Cover Singaporean executive chef Mathew Leong, whose restaurant, Re-naa, has just won three Michelin stars
Singaporean executive chef Mathew Leong, whose restaurant, Re-naa, has just won three Michelin stars
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The Stavanger restaurant was just one of two new additions to the three-Michelin-star list in the Michelin Guide Nordic Countries 2024 ceremony on May 27
Flying the flag high over in Stavanger, Norway is Singaporean executive chef Mathew Leong of Re-naa, who has just led his team to the restaurant’s third Michelin star last night on May 27 at the Michelin Guide Nordic Countries 2024 ceremony. Its ascension to the prestigious list is accompanied by only one other restaurant, Jordnær, in Denmark. He is the second Singaporean to lead a restaurant to three Michelin stars, after chef-owner Jimmy Lim clinched all three stars last year for his Taiwan restaurant, JL Studio.
Speaking to Tatler Singapore, Leong says that the win “still feels really surreal”, but he’s “incredibly happy that we have finally received the third star after retaining two stars for 5 years.”
“[I’m] very thankful for my incredible team—each and every one of them played a huge role in attaining the third star for Re-naa,” he says. “Of course, I am very happy for chef Sven Erik and his wife Torill as well.”
Don’t miss: Haute Spots: Mathew Leong on his favourite things to do in Stavanger, Norway
Leong has made much of his career in Norway, which he first came to at the invitation of chef Sven Erik Renaa, the owner of Re-naa. At the tender age of 21, he became Re-naa’s chef de partie for a one-year stint. He was later invited to become the chef de partie at À L’aise in Oslo, climbing up the ranks to become its head chef—all the while training for the prestigious Bocuse d’Or competition in 2021, where he finished in 12th place. It was after the Bocuse d’Or that Renaa invited him to head his Stavanger restaurant as its head chef. Since then, Leong’s brand of Asian-inspired Nordic flavours has clearly impressed the Michelin inspectors, as well as critics and gastronomes.
His influence overseas was recognised by Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe list in 2023, which credited his leadership for growing the restaurant’s revenue by 15 per cent to more than US$4 million. All this while, Leong has been busy training and fundraising for the Bocuse d’Or; in fact, a fundraising four-hands dinner with executive chef Cheung Siu Kong of Summer Pavilion is happening tonight (May 28).
Read more: On the Pass With Mathew Leong, Head Chef of Re-Naa in Norway
Above Herring and potato served with vendace roe at Re-naa, which has just won three Michelin stars (Photo: Re-naa)
Herring and potato served with vendace roe at Re-naa, which has just won three Michelin stars (Photo: Re-naa)
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Leong’s love of cooking can be rooted back to his mother’s expert Cantonese cooking, but the experience that made him want to become a chef was competing in a culinary competition at the age of 13. The competition was judged by acclaimed Singaporean chef Jimmy Chok, and though he did not win, Chok invited him to see the kitchen in his restaurant, which spurred a commitment to gastronomy. At only 28 years old, his career has taken him to the kitchens in both Singapore and Norway.
“Of course, while earning the third star is truly an amazing thing, that would mean that the stress level is even higher now that we have to maintain it,” Leong says. But at the moment, he has his sights set on other great things: he is currently focusing on the Bocuse d’Or Asia, which will take place in China on September 22 and 23, which will then be followed up by the final in January 26 and 27 in Lyon.
But make sure to look out for what Leong has in store. ”After my Bocuse d’Or journey in January, I am looking to open my own restaurant in Norway followed by another one in Singapore, my home place,” he tells us. For now, gourmands will have to wait for further details—but in the meantime, they can book tables at the newly-minted, three-Michelin-starred Re-naa.
About
Ethan is a dining writer with Tatler Singapore. Trained in literary arts and filmmaking, their work has previously been published in Esquire Singapore, Men's Folio, and with the Asian Film Archive and the Singapore International and Film Festival, across a wide range of interests from gastronomy to fashion and arts criticism.
Work
Ethan writes about exciting news in the F&B industry, specialising in fine dining, exclusive spirits launches, and new restaurants. They are always looking for riveting voices to bring something fresh to an already-dynamic industry.
Follow them on Instagram at @faustiangourmand.
