Dinner at Michelin Bib Gourmand-listed Communal Table by gēn yesterday evening. It’s featuring a special four-hands collaboration between Cameron Tay-Yap of 𝙋𝙚𝙗𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙖 𝙍𝙤𝙘𝙖, Melbourne, and 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙏𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙜𝙚𝙣’s Chef-Patron, Johnson Wong.
The two 30-something years-old chefs have quite a bit in common: Chef Cameron was chosen 𝗖𝗼-𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 by Melbourne’s prestigious 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲, whereas Chef Johnson was the 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗟 & 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰’𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗳 award-winner. Our dinner:
- “Whole Penang Oyster” includes a wholly edible pastry shell, made to look like an oyster shell. The oyster essence was made into crystal-like gelee cubes.
Visiting chef Cameron Tay-Yap of 𝗣𝗲𝗯𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗮.
“Whole Penang Oyster” - from Chef Cameron. It’s meant to be popped into the mouth whole.
- “Squid & Fungus” from Chef Cameron - served cold atop steamed Japanese-style chawan-mushi.
- “Century Egg Tofu” by Chef Johnson.
- “Neighbourwood Bread”, served with a curried mayo dip with coddled egg, topped with crisps and meat floss - by Chef Johnson.
- “Layered Pumpkin & Fermented Chickpea” from Chef Cameron.
- "Skipjack Tuna & Ginger Flower, by Chef Johnson. The “cloak” of thinly-sliced, pickled jicama was refreshing, whilst the filament-thin wands of torch-ginger flower provides the familiar floral scent of the herb.
- Chef Cameron served out his specialty - today’s main course: “Retired Australian Wagyu, with Coffee Waste and Australian Pepper”.
Wagyu beef served with sides of (top to bottom): Pickled Guava with Roselle, Local Seasonal Greens with Mustard Seeds & Budu, and Jackfruit Achar.
- “Harumanis Mango with Yellow Sticky Rice”.
- “Green Ant Pavlova with Malaysian Fruit”.
Very enjoyable meal - both the young chefs are certainly at the top of their game at the moment. As with any collaborative effort, there are some pride and friendly rivalry going on between the two highly competitive perfectionists here, and we diners were the lucky beneficiaries. 
