Pastry chef, a former guardsman, calls PAP candidate David Neo the most 'Up' people he's ever known

Singaporean chef Mohamed Al-Matin, who runs French-inspired pastry brand Le Matin Patisserie, dedicated an Instagram post to share his appreciation for PAP's Tampines candidate David Neo.

Al-Matin is a former pastry sous chef of Noma in Copenhagen, a five-time winner of world's best restaurant title.

"This post goes out to one of the most ‘UP’ people I’ve ever known," said Al-Matin, explaining that "UP" describes a person who is admirable, respected, solid, commendable, and legendary.

Neo, a former army chief, had a 30-year career in the military. He was Al-Matin's commanding officer in national service.

"Even back in the military, where the Guardsmen don’t like the Commandos, we made an exception for David," Al-Matin wrote.

In a post on Apr. 26, Al-Matin showed a few photos of both of them at different stages in their lives, including army hangouts and a hospital visit.

Al-Matin said that though Neo is now a civilian, he will "always be [his] Commanding Officer and [his] Chief of Army".

Al-Matin shared two anecdotes on why he respects Neo so much.

Al-Matin was hit by a getaway car being chased by the police while riding on his bicycle to work in the New York City.

The accident left him in an induced coma for a month, where he suffered several broken bones and nerve damage to his right hand, which was his master hand, the chef recounted in a 2023 interview with The Edge.

Neo travelled to New York City to visit me, and that became his "most treasured memory" of Neo, Al-Matin wrote in his post.

Al-Matin added that Neo continued to look out for him for years.

In 2023, when he opened his Le Matin Patisserie cafe in ION, Neo came to visit him at the cafe too.

Al-Matin appreciated that Neo took time to show care for him through action.

"He probably has a lot of other things on his agenda, but he always made time. It was not because I was special, but because he cared," Al-Matin wrote.

Al-Matin ended off the post by wishing Neo all the best in this election.

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A post shared by Mohamed Al-Matin (@obamatin)

Top image from obamatin/Instagram