Donning back his apron: Eighteen Chefs founder Benny Se Teo has biryani classes for $80 per pax, all slots sold out

Chef Benny Se Teo made a name for himself when he co-founded Western food chain Eighteen Chefs and grilled meat specialist The Meathouse. 

Apart from being a successful restaurateur, he's also known for supporting ex-offenders by offering them job opportunities in his kitchens. 

In 2021, the 63-year-old announced that he left both his F&B ventures "on a good note". 

And now, he's coming back to the food scene with a bang — but he won't be cooking Western food. 

Instead, Benny is holding cooking classes where aspiring chefs can learn how to make dum chicken biryani for $80 per pax. 

He announced the details on his social media platforms on Thursday (Aug 17) and asked interested parties to private message him to register their interest. 

"Amaze everyone with my dum biryani class – breaking stereotypes by showing how anyone even if not Indian can skillfully prepare an authentic Chicken dum Biryani," he wrote. 

Speaking to AsiaOne, Benny revealed that currently, he only has two available dates for classes — Sept 2 and Oct 7.

Oct 7 is specifically for mothers of kids going through their Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE), he told us. 

These are being snapped up fast and Benny now only has four slots left for Sept 2 and none for Oct 7. 

In fact, demand is so high that he had to turn away many students who were unable to make it on either date. 

As for now, while there are no other dates left, Benny told us that he is considering having more classes in the future as "the demand is there". 

'No Chinese chef so far can do a good dum chicken biryani'

So, why is Benny teaching such classes?

"No Chinese chef so far can do a good dum chicken biryani using saffron rose water and explain the usage of different spices like caraway cumin, fennel seeds etc," he explained. 

"I just wanted to demystify the art of cooking a dum biryani. [It is] not rocket science if you know the fundamentals." 

He first picked up the dish when he was a teenager, where he would observe Malay weddings and how they prepare large pots of biryani with hot charcoal on the lid. 

When he did his stint in prison, he cooked biryani for the facility's superintendent officers. 

And eventually, he went on to cook the dish during Ramadan promotions at his restaurants. 

What has he been up to since leaving his F&B ventures?

When Benny left his businesses in 2021, he told AsiaOne that apart from wanting to rest, he had a few other projects in the pipeline, which included becoming a motivational speaker. 

In fact, before he had left the F&B industry, he was one of the speakers at TEDxJNJSingapore in May 2015.

In 2016, he was also invited to speak at In-Tune, a forum by employment institute e2i and leadership consulting firm SeraphCorp Institute. 

Aside from all that, he's also been spending more time with loved ones. 

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melissateo@asiaone.com 

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