For Malaysian chef Shan Nadarajan, it’s a way to play with colours, patterns and shapes, resulting in dishes that are often too beautiful to eat.

With 17 years in professional kitchens, his handmade pasta art creations have become his signature, and through private dining in Singapore, he continues to impress guests who’ve never seen the Italian classic presented this way.

Like most chefs, this 45-year-old’s love for cooking started at home, in Klang.

“My mum is a fantastic cook. She used to prepare every meal like a feast with more than five dishes on the table,” Shan told FMT Lifestyle.

As a child, he would sit quietly in the kitchen, watching her work effortlessly. That planted the seed, though becoming a chef wasn’t originally part of his plan.

“I actually wanted to work in the hospitality industry,” he admitted.

While studying hospitality management in Australia, he got his first real taste of the restaurant world, supporting himself by working shifts at a North Indian restaurant.

“I used to sleep inside the restaurant, and sometimes quietly help in the kitchen. This is where my interest actually slowly grew.”

Returning to Malaysia, however, jobs in hospitality were scarce. Fate once again nudged him toward the stove.

“I finally landed a job in Mont Kiara and it was in the kitchen. The rest is just history,” he said with a smile.

Compliments for his pasta dishes have followed him throughout his career. When he moved to Singapore, his wife encouraged him to pursue that skill more seriously.

“My wife suggested why don’t I actually learn how to make handmade pasta? Instead of being a jack of all trades, I wanted to master one craft, and that was pasta,” he recalled.

So, in 2019, Shan took the leap and trained in Italy at the Accademia Italiana Chef. But, it was much tougher than he expected.

“I wanted to come back during the first week itself. The taste and methods were different, and I wasn’t ready for it,” he recalled.

But with persistence, he eventually learnt the variations of handmade pasta, and 42 authentic sauces. Still, he wanted to stand out. After a friend suggested turning pasta into art, he spent the next six years perfecting the technique.

“My first pasta art was stripes, with four or five colours. In the beginning, it was a total mess,” he laughed.

Today, his proudest piece is a Merdeka-themed pasta: Jalur Gemilang colours featured on porcini and ricotta tortellini, crafted over six painstaking hours.

From batik ravioli to floral pieces for Valentine’s Day, and even lesser-known shapes like cappelletti and paccheri, Shan has truly refined his craft.

“Now, I love doing it day in, day out,” he said. His inspiration comes from everywhere: nature, travels, and even designs inspired by the patterns of his shirts.

Shan also brings his Malaysian identity to the plate. Ketupat-inspired pasta for Hari Raya, money bags for Chinese New Year, and oil-lamp shaped tortelli for Deepavali.

To create the colours, Shan only uses natural ingredients like spinach for green or spirulina for blue.

Dough is prepared in batches, rolled, rested, and pressed into moulds before being dried, an involved process that can take hours before anything can be plated.

While time-consuming, the reactions from diners fuel his fire.

“The usual question my clients ask is, ‘How do I eat this? It’s too beautiful’; no one wants to slice into it,” he said.

“One lady told me that she showed my dishes to her daughter saying how talented I am. Another person said I inspired them to get a pasta machine and make fresh pasta.”

For Shan, he believes not only in making pretty dishes, but sharing a little of himself through each design. “It’s not about how much you earn. It’s about who you are. I just want to show my dream, my colours, in my pasta.”

Shan continues hosting private dining experiences, but his ultimate goal is to teach, guiding the next generation in the craft of authentic handmade pasta, proving you don’t have to be Italian to make it well.

For now, look out for his autumn-themed rigatoni, and a festive Christmas design in the coming months.

Follow Shan Nadarajan on Instagram.