Mrs Brenda Khusnin- Lafiandra's most memorable meal was her wedding dinner.
The Singaporean, 40, married Chef Cataldo Lafiandra, 44, an Italian from the town of Bari, in the southern Italian region of Puglia, in 1996.
The couple, who now run Trattoria Lafiandra al Museo at the Singapore Art Museum, had a traditional southern Italian wedding and guests ate and danced throughout the meal. The whole affair lasted from 2pm to midnight.
The dinner, which was organised by Mrs Lafiandra's mother-in-law, included an array of appetisers, four pasta dishes, two main courses and a dessert buffet.
Mrs Lafiandra says: 'There was such a wide variety of dishes I had never seen before. The dishes that really stood out for me were the two main courses, the steamed seabass rolls with vegetables and the beef tenderloin with eggplant and mozzarella.'
She adds: 'But I was really happy because my parents were there to join the party. We flew them over.'
Today, 13 years later, the Lafiandras run their restaurant as a team. Chef Lafiandra does the cooking and menu planning while Mrs Lafiandra is in charge of service and accounting.
They opened the restaurant in Prinsep Street in 2003 and moved to the Singapore Art Museum in 2007.
Mrs Lafiandra says: 'I'm just happy to support my husband and build our restaurant for our children's future.'
The couple have two girls, Eleonora, 11, and Alessia, nine, who both attend St Margaret's Primary School.
Who does the cooking at home, you or your husband?
Most of the time, my husband cooks. He cooks my children's favourites. They like breaded chicken and beef, spaghetti with prawns and spaghetti with bolognese sauce. If it is local food, then I do it. They like chicken rice and fried rice. Non- spicy dishes.
In your line of work, you must eat very well. What do you eat on a regular day?
I eat mostly simple Italian food such as pasta aglio olio, caprese salad and grilled sea bass. For dinner, we often have pizza from our restaurant. We eat at the restaurant most of the time because we don't have time to eat out.
Your restaurant is in the Singapore Art Museum. Do you think there is a relationship between food and art?
Yes. Like art, you need passion and love to come up with inspiration for a new dish. Food is art.
What do you think is a winning formula for a good restaurant?
Value for money. Give value for the quality of food and do not overcharge.
What is your signature dish?
I got some good recipes from my late mother, who was a great cook. My mee siam and sambal goreng (a slightly spicy dish of prawns mixed with green beans and tempeh or fermented soya bean cake) are almost as good as hers, I think.
What is always in your refrigerator?
Fresh chilli and home-made sambal belacan which I learnt to make from my mother.
What is your biggest food indulgence?
Chocolates and desserts. I like to go to Italy to get them from the pasticceria (Italian pastry shops). They have such a wide variety of desserts. My favourite there is the Baba (sponge cake soaked in rum).
What is your favourite local dish?
Chilli crab. I get it from No. 3 Crab Delicacy Seafood Restaurant on Outram Road. It is very tasty as they blend the chilli very well and use good quality crabs. The crab is cooked just right so that it is juicy.
What is your comfort food?
Ice cream. I like Haagen Dazs' chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce. The two flavours go so well together. I like to have it with a nut topping.
In your opinion, what is the best thing about Italian food?
That it takes simple ingredients to make something great.
What is the most unusual thing you have ever eaten?
Horse meat. I had it in the south of Italy, where my husband comes from. My mother-in-law cooked it for us. The texture was very strange and I couldn't get past the fact that I was eating a horse.
What dish is your restaurant most famous for?
Ravioli stuffed with ham and ricotta in porcini sauce. Some people come to the restaurant just for that.
What is your favourite smell in the kitchen?
Rosemary. It is very fragrant and just makes you want to eat.
From now till June 30 next year, Citibank cardmembers may enjoy a one-for-one set dinner ($88++) or a complimentary bottle of wine with a minimum of $250 spent during lunch or dinner at Trattoria Lafiandra al Museo.
WHAT WOULD YOUR LAST MEAL BE?
Grilled cod with artichokes, specially prepared by my husband. He knows exactly how I like it done.
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