Before the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards makes its way to Singapore on June 25, the festivities get started at Macau's Wynn Palace with Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019. This year, seven local restaurants cement themselves as Asia's best, with Odette taking the top spot.
Chef and owner of Julien Royer opened Odette four years ago at the National Gallery Singapore. "It's been an incredible journey," says Royer. "The idea was to provide fine cuisine and great hospitality."
Royer has called Singapore home since 2007 and was the head chef of Jaan from 2011 to 2015. It was during his time at Jaan that he won the Asia's 50 Best Restaurant's Miele One To Watch Award in 2013. This year the Miele One To Watch Award goes to Jimmy Lim, the Singaporean chef behind JL Studio in Taichung, Taiwan. "I told Jimmy that when I received this award, it was a life-changing experience," shares Royer. "It pushed me to be a better cook and is the kick-off of a great career." Royer also plans to open a new casual-French eatery, Louise, in Hong Kong's PMQ in June this year.
Other local restaurants to make it to this year's list include Corner House (49), Waku Ghin (40), Les Amis (33), Jaan (32) and Burnt Ends (10). Most excitingly, chef Ivan Brehm's Nouri debuts at number 39 on the list, just a couple month's shy of its two-year anniversary.
Here's a look at Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2019:
Miele One to Watch: JL Studio. Taichung, Taiwan.
50 Ta Vie
49 Corner House
48 Sorn
47 Sugalabo
46 Dewakan (best restaurant in Malaysia)
45 Quintessence
44 Seventh Son
43 Toyo Eatery (best restaurant in the Philippines)
42 Locavore (best restaurant in Indonesia, winner of sustainable restaurant award)
41 Toctoc
40 Waku Ghin
39 Nouri (new entry for Singapore)
38 Lung King Heen
37 Neighbourhood
36 Wing Lei Palace
35 Ministry of Crab
34 VEA
33 Les Amis
32 Jaan
31 Shoun Ryugin
30 RAW
29 Fu He Hui
28 Paste
27 Jade Dragon
26 L’Effervescence
25 Sushi Saito
24 La Maison De La Nature Goh
23 Sazenka
22 Nahm
21 Amber
20 Le Du
19 Bo.Lan
18 Il Ristorante - Luca Fantin
17 Indian Accent (best restaurant in India)
16 Gaa ( Elite Vodka Best Female Chef, highest new entry)
15 Belon (Highest climber)
14 La Cime
13 Mingles
12 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana
11 The Chairman
10 Burnt Ends
9 Ryugin (American Express Icon Award)
8 Narisawa
7 Mume
6 Ultraviolet
5 Florilège
4 Sühring
3 Den
2 Gaggan
1 Odette