The Tatler Dining Awards returned at The Alkaff Mansion on March 20, and celebrated the trailblazers of Singapore’s culinary scene
Since 2005, the Tatler Dining Awards has offered a snapshot of the Tatler Dining Guide, which has been a staple in Singapore’s culinary scene since 1986. Each restaurant in the guide—both established and novel—is carefully selected by Tatler Dining’s expert reviewers and tastemakers based on the quality of the food, wine selection, service and ambience.
After nearly three years of the pandemic, the island’s top chefs, restaurateurs and industry insiders gathered on March 20 at the historic The Alkaff Mansion for the 16th edition of the Tatler Dining Awards. With the intimate but glamorous affair returning after a two-year hiatus, there was a distinct charge of excitement in the air.
Hosted by the charismatic Evangeline Long, the evening kicked off with speeches by Stephanie Tay, Tatler Singapore’s managing director, and Dudi Aureus, Tatler Dining’s senior editor, who commended the hard work and fortitude of these top restaurants. This was followed by the Best of the Year Awards, with newcomer Restaurant Born (headed by chef-owner Zor Tan) winning Best New Restaurant and Best Interior Design. Nouri (by chef-owner Ivan Brehm) and Summer Pavilion (led by executive chef Cheung Siu Kong) took home the Best Service accolade.
Don't miss: Tatler Dining Awards 2023: Best of the Year winners
The Top 20 Restaurant Awards was announced after a short break; this honours the crème de la crème of the over 200 restaurants listed on the guide. New entrants include French restaurant Claudine, modern Indian restaurant Revolver, and Japanese restaurants Imamura and Hamamoto.
Taking the top prize of Restaurant of the Year was Jaan by Kirk Westaway, led by its namesake executive chef whose reinvented modern British cuisine impressed with its creativity.
Read more: The top 20 restaurants in Singapore for 2023
No Tatler Dining event is complete without food and drinks, and guests were treated to canapés created by Una head chef Javier Chua. This included a peppery white Pyrenees rack of lamb with a creamy manchego mash; white asparagus adorned with pomegranate, blue cheese foam, buttermilk and apple and tarragon gel; and a leches frita to finish it off. The classic Spanish dessert is a fried mixture of milk, sugar and flour, decadently sweetened with dulce de leche (caramelised milk), cinnamon orange sugar, and a caramelised walnut to add a beautifully nutty textural contrast.
Paired with this array of delights was a variety of free-flow Spanish wines and special cocktails made at the mobile bar by Roku Gin, featuring the Roku 65, which married gin, prosecco and yuzu juice, and the Shiso Sonic, a concoction of gin with sonic and shiso leaf.
