Just 6 local chefs make it into Singapore's inaugural Michelin Guide

Singapore is now home to 29 Michelin-starred restaurants, but don’t expect to see much local flavor in the Michelin Guide’s debut in Southeast Asia -- on your plate or in charge of the kitchen.

Of all the entries inducted to the prestigious culinary bible, only six eateries are led by Singaporean chefs, and only three of those serve local food. Most of the winners feature European, Japanese and Chinese cuisine.

Among the homegrown talent: Malcolm Lee of Candlenut, Jason Tan of Corner House, Douglas Tay of Osia, and Sam Leong of Forest -- named after his wife and fellow chef Forest Leong, who shed tears of joy during the awards ceremony on Thursday.

“It’s a lifetime of hard work toiling and I was happy for him,” she said, urging young chefs to have “perseverance and belief.”

Notably missing from the guide is Singapore institution Iggy’s and local celebrity chefs Justin Quek of Sky on 57, and Willin Low of Wild Rocket.

Low has earned praise in international media, even debuting at number 38 in this year’s Restaurant Magazine’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

Known as a pioneer of modernised Singaporean cuisine, Low said he’s disappointed, but life goes on. “We will continue to do what we have been doing for 11 years; that is providing good experiences for our guests. If someone gives us a star, an award or recognition, it is an additional pat on the shoulder,” he told Mashable.

When asked why few local talent and eateries earned stars, Singaporean hawker heritage advocate K.F. Seetoh points to the encouragement of automation, a lack of culinary creativity and manpower issues: “There’s no real true learning institutions in the culinary field here. At most, they are technically proficient, not imaginative,” he said.

Meantime, French celebrity chef Joel Robuchon’s eponymous restaurant was the sole winner of 3 Michelin stars, while his less formal L-Atelier earned two, solidifying his title as the most starred chef with a total of 30.

Also winning two stars: newcomer Odette, established favorites Restaurant Andre and Les Amis, and lesser known gems Shoukouwa and Shisen Hanten, somewhat of a surprise contender, with its Japanese-inspired Sichuan classics.

Street food stars

In addition to 34 street food stalls and local cze char (wok frying) places named in Michelin’s good-for-value Bib Gourmand list, two hawkers bagged a coveted star: Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle and Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle.

“I never thought a hawker would win a Michelin star,” said Chan Hon Meng of the latter.

Chan, now a global poster child for Singapore’s hawker culture, knows the award means more work.

“I feel the pressure to maintain standard. It’s a responsibility that gets heavier by the moment,” he said.

That pressure is something many winners expect to face with more exposure and discerning diners from across the world. It's part of the so-called Michelin effect, which brings big business, but also the "Michelin curse" of higher rents, the need for more skilled labour, and pressure to maintain quality and consistency at the expense of creativity.

Food-obsessed Singaporeans are already criticizing the new Michelin Guide, from too few Singaporean chefs getting stars to inspectors not having enough knowledge of local culture to the choice of hawkers. There seems to be plenty of room for improvement.

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“I don’t see Teochew fare and other worthy iconic local restaurants,” Seetoh said. “Also, with about 20,000 hawkers, they chose only two.”

Expect the debate to continue. After all, it is just a guide.

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