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Fernando Arevalo
Chef & Founder of BacataFernando Arevalo is the Founder Chef of Bacatá, and pre-loved Preludio.
Born in Bogota, Colombia, Chef Fernando was raised in a family with Italian traditions. He found himself attracted to the culinary world while studying engineering. Early in his career, his motivation was the peaceful feeling of a busy service. He found “calm in the kitchen chaos”, but his belief that food is the most basic way to achieve immediate happiness sustained his passion.
After deciding to take this career path, Chef Arevalo moved to New York City where he worked as a bartender and waiter while attending the Institute of Culinary Education New York in 2007. His experience started working alongside iconic chefs such as Daniel Boulud at DBGB and Bill Telepan at Michelin-starred Telepan Restaurant. Staying in theme with high profile establishments, he then crossed to Asia and joined Mario Batali at Carevino (Hong Kong).
Formerly the Executive Chef at Artemis and Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse in Singapore, Chef Arevalo has devoted many years to forging relationships with the finest sustainable and organic producers from around the globe.
“Cooking has everything to do with the way you feel while you are doing it” – Chef Fernando Arevalo
Antonio Benites
Chef at At Sunrice AcademyWith almost 20 years of experience in the field of pastry and baking, chef Antonio Benites is committed to giving back and teaching at the "At Sunrice Global Chef Academy".
Previously Antonio was the executive chef pastry at Marina Bay Sands leading a 60-strong pastry team.
The Peruvian chef first stepped into the industry with an apprenticeship at Bon Paris, before joining luxury French bakery Ladurée as pastry cook in 2001. After being certified as pastry-chocolate-maker by the Chambres de Métiers Paris in 2005, Antonio rose the ranks to assume the role of chief chocolatemaker at SucréCacao Paris. In 2008, Antonio was appointed the executive pastry chef of award-winning Pierre Hermé Paris, and received direct tutelage from Pierre Hermé, the revolutionary "Picasso of Pastry". Antonio travelled across the globe to Singapore in 2010, where he assumed the role of Pastry Chef Director at the Michelin-starred Joël Robuchon Restaurant and Atelier de Joël Robuchon until 2018. Prior to joining Marina Bay Sands in June 2019, Antonio was also consultant executive pastry chef of Galaxy Casino Macau. At Marina Bay Sands, Antonio is responsible for the development of dessert menus across the property, including its banquet, hotel in-room dining, cafes, and restaurants
Daniel Chavez
Chef & Founder of Canchita Peruvian CuisineFor over 20 years, Peruvian Chef Daniel Chavez’s career has taken him to some of the finest F&B establishments in the world. Daniel enrolled in the Florida Culinary Institute and applied for a scholarship for a master’s programme in culinary arts in Valencia, Spain after graduation. There, he apprenticed at the Michelin-starred “La Sucursal” and was exposed to fine dining techniques and Mediterranean culture.
His desire to widen his repertoire led him to traverse across continents; from Barcelona where he joined “El Raco de Can Fabes”, a three Michelin-starred restaurant by the culinary icon Santi Santamaria, to Singapore where he learned classic French cooking techniques from Chef Gunther Hubrechsen in “Les Amis”.
He then reunited with Chef Santamaria as the Chef de Cuisine of “Ossiano” at Atlantis The Palm Hotel in Dubai, and later as Executive Chef of Santi at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore.
Daniel went on to open OLA Cocina Del Mar, a Spanish restaurant and the first of his projects in 2012. Becoming his mission to showcase Latin America’s culinary diversity with the Singaporean community, in 2017 Daniel launched “TONO Cevicheria”, the first Peruvian Cevicheria in Asia, and “TONITO Latin American Kitchen” in 2018, the first Latin American family concept in Singapore.
He also founded “LATINADA”, Singapore’s first Latin American Food Festival, in 2018. The second edition of the festival, held the following year, brought together over 3000 attendees.
Having exited the OLA Kitchen Group; in 2021 Daniel founded CANCHITA Peruvian Cuisine with the purpose to focus all his energy on promoting the Latino culture through Asia.
In less than a year since its inception, CANCHITA Peruvian Cuisine has quickly became a culinary destination and reference in the eclectic dining scene of Singapore, gaining a well-earned reputation between foodies and chefs from the region.
Daniel and Tamara Chavez , his wife and partner, have travelled to promote Peruvian cuisine to Bali, Maldives, Seoul, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. Their aim is to showcase the immense diversity of flavours, colours and ingredients that the Latin American region have to offer.
Daniel was awarded the “Global Chef Award” in 2017 by At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy for his work in inspiring young chefs, as well as Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018 by Peruvian University San Ignacio de Loyola, a distinction conferred to him by the former president of Peru, Mr Raul Diez Canseco.
Tamara Chavez
Head Chef at Canchita Peruvian CuisineWith 14 years of international experience under her belt, Mexican-born Tamara Chavez is arguably one of the most credible advocates of Latin American gastronomy in Singapore and Asia.
Having trained in Peru at the prestigious “El Mercado” under award winning Chef Rafael Osterling, whose eponymous restaurant was ranked #19 in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022, Tamara marries her knowledge of Peru’s immense culinary heritage with the diverse and vibrant flavours of all Latin America.
Tamara first moved to Asia in 2014 as part of the opening team of the first Mexican fine dining restaurant to open in Singapore, “El Mero Mero”.
Thereafter, she took on the position of Head Chef at TONO Cevicheria, the first Peruvian cevicheria in Asia, and subsequently helmed the kitchen of OLA Cocina Del Mar, a modern Spanish restaurant that was awarded a Michelin Plate for three consecutive years since 2017.
Fuelled by her passion to promote Latin American gastronomy and culture in her adopted home, Tamara helped launch LATINADA in 2018, Singapore’s first Latin American Food Festival.
Tamara has been finalist for the Female Chef Of The Year award by the World Gourmet Summit in 2020, 2021 and 2022. She has also been awarded Mentor Chef of the Year by At Sunrice Cooking Academy in 2022 for her continuous job supporting new local culinary talents in Singapore.
As part of her role as a promoter of Peruvian and Mexican cuisine in Asia, Tamara has travelled to a number of food capitals in Asia like Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Seychelles, Bali and Seoul with the aim to expand the knowledge of this cuisines in the region.
In Singapore, she has appeared in several TV shows like “In search of heat” and “Makan Migrants” from Channel News Asia while doing several collaborations with Prom Peru’s campaign of Super Foods.
Tamara holds a master’s degree in gastronomy from the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Turismo in Mexico City.
In her spare time, she loves to salsa dance and visit different restaurants and bars in the world.