Growing up, Quentin and his five siblings—no matter what they were doing—were always home on Sunday for lunch and dinner. Those two meals were always cooked by their father, Robin Pereira. Robin took to cooking after his father and brother were killed in action. He did so because his mother went to work and he was left to care for his sister.
The dishes he prepared were passed on to him by his mother, Charlotte, who along with her sisters catered for Eurasian weddings. The word Eurasian is a portmanteau of European and Asian. Literally, it means a person born of a European and an Asian.
In Singapore, the term Eurasian is recognised officially, and the people are considered a race in and of themselves. Eurasian food is an exotic blend of East and West. It is quintessential fusion food, going back to the 16th century. As executive chef and owner of Quentin’s—the Eurasian Restaurant, Quentin Pereira carries on his father’s legacy, satisfying exotic cravings of epicureans from all corners of the world. This book is a collection of his dad’s well-guarded secret recipes, published as an easy-to-follow, elegantly designed cookbook.
Robin’s Eurasian Recipes is part of Epigram Books’ award-winning Heritage Cookbook series, which showcases the best of Singapore’s major cuisines through authentic family recipes.