Art at CURATE

Art at Curate Series 16
Chef Shinya Otsuchihashi from One Michelin-starred CRAFTALE, Tokyo

1 – 7 November 2019

Born in Kagoshima Prefecture, Otsuchihashi's interest in food started from a young age. He attended Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka after graduating from high school, and at the age of 19, he travelled to France to study in the gastronomic centre of Lyon. Since then, he has worked both in haute cuisine – first at the Michelin-rated The Georgian Club in Tokyo and at 3 Michelin-starred Le Chateau de Joël Robuchon in Ebisu — and in smaller, less rarefied locations, such as Saturne in Paris and Restaurant Anis in Tokyo’s Hatsudai neighbourhood. In 2015, he opened his restaurant, CRAFTALE, and within two years, was awarded a Michelin star. Otsuchihashi describes the name CRAFTALE as a mashup of the words “craft” and “tale” as well as an anagram of the French word fractale (fractal).

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Wine & Sake Sommelier
Takayoshi Aoki

With over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Takayoshi Aoki has been employed at some of the most prestigious establishments around the world, such as the InterContinental Tokyo Bay and 3 Michelin-starred Joël Robuchon Restaurant Tokyo, where he served as Maître d'hôtel.

He now serves as F&B Manager cum Wine & Sake Sommelier for 12 specialty restaurants at Resorts World Sentosa, and will be involved in all four of the quarterly Art at CURATE showcase series in 2019.

Art at Curate Series 15
Chef Daisuke Mori from One Michelin-starred Takumi by Daisuke Mori

16 – 22 August 2019

With a unique international culinary background that reflects his penchant for blending cuisines, Daisuke Mori currently heads the kitchen of 1 Michelin-starred and highly acclaimed French-Japanese restaurant Takumi by Daisuke Mori in Hong Kong. After completing an intensive vocational training course at the famous Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, Japan in 2001, Mori set his sights on some of the finest French dining establishments in the world, kicking off his career at none other than 3 Michelin-starred Chateau Restaurant Joel Robuchon in Tokyo.

Mori’s love for fusing French culinary traditions with fresh Japanese seasonal ingredients grew, and led to his impressive stints in world-renowned 2 Michelin-starred Restaurant Taillevent in Paris and 1 Michelin-starred Restaurant Signature at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo.

In 2010, Mori took part in a successful promotion of Restaurant Taillevent in Tokyo Kaikan, cooking within a hand-selected representative team under the celebrated Head Chef Alain Soliveres. From 2010 to 2014, Mori spent time in Poznan, Poland to lead fine dining restaurants such as Restaurant Jadalnia and 5-star boutique hotel Blow Up Hall 50/50, and perfected his craft of French-Polish cuisine – which lends subtle hints to his unique signature imprint at Takumi by Daisuke Mori today.

Art at Curate Series 14
Chef Ryuta Iizuka of Two Michelin-starred Restaurant Ryuzu, Tokyo

10 – 16 May 2019 

After working for the Hotel Okura Tokyo Bay and Hotel The Manhattan, Iizuka became chef for a department in Restaurant ‘Taillevent-Robuchon’ in 1994. Moving to France, he apprenticed at 2-star and 3-star restaurants. He further refined his culinary skills after returning to Japan and working at ‘Joël Robuchon’s ’ restaurants. Iizuka became a chef at ‘L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon’ in 2005, where he led the restaurant over five years to a two-star Michelin rating. On February1, 2011, Iizuka ushered in the grand opening of Restaurant ‘Ryuzu’. Iizuka hails from Tōkamachi in Niigata prefecture.

Guest Sommelier: Shunsuke Maruyama

Born in Saitama, Japan, sommelier Shunsuke Maruyama has achieved plenty in his 10-year career in the F&B industry despite his relatively young age. Currently the Head Sommelier of Restaurant Ryuzu in Roppongi, Tokyo, his love for wine and the encouragement from his superiors prompted him to work at renowned establishments around the world, including Nage d’été, and La Tour d’Argent in Paris, France, and Den, Kappo and Masuya Restaurant in Melbourne and Sydney respectively. Maruyama was trained at Academie du vin Tokyo and Smallfry Wines in Barossa Valley, Australia, and enjoys the challenge of seeking unusual food and beverage pairings including wine, cocktail, sake and tea. 

Art at Curate Series 13
Chef Guillaume Bracaval from Two Michelin-starred Cuisine[s] Michel Troisgros Tokyo

18 – 24 January 2019

Born in 1981 near Lille in northern France, Chef Bracaval was fascinated by cooking since young, and gained admission to local cooking schools at the age of 15. Dedicated to honing his craft, he spent the next four years training at famous 3-Michelin-star dining establishments in Paris, including L’Arpège (Chef Alain Passard), Ledoyen (Chef Christian Le Squer) and L’Ambroisie (Chef Bernard Pacaud). With a wealth of experience under his belt, he was appointed chef at 1-Michelin-star L’Agapé.

In 2011, he spent a year working in French restaurants in Tokyo, including Tateru Yoshino Ginza and l’Art et la manière, where his appreciation for Japanese cuisine grew. He then returned to France and joined Troisgros, famed for its commendable feat of maintaining three Michelin stars for 50 years. In August 2012, he was handpicked by Chef Michel Troisgros, to be Executive Chef of Cuisine[s] Michel Troisgros.

Art at Curate Series 12
Chef Bee Satongun from
One Michelin-starred Paste in Bangkok

2 - 8 November 2018

Thailand’s Chef Bee Satongun is a co-owner of Michelin-starred Paste Bangkok Thai Restaurant. Just one of her many accolades is the title of Best Female Chef, awarded by ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018’.

The celebrated chef is known for her layering of flavours and textures, modern presentation, and deep grounding in heirloom Thai cuisine. She conducts constant research, scouring beautiful old cookbooks and journals to discover ingredients and techniques long forgotten.

Through her knowledge, old flavours are resurrected and refined to both bring back the past, and reinvent it.

Art at Curate Series 11
Chef Stephanie Le Quellec
From One Michelin-starred La Scene, Paris

3 - 9 August 2018

As one of the most promising talents in the French culinary world, Stéphanie Le Quellec grew up in the kitchen, making crêpes and biscuits with her grandmother after school. Her style of cooking was shaped during the early days of her career, when she worked alongside Paris’ Michelin-starred chefs, Philippe Legendre and Philippe Jourdin. Her training was in the purest French tradition and this has influenced her cooking, which is full of character and is fuelled by passion, hard work, discipline and generosity.

Her craftsmanship earned her the title of Executive Chef at a five-star hotel in Terre Blanche, Provence. She next became Executive Chef at the hotel Prince de Galles. Under her passionate supervision, the hotel’s restaurant, La Scène, earned the distinction of a Michelin star in 2014. La Scène continues to deliver a culinary experience that is focused on the quality of exceptional products and a seasonal menu with generous dishes.

Art at Curate Series 10
Chef Tanja Grandits
From Two Michelin-starred Stucki in Basel, Switzerland

27 April – 3 May 2018

Chef Tanja Grandits almost become a chemist – she chose to study Chemistry after finishing school. Fortunately for gourmands the world over, she left her studies to embark on her journey to culinary greatness.

She started on an apprenticeship at Traube Tonbach, Baiersbronn and followed that up with stints at Claridge’s, London and Chateau de Montcaud, Bagnols-sur-Cèze. The experience refined her skills and shaped her eventual style – which focuses on delighting the sight with colours and flowers, and impressing the nose with a masterful command of aromas.

She would open her first restaurant in Switzerland – Thurtal in Eschikofen. In 2006, she took over Stucki in Basel with her husband. Her culinary excellence earned Stucki two Michelin stars. She has also been named Female Chef of the Year (2006) and Chef of the Year (2014) by the influential Gault Millau guide – which has awarded a stunning, near-perfect 18 out of 20 points to Stucki.

Art at Curate Series 9
Chef Emma Bengtsson
From Two Michelin-starred Aquavit, New York City

12 – 18 January 2018

From a small Swedish town to one of the world’s greatest stages for culinary excellence – Emma Bengtsson’s gastronomic journey is as remarkable as her creations. She fell in love with cooking as a child thanks to her grandmother’s love for home cooking. Her talents grew with her and she enrolled in Stockholm’s Hotel and Restaurant School.

Following were stints in acclaimed restaurants - Edsbacka Krog, Restaurant Prinsen and Operakällaren. Her next move was to Aquavit, where she shone with her creative interpretations of classic Scandinavian desserts and helped the restaurant gain a Michelin Star. Chef Bengtsson eventually became Executive Chef and she led Aquavit to the rare distinction of a second star, making her the first-ever Swedish female chef to run a two-star kitchen.

Art at Curate Series 8
Chef Alexandre Dionisio
From Two Michelin-starred La Villa in the Sky, Brussels

5 - 12 October 2017

Alexandre Dionision started working at the age of 15, learning his basics from Rocky Renaud from 1997 to 2003, before becoming a commis de cuisine under Pierre Wynants at Comme chez Soi. In 2008, he was hired by Yves Matagne as a junior sous-chef at Sea Grill, and in 2010 he took part in the reality TV programme “Top Chef”, making it through to the semi-finals. That was also the year he established his own restaurant, for which he received his first Michelin star.

La Villa in the Sky is a collaboration with Serge Litvine of Villa Lorraine, which opened in 2014 to rave reviews.

Art at Curate Series 7
Kang Mingoo
From One Michelin-starred Mingles, Seoul

16 – 23 August 2017

After taking internships at Michelin-star restaurants in Spain from 2009 to 2010, the formally trained Kang Min Goo was hired to be Junior Sous Chef in Nobu Miami, moving on to head Nobu Atlantis in the Bahamas as the youngest Executive Chef de Cuisine in the highly-acclaimed Nobu chain in 2011.

In 2014, he opened Mingles, which has since won a host of awards, including the first prize in KOREAT, Korea’s most influential gourmet survey, for two consecutive years.

Art at Curate Series 6
Richard van Oostenbrugge
From Two Michelin-starred Bord’eau Restaurant Gastronomique, Amsterdam

5 – 13 May 2017

Born in Leiden, the Netherlands, Richard van Oostenbrugge started as a chef in Gstaad, Switzerland and over an illustrious 16-year career, has worked in kitchens across the United Kingdom and Spain, alongside the culinary elite, mastering the French technique while refining his unmistakable style and sensibility.

Today, Richard van Oostenbrugge is the Executive Chef at the five-star De L’Europe in Amsterdam, and counts himself as one of the few who managed the rare feat of earning two Michelin stars in two years.

Art at Curate Series 5
Masayasu Yonemura
From One Michelin-starred Restaurant Yonemura, Japan

4 – 11 February 2017

Born and raised in Kyoto, Japan, Masayasu Yonemura began working at French restaurant Seiyougosho Okumura in Kyoto, which inspired him to synthesize different culinary techniques into a style distinctively his own.

In 1993, he opened Restaurant Yonemura, and his flair for putting Japanese accents on French cuisine quickly put him in the spotlight of the gourmet world. The success of Restaurant Yonemura led to the opening of a second outlet in Tokyo, and both have been featured in the Michelin Guide Book for Japan since then, each earning a well-deserved one Michelin star.

Chef Masayasu Yonemura is also the author of an award-winning cookbook named after his restaurant.

Art at Curate Series 4
Ramón Freixa
From Two Michelin-starred Ramón Freixa Madrid, Spain

4 - 11 November 2016

Ramón Freixa is born in 1971 in a small village near Barcelona to a family in the restaurant business, and grew up surrounded by the sights, smells and sounds of the kitchen. After his studies, Ramón continued learning the trade in Belgium and France before returning to work in the family restaurant, taking over at the helm in 1998, which was also the year he published his first cookbook.

A second cookbook followed in 2004, along with his stint at Ávalon in Barcelona’s Grand Hotel Central. In 2009, he relocated to head the eponymous restaurant Ramón Freixa Madrid in Hotel Único, where he was given free rein, which paid off with two Michelin stars awarded in 2010, which he has maintained till today.

In 2016, Ramón made Spanish history as the first chef to be conferred the prestigious Prize of Culture from the Community of Madrid.

Art at Curate Series 3
Esben Holmboe Bang
From Three Michelin-starred Maaemo, Norway

16 - 25 September 2016

Esben Holmboe Bang is the head chef, co-owner and creative force behind Maaemo, the ground-breaking restaurant from Oslo, Norway, that was awarded three Michelin stars in 2016. He was born in Copenhagen but it was in Oslo that his culinary career took off for the stratosphere.

Growing up in a family where there was a great deal of emphasis on sustainability and agriculture, it is little wonder the chef’s inspiration comes from nature. His cuisine is rooted in the natural flavours and quality of the raw ingredients, stripping them back to their bare essentials before recomposing them into entirely new narratives, bringing the tastes of Norway to life on a plate.

Chef Ebsen’s bold style of cooking has won the him legions of fans from the cognoscenti, and a listing in Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential Chefs in the World”. He was also named by Elite Traveler Magazine as the “2016 Young Chef of the Year”.

Art at Curate Series 2
Guy Martin
From Two Michelin-starred Le Grand Véfour, France

8 – 15 July 2016

Born in 1957 in Bourg Saint Maurice, Guy Martin started working at a local pizzeria in 1976. He chanced upon the classic cookbook “Gastronomie Pratique” and went on to try out the 500 recipes on his own. The rest is culinary history.

In 1981, Chef Martin joined Relais & Châteaux, worked for three years as Chef de Cuisine at Château de Coudrée on Lake Geneva, then in Château de Divonne where he became Executive Chef at age 26. In 1985, he earned his first Michelin star. In 1989, his second. In 1991, he made his move to the historic Le Grand Véfour.

Chef Martin’s style is modern, sensuous and bold, with an emphasis on high-quality produce from the various regions of France. An art and music aficionado, he cites Jacques Offenbach, Mozart and Glenn Gould as the inspiration to explore culinary boundaries, conceiving new colours, flavours and presentations for his creations.

The acclaimed chef has authored more than 20 cookbooks throughout his career and also hosted a television programme. In 2012, he was decorated an “Officer” of the Ordre de La Légion d’Honneur (National Order of the Legion of Honour) by the French Government.

Art at Curate Series 1
Massimiliano Alajmo
From Three Michelin-starred La Calandre, Italy

29 Apr - 6 May 2016

Massimiliano Alajmo was just 28 when the Michelin Guide bestowed his family’s Italian restaurant La Calandre its three star status in 2002, making him one of the youngest executive chefs to earn that coveted distinction.

Today, the 42-year-old is an accomplished multi-hyphenate in and outside of the kitchen. Together with his brother Raffaele and sister Laura, he is a part of the fifth generation of the Alajmo family of chefs and restaurateurs, and oversees the kitchens of La Calandre and the family’s other two restaurants Ristorante Quadri and La Montecchi, with a total of five Michelin stars among them; as well as a network of bistros, Il Calandrino, abc Quadri, abc Montecchia, and Caffè Stern in Paris.

Besides sitting on the board of directors and regularly lecturing at Italian culinary school, the Master della Cucina Italiana, chef Alajmo has also published an award-winning cookbook entitled “In.gredienti” and owns Le Essenze, a line of pure essential oil sprays, and alajmo.design, a collection of tableware designed by the Alajmo brothers and produced by renowned Italian craftsmen.

Known for his multi-sensory approach to cooking and penchant for exploring ingredients in depth in order to bring out their true essence, chef Alajmo is excited to bring his culinary creations to Singapore. He says: “Singapore is home to one of the world’s most dynamic food scenes. I am thrilled to share with the people of the city both classic dishes from Le Calandre, as well as the fruit of our latest research."