A certain ballroom in the south of Singapore was awash with disappointment today, as it was revealed that Singapore’s cuisine does not in fact live up to the standards of a gloablly recognized dining guide. The third edition of the Michelin Guide was announced today at Resorts World Sentosa, recognizing a total of 34 one-Michelin-starred restaurants and five two-Michelin-starred restaurants. For the first time since the Guide’s launch in Singapore, no restaurants were awarded three Michelin stars.
This year, there were five first-time one-Michelin-star winners—Burnt Ends, Jiang-Nan Chun from Four Seasons Hotel, Ma Cuisine, Chef Ivan Brahm’s Nouri (who ranked #1 on our Top Tables 2018) and Sushi Kimura. It was a well-deserved win for the Unlisted Collection’s premium grill, which has been on the Asia’s Best 50 Restaurants list for the past two years.
From L-R: this year’s representatives from new entrants Jiang-Nan Chun, Ma Cuisine, Burnt Ends, Sushi Kimura, and Nouri
Most of last year’s one-Michelin-star winners maintained their position, though RWS’s own Osia was unceremoniously kicked off the list, after having earned a star two years in a row since the ceremony’s inauguration. Presenter and International Director of the Michelin Guides Michael Ellis pulled a pseudo Steve Harvey, initially missing out Crystal Jade Golden Palace and Shinji (Tanglin Road), both of which have been one Michelin-starred restaurants since 2016.
The full list of one-star winners is as follows:
Alma
Beni
Braci
Burnt Ends [new]
Candlenut
Cheek by Jowl
Chef Kang’s Corner House
Crystal Jade Golden Palace
Cut
Garibaldi
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle
Iggy’s
Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine
Jaan
Jiang-Nan Chun [new]
Labyrinth
Lei Garden
Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle
Ma Cuisine [new]
Meta
Nouri [new]
Putien (Kitchener Road)
Rhubarb
Saint Pierre
Shinji (Bras Basah Road)
Shinji (Tanglin Road)
Summer Palace
Summer Pavilion
Sushi Ichi
Sushi Kimura [new]
The Kitchen at Bacchanalia
The Song of India
Whitegrass
Less exciting this year was the list of recipients for two- and three-Michelin-stars; and that’s putting it lightly. All the winners from 2017, minus the dropouts from Restaurant Andre and Joel Robuchon’s restaurants—Les Amis, Odette, Shisen Hanten, Shoukouwa, Waku Ghin—maintained their two-star status, and there were no three-Michelin-star winners at all.
A happier sight:The one-Michelin-starred winners of the night
The ceremony also took the time to award Singapore’s culinary pioneers, which included chef-owners from Peranakan restaurant Guan Hoe Soon in Joo Chiat, and Dragon Phoenix Restaurant, a Cantonese restaurant established in 1963.
With the unforeseen closures of Michelin heavyweights Restaurant Andre and Joel Robuchon earlier this year, speculation was high on who would be next in line for the coveted stars; the two restaurants were previously awarded two and three Michelin stars respectively. It looks like we’ve got our answer: No one.
