Chef Foo Tee Loke, 56, is Chef de Cuisine of Rasa Singapura, a 1,000-seat food court at the Venetian Macao resort hotel. Also known as 'The King of Chicken' thanks to his signature dish, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Chef Foo describes his culinary style as being fundamentally Asian.

Interestingly, Chef Foo's favourite dishes to cook at home are not chicken-based. Rather, he professes to cook "lots of Italian" at home, especially seafood items.

AsiaOne catches up with Chef Foo.

When did you decide you wanted to become a chef?
I started as a kitchen trainee in a relative's restaurant at the age of 17. With lots of encouragement from my father and the executive chef, I made up my mind to be a chef two years after being a trainee.

What was your Big Break?
Mandarin Singapore has given me a fabulous platform to further my career as a chef. I became known as 'The King of Chicken' after I won Gold Awards for 3 consecutive years (1985-1988) in the Food Competition Championship with my signature dish 'Hainanese Chicken Rice'.

What makes a good chef?
To be a good chef, you have to be a good observer, with good culinary sense and creativity. That's one of the reason why I constantly spend time creating new dishes from what I've learned from other countries.

Do you have a signature dish?
My nickname is 'The King of Chicken', so of course my signature dish is 'Hainanese Chicken Rice'! It has superbly-smooth chicken meat accompanied by rice which is fragranced with essence of chicken. Not forgetting my home-made chilli & ginger sauce, which come together to provide a completely satisfying experience for the diner. This dish has been the talk-of-the-town in Singapore since 1985!

What is your most essential kitchen tool and why?
Wok. That's the most basic tool I use to create my masterpieces.

What are the must-haves in your fridge at home?
Well, my family and I like all sorts of vegetables and fruits. These 'must-haves' always take up 70% of the space in my fridge at home.

When you do cook at home, what do you usually cook?
Seafood items. Especially lots of Italian.

What is your favorite local Singaporean dish? Why and which stall you go to?
Singaporean Hainanese Chicken Rice is my favourite, with lots and lots of chillies! I usually frequent local Chinese stalls, no particular one. I just like to explore.