Hong Kong and Japan have long enjoyed a love affair with world-famous chefs and restaurants. However, other emerging Asian markets are proving strong competition for future projects.
Text by Jacqueline Yang
With the exception of France, Japan currently holds the record for the most Michelin three starred restaurants in the country. Despite their rich culinary heritage, Tokyo – similarly to Hong Kong –
is no stranger to European fine dining cuisine.
As renowned chefs the world over sought to capture a piece of the Asian pie, the Japanese and Hong Kong market became increasingly over saturated with upscale chain eateries and celebrity chef restaurants. Pierre, L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, and Zuma, for example, are all within the same square mile of each other in Central.Whilst only a quick ride down the lift separates NOBU from SPOON by Alain Ducasse in Tsim Sha Tsui’s InterContinental Hotel.
However, high rental costs and fierce competition have both up-and-coming chefs and established chefs looking to penetrate some of Asia’s other emerging markets.
“Without doubt, Asian diners have become more sophisticated and discerning of good quality as they are more exposed to international cuisines,” says David Yeo, Founder and Managing Director of Aqua Restaurant Group. “But it is not just their palates that are more sophisticated; they want dining to be an ‘experience’ with great ambience where they can enjoy time with friends.”
The promise of untapped markets led Aqua to open their first restaurant outside of Hong Kong in Beijing. Spanish restaurant Agua opened in August 2008 to great success. However, the restaurant has since closed temporarily due to difficulties with the landlord.
This month, in nearby Bangkok, Australian chef David Thompson hopes to emulate the success of Michelin-starred nahm in London, when he opens his second branch at the Metropolitan hotel. The cuisine will be homey, relaxed, generous and most importantly, authentic. Thompson’s take on Thai cuisine will be under scrutiny by the local community. But where nahm is certain to stand out is its style and service, which is expected to draw customers from Bangkok’s significant expatriate population.
Another import is Britain’s Jason Atherton, Gordon Ramsay’s right hand man at Maze and maze Grill in London. He resigned in April earlier this year to open his first restaurant, with epicures speculating with anticipation where Atherton would debut. Many were surprised to learn that his restaurant, Table No. 1, will be located at The Waterhouse at South Bund, a boutique designer hotel in Shanghai. For Atherton, this was an easy choice:
“Asia is such a large part of the world. It is as diverse as it is huge. The food scene there is one of the most exciting in the world. It is full of creative people. Not only does each region have its own cuisine, sometimes even a village will have its own style of food. How exciting is that to discover as a chef? Asia is also very open to Western style of cooking. So when the chance arose to branch out to Shanghai, I jumped at it.”
Gaining acceptance from the local food scene and the community is always a challenge for restaurants wherever they may open. Coming from London to Asia however, the task becomes especially testing.
Table No. 1 brands itself as a gastro-bar concept serving contemporary European cuisine. But whilst Atherton has remained true to his European flavours and tastes, he also has adapted the portions to reflect the Chinese family style of shared eating.
Meanwhile, Singapore is a bubbling hotbed of fine dining cuisine. Eager to compete with the international reputations that Hong Kong and Tokyo have long offered, Singapore has attracted a host of heavyweight chefs to open at Marina Bay Sands, a luxury hotel resort and casino.
The impressive line-up includes American Italian master Mario Batali, French chef Daniel Boulud, Austrian Chef Wolfgang Puck, Spanish maestro Santi Santamaria, Paris gastro-star Guy Savoy and Japanese-born Australian Tetsuya Wakuda.
In addition, Joel Robuchon has been persuaded to open a branch of L’Atelier deJoel Robuchon, La Table de Joel Robuchon, and The Pastry Shop & Lounge at Resorts World Sentosa, a resort and casino complex on the island of Sentosa, off the southern coast of Singapore.
Robuchon will sit next to the likes of Michelin-star chef Kunio Tokuoka whom will open his first restaurant outside of Japanin Singapore. Australian chef Scott Webster is also bringing in a new take of his London restaurant Osia while chef Susur Lee has teamed up with Tung Lok Group to open Chinese restaurant Chinois.
A trend that is likely to continue, Lee says there will clearly be talk of celebrity chef restaurants in Asia for years to come. “Casual dining will still dominate the food and beverage scene, be it Asian or Western cuisine. But for those in emerging markets who can afford it, they will increasingly be more willing to pay top dollar for top-notch dining experiences.”
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