On top of bringing a theatrical element to the dining experience, open kitchens also serve as a stage to showcase the chef’s inimitable skills
Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is credited to have pioneered the open kitchen concept in the ’90s with Californian restaurant Spago, located in Beverly Hills. The premise was to “see and be seen”, and until today, this idea resonates with chefs and restaurateurs who want to offer a more interactive dining experience where diners can personally interact with chefs while watching them prepare their signature dishes.
In Singapore, we have no shortage of restaurants with stylish open kitchens. Here are five to check out:
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Bar Cicheti
Nothing beats freshly cooked pasta, and it was with this in mind that the design concept of Bar Cicheti was conceived by Amsterdam-based Studio Königshausen. Inspired by the bacari that line the canals of Venice, the 42-seater wine and pasta bar features an arch made with perforated metal and a skylight that puts the spotlight on the open kitchen for dramatic effect. It is the “stage” where chef-owner Lim Yew Aun and his team prep, twirl, cook and toss handmade pasta into sumptuous dishes like pesto pasta, comprising your choice of pasta drenched in a concoction of nutty pistachio and fresh basil pesto sauce, and rigatoni alla nonna. The latter is composed of large pasta shells bathed in a fiery arrabbiata sauce and topped with eggplant and aged ricotta. The group’s restaurateur and owner Liling Ong adds: “There are a handful of counter seats at a time... thus, providing an intimate interaction with the chef himself and a unique experience no other seats in the pasta bar can afford.”
Read more: Pasta Table Honours Singapore’s Frontline with Culinary Masterclass