RIP fine dining in Singapore? Not so fast

SINGAPORE – Looking at the

, it is tempting to sound the death knell for fine dining.

These are restaurants most people cannot dine at often because the meals do not run cheap. When they do dine at one of these establishments, they sit through hours-long, multi-course meals that are at odds with the way people like to eat these days.

This scenario is played out across the world – in China, the United States and Europe.

The South China Morning Post reports that China’s fine-dining scene has taken a hit, with diners holding back amid economic uncertainties.

Multinational finance and business news website Business Insider reported in 2025 that fine-dining restaurants in the US have been hit by skyrocketing costs, labour shortages and potential tariffs. Chefs and owners there, like the ones here, are countering the headwinds by injecting fun into meals, changing concepts and working to seek new groups of diners.

Chefs and restaurateurs in Britain have been hit by the same problems, with the BBC reporting on the spate of Michelin-starred restaurant closures there.

Despite the doom and gloom, chefs and owners of fine-dining restaurants here say they are holding their own. Some have

.

Three-Michelin-starred Odette at the National Gallery Singapore recently reopened after extensive renovations that took three months and cost about $2 million.

In 2025, Les Amis at Shaw Centre, also with three stars, overhauled its kitchen to the tune of $2 million. That was just part of ongoing renewal and refurbishment works to the restaurant, which celebrates its 32nd birthday in 2026.

And yet, 2024 and 2025 had seen a slew of one-Michelin-starred restaurant closures.

In 2024, the Singapore Michelin Guide listed 42 one-starred restaurants. When the 2025 guide launched, the number was 32. Now, with more closures, it has dropped to 29.

Did Singapore have too many Michelin-starred restaurants? The guide now lists 39 starred establishments.

Mr Benedict Lee, 37, a culinary and catering management lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Business, says: “The data points to a dining scene that remains prestigious, but is undergoing market correction.”

He puts the closures in a larger context. Increasing labour costs add to the challenging operating environment restaurant owners have to navigate. Changes in consumer behaviour post-pandemic have worked to reduce the frequency of high-ticket dining.

He says: “Younger diners, in particular, seem to associate special occasions less with formal multi-course meals and more with convivial settings that emphasise comfort, flexibility and shared experiences.”

Another trend, he adds, is the availability of premium ingredients in stores and online.

“Consumers today can easily access products that were once the domain of high-end restaurants,” he says.

Some examples he cites are live Tsarskaya oysters from France that were sold at FairPrice Finest supermarkets during the festive season, and high-end beef such as Spain’s Rubia Gallega and Japan’s Miyazaki A5 wagyu, sold at butcher shops and by online suppliers.

“This availability means diners who enjoy hosting can recreate elements of a fine-dining experience at home, which reduces the exclusivity that restaurants once held,” he says.

Chef Julien Royer, 43, of Odette says: “These closures are very unfortunate. It shows there are not enough guests in Singapore for so many great restaurants because there are great restaurants.

“But tourism figures are up. I think people are interested in visiting Singapore again. We have noticed a whole new wave of diners from China, Indonesia and Europe in the past six months to a year. So, you can feel something is changing.”

Chef Zor Tan, 39, of one-Michelin-starred Born, says: “We definitely have a wide variety of concepts here, and competition in the fine-dining space is very strong – and still growing. But I see that as healthy. It pushes all of us to refine our ideas, improve our standards and be clearer about our identity.”

His 39-seat restaurant opened in 2022 in the historic Jinrikisha Station in Tanjong Pagar.

While many of the chefs interviewed hedged on the question of whether there are too many starred establishments in Singapore, chef Sebastien Lepinoy, 52, of Les Amis offers a contrarian view.

The French chef, who worked with legendary chef Joel Robuchon and headed Cepage in Hong Kong before coming here to head Les Amis in 2013, says he cannot help but compare the restaurant scene here with the one in Hong Kong.

He says both cities have roughly the same population and well-travelled people. Hong Kong has 74 Michelin-starred restaurants, compared with 39 in Singapore. He feels there are not enough three-Michelin-starred establishments here.

He says: “In Hong Kong, they have three-star Italian restaurants, three-star Chinese restaurants. Three-star Japanese restaurants. We miss this diversity in Singapore.

“We have two French restaurants, one Nordic one.”

Many of the chefs interviewed say the surfeit of restaurants is not the problem. The real problem is sameness.

Chef Mirko Febbrile, 33, of Somma, says: “If many restaurants are doing the same thing, then, yes, the market feels crowded. But if each has a distinct voice, then diversity strengthens the scene. So, the issue isn’t ‘too many’, it’s ‘too similar’.

“Competition is only a problem when originality is missing.”

The 39-seat fine-dining restaurant opened in 2024 at lifestyle enclave New Bahru. In the last two years, he says, costs have increased, expectations have stayed high and diners have been more cautious.

“We’ve remained resilient by being very clear about who we are and what we stand for,” he says. “Rather than chasing volume, we focused on consistency, integrity and building trust with our guests. The result isn’t explosive growth, but stability and a deeper relationship with our guests.”

Like him, chef Lepinoy thinks identity is key to success. He says the three three-Michelin-starred restaurants here have distinct identities: classic French, contemporary French and Nordic.

He says: “Many restaurants in Singapore do not have a strong identity. There are some restaurants you may like. But how do you recommend them to your friends? How do you explain what kind of restaurants they are, what cuisine they serve?

“When you come to Les Amis, you know what you will get. You will get the bread, the butter, sauces with cream. I’m not saying this is good or not good. I’m saying the identity is very clear.”

Restaurants that do not differentiate themselves might be doomed.

Ms Chai Karim, 29, of Gaia Lifestyle Group, which runs the newly opened Loca Niru – where Japanese chef Shusuke Kubota crafts meals with ingredients sourced from Japan and Asia – says: “Singapore’s fine-dining scene is moving beyond technical excellence towards more holistic experiences.

“Diners today want a sense of purpose: a story behind the food, the space and the people. That could mean heritage, sustainability or cultural dialogue on the plate. I think the future belongs to restaurants that balance authenticity with innovation, while staying grounded in fundamentals like flavour, warmth and genuine hospitality.”

Of course, these chefs and owners have a vested interest in keeping the fine-dining scene alive, but there are arguments for having a thriving fine-dining scene.

That Singapore needs one is clear to chef Louis Han, 36, of one-starred Nae:um. He says: “It would be great if every city has a fine-dining scene. For Singapore especially, it is a regional hub, a multicultural, metropolitan city with a high standard of living and easy access to premium ingredients from all over the world.

“A dynamic fine-dining scene is a good match to the pulse of the city.”

Chef Kevin Wong, 32, of one-starred Seroja, which serves food inspired by the Malay Archipelago, likens haute cuisine to haute couture.

He says: “The different layers of dining experiences we have in Singapore create a city that is vibrant and energetic. Every type of dining is essential, and this is what makes Singapore so attractive. Not every country has a hawker culture. Our hawker culture is amazing. But having a range of different experiences creates diversity for locals and tourists.”

Executive chef Martin Ofner, 31, of three-Michelin-starred Zen, adds: “Just look towards Scandinavia. A strong fine-dining scene sets the ceiling for an entire food culture. It raises standards, attracts international talent and creates an environment where young cooks can learn discipline, structure and excellence.

“The good part is, those skills don’t always stay in fine dining. They eventually filter into casual restaurants, bakeries and new concepts across the city, benefiting society and the culinary landscape as a whole.”

Chef Mano Thevar, 36, of two-Michelin-starred modern Indian restaurant Thevar, says the Government can continue to promote home-grown culinary talents, support initiatives that promote the rich food culture here and showcase the diversity in the restaurant scene to draw visitors and locals.

Temasek Poly’s Mr Lee thinks a credible fine-dining ecosystem is strategically important for Singapore.

He says: “At the branding level, having Michelin-starred restaurants and a globally recognised guide positions us alongside major restaurant cities, and supports Singapore’s pitch as a regional business and lifestyle hub, which in turn feeds into tourism revenue.”

Like chef Ofner, Mr Lee believes these kitchens function as “high-intensity training grounds”.

“So, while fine dining may only ever serve a small slice of diners directly, it punches far above its weight in shaping skills, standards and Singapore’s international reputation as a serious food city,” he says.

On his part, Born’s chef Tan is focusing on what has worked for him.

He says: “In 2026, I want to stay curious and stay honest. My focus is on consistency, the guest’s journey and storytelling.

“If diners feel something when they eat – a memory, a sense of place, an emotion – they’ll keep coming back.”

Odette is marking its 10th anniversary in a big way.

The 40-seat restaurant at the National Gallery Singapore reopened with a new look after closing for three months in 2025 for renovations, and there are collaborations with big-name chefs coming up.

Chef Royer says: “I think 10 years is a good mark of maturity, and the restaurant has, touch wood, been doing really well in the last 10 years. I thought it was a good point for us to improve the facilities for our guests and for ourselves, and take a pause to reflect on that milestone.

“I’ve been taught by great people in the industry that even after 10 years, a restaurant needs to keep growing. So, either you rest on your laurels or you take a risk and invest for the future. We believe that this refresh is a necessary step to deepen our commitment to a more intentional and honest approach to fine dining.”

The renovations, he estimates, cost about $2 million. Odette’s original pastel interior has been replaced by warm neutrals, the work of Singapore-born Sacha Leong of London- and Sydney-based design studio Nice Projects. He had created the restaurant’s original interiors.

New lighting, chairs upholstered in mohair velvet and marquetry panels lend the restaurant a grown-up, sophisticated look. At the entrance is a paper sculpture by Singaporean visual artist Dawn Ng, the colours inspired by ingredients.

The kitchen has also been overhauled. The new countertops are 95cm tall, 10cm higher than before, to make them more comfortable for the team. There is also a new exhaust system and more space to work in.

Odette offers a five-course lunch menu priced at $368 a person, and a seven-course menu at lunch and dinner at $468 a person.

The food has also evolved, chef Royer says.

“When we first opened, what we were cooking was French, very French,” he adds. “Now, I believe that the DNA is French, because that’s the way I was trained, but the cuisine is a lot more infused with Asia. So, I like to say we are influenced by Asian sensibilities, Asian finesse.”

It comes from his having been here for more than a decade, travelling and dining in the region and eating with his team.

He says: “I think of people as an influence on the way you cook. That’s the beautiful story of and the language of cuisine. I cannot cook the same food in Paris, Melbourne, New York and Singapore. The sense of place is very important.”

On the menu, the Crab Contrast course features Norwegian king crab leg slow-cooked and served with tarragon oil bearnaise sauce, with a chilli crab mantou on the side.

The main course, Aged Duck Voyage & Tradition, uses Cherry Valley duck from Perak. It is brined, glazed with maltose, air-dried and then dry-aged for two weeks, and served with quince, parsnip puree, tardivo radicchio and a pomme souffle. Served on the side is a bowl of Koshihikari rice with duck leg confit and gizzard from the bird.

Chef Royer says the team had tried out six different types of duck before finding one that yielded tender meat and, more crucially, crisp skin. That it is available fresh from Malaysia is a bonus, he adds.

He is working with new ingredients, and diners might see Hanwoo beef – newly allowed into Singapore from Jeju Island in South Korea – on the menu. Also in the cards, a new veal sweetbreads dish which features corn from Taiwan. He has also been getting morel mushrooms from a supplier in China.

“I feel like sometimes, as a French chef, it is tempting to use ingredients that I’m familiar with and source the best produce from France,” he says. “But there’s a lot to discover in Asia. And in the next 10 years, that is what I want to do. I want to spend more time travelling in Asia, especially China.”

He will also be collaborating with British chef Daniel Calvert of three-Michelin-starred Sezanne in Tokyo in February; French chef David Toutain of two-Michelin-starred Restaurant David Toutain in Paris in March; and German chef Jan Hartwig of three-Michelin-starred Jan in Munich in October.

Meanwhile, chef Royer is also tending to his two other restaurants – Claudine in Harding Road, now in its fifth year, and Louise in Hong Kong, now in its seventh year.

He might, he allows, open a casual place “with good cocktails and ugly delicious food”.

All that, and running a three-Michelin-starred restaurant too? “I feel very full of energy,” he says.