Famous for its grand architecture, which harks back to the British colonial era, the Eastern & Oriental Hotel (E&O), established in 1885 by Armenian hoteliers, has long stood as an icon of The Pearl of the Orient. Less well known, however, is that the E&O was formerly the sister hotel of the esteemed Raffles Singapore, which was also built by the Sarkies brothers.
Recently, the E&O joined hands with Raffles Singapore for an exclusive two-night-only dinner, A Tribute To The Tiffin, to celebrate its 140th anniversary and to pay homage to the Sarkies legacy.
Kuldeep Negi, Head Chef of the Tiffin Room at Raffles Singapore, unveiled a refined North Indian menu that rose well above the island’s usual offerings.
The experience at Java Tree, in the Heritage Wing of the E&O Penang, was further elevated by the spread being served in a rare collection of vintage tiffin carriers, with the oldest, on loan from the Indian Heritage Museum of Penang, dating back to 1862.
Negi, an award-winning chef who has welcomed world leaders and royalty at the Tiffin Room, said, “In addition to using quality ingredients, specific blends of spices, and time-honoured cooking techniques, I believe in another crucial element that is used liberally in my cooking—time. Allowing curries and dishes to cook on a low heat for a longer time teases out flavours, and marinating ingredients for a longer time lets flavours infuse better and deeper.”
A Tribute to Tiffin
This was demonstrated in the Tiffin Dal Makhani, where two days of slow cooking transformed organic black lentils into a creamy, spice-kissed curry enriched with tomato purée. Although I’m not usually one for lentils, I delighted in dipping poppadom specially hand-carried from Singapore into the curry along with fluffy Kashmiri naan.
In an ode to Penang’s seafood heritage, Negi presented a new creation: Lobster Biryani. Luscious chunks of crustacean were served atop basmati rice infused with herbs and saffron, each bite carrying a subtle aroma and a gentle sweetness from the sea.
It was more than a meal—it was an encounter with history and flavour that I will carry with me long after my last bite of Shahi Tukra and Mango Kulfi.
Eastern & Oriental Penang | Raffles Singapore
Photographs by Norlman Lo
