A restaurant is, essentially, a place where culinary talent, business acumen and clear concepts meet. Few possess the traits or experiences that see the overlap of all three. For that, there’s Calvin Yeung.
The Hong Kong-born restaurateur and designer ran a restaurant empire before moving to Singapore. Here, he opened names like the now-defunct One on the Bund and Kiku, personally curating every aspect of his restaurants, from food to design.
“Interior designers do a professional job but, as I was once a chef, I can bring my kitchen and experience to complement the decor of the entire place,” says Yeung.
His latest venture, Tburu, is a modern, zen space smack in Orchard Gateway@Emerald that’s an expression of his passion for East Asian design and the a result of the culinary years under his belt. Here, the floor-to-ceiling windows stretch some 5m, the furniture’s designed from scratch and even the plates are handmade in a traditional wood-fired kiln.
His main aim in designing the space is to deliver the privacy of Japanese fine-dining – without resorting to claustrophobic rooms. The result is a serene, peaceful space where one can feel perfectly comfortable.
Other facets of restaurant design, too, contribute to the feeling of zen. Here’s more.
Level 5, Orchard Gateway@Emerald.
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