How many times have you been served tapas but realised, it’s just a few sad slices of ham and cheese? How many times were you served paella with what are labelled as “prawns” but instead, were just morose-sized portions of the crustacean. Who hurt you? When did it all start? Why not you just book a table at KULTO, the latest Spanish restaurant ran by Chef Jose instead?

Here, the chef takes us through what makes Spanish cuisine that damn yummy and how it’s even yummier at KULTO itself.

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Hi Chef Alonso, here’s an ice breaker — what makes Spanish food that damn delicious?|
It all boils down to the produce and raw material the country has to offer.

Spain is surrounded by three seas – Cantabrian Sea, Atlantic Sea, and Mediterranean Sea — blessing the land with an incredible variety of fishes; putting us on the world map as the second biggest consumer.

With the four changing seasons, we have access to an array of fresh produce throughout the year, and that means seasonality of food is intertwined with Spanish cuisine. These fortunate climates and terrains Spain has, brought about some globally known products such as iberico pork.

A long, arduous history with wars and colonialism – Spain (or previously Iberian Peninsula) was heavily influenced by different cultures with each conquest and event. Up till today, Spanish cuisine is still constantly evolving with the influences around the world.

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With KULTO, do you perhaps feel like you are plugging a hole in the market? If so, what is said hole?
KULTO is a way of life; a way of understanding gastronomy. Loosely translated, ​”kulto” means knowledgeable and cultured.

The kitchen we work with embodies this concept and philosophy, the basis of an honest kitchen on a constant path of improvement and precision to create the best product to be served — be it produce, cooking techniques or incorporating local inspirations.

Yes, KULTO occupies a space in the heart of the city along Amoy Street. We are creating a food haven of selection of tapas, rice dishes, and even affordable bottles of wine!

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What is the truest form of Spanish cuisine?
It all starts from the tradition of doing things to the very best standards, and respect for the product and produce we are working with given the changing terrains and climates we have in Spain.

This precision (or perfection) is coupled with a curious mind to explore and create new trends — in fashion, art and the kitchen.

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Firstly, let’s talk about the croquettes — something so seemingly simple — how has it been done at KULTO or shall we say, elevated?
Croquettes are one of the icons of Spanish cuisine and everyone has their own recipe. At KULTO, the secret lies in the béchamel sauce and in the batter.

For the béchamel sauce, it is reduced from milk, stirred constantly, which ensue a “molten” experience in the mouth on the first bite. For the batter, flour is not used as I do not like the overpowering flavour. At KULTO, we replace it with a thin layer of breadcrumb and egg.

The end result: an elegant and rich croquette to put in your mouth.

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How bout the paellas then? Did you have to tweak the classic recipe for Singaporean palates?
We pride our food with the authenticity of their flavours. At KULTO, we do not adapt dishes to suit local palates.

Our paellas follow all the steps, as in Spain, and even Spanish rice is used. It is imported from Valencia where a special variety of rice – Bomaba – is produced.

Many of our customers are well versed with Spanish food and have even visited Spain many times, so we take great care on the authenticity of the flavours.

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Do you perhaps have an interesting story to tell bout the R&D of one of the dishes AT KULTO?
There is a very special dish that I would like to highlight: Crayfish with iberico pork pancetta.

One of the uniqueness of KULTO kitchen is putting “the sea” and “the land” on the same plate. This opens up to a play of ingredients, textures and flavours.

What I do love is to roll the crayfish with the bacon as it brings a very unique flavour.

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Let’s talk about the Josper Grill too. What exactly is a Josper Grill? What does it do for the food?
Josper Grill allows us to charcoal-grill most of our ingredients from vegetables to fishes and meat. A new era where traditions and innovative technology join hands. This allows us to achieve the highest quality of grilling.

Being a small restaurant gives us the opportunity to create dishes with various techniques, and most importantly showcase that to our customers from the dining area.

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Lastly…thank you..for…offering…Sangria on tap…
We are the first in Singapore!