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Tonight, after a decade making his mark on Singapore's thriving dining scene, lauded Taiwanese-born chef Andre Chiang will cook for his last service at Restaurant Andre.
Even as consumers prepare to celebrate their love over an
aptly fine meal, one notably passionate chef is preparing to close a chapter on
a long culinary love affair with another country, one he has called home the
last decade.
Today, Andre Chiang will
cook his last meal at his two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Andre (No. 14 on last
year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and No. 2 on the Asia’s 50 Best
Restaurants list the same year).
When news first broke last October, the same day he
opened the restaurant 10 years before (and coincidentally his wedding
anniversary), the industry was genuinely surprised. Today, at the restaurant’s
last “family meal” and press conference, it was clear how hard a decision it
was to make. With his tearful wife and pillar beside him, Chiang shared with
the media his final thoughts on the matter with the hopes of saying a proper
“thank you and farewell”.
“We pushed hard, we pushed very hard, but I don’t want to
stay still… I want to take another 10 years and do something greater than
this,” shared the 41-year-old (42 in April), who will be moving back to
Taiwan—a place he has known for so long but has never grown up with—in pursuit
of personal goals he has had on his list for quite a while. Among other things,
his vision for the next five to 10 years is devoted to leading the food
education in Asia, strengthen the Taiwanese culinary heritage and identity.
“Singapore’s home, Taiwan ‘s home, Asia’s home,” he continued. “So regardless
where I am, I’m going to make sure we make Asia proud.”
In a thank you letter issued today, he started by
admitting how hard it is for him to express his feelings during this period.
But he was clear how proud he should be of what he has achieved “for Singapore,
for Asia, and for the world”.
“I am unsure if I should be happy as I embark on this
bright new future ahead of me, or to be sad as we close this chapter and say
goodbye to Restaurant Andre—one of the best restaurants in the world,” he
shared, adding that the one thing he will miss most is having “the best team”
behind it.
Still, he insists, this is not goodbye. While he may not
be helming the kitchen, a new venture is set to take over the original
location. “We are planning a new category of cuisine and concept after the
closure of Restaurant Andre,” he shared. It’s slated to open towards the end on
the year, and is still going to serve a fine dining experience.
Chiang also endeavours to spend more time with his chefs
and take good care of all seven restaurants under the Restaurant ANDRE group
(including Burnt Ends, MeatSmith, Bincho, Porte 12 in Paris, Raw in Taipei, The
Bridge in Chengdu, and 3 new upcoming projects set to open by the end of 2018.
In the meantime, he said he wanted to simply say: “Thank
you Singapore for a decade of love and support, this has been the best period
of my life so far”.
Reprinted from: https://sg.asiatatler.com/dining/one-last-meal-at-restaurant-andre?utm_source=Singapore+Tatler+Dining&utm_campaign=c946d0df24-SGTD_20180214&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_961932cf98-c946d0df24-54118205
