You'll be forgiven if you've never heard the name Jereme Leung before. After all, the Singaporean chef left our sunny shores 16 years ago for China to learn more about the breadth and depth of its cuisine. It was there that he made a name for himself, opening multiple successful restaurants and appearing as a judge in MasterChef China. He makes his Singapore return at the recently revamped Raffles Hotel, which now offers a suite of A-list restaurants helmed by the best chefs around the world – and Yi by Jereme Leung is no exception.
The focus on art and excellence is apparent from the moment you step into the restaurant. The entryway is adorned with an installation by Moss & Lam – 1,000 individually strung floral strands drape from the ceiling to the walls, beckoning you towards the main dining hall. The 111-seat restaurant is equally stunning, tastefully accented with muted neutral tones, lotus leaf light fixtures and a grand gold Chinese painting.
Each dish comes beautifully plated – from the Hundred-ring Cucumber and Poached Sea Whelk ($26), a spiral of finely sliced cucumber and crunchy sea whelk tossed in a soy sauce and garlic vinaigrette to the cold platter of brined duck breast, beef tripe and ox tongue drizzled with spicy Sichuan dressing ($28). Stylish as they may be, the dishes here are not lacking in substance. The Golden Roasted Duck ($48/$88) is dusted in gold powder and served with naturally dyed rainbow pancakes is the perfect example. The duck meat is unctuously juicy and the house-made rose fermented bean sauce imparts a subtle perfume that elevates this otherwise classic dish. This drive to innovate Chinese cuisine – not through foams or European techniques, but through a thoughtful appreciation of flavour – appears throughout the menu. Other hits include the braised beef cheeks, tendon and oxtail ($42), best served over a bowl of piping hot jasmine rice straight from the rice cooker or with a plate of fried rice ($22) speckled with char siew, pork belly and pickled long beans.