The idea of a self-made man does not appeal to Julien Royer, as it implies that one’s success is purely their own making. That, he believes, is far from the journey that has made him one of the most decorated culinary stars of his generation. Sitting in the private room of Odette, his three‑Michelin-starred modern French restaurant and Tatler Dining’s Restaurant of the Year 2024 awardee, before another busy Tuesday lunch service, Royer tells us that everything he has achieved in his more than two-decade career is the result of the inspiring and impactful people in his life. From his family to his mentors, fellow chefs and current “dream team”, they have all helped shape the person and the chef that he is today.

It was through legendary French chef Michel Bras, the owner of three-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Suquet in Laguiole, France—where he staged after culinary school—that Royer first realised how cooking can be simple yet also “elevated and refined”, from the way the culinary team would transform nature’s best bounty into exquisite haute creations. “It was the first time that  I worked in a three-Michelin-starred restaurant—and  I never knew you could go that far with [French] cuisine,” he says.

Gourmands who have dined at Odette would know that Royer and his team’s cooking reflect a strong grasp of the fundamentals, from making their own sauces and stocks from scratch to perfecting techniques such as braising and poaching to coax out the best flavours from the ingredients. “I understood the importance of the basics of cooking early on from [Maître Cuisinier de France] Bernard Andrieux,” shares Royer. After staging with Bras, he spent two years with Andrieux in Auvergne, France. “This experience was fundamental in my career and without it, it would have been difficult to develop my own [culinary] identity.”

While Andrieux helped lay the foundation for his cuisine, it was Antonin Bonnet, former executive chef of the now-shuttered The Greenhouse in London, UK, who further honed Royer’s creative spirit in the kitchen. “It was there that I learnt to cook with a lot of creativity, but without forgetting the backbone and the roots of the cuisine,” he says. Royer only stayed for one year, but Bonnet clearly remembers the high level of cooking by the young chef. “Julien had much more freedom than other chefs … he was very innovative and was coming up with new recipes all the time,” he tells us.

Even though Royer trained under renowned stars of the culinary world, he is quick to point out that “the most fundamental training in produce, tastes, seasonality, and the pleasures of eating came from my family”, especially the women in his life, namely his grandmothers Odette and Louise, and his mother Claudine, after whom he named his three restaurants—two in Singapore, and one in Hong Kong.

With his role as a hospitality leader, Royer is on a mission to train the next generation of chefs and hospitality leaders by “teaching and nurturing them” and giving them the tools and opportunities to learn and discover new cultures and food destinations. 

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The path to becoming a fine artist is seldom a straight line, a truth vividly embodied by Singaporean artist Wyn-Lyn Tan. With an initial academic pursuit in business, a stint as a lifestyle magazine writer, and finally a full-time dedication to fine arts, Tan’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of a calling and the courage to answer it. “I’ve always known I wanted to do something in art, and one day realised that ‘hey, it’s now or never’,” she says, reflecting on her decisive leap into the art world.

Educated at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and later at the Art Academy in Tromsø, Tan’s multicultural and multidisciplinary background is a rich palette from which she draws her unique artistic language. Her works, while abstract, are deeply rooted in nature, carrying echoes of her traditional training in Chinese ink painting and a profound influence from her experiences in Northern Europe.

Tan’s early figurative works evolved into abstract representations, gesturing at the landscapes they originated from. A residency at the now defunct Red Gate Gallery in Beijing in 2006 saw her reconnect with her oriental roots, experimenting with rice paper and Chinese ink, which later became the eastern element in her abstract language. Her residency at Fiskars Village in Finland, the following year, amidst a snow-blanketed landscape, further shaped her visual language. “I saw a resonance in that northern vastness that connected with the ‘breathing space’ and emptiness in Chinese landscape paintings,” she shares.

Her work aims to map the invisible connections between experience, emotion, and the natural world, inspired by fields as diverse as geology and ecology. “My abstract paintings hint at internal, emotional landscapes,” Tan elucidates. Her practice extends beyond canvas, embracing plexiglass, wood, and unconventional materials such as patina, metal and soil. Most recently, she has been experimenting with incorporating generative artificial intelligence into her practice.

Tan’s creative process is as organic and elemental as the subjects that inspire her. Long walks and intimate observations of nature’s nuances inform her initial mark-making, which then evolves as the work “takes over”.

Her copper works are particularly noteworthy, where she “paints” with invisible ink—a concoction that reacts with the air to oxidise the metal. “It’s like watching a polaroid develop over days,” she describes, revealing her alchemic approach to art. “Unpredictability steers the works, allowing for the invisible energy of metal, moisture in the air, and time to react, and become interwoven as means of ‘painting’. Like an alchemist, I am taking the same kind of chance with the unpredictability of my painting processes.

Living and working in Singapore, a country known for its pragmatic approach to careers, Tan acknowledges the challenges of being a full-time artist but remains steadfast. “One way or another, one can always find work in Singapore,” she states, her optimism grounded in the reality of her success. A milestone for any local artist, Tan’s work is part of the permanent collection at the Singapore Art Museum.

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Many of us have different memories of our first cup of coffee. For co-founder of Homeground Coffee Roasters and second runner-up of the 2022 World Brewers Cup Elysia Tan, she encountered her first cup of coffee at a young age, when her parents would have her make a cup of joe for them at home.

“Both my parents love having me make coffee for them at home and as a kid, I would take sips out of the cup,” she says, adding that she would always be curious about why they would want to drink at least a cup a day.

Growing up, Tan always had a dream of starting a cafe. Following her dreams, she decided to enter the hospitality industry to learn more about its various operations. During this time, Tan’s fascination with coffee grew. “I was intrigued by how the taste of coffee can be influenced by different brewing methods and how scientific principles can be applied to enhance the flavour of each cup,” she explains.

As acquiring skills to make coffee was not readily available back then as it is today, Tan’s curiosity in the art of coffee making led her to land her first job as a barista at the now-shuttered Pacamara Coffee Roasters. Her time at the speciality coffee shop provided her with valuable experiences that broadened her understanding of coffee. She continues: “It made me realise that it was something I wanted to pursue for a long time.”

Tan’s journey into the industry made her aware of the ever-present learning curve. Unlike learning a new game or hobby, which tends to be “repetitive and boring”, coffee is different—what she knows today can be proven wrong tomorrow, requiring baristas to learn and adapt constantly. This constant room for learning has motivated Tan to stay in the industry for the past nine years.

Her passion for speciality coffee and love for sharing it with others led her to open Homeground Coffee Roasters. Starting as an online store in 2017 and opening a brick-and-mortar store the following year, the speciality coffee shop is committed to educating and inspiring individuals to “develop a deeper appreciation for speciality coffee and to cultivate the joy of brewing their coffee at home”.

Since Homeground opened in 2017, the speciality coffee brand has been making waves in the industry. The brand is constantly on a mission to get individuals interested in speciality coffee. “It brings me immense satisfaction to witness individuals embarking on their coffee journey, discovering their preferences and experiencing the joy of a perfectly brewed cup,” she muses.

However, Tan has yet to consider Homeground her greatest accomplishment. “There is still much work to be done,” she says. As the industry evolves, there’s always room for improvement and innovation. They are constantly pushing boundaries while finding creative ways to engage coffee enthusiasts and novices alike.

While it’s not her greatest accomplishment yet, Tan takes pride in Homeground’s ongoing mission. “Each day presents new growth opportunities, learning and inspiring others to embrace the beauty of speciality coffee. And that, to me, is a rewarding and fulfilling accomplishment in itself,” she says.

With her unwavering mindset and Homeground’s mission to cultivate a coffee brewing culture, we’re sure big things are in store for Tan and her brand. As Tan says it best: “We are making progress steadily but surely.”

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Soak up the beauty of nature or revel in the urbane cool of the region's most popular cities with a stay at one of the most beautiful new hotels in Asia. Be it a cooling family trip out to Japan or China, a quiet escape to Bhutan, an indulgent holiday in Australia, a short getaway to Indonesia, or even a staycation right here in Singapore, these luxurious hotels cover all the bases.

In Bali, Indonesia, Relish the sea breeze, ocean views and beach life at Umana Bali, a new resort launched by Hilton last November and designed by global design firm WATG and Wimberly Interiors. The design concept blends elements such as sculptures of Balinese dancers with lighting and furnishings that take a cue from local legends, customs and motifs; these include the hand-blown chandelier in the lobby that bears a form inspired by the local Legong Keraton dance. 

The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is itself already a dream destination that tops the travel lists of many. AndBeyond Punakha River Lodge provides another irresistible reason to visit. Situated in Punakha, northeast of Thimpu, the valley location of the property presents restful views of the Mo Chu River and the mountains beyond. As an ode to traditional Bhutanese architecture and the scenic locale, the property comprises six safari-style tented suites and two private-pool villas.

Beyond visiting the nearby famed Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten landmark, the hotel can arrange outdoor excursions that encourage you to soak in the beauty of nature. Do everything from trekking and swimming to mountain biking and kayaking while enjoying riverside picnics and paddy field lunches in between. You’ll be partaking in moveable feasts—guests will get to dine al fresco in the most idyllic spots hand-picked to make city dwellers forget the urban bustle.

Closer to home, The Singapore Edition is a 204-room hotel that is one of the buzziest venues in the city. Realised in partnership with Marriott International, the first Southeast Asia outpost by Edition Hotels is housed in a bronze-and-glass facade designed by Safdie Architects and DP Architects, and flaunts sophisticated interiors that represent the signature style of the luxury hospitality group. Through an immersive environment created by hotelier Ian Schrager in collaboration with Cap Atelier, it’s easy to feel like you’ve been transported to another realm, even with the hotel’s close proximity to the Orchard Road shopping district. Step inside its marble-floored lobby and be greeted by the sight of abundant greenery, a gold leaf-covered dome ceiling and a grand Venetian plaster spiral staircase.

In Melbourne, Australia, The StandardX Melbourne channels the fun-loving spirit of the Standard hotel group—as evidenced by the latter’s choice locations and activity-filled programming—with gusto. Launching this February, the first outpost of this new hospitality concept serves as the younger sibling of the titular The Standard Hotels and embraces the colourful history of Melbourne’s artistic Fitzroy enclave. From browsing nearby vintage stores to all-night bar hopping, there is much to do outside before you retire to one of the hotel’s 125 minimalist rooms.

Enter through a revolving door that leads to a lofty lobby with columns playfully wrapped in macrame by local artist Sarah Smalltown. Here, the walls are adorned with Brisbane artist Dane Lovett’s paintings, and paired with an inspiring mix of antique and custom furnishings.

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