Singapore’s Michelin guide award ceremony. photo: MARIA na Klaibaan
Almost like a meteor shower, the arrival of The Michelin Guide in Singapore brings to the island city a pouring of the illustrious culinary stars — 37 to be exact.
On the much-awaited award ceremony held at Resort World Sentosa six nights ago, the first-ever Michelin’s repertoire of the Singapore best restaurants was announced.
The evening was to set a new culinary milestone not only for the Lion City, but also for the region. It’s the very first step The Michelin Guide, one of the best-selling and trustworthy restaurant handbooks in the world, has set foot in Southeast Asia.
For the inaugural Singapore edition, 22 restaurants are awarded one star, six establishments two stars and one with the oh-so prestigious maximum three stars.
Restaurants appointed a one-star are officially defined by The Michelin Guide as “establishments that use quality ingredients and serve carefully prepared dishes with distinct flavours”.
The 2016 one-starred selection comprises of nine restaurants that serve up Western cuisine and 13 offering Asian cuisine, including that of Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Peranakan.
Interestingly, it’s the first time the ever low-key Paranakan fare, Singapore’s favourite cuisine that combines together Chinese and Malay cooking influences, is recognised by the gastronomic authority in the world-class stage.
Even more astoundingly, a few eateries appointed the illustrated star are renowned chain restaurants. Whereas two highly-treasured street hawkers offering the likes of pork noodles and chicken rice are also Michelin-star title holders.
For the two-star ranking it announced half a dozen of winners. The ranking by definition is set aside for restaurants that showcase the talent and personality of its chef and their team through refined, expertly crafted dishes.
As much expected by the eager crowd of local food celebrities, restaurateurs, gastronauts and journalists, the list includes Restaurant Andre (No.3 at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant 2016), Les Amis (No.12 at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant) and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon.
The Michelin’s highest three-star rating is to be given to restaurants exhibiting superlative cooking of chefs at the peak of their profession. The ingredients are exemplary, the cooking is elevated to an art form and their dishes are often destined to become classics. In brief, an exceptional cuisine that’s worth a special journey.
Amid the suspicion whether the Lion City would have a chance to boast the phenomenal three-star decoration upon its first year, the haute French cuisine Restaurant de Joel Robuchon was announced the sole winner.
Thai cuisine didn’t make it to the 2016 Singapore’s list.
Europe’s oldest reference handbook of hotels and restaurants, The Michelin Guide was conceived in France in 1900. After sticking only to European countries as its territory for more than a century, in 2006 it started to branch out to North America and then Asia a year later.
It also plans to publish Shanghai and Seoul editions at the end of this year.
Without a doubt, the recent launch of The Michelin Guide is helping Singapore to uplift the image of its dining industry and culinary scene. Food-loving tourists are expected to pour in the island supposedly for the eminently-endorsed cuisine not available in other countries in the region. In fact, there’s no more than 100 restaurants in the world that are decorated with Michelin three stars at the moment.
Some food critics have noted that this newest foray of the guide has hinted also an attempt of The Michelin Guide to retain its top position in the fairground, of which the boundary has expanded as fast and far as the Internet goes, that is now full with aggressive new-faced food arbiters.
Yet a number of them have questioned, especially for the 2016’s entries, that this might ruin the credibility of the century-old food bible.
“We’ve just learnt that the Michelin inspectors began reviewing the restaurants in Singapore six months ago before coming up with the selection,” said a food journalist.
“Isn’t that too short a time for a highly-esteemed institution, known to have shaped up the standard of the industry worldwide, to judge and rate restaurants on the foundation of culinary refinement and consistency out of thousands of eateries?”
“Consistency cannot be assessed accurately based on visits over the course of six months,” he said.
While another keen epicure said, “There’s no doubt about the extraordinarily expertise of chef Joel Robuchon and that the guy might as well deserve to have another five stars (two from the L’Atelier, and three from Joel Robuchon Restaurant) added to his 26 stars profile tonight.
“But it’s still disturbing to see a restaurant being awarded the maximum ranking, which is exceedingly rare, upon their first entering. To lose a star can do as much an impact as to receive it and I can feel a burden for the chefs.
“Let’s admit it. Everything is a political game even in the kitchen,” she said.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.