Born in Pakistan, Samia Ahad earned her culinary stripes working in some of New York’s best kitchens before decamping to Singapore to bring her unique vision to a country where great food is something of a national hobby. Chef Samia Ahad’s talents seem rather endless. Lucky diners who find themselves seated in the lovely riverside Coriander Leaf bistro, are in for an adventure of flavours.

The food is Pan-Asian, incorporating traditional flavours, recipes and ingredients from every corner of Asia, from Iran to Japan, via India, China and Vietnam, to name just a few influences that inform the vast array of fusion dishes. But it’s not just about creating cuisine which cleverly fuses different flavours, ingredients and techniques, it’s about creating what works. Here Chef Samia Ahad really comes to the fore. With what seems like the greatest ease, each tasty morsel reveals a magical ability to find balance and detail in dishes both old and new.

While a meal at the bistro is usually the first way in which diners experience Coriander Leaf, it is often a gateway to the other sides of the ‘food hub’. Of course, you’ll find the bistro offering marvellous set menus - the paired wine option being particularly inviting for those who find it tricky to choose the right bottle to suit the often sweet and tangy flavours that are found in Asian food - but as an Asian Food Hub, Coriander Leaf transcends its restaurant credentials, as widely admired as they are, to invite all lovers of food to experience it in different ways.

The cooking studio, which sometimes becomes a lovely private dining room, provides the space in which Samia Ahad works with groups and individuals to teach the secrets of contemporary Pan-Asian cuisine. In the typical style of Chef Ahad, the cooking classes are very flexible.

They can be booked specially as corporate team bonding experiences for up to 12, at the end of which everyone sits down to sample their culinary efforts. In addition, with her wealth of knowledge about wine and how to pair it with Asian cuisine, wine tastings are also offered, perfect the dabbler as well as the ardent oenophile who hopes to better understand about an area of dining that is often left to trial and error.

With so many options available to food lovers and the very appealing main dining room, special studio and the lovely terrace, Coriander Leaf is popular choice for events. There are many options for private dining, from chef’s table dinners to a more interactive experience, which turns a cooking class into a pleasurable meal for all.