In a surprise announcement, Taiwan-born chef Andre Chiang revealed this morning that he will close his two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Andre on Feb 14 next year. The acclaimed restaurant on Bukit Pasoh Road — now in its eighth year of operations — is currently ranked at second place on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, and is the only Singapore name to make it on the World’s 50 Best Restaurant list at 14th spot.
On Restaurant Andre’s website, Chiang said he plans to return to Taiwan after his restaurant shutters for good. He also spoke of his intention to “return” his Michelin stars, and requested not to be included in next year’s Michelin Guide Singapore.
This move — not new among chefs who’ve renounced the pressure of maintaining sky high standards to keep their restaurants in the coveted guide — comes after Sébastien Bras, one of the most respected chefs in France, recently asked to give back the three Michelin stars that his celebrated Le Suquet restaurant in Laguiole has been bestowed with for almost 20 years.
Describing himself as a “perfectionist”, Chiang explained that he felt it was his duty to pass on his knowledge to the new generation of young chefs in Taiwan and China. In an email statement to the press, he talked about searching for that “unrealistic moment of perfection” — aka three Michelin stars and the top spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list — but said he realized that “at this moment, it is perfect as it is”.
With the Michelin Guide’s expansion in Asia, Chiang said that he hoped his Taipei restaurant, Raw, would be excluded from the Michelin Guide Taiwan, so that Raw can be “the pure place where [he] can focus on educating, developing others, and cooking”.
In light of the news, many netizens applauded Chiang for his achievements in Singapore and saluted him for moving on and going back to his roots.
But back to the food. If you’re one of those eager beavers who haven’t had a chance to check out Restaurant Andre yet, you’ve got about four months to fight your way through crowds of other like-minded diners. Before you make a reservation though, just keep in mind that a meal at the French eatery can set you back at least $200 at lunch and $350 at dinner.
