It is almost unfathomable, as Singapore’s dining scene welcomes yet another spate of celebrity chef-backed projects, that less than a decade ago, the fine dining scene was in its infant stages, where names like Joël Robuchon, Wolfgang Puck and Guy Savoy were still very much foreign to most Singaporeans. Things in 2019 are vastly different.
In the last whirlwind decade, Singapore has borne witness to culinary world’s biggest names setting up shop—and for some of them, packing up not long after—on our shores. Then, restaurants like Cheek by Jowl (now Cheek Bistro), Burnt Ends and Braci flourished, thus heralding in a new era of casual fine dining concepts.
Today, discussing which eatery is deserving of its Michelin accolades has practically become a national pastime. Even with the closure of Joël Robuchon Restaurant and Restaurant Andre, there was a sense that bigger things were just round the corner.
BETTER THAN BEFORE
In this year alone, not one, but three chefs of Michelin-starred restaurants (French legends Alain Ducasse and Anne-Sophie Pic and Bjorn Frantzén, Swedish chef of Frantzén in Sweden) opened restaurants in Singapore. In June, the glitterati of the culinary world descended upon the country for the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards—a first for an Asian city. More recently, two homegrown restaurants—Les Amis and Odette—were awarded the highly coveted three Michelin stars. Odette was also crowned The Best Restaurant in Asia 2019 at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019.
All these will bode well for Singapore’s dining scene, agree chefs, restaurateurs and local food influencers unanimously. For one, chefs and restaurateurs are driven to stay relevant in the face of greater competition and the growth of a savvy customer base—even for top-of-its-game restaurants like Odette and Les Amis.
Bu hikaye WINE&DINE dergisinin November - December 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye WINE&DINE dergisinin November - December 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
New Blood
The next-generation is breathing new life into the forgotten art of spice-mixing, peppering the traditional trade with renewed ideas and fresh perspectives.
Sharing Is Caring
Compared to its flagship at Serene Centre, Fat Belly Social at Boon Tat Street is a classier and bolder affair, in more than one sense.
Nutmeg's Role In Singapore's History
From tales of it being used to ward off the plague in mid-1300s Europe to one of the ingredients in dessert, we have all known, tasted, or at least heard of nutmeg. But not many know of the spice’s role in Singapore’s history.
New And Improved
The ever-profound chef-owner Kenjiro ‘Hatch’ Hashida finds more room, three to be exact, to express a Ha Ri philosophy at Hashida Singapore’s new location at Amoy Street.
Pairing Spice-Driven Cuisines With Wine
Pairing spice-driven cuisines with wine has long been a challenge but with a little imagination, it doesn’t have to be.
Let Land Grow Wild
Niew Tai-Ran has worn many hats: aeronautical engineering major, investment banker, avid surfer, and, for the last 14 years, winemaker. Discover how this Malaysia-born, Singapore-native is championing the “do-nothing farming” philosophy at his vineyard in Oregon.
The South Asian Misnomer
Incredibly diverse and varied than most know, Indian food is far more intriguing than butter chicken or thosai. Here is a crash course on the extensive cuisine from region to region, recognisable for the seemingly infinite ways of using spices.
Keepers Of The Spice Trade
From its glory days along trade routes to pantry staples all over the world, spices have become so commonplace that we’ve taken them for granted. For these three trailblazers, however, spice is their livelihood and motivation: Langit Collective working with indigenous rural farming communities in Malaysia; IDH’s Sustainable Spice Initiative; and chef Nak’s one-woman mission to share forgotten Khmer cuisine.
Sugar, Spice And Everything Nice
Like food, spices bring vibrancy and variety to alcoholic beverages. Surfacing in unexpected ways on the palate, find everything from cumin to tamarind, cloves to cardamom enriching these drinks.
Building Blocks From The Archipelago
For the smorgasbord of dishes found in Indonesian cuisine, it is a little known secret that the modest bumbu, in all its variants, is the bedrock of such flavourful fare.
