SOME people may break into a sweat under the pressure of cooking Christmas dinner, but not Audra Fong, an ophthalmologist at Eagle Eye Centre.

A veteran home chef, she has been throwing Christmas parties for friends and family for nearly 20 years. And this year, she can’t wait to make up for lost time. 

“We couldn’t have parties the last two years as we were rebuilding our home (not to mention the Covid-19 pandemic). We sorely miss having friends and family gather at this special time of the year,” says Dr Fong. “We are so looking forward to making happy memories in our new home.”

Cooking will be a breeze for her this Christmas, since her new home in Bukit Timah is equipped with not just one, but three kitchens.

“I used to start cooking in the mornings, but now I can even start at 5pm to prepare Christmas dinner,” says Dr Fong. 

During the reconstruction of the two-storey detached house with attic, the family did away with the large swimming pool and expanded the kitchen space instead. There’s even a walk-in pantry for good measure. 

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It may seem a waste to be without a pool, but it was Dr Fong’s condition before buying the house. 

“The old kitchen was tiny, and I didn’t really like the house,” she explains. “I only agreed when my husband promised to turn the pool into kitchens.”

The main kitchen is her pride and joy, fitted out with top-of-the-line equipment such as a Wolf oven and Sub-Zero glass-door fridge. “I fell in love with the fridge so I just had to get it as a present for myself,” says Dr Fong, even though it means that she has to be neat when organising the food inside. There are two island counters, which double as buffet tables for big parties where guests can mingle around the food.

Dr Fong calls the second kitchen her “working kitchen”. The equipment is industrial standard, with a commercial dishwasher that takes just three minutes to clear a load. 

An industrial stove is handy for lending wok hei to stir-fries. A salamander makes quick grilled cheese sandwiches, while a vacuum sealer and blast chiller add to her arsenal.

But her star machine is the Rational iCombi Pro oven, which lets her cook 12 tomahawk steaks in 15 minutes. “No sweat now with this new kitchen,” she declares.

Finally, a third and smaller, more pared down kitchen is where her helper does most of the cooking.

Dr Fong picked up a love for cooking early, quietly watching her late Cantonese grandmother chop, slice and dice with the kind of skill honed through decades of experience. “I was always in awe of how Ah Ma could deftly whip up simple delicacies for my school lunches, yet also cook up a storm each Chinese New Year with her trademark perfect planning, mise en place and execution,” she says.

She, too, seems to have inherited a love for feeding people. “The entire process – from menu planning, shopping and selecting ingredients, the prep work, down to the final execution – never fails to bring me a deep sense of satisfaction and joy,” she says. 

The Christmas Day menu is still being firmed up, but a crown roast of lamb, or prime rib roast is usually the centrepiece. Complementing the mains would be starters and side dishes such as cold truffle pasta, soup, roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and garlic, white corn on the cob and a charcuterie board.

“I like cooking dishes that look visually appealing. The presentation is just as important as the taste,” says Dr Fong. Amazingly, she does the cooking all by herself, thanks to her perfect planning skills that include drawing up a checklist with timings on it.

“Cooking is my way of being present and mindful. The planning does give me a bit of anxiety but once I start, everything falls into place,” she says. 

For her, Christmas dinners start several weekends ahead, as friends come over for festive-themed meals and simple gift exchanges.

Christmas Eve is spent at her mother-in-law’s home, with the usual dinner and present-giving among family members. But come close to midnight, Dr Fong, her surgeon husband Charles Tan, and their two children Craig and Claire, have their own gift exchange at home. And on Christmas Day itself, it’s lunch with Dr Fong’s own parents, her brother and his family. 

But feasting aside, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without decorations.

“We usually have a tree and decorate the home with fairy lights and other decorations,” says Dr Fong. “It is usually a family affair, except this year I’m in charge since we’re right in the midst of ‘A’ level season.”

Instead of traditional colours like red and gold for the Christmas tree, Dr Fong opts for cooler blue and white. Most of her ornaments kept in storage during the house construction sadly disintegrated, but no issue. She’s since replenished her collection, picked from the likes of Marks & Spencer, Spotlight and Ikea.

 “I zip out to the stores when I have a moment to spare and also take advantage of online sales,” she says. 

But one prized ornament that survived is a set of Matryoshka Santa Claus dolls that she bought on a trip to the Blue Mountains. “I always keep this ornament as a memento of the time when we were living in Sydney,” she says. 

The ornaments around the home are mostly in red and gold, which provide a rich contrast against the overall grey and dark wood colour palette.

“We wanted a modern clean look, with a warm inviting feel, almost like stepping into a cosy private hideout,” says Dr Fong. 

To ensure ample natural light flowing into the house, there are full-height glass doors along one side, and windows on the other, as well as strategically placed skylights.  

Her kitchen cabinets are in dark stained veneer to make the appliances stand out. Italian matt grey floor tiles that mimic natural stone add warmth to the space. 

“Our previous home was light and bright, but we wanted a change,” says Dr Fong. Matt floor tiles also mean easier maintenance. 

While she has the menu planning down pat, Dr Fong confesses that she is less organised when it comes to gift buying. “That’s more last minute, but eventually I get it done on time,” she says.

For her, gifting is not about buying the most expensive present but rather getting what the recipient might need. “I prefer giving and receiving more functional and sentimental gifts,” she says. 

She remembers receiving a noodle maker years ago from her husband, when the gadget was all the rage. She doesn’t use it much these days since she has a pasta maker. “But no, I’ve not sold it on Carousell - it’s still somewhere in my cupboard,” she quips.

Christmas is her favourite holiday season, not only because she gets to cook and feed friends and family, but it is also a time for reflection.

“Christmas to me is a cherished time to reflect on the year that has passed, to give thanks for all things good, and to spend it in the company of precious family and good friends,” says Dr Fong. “It makes me reflect on what matters the most in life - family and home - and not take anything for granted.”