Odette in Singapore has taken top honours at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 awards ceremony, succeeding four-time winner Gaggan in the No.1 spot. Chef Julien Royer’s Odette claims the coveted titles of the best restaurant in Asia and the best restaurant in Singapore.
Housed in the iconic National Gallery Singapore, Odette serves Asian-inspired modern French cuisine, each dish presented with impeccable style and characteristic perfection. Taking its name from Royer’s maternal grandmother, Odette earned Asia’s Highest New Entry Award in 2017 before debuting on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list last year at No.28.
The 2019 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants was announced at an awards ceremony at Wynn Palace, Macao. The 2019 list reflects the diversity and vitality of the ever-evolving Asian gastronomic scene, featuring 10 new restaurants, including a first-time entry from Malaysia (Dewakan, No.46) and a new restaurant in the Philippines (Toyo Eatery, No.43), a country last represented in the list in 2017. Host destination Macao counts two restaurants with Jade Dragon rising eight places to No.27 and Wing Lei Palace debuting at No.36.
William Drew, Group Editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “Now in its seventh year, the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list continues to evolve, inspire and showcase emerging talent. The 2019 list welcomes 10 new restaurants, including a first-time entry from Malaysia, and celebrates the ongoing culinary innovation in the region.”
Individual Country Awards
Japan
Japan leads the 2019 list with 12 entries. Fronting this group is Den (No.3), earning the title of The Best Restaurant in Japan for a second consecutive year. Den’s charismatic chef, Zaiyu Hasegawa, was also rewarded for his innovative approach and named the 2019 recipient of the Chefs’ Choice Award,the only award voted for by the chefs of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list to recognise a peer making a positive impact on the restaurant scene. The top 10 also includes Japan restaurants Florilège (No.5), Narisawa (No.8) and Nihonryori RyuGin (No.9). Sazenka and Sugalabo, both in Tokyo, are newcomers to the list, landing at No.23 and No.47 respectively.
Thailand
After holding the No.1 spot for four consecutive years, Gaggan in Bangkok moves to No.2 while retaining the title of The Best Restaurant in Thailand. Entering the list at No.16, Gaa in Bangkok has double reason to celebrate. As well as claiming the Highest New Entry Award, executive chef Garima Arora is named Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019.
Among the remaining six Thailand entries, Sühring holds at No.4, Bo.Lan rises 18 places to No.19 and Paste climbs three places to No.28 while Sorn, specialising in Southern Thai cuisine, is a new entry at No.48.
Singapore
Singapore claims seven entries on the list, including newcomer Nouri making a bow at No.39 and longtime
favourites Burnt Ends and Jaan rising to No.10 and No.32 respectively. The remaining Singapore
restaurants are Les Amis (No.33), Waku Ghin (No.40) and Corner House (No.49).
Greater China
Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet (No.6) in Shanghai is named The Best Restaurant in China. Hong Kong counts nine restaurants on the list, including The Chairman (rising from No.22 to No.11) and first-time entries Vea (No.34) and Seventh Son (No.44). Soaring 25 places to No.15, modern French bistro Belon is crowned with this year’s Highest Climber Award.
Ascending 11 places to No.7, Mume in Taipei clinches the title of The Best Restaurant in Taiwan, besting two-time winner, Raw (No.30).
Regional
Locavore (No.42) in Bali earns dual honours. As well as holding the title of The Best Restaurant in Indonesia, Locavore wins the Sustainable Restaurant Award in Asia, presented to the restaurant with the highest environmental and social responsibility rating, as determined by audit partner Food Made Good.
Indian Accent, rising two places to No. 17, returns as The Best Restaurant in India for a fifth successive year. Ministry of Crab in Colombo (No.35) is named The Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka for a fourth time while Toyo Eatery, the 2018 recipient of the Miele One To Watch Award, enters the list at No.43, claiming the honour of The Best Restaurant in Philippines. Popular Seoul restaurant Mingles (No.13) retains the title of The Best Restaurant in Korea.
Other award winners announced include:
Asia’s Best Pastry Chef Award, Fabrizio Fiorani from Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Tokyo
Italian chef Fabrizio Fiorani developed his pastry skills in the kitchens of such acclaimed restaurants as La Pergola in his native Rome and Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence. Expanding his horizons, he travelled to Dubai and Portugal before settling in Tokyo. His desserts seamlessly complement chef Luca Fantin’s contemporary Italian tasting menu and Fiorani’s first cookbook, Tra L’Onirico e Il Reale (Between Dreams and Reality), was published in 2018.
Art of Hospitality Award: 8 1⁄2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Since 2008, Hong Kong’s 8 1⁄2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana has been celebrating chef Umberto Bombana’s native cuisine, serving refined Italian food with the finest seasonal ingredients sourced from around the world. After debuting on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2013 at No.39, the restaurant has ranked within the top 20 of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list for seven consecutive years. 81⁄2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana’s outstanding hospitality, led by General Manager Marino Braccu, creates a highly refined but warm atmosphere in which diners can enjoy Chef Bombana’s creations.
Other individual award recipients include JL Studio in Taichung, Taiwan, earning the One To Watch Award for its modern interpretations of Singapore cuisine. Celebrated chef Seiji Yamamoto, of Nihonryori RyuGin in Japan, is the inaugural winner of the Icon Award.
The list
- Odette, Singapore
- Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand
- Den, Tokyo, Japan
- Sühring, Bangkok, Thailand
- Florilège, Tokyo, Japan
- Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai, China
- Mume, Taipei, Taiwan
- Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan
- Nihonryori RyuGin, Tokyo, Japan
- Burnt Ends, Singapore
- The Chairman, Hong Kong, China
- 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong, China
- Mingles, Seoul, Korea
- La Cime, Osaka, Japan
- Belon, Hong Kong, China
- Gaa, Bangkok, Thailand
- Indian Accent, New Delhi, India
- Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Tokyo, Japan
- Bo.Lan, Bangkok, Thailand
- Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand
- Amber, Hong Kong, China
- Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand
- Sazenka, Tokyo, Japan
- La Maison de la Nature Goh, Fukuoka, Japan
- Sushi Saito, Tokyo, Japan
- L’Effervescence, Tokyo, Japan
- Jade Dragon, Macao
- Paste, Bangkok, Thailand
- Fu He Hui, Shanghai, China
- Raw, Taipei, Taiwan
- Shoun RyuGin, Taipei, Taiwan,
- Jaan, Singapore
- Les Amis, Singapore
- Vea, Hong Kong, China
- Ministry of Crab, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Wing Lei Palace, Macao, China
- Neighbourhood, Hong Kong, China
- Lung King Heen, Hong Kong China
- Nouri, Singapore
- Waku Ghin, Singapore
- TocToc, Seoul, Korea
- Locavore, Bali, Indonesia
- Toyo Eatery, Manila, Philippines
- Seventh Son, Hong Kong, China
- Quintessence, Tokyo, Japan
- Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Sugalabo, Tokyo, Japan
- Sorn, Bangkok, Thailand
- Corner House, Singapore
- Ta Vie, Hong Kong, China
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