On September 1, I had one of the best meals of my life. Dish after dish, I was treated to perfection: textures of cucumber, swordfish and chrysanthemum, a medley of 17 different types of vegetables grown at André's farm, and of course, his signature dish, a foie gras sabayon that's always been a constant on the menu. The experience was nothing short of magical and I left immediately wanting to make my next reservation.
But alas, in an email sent to the media this morning, chef André Chiang announced that he will be shuttering Restaurant André on Valentine's Day next year. Cue the sound of hearts breaking across the island. The Taiwan-born chef is returning to his homeland to focus on his other restaurant, Raw. Moving forward, he wants to focus on educating and developing young talent in the kitchen, calling it his duty to pass on his knowledge to the next generation of young chefs. In a shocking move, he also requests that Raw be excluded from the upcoming Michelin Guide for Taiwan.
Restaurant André currently holds two Michelin stars and sits at the second spot on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list. It is the only restaurant in Singapore on the Word's 50 Best Restaurants list, coming in at number 14. And while I'm sad to see one of Singapore's restaurant go, here's wishing André all the best with Raw and his future endeavours. I'll be making that reservation soon.