epicure August 2019

Whenever my overseas friends talk about visiting Singapore, many of them would ask me to recommend my favourite hawker stalls or Michelin-starred restaurants in the city. With the exception of Labyrinth and Candelnut, most of the Michelin-starred restaurants either serve French, European or Japanese cuisine or are helmed by expatriate chefs. The idea that Singapore food could be found and reinterpreted in a fresh and innovative way, and in a setting other than a humble hawker centre or coffee shop, is surprising to them. Not that anymore can blame them, when even many Singaporeans are resistant to the idea. It has been almost 15 years since Mod-Sin cuisine, a term first coined by Willin Low when he started Wild Rocket restaurant, was born. Since then, led by other chefs like Han…

epicure is available at the following: Onboard Singapore Airlines (SIA) as an inflight magazine Airport Lounges/Airline Offices Air France-KLM British Airways Cathay Pacific CIAS DNATA Lounge Emirates SATS Premier Lounge SIA KrisFlyer Gold Lounges SIA SilverKris Lounges Thai Airways Deluxe Rooms & Business Centres of Hotels & Resorts in SINGAPORE Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa Amara Singapore Capella Singapore Carlton City Hotel Singapore Carlton Hotel Singapore Concorde Hotel Singapore Conrad Centennial Singapore Fairmont Singapore Four Seasons Hotel Singapore Furama City Centre, Singapore Furama RiverFront, Singapore Goodwood Park Hotel Grand Copthorne Waterfront Grand Hyatt Singapore Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy Hilton Singapore Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore InterContinental Singapore JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach Klapsons, The Boutique Hotel Le Méridien Singapore, Sentosa M Hotel Singapore Mandarin Orchard Singapore Marina Mandarin Singapore Mercure Singapore Bugis Mercure Singapore on Stevens Naumi Liora Novotel Singapore on Stevens Oasia Hotel Downtown Singapore One Farrer Hotel & Spa Orchard Hotel Singapore Pan Pacific Singapore PARKRO YAL on Beach Road PARKRO YAL on…

If anyone knows how to make a stunning restaurant debut in Asia, it’s Anne-Sophie Pic, the highly decorated French chef with seven Michelin stars to her name. Housed inside Raffles Singapore, the 46-seater La Dame de Pic drips with sophisticated elegance, from the chevron patterned wood floors, grey-clay sofas to rich plum leather chairs. In the middle of the dining room, a gold chandelier made of tiered discs with laser-cut spades hangs from a ceiling marked with peony bas reliefs, setting the expectant mood for culinary enjoyment. Together with chef de cuisine Kevin Gatin, the duo introduces calibrated Asian touches to haute cuisine (lunch and dinner starts from $128 and $198 respectively): her signature Berlingots are infused with matcha, filled with French cheese fondue and enhanced with local chou cao (herb…

The newly revamped Raffles Singapore brings back their legendary Raffles Snowskin Mooncakes just in time for Mid-Autumn Festival. Expect classics such as the Champagne Truffle Snowskin and Cognac Truffle Snowskin to be presented in a gorgeous pastel lilac box adorned with botanical illustrations. The Avocado and Mango Yuzu Snowskin ($76/eight) is a new creation – avocados are blended with flaxseeds for a superfood punch, with a core of mango and yuzu purée. Avaliable until 13 September. Tel: 6412 1122. Online: rafflescelebrations.com.sg Jade Restaurant has updated its Jade Originals Mooncake Collection with two locallyinspired snow skin mooncakes: the Bandung Snow Skin and Ondeh-Ondeh Snow Skin. The latter impresses with a generous amount of gula melaka encased in a fragrant pandan filling; bits of dried coconut add a much needed texture. These mooncakes are also…

OLIVIA LEE, principle designer and founder of OLIVIA LEE What is the philosophy of OLIVIA LEE? My design studio is grounded by an industrial design approach but pivots from product to spatial design, from research insights to ideation, with the goal of creating unique experiences. I focus on uncovering new rituals and behaviours, navigating the tension between tradition and the future, and bringing brands into unexplored territories through design and narrative. What is the future of the industrial design sector in Singapore? The convergence between design and technology definitely excites me. 3D-printing, smart furniture, virtual and augmented experiences, robotics and AI are some exciting frontiers for design. I believe design’s role is to go beyond the novelty and spectacle — to help identify needs, the human context, emotional experience, assign meaning and beauty to…

The golden touch The classic Portobello Gold pub (which served customers like Bill Clinton) has gone but a new European restaurant and bar, Gold, is taking its place. The four-storey space will feature a bar, open kitchen and garden room complete with trees and a retractable roof, with more dining areas and a private room on the upper floors. And you won’t have any trouble spotting the place as Portuguese artist Vhils has been commissioned to create works for Gold, including a pavement-to-roof piece outside. The shop house carries on the creative aesthetic, with bohemian interiors from local architects and designers. Think aged metals, modern furnishings and indoor plants, with an open kitchen on the ground floor leading to a lush garden room. Taking its inspiration from the eclectic cultural scene of the…