing process, the barriers to entry are daunting, to say the least.
Why Sago House Is Asia’s Most Hospitable Bar
by A cosy hand-built bar that seats 35 people at most and serves a rotating menu of five to six cocktails in Chinatown received the top hospitality honours at this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards. Crowned the winners of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, Sago House edged out capacious hotel bars that have dominated the category since it started in 2020. Previous winners are BKK Social Club in Bangkok and Singapore’s MO Bar and Manhattan Bar.
Why Sago House is Asia's most hospitable bar
A cosy hand-built bar that seats 35 people at most and serves a rotating menu of five to six cocktails in Chinatown received the top hospitality honours at this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards. Crowned the winners of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, Sago House edged out capacious hotel bars that have dominated the category since it started in 2020. Previous winners are BKK Social Club in Bangkok and Singapore’s MO Bar and Manhattan Bar.
These distilleries are making whisky in Singapore
The future of whisky in Singapore has never been more spirited. With some of the most avid drinkers and collectors in the region, it may seem natural for Singapore to produce its own drams — but that has not been the case until very recently. Without a history or industry of distilling on the island, coupled with a resolutely tropical climate not suited for the long ageing process, the barriers to entry are daunting, to say the least.
Hendrick’s Flora Adora is an idyllic gardenscape captured in a bottle
Some flowers, radiant with nectar and colour, are more irresistible to bees and butterflies. That’s what Lesley Gracie, master distiller at Hendrick’s Gin Palace, noticed in her garden last summer. An exploration of these plants in her laboratory has led to the brand’s latest release—a botanical-packed, limited-edition gin, suitably named Flora Adora. The spirit fills your senses with notes of rose, jasmine and lavender.
Veuve Clicquot's youngest winemaker on how the La Grande Dame 2015 adds colour to champagne
As the Pantone Color Institute has long taught us, colours can change our moods, emotions, and even behaviour. Further research shows that yellow is deemed the colour of happiness and optimism, and is coincidentally one that most vinophiles readily associate with the recognisable livery of champagne house Maison Veuve Clicquot.
Why These Benchmark White Wines Deserve More Attention
by White wine never goes out of style, yet it is often relegated to the second tier among Singapore’s vinophiles who prefer the heft and tannins of red wine. While a Leflaive Montrachet chardonnay or Screaming Eagle sauvignon blanc may breach the $10,000 and $5,000 bottle mark respectively, many cognoscenti are unaware of the long-lived, evocative examples from other producers around the world.
Why these benchmark white wines deserve more attention
Gourmet & Travel Beyond Burgundy grand crus, there is a world of benchmark white that puts red in the shade. Demand for these haute bottles is rising, fuelled by rarity and renewed interest in unique grape varieties. by / White wine never goes out of style, yet it is often relegated to the second tier among Singapore’s vinophiles who prefer the heft and tannins of red wine.
Masterclass Programme
Only registered visitors for ProWine Singapore will be permitted to the masterclass sessions. If you have not registered for ProWine Singapore 2022, please click here Pandemic Perspectives: Learnings For A New Wine World We find out how the wine industry survived and thrived over the pandemic.
M.S.B. Somms and Vineyards: A tale of Catalunya’s wines through its 12 D.O.s and wine regions
Sommelier Miquel Sabrià Bernaneu has launched the first batch of soulful Catalan wines under his label, M.S.B. Somms and Vineyards, with label artwork by a Singaporean artist. by June Lee Mention the wines of Catalunya, and you might think of the sparkling wines of Cava, or the powerful reds of Priorat.
Sandor Katz and the Tiny Wild (Food Heroes Series) — Readers To Eaters
by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and June Jo Lee, illustrated by Julie Wilson Age Range: 6 - 12 years Grades: 1-6 Hardcover: $19.95, 32 pages, ISBN 978-0998047713 Pub Date: June 2022 Order from Bookshop, Amazon, or Purchase from your local bookstore! Sandor Katz’s love of fermented food started with kosher dill pickles he ate as a New York City kid. As an adult, he left the busy city and moved to a queer community in the mountains of Tennessee.
Atlas Handcrafted turns plates into stunning platters
It can be an uphill task to make upcycling look glamorous, but the business partners of Atlas Handcrafted, Nicholas Lin and Mak Sin Wee, constantly live up to their tag line of “Gifting Reimagined”. During Circuit Breaker in 2020, they realised that many elderly hawkers and small businesses were not faring well. So, armed with backgrounds in e-commerce sites and art, they decided to help them pivot online.
No typical sliders and fries for Republic Bar's menu
Think of bar food, and sliders and fries are likely the things that come to mind. Massimo Pasquarelli, executive chef of the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, had a different mandate when it came to Republic Bar’s menu. “The cocktail menu is devoted to a narrative of historical anecdotes from the 1960s and around four epicentres – Singapore, the UK, the US and Italy,” he says of the bar, which opened in April 2021.
Restaurant Euphoria's custom plates make fine dining fun
Chef Jason Tan is well known in the industry for his love of plateware, a love affair that has lasted 15 years and counting. It is his passionate hobby, one that has seen him amass a personal collection of over 500 mostly unique pieces, which he often brings to the restaurants he works at (as was the case at the one-Michelin-star Corner House).
Revolver makes banana leaf cuisine, street food utensils fine dining-worthy
Executive chef Saurabh Udinia is playing with fire – literally. At Revolver, premium meats, seafood and vegetables are charred on the custom-built wood-fired grill or in the hand-built tandoor, to deliver a modernised version of Indian cuisine. In line with the ethos, every plate or bowl in the restaurant, numbering over 30, is bespoke.
14 chef- and stylist-approved tips to up your plateware game
F / Food Fall in love with current plateware trends, and discover how to achieve restaurant-quality presentation for your own dining table. by June Lee / December 11, 2021 Credit: Jannet Serhan/Unsplash In the age of social media, we eat as much with our eyes as we do with our mouths. Discover the dynamic plateware trends that have moved us away from severe white plates to embrace colours, patterns, textures and materials.
Why The Macallan Harmony Collection Rich Cacao feels like a warm hug
Whisky can often run the full spectrum of flavours, from fruity and floral to peaty, woody and sulphuric. However, The Macallan’s whisky maker Polly Logan had one particular flavour in mind when the historic house explored the crafting of the Harmony Collection Rich Cacao, a new and innovative series of single malts that will see The Macallan move into the world of sustainable packaging.
Here's how you can enjoy a glass of bubbly while supporting the environment
Did you know that only 3 percent of all Champagne production is organic? Ludovic du Plessis, president of the House of Telmont, explains that although organic agriculture–no herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertiliser–is desirable to the consumer, it presents difficult challenges for the producer. In 2021 for instance, organic crops in Champagne were ravaged by the worst mildew in years, alongside frost and excessive rain.
These frozen collagen soup packs let you have a nourishing hotpot at home
F / Food Move over, bone broth – it’s all about premium collagen soup at home now. We put three frozen collagen soup packs to the taste test by June Lee / September 19, 2021 Since debuting on the hotpot menus of restaurants such as Beauty In The Pot, collagen soup has remained a sought-after dining-out experience. It is a primal memory for many, including Bella Koh, #HerWorldTribe member and the wellness practitioner behind Slowhouse (theslowhouse.co).
Discover new wines to drink at home
Wine cluedo, a marketplace and a sommelier-led portal make staying at home more enjoyable Getting creative at home is the new normal. That extends to the world of wine, where Zoom tastings and even wine edu-tainment, such as through Vivant (see our story here), have become ever more popular. Here are three fresh Singapore wine-related digital discoveries to try out. What do these three companies have in common?
Sake exclusives and where to find them
Increasing numbers of sake lovers in Singapore means more Japanese restaurants and labels that make for the perfect match Japan is the top travel destination for Singaporeans, based on numerous polls. In 2019, Singaporean travellers spent more than S$1 billion in Japan, according to the Japanese Tourism Agency. Now that travel is restricted, Singaporeans have turned to the next best thing – eating and drinking their way through local Japanese restaurants.
White wine can’t age, and other myths of white wine debunked
Penfolds brand ambassador Sam Stephens discusses their new white wine campaign, Experience Extraordinary In a New Light, over a decanted glass of Yattarna Chardonnay Would it surprise you to know there are many misconceptions about white wine? The folks at Penfolds, which has been making wine since 1844, have probably heard them all. Some are perplexing, such as thinking that white wine contains less alcohol than red, or that screwtop closures mean that the wine is cheap.
(Review) Get virtually hooked on wines through online portal Vivant
Learning is made easier through live sessions with quizzes, videos, an Interactive Tasting Method and wine sampling sets, but it is the mission of sustainability that drives the whole programme In December 2020, Burgundy-based Vivant debuted its brand-new interactive online platform that aims to connect winemakers, consumers and wine advisors through Live Experiences streamed in real time to your desktop.
Have a milk punch lunch in a bar
Origin Bar innovates with flavourful cocktails to pair with a three-course signature set lunch While you may be familiar with Origin Bar as a place for sophisticated rum cocktails and a wide range of craft spirits in general, did you know that the bar also serves up great meals? Now you can have your work meeting or indulgent weekend treat, and pair it with cocktails too.
Not a sommelier? 5 tips to differentiate white wines
June Lee 8 April 2021 Penfolds shares all the tips and techniques you need when choosing the next great Chardonnay or Riesling for your wine session. White wine, with all its subtleties of aromas and flavours, is often considered the most epicurean of wines for its ability to pair well with food and stimulate the appetite.
Why Penfolds’ Expressive White Wines Have Remained Consistently Popular
By June Lee March 23, 2021 Tatler+ Cool, classy, charming are just some of the ways to describe the different facets of white wines from Penfolds—from its Chardonnay’s long legs to Riesling’s racy side Newsletters Sign up for our newsletters to get all our top stories delivered.
Pop-up alert and review: Michelin restaurants collaborate with top cocktail bars
June Lee 26 February 2021 In March only, your chance to catch Buona Terra, Zen, Labyrinth and Ola as they partner Tess Bar, No Sleep Club, Native Bar and Junior Pocket Bar Even as Singaporeans and residents are starting to feel restless from lack of travel, the Michelin Guide and Singapore Tourism Board have been teaming up to hatch creative homegrown concepts to help us travel through our palate.
A generous pour of passion and technology by Taste France
June Lee 25 February 2021 The Asia Finals of the Best Sommelier in French Wines Competition 2020 took place smoothly online, crowning the 11th champion of the esteemed competition via live video telecast. In a year when many events and happenings were disrupted all over the world, the show still went on for one of the most important and highly anticipated sommelier contests in the region.
Get your drinks from coffee and cocktail robots
June Lee 19 February 2021 Meet Ella and Ratio, the captivating robotic baristas who’ll pour a flat white or shake up a tom yum martini Fancy a negroni or kopi siu dai from your ‘friendly’ neighbourhood robot? Two Singaporean-led companies have raised the stakes in F&B automation technology by introducing fully operational robot barista cafes in late 2020.
New drinks, fresh air
June Lee 23 January 2021 A range of new cocktails and food in these breezy outdoor and al fresco spaces at Caffe Fernet, Bayside Drinks and Eats, and SoFrance Caffe Fernet Having established a serious reputation for good cocktails and food, waterfront Caffe Fernet’s new menu revamp sees a “New-Italian” theme, referring to their cross-cultural take on Italian cuisine with canny twists.
5 Singaporeans changing the way we produce food
F / Food A taste of the new wave by June Lee / January 19, 2021 Meet the new(ish) kids on the block who are serving up exciting based meat alternatives and locally distilled spirits, and the rise of young chefs who are challenging the way we perceive fine dining.
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