Odette in Singapore is the winner of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna.
Held on Tuesday 26th of March, at the Wynn Palace Cotai in Macao for the second year in a row, chef Julien Royer of Odette took the prestigious award in front of an audience attended by hundreds of industry people. The restaurant, known for its ultra-refined French dining jumped four spots in the list, taking the crown from the stronghold of Gaggan.
Odette is the first restaurant in Singapore to be voted Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants winner. The young chef, on being a French chef in Asia commented that “every discovery in Asia makes my food better,” that he is excited about the diversity of the food in Singapore.
Gaggan came in second this year, perhaps a relief for chef Gaggan Anand who had famously said last year after his fourth consecutive win: “I want all the voters to stop voting for me.” A nice farewell, considering his announcement to close the restaurant in 2020 for a new venture with Japanese chef Takeshi Fukuyama.
Den restaurant came in third, falling one spot in its ranking in relation to last year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants but retained its title as Best Restaurant in Japan. Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa was also awarded the Chef’s Choice Award, chosen by those on the list. Suhring of twin chefs Mathias and Thomas Sühring in Bangkok came in fourth, its position in the list unchanged from 2018. Florilège, in Tokyo, with chef Horiyasu Kawate fell from last year’s third spot to fifth place.
OTHER SPECIAL AWARDS
The American Express Icon Award went to Seiji Yamamoto, the acclaimed Japanese chef of Nihonryori RyuGin in Tokyo. Chef Yamamoto is widely regarded as one of Japan’s finest chefs, known for his innovation of Japanese cuisine through modern techniques and creativity that has made him become a reference point all over the world for kaiseki cuisine. His three Michelin star restaurant has ranked within the top 10 of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for six consecutive years.
The American Express Icon Award is a new addition to the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 program this year, and celebrates individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the restaurant industry worthy of international recognition, leading them to reach the status of culinary icons.
JL Studio in Taichung, Taiwan, led by chef Jimmy Lim, was presented with the Miele One to Watch Award, an award given to the restaurant outside the Asia’s 50 Best list but identified as the rising star of the region. Opened in 2017, JL Studio offers its diners a taste of chef Lim’s reinterpretations of Singaporean classics, which “push the creative boundaries of gastronomy”, said William Drew, Group Editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.
elit Vodka Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019 went to Garima Arora of Gaa Restaurant in Bangkok in recognition of her “huge impact on the dining scene in Asia in a short period with her brilliant blend of Indian traditions and Thai ingredients”, according to Drew. Chef Arora cut her teeth at top kitchens such as Noma and Gaggan (Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 winner), prior to opening her own, Gaa. Gaa also took the Highest New Entry award, coming in at number 16.
Asia’s Best Pastry Chef was Fabrizio Fiorani, of Il Ristorante Luca Fantin in Tokyo (no.18 in this year’s list). The young chef of class 1986 was applauded for his modern, refined and inventive use of local ingredients in his sweet creations.
The Highest Climber award was won by Belon in Hong Kong, coming in at number 15. The Art of Hospitality Award went to the 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA restaurant of chef Umberto Bombana, the Italian chef hailed as “The King of White Truffles”.
THE FULL LIST OF 2019 WINNERS
1. Odette Singapore | Best Restaurant in Singapore and Best Restaurant in Asia
2. Gaggan Bangkok (Thailand) | Best Restaurant in Thailand
3. Den Tokyo (Japan) | Best Restaurant in Japan
4. Sühring Bangkok (Thailand)
5. Florilège Tokyo (Japan)
6. Ultraviolet Shanghai (China) | Best Restaurant in China
7. Mume Taipei (Taiwan) | Best Restaurant in Taiwan
8. Narisawa Tokyo (Japan)
9. Nihonryori RyuGin Tokyo (Japan)
10. Burnt Ends Singapore
11. The Chairman Hong Kong (China)
12. 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong (China) | Art of Hospitality Award
13. Mingles Seoul (Korea) | Best Restaurant in Korea
14. La Cime Osaka (Japan)
15. Belon Hong Kong (China) | Highest climber
16. Gaa Bangkok (Thailand) | Highest new entry
17. Indian Accent New Dehli (India) | Best Restaurant in India
18. Il Ristorante Luca Fantin Tokyo (Japan)
19. Bo.Lan Bangkok (Thailand)
20. Le Du Bagkok (Thailand)
21. Amber Hong Kong (China)
22. Nahm Bangkok (Thailand)
23. Sazenka Tokyo (Japan) | New entry
24. La Maison de la Nature Goh Fukuoka (Japan)
25. Sushi Saito Tokyo (Japan)
26. L'Effervescence Tokyo (Japan)
27. Jade Dragon Macao (China)
28. Paste Bangkok (Thailand)
29. Fu He Hui Shangai (China)
30. Raw Taipei (Taiwan)
31. Shoun Ryugin Taipei (Taiwan)
32. Jaan Singapore
33. Les Amis Singapore
34. Vea Hong Kong (China) | New entry
35. Ministry of Crab Colombo (Sri Lanka) | Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka
36. Wing Lei Palace Macao | New entry
37. Neighborhood Hong Kong (China)
38. Lung King Heen Hong Kong (China)
39. Nouri Singapore | New entry
40. Waku Ghin Singapore
41. TocToc Seoul (Korea)
42. Locavore Bali (Indonesia) | Best Restaurant in Indonesia and Sustainable Restaurant Award
43. Toyo Eatery Manila (Philippines) | Best Restaurant in Philippines
44. Seventh Son Hong Kong (China) | New entry
45. Quintessence Tokyo (Japan)
46. Dewakan Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) | Best Restaurant in Malaysia
47. Sugalabo Tokyo (Japan) | New entry
48. Sorn Bangkok (Thailand) | New entry
49. Corner House Singapore
50. Ta Vie Hong Kong (China)
