He introduced diners to his Octaphilosophy menu. Inspired by French nouvelle cuisine, it was the guiding principle that describes the eight elements of his gastronomy and all that he created at Restaurant Andre. The 30-seater debuted at No. 38 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2013, and improved to take the 14th spot last year. In Asia, it peaked at No. 2 on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017 list before shutting its doors for good on February 14.

He still manages several restaurants, including the lauded wood-fire barbecue concept Burnt Ends, which he had also launched with serial restaurateur Loh Lik Peng, and has expanded his empire overseas with The Bridge in Chengdu, and Raw in his hometown of Taipei, among others. He has returned home after closing Restaurant Andre, and hopes that the latter will be a “pure place” where he can train the next generation of chefs. Hence, he has also requested that Raw be excluded from the Michelin Guide in Taiwan.

(Related: This Is Not Goodbye, Says Andre Chiang)

But we haven’t seen the last of Chiang in Singapore. At a farewell meal at Restaurant Andre three weeks ago, he said that he’ll be opening a new fine dining concept at the same famed Bukit Pasoh address towards the end of the year, but he won't be helming the kitchen. 

There's clearly much left to do and acomplish. "It took me half of my life to achieve (this much)," he tells T.Dining, a feat that could have taken a lifetime. "It means I need to do more, give more and push even harder to make Asia shine."   

“We look forward to seeing the direction he will take in the next phase of his already stellar career,” says William Drew, group editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.