More than gifts and twinkling lights, Christmas is about faith, family, and food. For Executive Sous Chef Ivan Yeo, the holiday table is where love and hope come alive.
“I always look forward to Christmas. We hear mass and have dinner on Christmas Eve. It’s a yearly event where we talk about joy and how we can be stronger as a family,” he shares.
Ivan Gerard Yeo Siak Thong, Executive Sous Chef, Premium Kitchen, SATS Inflight Catering Centre 1
Chef Ivan oversees the Premium Kitchen at SATS Inflight Catering Centre 1, where business-class and first-class dishes like baked lobster thermidor and braised beef short rib are prepared, so he especially knows how to elevate simple meal
But at home, their Christmas dinner is about family bonding rather than fine dining. And that connection starts in the kitchen.
His wife bakes bread, his daughter makes dessert, and his sons prepare pasta or sausages. Chef Ivan takes on the main dish. “That’s the fun thing. You don’t do it every day because everyone’s busy. But on Christmas Eve, everyone makes an effort,” he adds.
For Christmas dinner this year, Chef Ivan is sharing a recipe that’s festive yet fuss-free: Sous Vide Turkey Breast with Chestnut & Mushroom Ragout.
Sous vide is a French cooking technique where food is vacuum-sealed and cooked slowly in a water bath at a precise temperature. This method locks in moisture and ensures the meat stays tender and juicy.
“Sous vide” (literally “under vacuum”) means cooking food in a precisely temperature-controlled water bath
“Anyone can make it. Every ingredient is easily found at your local supermarket. While the turkey needs time to brine and cook sous vide, the steps are straightforward,” Chef Ivan explains.
The turkey is the hero, brined for juiciness and cooked to perfection. It’s paired with a creamy chestnut and mushroom ragout, honey-glazed butternut pumpkin, and Brussels sprouts with bacon.
Below is a simple recipe you can follow to bring this dish to your Christmas spread this year.
Prep Time: 7.5 hours, including brining and sous vide cooking | Serves: 5
Ingredients
2L water
60g salt
80g honey
2pcs lemon (sliced)
50mL cooking oil
1kg boneless turkey breast (trimmed)
gravy (ready-made)
Method
This brine, made with salt, honey, water, and lemon slices, locks in juiciness and infuses the meat with vibrant flavour
Chef’s Tip
If you don’t have a sous vide cooker, roast the turkey or simmer it at 70°C.
Ingredients
100g king oyster mushroom (diced)
40g onion (diced)
40g cooked chestnut (halved)
100g potato cubes (cooked)
100mL chicken stock
5g flour
10g butter
10mL olive oil
80mL cooking cream
1g salt
1g parsley
Method
Heat the pot over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Sweat onion until soft.
Add mushrooms, sauté 2 minutes, then add flour.
Add chicken stock, potato, and cream. Simmer until creamy.
Season with salt and finish with parsley.
Ingredients
200g Brussels sprouts (diced and blanched)
50g back bacon (diced)
10g olive oil
40g butter
1g salt
Method
Heat the pan, add olive oil and butter.
Sauté bacon until fragrant and browned.
Add Brussels sprouts, toss well, and season with salt.
Ingredients
200g butternut pumpkin
30g butter
20g honey
1g salt
Method
Slice the pumpkin into 0.5 thickness and cut with Christmas-themed pastry cutters.
Blanch in boiling water, then shock in ice water.
Pan-glaze with butter and honey. Blow torch for a roasted aroma.
Chef’s Tips
Be careful not to overcook the pumpkin.
You can use any design you prefer.
