Australian chefs in Singapore: why the young and ambitious are opening restaurants in Lion City

In a recent interview in Macau, the Michelin Guide’s global head honcho Michael Ellis made a point about Australian chefs working in Singapore: “There are Australian chefs coming exclusively to Singapore because they want to be in the running to get a Michelin star. If you’re a chef and you do get a star, in addition to the great reputation, it’s a game-changer and a life-changer because it means you can attract much more talented chefs around you.”

It’s true that the number of Australian chefs has grown in the Lion City since Michelin started its guide there in 2016. There is no Michelin restaurant guide in Australia and for young, ambitious chefs, there are few better ways to make an impact than by overseeing their own restaurant.

Five traditional Singapore bakeries, and a coffee shop, to satisfy your craving for the treats locals grew up with

This has meant the launch of a raft of new places, many of them serving excellent cuisine, generally accompanied by the laid-back but effective and knowledgeable service which characterises much of Australia’s dining scene. Three sit within 10 minutes’ walk of one another in the heart of Chinatown.

To a soundtrack of 1990s hip hop, under funky UFO-like green domed lights, brilliant contemporary Australian-influenced dishes at Blackwattle show how the reputation of Clayton Wells is quickly spreading well beyond his native Sydney.

The award-winning chef – named the hottest chef of 2016 by The Australian – brings serious global props to Chinatown with his time spent at the cooler-than-cool Momofuku Seiobo, not to mention an almost mandatory stint at Copenhagen’s Noma.

Wells is best known in Sydney for Automata, a tasting-menu-only spot that won critical and public acclaim soon after it opened in 2015. , The kitchen is usually run by Joeri Timmermans.