Alternative protein and lab-grown meats have become the talk of the town in recent years, with an explosion of new ventures putting their own spin on creating meaty meals without the need for traditional livestock farming. As the idea continues to spread, a growing segment of the population is becoming keen to try a Petri dish dish (pun intended).
While most efforts on the market today have tried to replicate the natural texture of meat, one player is taking a different approach. Forged, a food brand by Vow that uses cell culturing meat technology to create meat, has introduced the Forged Parfait which has a melt-in-the-mouth consistency, similar to a smooth pâté.
Made from cultured Japanese quail cells, Forged Parfait follows Forged’s internet-breaking release of the Mammoth Meatball last year. That creation, made from DNA of the extinct woolly mammoth, wasn't safe for human consumption, though the latest release is. Forged says Japanese quail was chosen because it's a familiar meat that isn't widely consumed.
Forged Parfait has been launched exclusively through fine-dining collaborations, leveraging chefs’ talents to elevate the possibilities of cultured meats. Here in Singapore, Forged has announced its first ambassador and restaurant partnership, with chef Ryan Clift of Tippling Club.
“I was blown away by the team at Forged,” says Clift, adding that they are “truly invested in collaborating with chefs to quite literally create flavours we’ve only ever dreamed of”. He worked with Forged for two years, contributing to flavour development.
Describing Forged Parfait, he says it is “sweet, has a beautiful delicate flavour, and the texture is always perfect”. “Originally, the team wanted me to create one to two dishes, but I just went crazy. Imagination is the only limitation, and I had so much fun playing with Forged Parfait and creating new dishes that I decided to put it all on the menu. Guests are in for a treat.”
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Forged Terrine
Options takes a look at how Clift has used Forged Parfait in a new series of dishes at the Tanjong Pagar restaurant.
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On its own, the Forged Parfait is soft, dense, and can be quite cloying if taken in excess. Deftly navigating this, Clift’s menu intersperses two dishes with Forged Parfait as a main protein with other flavours, giving diners a whole experience of not just what Forged Parfait has to offer, but to also savour his creativity.
The menu starts off with a snack of Forged Parfait, counterbalanced with the tangy and sweet flavours of muscat grape and Kyoho ketchup. Other starters are more familiar flavours, served with a touch of Tippling Club magic: a tuna tartlet, wagyu tartare taco, chilled tomato gelee and watercress royale.
After an amazing lobster ravioli comes the second Forged Parfait-based dish: a Forged Mont Blanc (main image), served with cherries, yoghurt and pistachios. One could easily mistake this for a traditional dessert, but the Forged Parfait’s meaty notes make the dish an unexpectedly complex mix of flavours and textures.
Tender Atlantic Cod and A5 Miyazaki wagyu follow, ending the savoury courses. Dessert begins with a carbonated muscat, followed by honey lemon peach compote, black lemon sorbet and caramelised granola, for a dish that blends tangy and nutty flavours with crunchy and soft textures.
Forged Cromesquis
The Lunch and Premium Lunch tasting menus begin from $110++ and $250++, respectively. For dinner, the Classic Menu is $250++ and the Classic Menu with Pairing is $450++. These menus will feature an extensive prix fixe that incorporates Forged Parfait into several courses.
For the imbibe-inclined, Clift has thoughtfully designed a bar menu with three different interpretations of Forged Parfait – Forged Cromesquis, Forged Terrine and Forged on Toast – for guests to enjoy alongside a cocktail from Tippling Club’s award-winning bar.
