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An injury may have ended Chef Guah Lih’s sporting ambitions, but it opened the door to a global culinary journey that would take him from diplomatic tables to more intimate private dining experiences.
In February this year, SIT-Culinary Institute of America (CIA) alumnus Guah Lih placed second at the International Cooking with Truffle Competition, missing the top spot by just one point. It was a triumphant moment, but the real reward for the 34-year-old chef was the opportunity to visit a truffle plantation in Spain.
His winning dish at the finals was a steamed brown butter egg custard topped with black truffles, black garlic, dates and crispy pork lard. This was served with chicken consommé infused with black truffles, jamon, aged preserved Chinese radish and aged black tea. Seeing how the prized fungus deepens in value with age, Lih was inspired to also showcase aged “humble” ingredients from his Chinese heritage that could emulate the aromas of the truffle forest.
Lih’s truffle dish that earned him second place was a steamed brown butter egg custard topped with black truffles, black garlic, dates and crispy pork lard. (Photo: @journe.sg)
“Truffle importers tend to gatekeep their source, so to visit a plantation myself, forage and take in the aroma of the truffle’s soil and surroundings was precious,” says Lih, whose instinct to understand ingredients at their source has shaped much of his culinary journey.
Lih came in second at the acclaimed International Cooking with Truffle Competition held in Spain. (Photo: Congresosoria)
Yet, despite all the success Lih has enjoyed to date, cooking was a path he had not always planned to pursue.
From Team Singapore Archer to Budding Culinary Whiz
As a youth archer on Team Singapore, Lih always thought he would remain a professional athlete for life. Yet even during overseas archery events, Lih eschewed sightseeing, gravitating towards markets and sussing out interesting restaurants.
At home, the teenager cooked for his friends whenever they were over. Some of his strongest memories were watching his grandmother coax flavour out of a charcoal stove – an experience that would later shape his fascination with live-fire cooking.
Still, he never saw cooking as a career, until an injury forced him to reconsider.
A friend introduced him to the CIA programme, offered through SIT. When Lih evaluated the course in detail, his decision became clear. “It is a top school with the best instructors, offering a degree programme. It has strong connections to the best restaurants and chefs around the world. All signs pointed me towards enrolling.”
Access to the Global Culinary World
At CIA, Lih found both the technical rigour and the space to deeply explore live-fire cooking, a technique he loves. With his instructors’ support, Lih even brought his own grill into class to hone his technique and experiment.
Beyond the classroom, the programme opened the door to Lih’s first meaningful exposure overseas. As part of CIA Singapore’s Overseas Immersion Programme (OIP), he travelled to Northern California, where the region’s produce-driven cooking and live-fire restaurant culture left a lasting impression on him.
Later in the curriculum, encouraged by Chef Eve Felder, managing director of CIA Singapore, Lih chose San Francisco, California, for his externship. Immersing himself in a city known for its progressive dining scene and acclaimed live-fire restaurants, the experience became an important early influence in shaping his culinary perspective.
What’s more, California is one of the largest agricultural states in America, allowing Lih easy access to produce and producers and satisfying his growing curiosity about ingredients – and where his ingredient-first philosophy first rooted. He was also able to work with whole animals, an experience not commonly available in Singapore kitchens.
“The OIP gave me the chance to visit ranches, creameries, wineries and other producers in Northern California. Information I gleaned from that trip was advantageous to me when I got into menu development as a head chef later on,” Lih shares.
With much more to learn, Lih returned to San Francisco after graduating in 2017. He stayed for five years, working across a diverse range of kitchens – from steakhouses and butcheries, to a Michelin-starred French restaurant and an upscale wagyu-centric live-fire restaurant.
Then came an unexpected opportunity.
Chef Felder told him that the incoming US ambassador to Singapore Jonathan Kaplan was looking for a chef for the embassy. After presenting a tasting menu, Lih was offered the position.
Lih with fellow chefs at O’ by Claude Le Tohic, part of the Michelin-starred opening team. (Photo: Guah Lih)
Fostering Culinary Diplomacy at the US Embassy in Singapore
Lih expected the role to be straightforward. “But it turned out to be really challenging creatively and exciting,” Lih fondly recalls of the unique stint, which lasted over two-and-a-half years.
Lih had to develop different menus frequently for a wide range of occasions, ranging from intimate meals to larger events involving ministers and international guests. Food became a way to forge relations between nations, through dishes that fused different cultural influences or that evoked comfort for foreign guests.
“For instance, if the US ambassador was meeting a Korean delegate, we might do something like an LA Galbi, a popular BBQ dish that Korean immigrants brought to America,” Lih explains.
The role sharpened not only his culinary skills, but also his sensitivity to how food carries identity and connection across cultures.
As the ambassador’s term came to an end, so too did Lih’s stint at the embassy. But he didn’t stay idle for long. Soon after, Lih began cooking for private events, with opportunities coming through word of mouth. His clients include acquaintances and members of the diplomatic community who had experienced Lih’s cooking during his time at the US embassy.
Journe: A Shared Culinary Journey
More than turning Lih into a global chef, CIA also led Lih to his life partner, who shares his zest for the culinary world. Lih and his wife Ethel Koh both graduated at the top of the cohort and spent years learning and working together in San Francisco. While Lih is lauded for his savoury creations, Ethel is a pastry whiz who runs a thriving home baking business.
Lih and his wife, Ethel. (Photo: Yew Wei Hong)
Bound by their shared understanding of food and desire to share what they have learned and experienced over the years, Lih and Ethel are preparing to launch Journe, a private dining experience from their Jalan Kayu flat, later this June.
“In the early days of exploring live-fire cooking, many of my peers in Singapore viewed it as impractical or simply unhealthy. It feels primitive, but also incredibly nuanced and precise. Eventually, before moving back to Singapore, my wife and I had the opportunity to join the opening team of Gozu, a whole-animal Japanese Californian restaurant built entirely around a live-fire hearth. That experience deepened my understanding of how versatile live-fire cooking can be,” shared Lih.
While Journe does not cook with live fire directly, its philosophy continues to shape Lih’s approach to flavour. Within the constraints of an HDB private dining space, the space will explore smokiness, depth, and warmth through careful roasting, charring, smoking, and heat-driven ingredient development.
Lih dreams of one day moving Journe into a dedicated restaurant space where he can fully indulge his passion for live-fire cooking. “The restaurant business is challenging for sure. But I believe if you keep putting out tasty food, people will return. This is our hope for Journe.”
Inspired by Lih’s story? Learn more about SIT-CIA’s Food Business Management programmes in Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry Arts.
