Cover Acclaimed Sommer is one of the few fine dining establishments that announced its closure recently, signalling the changing tides in Singapore’s dining landscape (Photo: Sommer)
Acclaimed Sommer is one of the few fine dining establishments that announced its closure recently, signalling the changing tides in Singapore’s dining landscape (Photo: Sommer)
1 / 1
From Sommer to Béni, these top restaurants fall victim to rising economic pressures. But with the emergence of new price-sensitive culinary establishments, what does the future hold for Singapore’s competitive fine dining scene?
Singapore’s fine-dining scene has only continued to witness a culling of fine-dining restaurants as 2024 flashes by. This just in: Sommer, a one-Michelin-starred European restaurant, will shutter in October; former Michelin-starred French-Japanese restaurant Béni has quietly ended its chapter; enduring Spanish omakase restaurant Bam! served its final course on August 15, and cult fine-dining restaurant Voyage is set to end all operations at the end of the year.
Singapore is undoubtedly one of the most expensive countries, and this makes operating restaurants naturally challenging. But yet, the dining scene remains competitive, with every closure comes an optimistic new entrant willing to take up the challenge.
Read more: Renowned chef André Chiang officially announces closure of Raw Taipei
Above Counter dining at the now defunct Béni (Photo: Béni)
Counter dining at the now defunct Béni (Photo: Béni)
1 / 1
Earlier this year, a post-pandemic purge was set in motion when a list of high-profile closures took out the one-Michelin-starred likes of Braci, La Dame de Pic, Table65 and Chef Kang’s Private Kitchen. A grim reminder that isn’t all too surprising as fine-dining restaurateurs are marred by poor operating factors, struggling manpower resources, scanty returns, and an increasingly price-sensitive market.
Inflation is giving cause to relatively higher interest rates, which are foreseen to be at a standstill before 2025 arrives. Tourist spend and corporate spending have both seen a drastic decrease. On the other hand, with the opening of international borders and rising GST, Singaporeans are more than likely to spend more abroad, especially in epicurean destinations such as Japan and Thailand.
Above Japanese chef Yoshihiro Narisawa of the two-Michelin starred Narisawa in Tokyo opens Bees by Narisawa in Singapore (Photo: Mandala Club)
Japanese chef Yoshihiro Narisawa of the two-Michelin starred Narisawa in Tokyo opens Bees by Narisawa in Singapore (Photo: Mandala Club)
1 / 1
Other markets in the US, Europe, Australia, and even China, which recently opened its borders, are not spared by the whippings of inflation. There has also been a noticeable decline in fine dining spend in major hub cities like Shanghai. “Nowadays, it is very unpredictable and reservations spikes vary. The local Shanghainese are travelling more and spending their money abroad, especially in Japan,” says a team member of Narisawa Shanghai, at the recent launch of Bees by Narisawa in the Mandala Club Singapore by the two-Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant.
The Singaporean outpost is Narisawa’s first fine-casual endeavour and also the famed Japanese chef’s second global dining establishment outside of his Tokyo home in 20 years.
In case you missed it: Acclaimed Japanese chef Yoshihiro Narisawa opens Bees by Narisawa in Singapore this August
Above Spaghetti fruitti di mare at Locanda (Photo: Locanda)
Above Classic steak frites at Brasserie Astoria (Photo: Brasserie Astoria)
Spaghetti fruitti di mare at Locanda (Photo: Locanda)
1 / 2
Other local restaurants have also scrambled to pivot, making room for pocket-friendly offshoots of upscale restaurants by acclaimed chefs. Some notable names to look out for are Locanda, a pasta bar sister outlet of Michelin-starred Italian restaurant Buona Terra; Tambi, a Southern Indian-Korean cuisine joint by both two-Michelin-starred Meta’s Sun Kim and Thevar’s Mano Thevar; and Brasserie Astoria, celebrity chef Björn Frantzén’s fine-casual brasserie concept in Stockholm; and Hortus, an all-day Mediterranean dining concept, located within Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Dome, by chef-owner Michael Wilson of one-Michelin-starred Marguerite.
Above From degustation to à la carte, Fiz evolves with new dining experience and dishes
From degustation to à la carte, Fiz evolves with new dining experience and dishes
1 / 1
Typically, a fine-dining meal requires one to set aside a significant amount of time—on average three hours per meal—and that alone is its Achilles heel. Gone were the days when multi-hour prix-fixe menus were sought after as nowadays, people just had less time to spare—or perhaps, shorter attention span. Some fine-dining restaurants are quick to react. Fiz, a contemporary Southeast Asian fine dining experience by chef-owner Hafizzul Hashim, is one to learn from as they went from only serving up degustation menus in their first year to presenting à la carte options on their next, granting guests the freedom to customise their dining experience as well as duration and budget.
For the uninitiated, Restaurant Fiz was also named the Rising Star at the Tatler Dining Awards 2024 and recently earned the Green Star award at the Michelin Guide Singapore 2024 for its sustainability efforts.
Above More restaurant closures are expected by the end of 2024 (Photo: Getty Images)
More restaurant closures are expected by the end of 2024 (Photo: Getty Images)
1 / 1
If anything, inflation is a cyclical phenomenon but it certainly takes nerves of steel and deep pockets to ride the waves. Unfortunately, some more than others, a freak wave might sink weaker vessels as more closures are expected by the end of 2024. And when that exodus occurs, the market will inevitably condense and stronger establishments will emerge.
While this year’s outlook remains bleak for fine dining, some restaurateurs rally with optimism that 2025 might take a turn for the better. For those still afloat, it may be high time to tighten up the bootstraps.
