New Restaurant Seroja Wins Big At Michelin Guide Singapore 2023

Seroja, which focuses on cuisine from the Malay Archipelago, emerged the biggest winner at the star-revelation ceremony for the Michelin Guide Singapore 2023, which was held on Tuesday (27 June).

The restaurant, which is helmed by Malaysia-born chef Kevin Wong received a Michelin star for the first time, before scoring again when Seroja became the first restaurant in Singapore to receive the Michelin Green Star, an annual award inaugurated in 2020 that honours restaurants that offer “combine culinary excellence with outstanding eco-friendly commitments”. 

Wong also went on to win the Young Chef Award, recognising a chef under 36 years of age who displays “exceptional talent and great potential”. This slate of awards comes within a year of the restaurant’s opening at Duo Galleria.

Speaking to The Peak, Wong says: “We’re so happy and it’s such a big surprise. When I left Malaysia to go to France to pursue my culinary dream, I was inspired by the stories of Michelin’s prestige. To earn these three awards for Seroja and the cuisine that I believe in is an immense honour.”

“I am truly grateful to everyone on my team and am overjoyed that our hard work and dedication have been recognised, giving us the assurance that we are on the right track,” he adds.

Five new one-starred restaurants

The one-starred category, which stands for ‘high-quality cooking, worth a stop!’, saw the most action with five new entrants. They are contemporary fine-dining restaurant Born headed by Zor Tan, long-time protégé of celebrity chef Andre Chiang; modern-Nordic restaurant Poise by executive chef Steve Lancaster; Seroja by ex-Meta head chef Kevin Wong; omakase restaurant Sushi Sakuta by chef-owner Sakuta Yoshio; and contemporary Asian restaurant Willow by former Zen sous chef Nicolas Tam.

Born’s chef Zor Tan says: “This is truly the best of right now. Born is the embodiment of my childhood memories, professional journey, and personal ideals. To receive this award is to have my story and my aspirations affirmed in a way like no other.”

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle remains the only hawker establishment to receive one Michelin star. It has received the accolade consistently since 2016.

A total of 55 restaurants were bestowed with stars this year – three more than last year.

Dropouts in the one-starred category include Cantonese fine diner Shang Palace at Shang-ri La Singapore and Basque Kitchen by Aitor, which shuttered recently.

Sichuan restaurant Shisen Hanten, which hails from Japan, lost its second star – “excellent cooking, worth a detour” – dropping into the one-star category.

Unsurprisingly, there were no changes to the lineup in the most prestigious three-starred category – denoting “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey” – with three restaurants receiving the award: Les Amis, Odette, and Zén.

F&B professionals recognised

Besides dishing out stars to dining establishments, the Red Guide also put the spotlight on exemplary restaurant staff.

Makoto Iwabuchi of newly-minted one-starred restaurant Sushi Sakuta at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore received the Sommelier Award. The Michelin Guide Service Award, which recognises the hard work and passion of front-of-house service staff in creating unique culinary experiences, went to Desmond Wong of two-starred Japanese restaurant Shoukouwa, which is run by the Emmanuel Stroobant Group. This marks the second time that a staff from the homegrown restaurant group has received the award. Last year, two-starred Saint Pierre’s restaurant manager Samantha Goh received the accolade.

Bib Gourmand recipients share the limelight

The winners were revealed for the first time in an evening cocktail dinner held at Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, complete with live stations for guests featuring cuisine by Michelin-starred, Bib Gourmand and Selected establishments. This is the first time that the event, which is in its eighth edition, steered away from the usual gala dinner format.

In another first for the Michelin Guide, all 79 recipients of the Michelin Bib Gourmand (awarded to F&B establishments offering “exceptional value-for-money gourmet experiences”) in 2023 were honoured on stage. 

This list, unveiled earlier on June 15, included 19 new entrants. Zichar stalwart Kok Sen, which has operated since the 1950s, and nasi lemak specialist The Coconut Club were the only two restaurants to be added to the list. Both restaurants are re-entries after their respective relocations since 2022’s listing. 

The duo was joined by 17 hawker stalls, including Bahrakath Mutton Soup in Adam Road Food Centre and Hong Lim Food Centre’s Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodles.

The full list

Restaurants with three stars 

Les Amis 

Odette

Zén 

Restaurants with two stars 

Cloudstreet

Jaan by Kirk Westaway 

Saint Pierre

Shoukouwa

Thevar 

Waku Ghin

Restaurants with one star 

28 Wilkie

Alma

Art

Béni 

Born (New)

Braci 

Buona Terra 

Burnt Ends

Candlenut

Chef Kang’s

Cure 

Cut 

Esora

Euphoria

Hamamoto

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

Iggy’s

Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine (Orchard)

Jag 

Le Dame De Pic

Labyrinth 

Lei Garden 

Lerouy

Ma Cuisine

Marguerite

Meta 

Nae:um

Nouri 

Oshino 

Poise (New)

Putien (Kitchener Road)

Rêve

Rhubarb 

Seroja (New)

Shisen Hanten

Shinji (Bras Basah Road) 

Sommer

Summer Palace 

Summer Pavilion 

Sushi Ichi 

Sushi Kimura 

Sushi Sakuta (New)

Table65 

Terra 

Whitegrass 

Willow (New)

Text: Alvin Lim/The Peak Magazine