The most volatile Michelin Guide Singapore results: 8 restaurant dropouts, Meta promoted to two stars 

Singapore welcomed a new two-Michelin-starred restaurant with contemporary Korean restaurant Meta climbing up the ranks from its one-starred status, which it has held steadfastly since 2017. 

Meta joined five other restaurants, which were lauded with two stars (excellent cooking, worth a detour). The restaurant, which is helmed by Busan-born Sun Kim, takes the place of stalwart two-starred recipient Japanese-Australian restaurant Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands, which returned to its one-starred status. 

The annual restaurant list, which is judged by the famously anonymous inspectors who work for the French tyre giant, also saw a major shake-up in the one-starred category, with eight restaurants falling out of the list for various reasons, including restaurant closures in a weakened economy.  

This year’s winners were announced on the Michelin Guide’s website and app today (25 June), without a gala dinner that usually accompanies the announcement or a virtual ceremony, which was held in 2021 due to the pandemic’s restrictions. The results were unveiled one week after this year’s Bib Gourmand results, which zeroes in on more affordably-priced dining establishments.

The Singapore guide, which is in its eighth edition, also awarded four new one-starred restaurants. Two of the restaurants have been open for less than a year.

They are Araya, Chilean-South Pacific restaurant in Mondrian Singapore Duxton, which was launched last October by Chilean chef-couple Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero. Contemporary Italian restaurant Matera by chef Bjoern Alexander, who has a penchant for Asian influences, opened last August. 

Chef-owner Francisco Araya says: “We are proud to pave the way for a lesser known cuisine and introduce it to the rest of the world, especially after the recognition from Michelin Guide! It’s food that is very close to mine and Fernanda’s hearts, and we hope that more people get to experience it.” 

Singaporean chef Malcolm Lee can add another star to his cap with his modern Straits restaurant Pangium attaining one star. His other Peranakan restaurant Candlenut also retained its one-star rating. Rounding out the new one-starred entrants is Chaleur, a French-Japanese restaurant by executive chef Masahiko Kawano. 

A shake-up in the one-starred list 

The one-starred category, which stands for ‘high quality cooking, worth a stop’, also saw the most movement with eight restaurants dropping out of the list. Some were permanently shuttered restaurants such as contemporary French restaurant La Dame de Pic in Raffles Hotel, which closed down on May 31, modern Italian restaurants 28 Wilkie and Braci, and contemporary European restaurant, Table 65 in Resorts World Sentosa.

Other drop-outs that are still operating are French-Japanese restaurant Beni; new Irish restaurant, Cure; the Kitchener Road flagship of Chinese restaurant chain, Putien and contemporary Asian restaurant Reve.

Contemporary South-east Asian restaurant Fiz picked up a green star, which recognises restaurants for its sustainability efforts. It joins one-starred Seroja, which is chef Kevin Wong’s tribute to the Malay Archipelago's rich diversity of cultures and culinary traditions on the list. 

Hafizzul says: "We founded Fiz to spotlight the rich tapestry of Southeast Asian cuisine in a contemporary setting. It is immensely gratifying to be counted among Singapore’s finest restaurants. We couldn’t have done it without everyone’s support — from our whole restaurant team and of course, to our guests.”

The vaunted three-starred category, which lauds ‘exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey’, has not seen much action in 2021 when contemporary Nordic restaurant Restaurant Zen rose up the ranks to join the three-starred fraternity. The other three-starred restaurants are French restaurants Odette and Les Amis.

In total, 51 restaurants were lauded with stars — four fewer than last year’s grand total. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle remains the only hawker establishment to receive one Michelin star. It has received the accolade consistently since 2016.

Singaporean chef wins Young Chef Award

Besides recognising restaurants, the Red Guide also doled out special awards that spotlight talented F&B professionals who have enhanced the gastronomy experience.

Seth Lai, 30, who took over the reins at contemporary European restaurant Ce Soir late last year, was lauded with the The Michelin Guide Young Chef Award. The Michelin Guide Service Award went to Lufianti Susetyo (Fifi) of Buko Nero, while Tomas Tapia from newly awarded one-starred restaurant Araya took home the Michelin Guide Sommelier Award. 

Lai says: "I am extremely humbled for the award. Moving forward, our goal is to innovate and we will not stop to work harder to achieve greater heights together as a restaurant and together with my team. Also, I think this award is the true beginning of my career and a stepping stone."

Echoing this sentiment is Gwendal Poullennec, Michelin Guide's International Director, who says: "Our inspectors are also witnessing a surge of talented young chefs joining the kitchens. Their passion injects fresh energy and creativity into the scene, pushing boundaries and ensuring Singapore remains a leader in culinary innovation."

LISTEN: Kenneth Goh, The Peak’s Dining Lead gives his take on the Michelin Guide Singapore 2024 results.

The Full List

Restaurants with three stars 

Les Amis

Odette

Zén

Restaurants with two stars 

Cloudstreet 

Jaan by Kirk Westaway 

Meta (promoted from 1 star)

Saint Pierre 

Shoukouwa 

Thevar

Restaurants with one star 

Alma 

Araya*

Art di Daniele Sperindio 

Born 

Buona Terra 

Burnt Ends 

Candlenut 

Chaleur*

Chef Kang's 

CUT 

Esora 

Euphoria 

Hamamoto

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle 

Iggy's 

Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine (Orchard) 

Jag 

Labyrinth 

Lei Garden 

Lerouy 

Ma Cuisine 

Marguerite 

Matera*

Nae:um 

Nouri

Oshino

Pangium* 

Poise 

Rhubarb 

Seroja 

Shinji (Bras Basah Road) 

Shisen Hanten 

Sommer

Summer Palace 

Summer Pavilion 

Sushi Ichi 

Sushi Kimura 

Sushi Sakuta 

Terra 

Waku Ghin 

Whitegrass 

Willow

Restaurants with green star 

Fiz*

Seroja

*denotes new entry