posted on March 20, 2011 20:01
Culinary visionary, Ignatius Chan, Iggy's restaurant is the result of his lifelong desire to open up a place where knowing diners can savour the unexpected delights to be found in food which fuses elements from the east with the west. 'Fusion food' is an expression often thrown about. Those who claim to be able to create it are often simply trying to cash in on a trend that is much appreciated with the younger diners. This approach generally results in dishes which take a bit from each style and throw them together without respecting the history of each ingredient. However Iggy lets flavours merge to wonderful, harmonious effect.
Iggy's made the move from The Regent Singapore hotel to new premises at The Hilton late last year, doubling the size of the original restaurant, but owner Ignatius Chan has resisted the temptation to use this as a way of ramping up the number of covers for the sake of more Singaporean dollars. The kitchen has lost none of its flair and precision with flavours strong and uncompromising, with dishes that have a true international grounding.
Ignatius Chan is currently one of Singapore's most accomplished and awarded Sommeliers and restaurateurs. Iggy started his career in 1985 when Mandarin oriental Hotel in Singapore sponsored his formal hospitality education at SHATEC (Singapore Hotel Association Training and Educational Centre). Iggy Joined the Mandarin Oriental and worked at the hotel's formal French restaurant Fourchettes. In 1989, he won a six-months training scholarship which allowed him to spend time as an understudy in some of European's greatest restaurants, including the Crillon in Paris, the Ritz in Madrid and Relais and Chateaux's Royal Champagne in Reims. He also took the opportunity to tour and work in some wineries, such as Georges Duboeuf in Beaujolais, Charlton et Trebuchet in Burgundy and Chateaux Rauzan-Segla in Bordeaux.
The very next year, Iggy won a Veuve Clicquot Champagne scholarship and was named Singapore's best Sommelier by SOPEXA. In 1991, Iggy joined the Raffles Hotel as Cellar Master in the reopening of the Grand Dame. In 1994, he left Raffles Hotel to join Chef Justin Quek and two business partners to establish Les Amis. Iggy was also Executive Direcotr at Vinum Fine Wine Merchants. In 1998, Iggy was the first Asian to be invited to join the prestigious Grand Jury European. In 1999, Iggy was inducted as a member into the worl's oldest wine fraternity, the Jurade de Saint Emilion. Iggy is also the permanent judges in the annual Lianhe Xaobao Wine Challenge, organized by the wine review, Since 2006, Iggy has also been a judge for the Decanter World Wine Challenge Awards, held annually in London.
Iggy likes to source the freshest local produce and travelling to France many times a year to revive and replenish the great cellar, Iggy shows no signs of slowing down or coming to rest on its laurels. Driven to please diners, Iggy's is where you'll experience the brilliance of fusion food by those able to create harmony and subtle magic in the most challenging of culinary realms.
Diners can enjoy a personal interaction with the kitchen if they manage to get a seat at the L-shaped bar. Until recently, the 13 seats at the bar and the 15 available at tables were the only spaces. A recent extension has afforded a few extra seats, which is good news for those hoping to sample the delightful products of this now legendary collaboration between Iggy and Sufian.
So if you plan to visit Singapore and you are looking for fine French cuisine or experimental molecular gastronomy will find more than a few wonderful places to tempt the taste buds. Among the best Singapore restaurants there are few which actually manage to fully contain the rich spirit of a city where east meets west like Iggy's.
Accolades
2011 The S Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants - Ranked 27
2010/2011 The Miele Guide Asia's Number one Restaurant
2010 The S Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants - Ranked 28
2009 The S Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants - Ranked 45
2008/09 The Miele Guide Asia's Number One Restaurant
Contact Details
Address: 581 Orchard Road, The Hilton Level 3, Singapore 238881
Telephone: +65 732 2234
Web Site: www.iggys.com.sg
Reviews: Hungry Epicurian