Devagi Sanmugam

My career began 25 years ago in my kitchen, as a cooking instructor with a penchant for whipping up recipes. My unique approach to cooking and my flair for creating recipes that cut across a range of cuisines quickly endeared me to a loyal following. Not looking back since, I have been at the forefront of Singapore's burgeoning culinary scene.

Known widely today as the 'Spice Queen' of Singapore, I have also proven to be an inspiring cookbook author with 12 cookbooks under my belt, including Cooking with Asian Leaves, The South Indian Cookbook, Fun With Asian Food, Great Bakes No Eggs, North Indian Cuisine, Sambals, Dips and Marinades, Indian Homestyle Cooking and several others.

My recipes are being featured in many magazines in Singapore. I have also appeared on TV cooking programmes in the UK, Australia, US, India, Japan, and on numerous radio stations all over the world. Over the years, I have conducted cooking workshops in San Francisco, Texas, Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Colombo and most recently Sweden.

In Singapore, I have appeared in CHEF ON CALL on Mediaworks Channel I and Enna Suvai Enna Ragasiyam a Tamil cooking program on Vasantham Central for a total of 26 episodes. I have also been interviewed on many other info-ed and cooking programs.

I am constantly involved in developing and testing original recipes and formulas for food companies and restaurants. I provide educational experiences through lectures and demonstrations at my own home based cooking school – Epicurean Kitchen and to country clubs, recreational associations, schools and corporate bodies. I have also organized and judged cooking competitions and participated in culinary events.

.At the beginning of January 2005, I flew down to India on my own initiative and cooked for over 2000 Tsunami victims daily for 10 days. I am the managing director of Devagi’s Epicurean World Pte Ltd. From July 2005, I am also the Culinary Consultant for NTUC Fairprice supermarkets chain and from September 2005 I am one of the the Resident Chefs of the Asian Food Channel, a 24-hour food channel. Devagi was also the consultant for a Malay cooking show on Suria Channel – “Soo………Lazat”.