Chinese restaurant Hua Ting at Orchard Hotel Singapore has joined the ranks of Gold award recipients in The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao's Best Asian Restaurants Awards held at the Grand Hyatt Singapore yesterday.
The restaurant, helmed by 55-year-old master chef Chung Lap Fai, was in the Silver category last year. It joins three other restaurants, which attained Gold status last year: Teochew restaurant Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine at Ion Orchard; Japanese restaurant Shinji by Kanesaka at Carlton Hotel Singapore; and Chinese restaurant Summer Pavilion at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.
On getting Gold, chef Chung. speaking in Mandarin, said: "I'm very surprised as we were up against many good restaurants in Singapore.
"We continue to do our best and are already working on new dishes to launch in June."
Summer Pavilion's Chinese executive chef Cheung Siu Kong, 49, was named Chef of the Year, one of the three Personality Awards announced earlier this month.
Spring Court Restaurant's Mad-am Soon Puay Keow, 76, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Peach Blossoms' executive Chinese chef Edward Chong, 36, was named Rising Chef of the Year.
Feast on Cantonese classics at Hua Ting
Building the Imperial Treasure trove
Get a glimpse of Shinji's new digs
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WINNING EATERIES
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GOLD
• Hua Ting at Orchard Hotel Singapore (up from Silver last year)
• Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine at Ion Orchard
• Shinji by Kanesaka at Carlton Hotel Singapore
• Summer Pavilion at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
SILVER
• Candlenut in Dempsey Road
• Crystal Jade Golden Palace at Paragon
• Esora at 15 Mohamed Sultan Road (new)
• Golden Peony at Conrad Centennial Singapore
• Hashida Sushi at 25 Mohamed Sultan Road
• Imperial Treasure Fine Shanghai Cuisine at Ngee Ann City
• Jade at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
• Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant at Forum The Shopping Mall
• Jiang-Nan Chun at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
• Ki-Sho at 29 Scotts Road
• Labyrinth at Esplanade Mall (new)
• Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant at Sheraton Towers Singapore
• Majestic Restaurant at Marina One
• Paradise Teochew Restaurant at Scotts Square
• Peach Blossoms at Marina Mandarin Singapore (new)
• Rang Mahal at Pan Pacific Singapore
• Shang Palace at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore
• Shinji by Kanesaka at The St Regis Singapore
• Si Chuan Dou Hua at Parkroyal on Beach Road
• Spring Court Restaurant in Upper Cross Street
• TungLok Signatures at Orchard Rendezvous Hotel (up from Bronze last year)
• Violet Oon Satay Bar and Grill at Clarke Quay
• Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands
While the 90-year-old Spring Court Restaurant maintains its position in the Silver category, Cantonese restaurant Peach Blossoms at Marina Mandarin hotel was one of the four restaurants making its debut on the Silver list, which has 23 restaurants in total.
The other three are Japanese fine-dining restaurant Esora at 15 Mohamed Sultan Road; modern-Singaporean restaurant Labyrinth at the Esplanade Mall; and Chinese restaurant TungLok Signatures at Orchard Rendezvous Hotel, which was a Bronze recipient last year.
Said Labyrinth's chef Han Liguang, 34: "It is great that the awards recognise Asian restaurants. I'm happy to be in the company of these culinary craftsmen.
"It raises the profile of Asian cuisine for young cooks, to look beyond Western cuisine and go back to their roots."
The 33 recipients in the Bronze category - revealed two weeks ago - were also lauded at the ceremony, which celebrates the best in Asian dining, and was attended by 300 people from the food and beverage industry.
The judging panel comprised The Straits Times' food editor Tan Hsueh Yun, senior food correspondent Wong Ah Yoke and food correspondent Eunice Quek, as well as Lianhe Zaobao correspondents Ng Yimin, Ng Chin Chin and Esther Yiu.
The Best Asian Restaurants Awards is part of a year-long gourmet extravaganza, Asian Masters, which runs until Feb 29 next year and includes dining and cocktail promotions.
The seventh edition of the annual Asian Masters, presented by Citibank Singapore, is jointly organised by Sphere Exhibits, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings, and food-and-beverage consultancy firm Poulose Associates.
