In Singapore, there’s a pioneering gastrobar shining like a gem among the store signs of Amoy Street. Located on the second floor of one of the many shophouses, Fura is a stylish space that unites food and drink while respecting the future of the planet. The virtuous aim is to foster profound reflections on individual and collective responsibility towards the environment and people.
Fura, Conscious Choices for a Sustainable Future
These are the concepts embraced by Chef Christina Rasmussen and Bartender Sasha Wijidessa. Partners in life and work, they began this adventure after the popularity they achieved together with the pop-up bar Mallow, which focused on vegetarian recipes using locally grown and harvested products. Then came the big leap to Fura. Here, in just a few months, Christina and Sasha have reshaped eating and drinking rituals with the conviction that everything is infused with their personal story before being presented on a plate or poured into a glass.
Roles and Strengths
«Sustainability isn’t just a word. It’s about positive actions that we carry out in our own daily routines in the hope of inspiring others. Everyone is the ambassador of a lifestyle that must be based on respect. My parents worked together, too, so I understand the importance of stimulating the people around me, just as much as being encouraged. Take me and Sasha. We have well-defined roles and this reflects our strengths. We know how to face challenges while staying creative and motivated, whether it’s a problem at work or settling an argument», explains Christina.
Sasha is equally clear on this point. «We’ve always made a separation between what we take home and what we have to leave at work. Like in any relationship, there has to be mutual esteem and respect, and we make sure our team doesn’t lack these things either».
Raw Materials and Sustainable Ingredients
Christina and Sasha are also driven by their deep appreciation of the ingredients. Until 2021, Rasmussen worked as the Head Private Forager at Noma 2.0. She then joined The Ark Collection, a restaurant group focused on conscious dining. «After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, I moved to Denmark for an internship on wild food research and foraging. This complete connection with nature has shaped my career and personal choices. After finishing the programme, I joined Michael Larsen’s team», Christina continues.
Wijidessa has her own distinct background. «It all started by chance. I was studying and working part-time in a bar. Then I met Luke Whearty, and a one-year commitment evolved into my career.» From being promoted to Head Bartender at Operation Dagger – a Singaporean cocktail bar with a sustainable ethos – Sasha then flew to Copenhagen to work at Empirical Spirits.
Fura, a Philosophy Of Life
The couple’s encounter and their decision to head back to Singapore together paved the way for the founding of Fura with a single goal: «Fura is the future and it’s for our future. It shows us what tomorrow could be like if we ignore climate change. The philosophy of the menu is based on using elements that are abundant in nature or invasive due to the unbalanced ecosystem», says Sasha.
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Photo by Son Pham, Finbarr Fallon
