*According to this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Awards season is upon us again, and if you've noticed your favourite chefs Instagramming from Bangkok over the last few days (we're looking at you, Willin!), they were probably there for the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2016 awards ceremony, the results of which were announced last night at the W Bangkok.
André Chiang of Restaurant AndréPhoto: Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna
Like last year's rankings, Gaggan (Bangkok) and Narisawa (Tokyo) kept their firm grip on the top two spots on the list, respectively. Our restaurant-frenzied city continued to hold on to 20 percent of the list of 50, with André Chiang's eponymous Bukit Pasoh restaurant ascending to third place. While there have been industry murmurs of the ‘accuracy’ of the voting system, and this very public calling-out of the awards, the 2016 rankings of Singaporean restaurants should be garnering far more public interest, especially with our very first Michelin Guide slated to be published later this year.
Jason Tan of Corner HousePhoto: Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna
Still, we've got to give mega props for born-and-bred talents Jason Tan and Willin Low for breaking the celebrity chef ceiling of the Singaporean entries on the list. Tan's Corner House leapt into the impressive 17th position, and Low's Wild Rocket entered at a respectable 38th. Tarte and Les Amis dessert wizard Cheryl Koh also picked up the Asia's Best Pastry Chef award, after Janice Wong swept the title in 2013 and 2014 – so expect Koh’s exquisite sweet treats to sell out even earlier now at Shaw Centre.
David Thompson of Long ChimPhoto: Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna
Marina Bay Sands managed to ‘retain’ the Lifetime Achievement Award – where in 2015 Waku Ghin’s Tetsuya Wakuda took home the prize, this year’s honour goes to Long Chim’s David Thompson. Here's a full list of the winners from Singapore:
#3: Restaurant André (+3 spots)
#6: Waku Ghin (+6)
#12: Les Amis (+1)
#14: Burnt Ends (+16)
#17: Corner House (new entry)
#21: Shinji by Kanesaka (+11)
#29: JAAN (-18)
#31: Tippling Club (+5)
#36: Iggy's (-18)
#38: Wild Rocket (new entry)
Out of the 2016 list:
Osteria Mozza, and Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck
For the full list of this year's winners, see www.theworlds50best.com/asia.