Celeb Chef Andre Chiang Returns To S’pore With New Restaurant 1887 By Andre At Raffles Hotel

Return to Singapore

The project marks Chiang’s return to Singapore as Chef Patron of the new restaurant, following a successful 2024 residency at the now-closed La Dame de Pic. 1887 by Andre is Raffles Hotel’s most ambitious culinary launch in recent years.

Says the PR rep for Raffles Hotel: “Andre will take on a creative and strategic role instead of fronting the kitchen. He will be at the restaurant quite often as this is his main restaurant, but no definite answers as to how often, just definitely not only once or twice a year. And no, he isn’t based in Singapore, he still resides in Taiwan.”

The Taiwanese celebrity chef had previously announced his retirement “from the frontline of restaurants” back in 2024, after he closed his creative Taiwanese restaurant Raw in Taipei.

Chiang, widely regarded as one of Asia’s most influential chefs, previously helped define Singapore’s modern fine-dining identity through two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Andre, which closed in 2018 when he moved back to his native Taiwan. His return is significant not only for the new restaurant’s location, but for the scale and intent of the project.

“Returning to Singapore feels deeply personal; it is where I grew as a chef, found my community and forged my philosophy. The reason for coming back is simply a desire to build an iconic restaurant once again – for Singapore,” said Chiang. “1887 by Andre is my love letter to Raffles Hotel Singapore and this city for its kaleidoscope of cultures and diversity that have shaped me.”

Chiang is best known for his Octaphilosophy, a conceptual framework that underpinned his earlier work and earned him international recognition from the Michelin Guide, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and a Lifetime Achievement Award from 50 Best.

Menus at 1887 by Andre will draw from Raffles Hotel’s archives and Singapore’s evolution as a global crossroads, with dishes referencing Victorian-era dining rituals, multicultural influences and locally sourced ingredients. These are presented through a la carte offerings and classic set menus, supported by a beverage programme that spans heritage spirits, contemporary wines and alcohol-free drinks inspired by Nanyang flavours.

Historical artefacts from the hotel’s past, including its silverware collection and the famed silver trolleys buried during World War II and later recovered, will be reintroduced as part of the dining experience, which includes dishes that evoke Victorian-era rituals and revived flavours such as Raffles himself might have tasted.

“Raffles Hotel Singapore has long been a place where heritage, culture and culinary excellence come together and continue to be reimagined,” said Christian Westbeld, managing director of Raffles Hotel Singapore. “With 1887 by Andre, we are pleased to welcome a remarkable chef back home to Singapore, while contributing to the ongoing evolution of the culinary landscape in Singapore and the region."

The space itself carries a century of dining history, having previously housed Raffles Grill and Elizabethan Grill. Its redesign is led by Bill Bensley, who has balanced the hotel’s colonial architecture with contemporary elements, incorporating materials such as marble and wood alongside tropical references like palm motifs and punkahs. More details will be revealed closer to opening.

1887 by André opens 31 March at Raffles Hotel Singapore, 1 Beach Road, S189673. More info via website.

Photos: Raffles Hotel Singapore

Source: CNA/my

The original version of this story first appeared in CNA Luxury.

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