The buzz surrounding the Academy Awards was undeniably far-reaching and contagious. But unknown to many, across the globe and away from the Hollywood hype, Asia was brimming with excitement over an event about to take place for the first time ever. Just a few hours after the Academy Awards show was broadcast live from California, the inaugural presentation of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants took place at The Sands Grand Ballroom of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. At least for culinary enthusiasts, this event felt like the Oscars.
The list of Asia’s top 50 restaurants is supposedly an unbiased reflection of the region’s culinary gems. It serves as recognition for restaurants that have, in some way, had a positive impact on the region’s dining scene over the years.
Besides ranking the 50 select restaurants, the program also presented special accolades, such as the Asia’s Best Pastry Chef Award and the One to Watch Award. The event was attended by Chris Salans, owner and executive chef of Mozaic restaurant in Bali. Since he was the only restaurant owner from Indonesia that evening, it became quite clear that Mozaic would win Best Restaurant in Indonesia. But the restaurant’s overall ranking remained to be seen.
The ceremony kicked off with a speech from Sue Woodward, director of the event and William Drew, editor of Restaurant Magazine.
A convivial and witty personality who is regularly seen on television, Oli Pettigrew hosted the night and announced the winning restaurants and chefs. Unfortunately for Indonesia, the suspense did not last longer than five minutes, as Mozaic ranked number 50 on the list.
Among the winners were Narisawa in Tokyo, awarded best restaurant in Asia, Hong Kong’s Amber as best restaurant in China, Nahm in Bangkok as Thailand’s best restaurant and Andre as Singapore’s best.
Other highlights of the award ceremony included the One to Watch Award, which went to Singapore’s Jaan, an intimate 40-seat setting with executive chef Julien Royer at the helm. The Best Pastry Chef award went to Janice Wong, owner and founder of 2am:dessertbar, Singapore.
China was the overall star of the evening, with 16 restaurants on the list, most of which are concentrated in Hong Kong, while Singapore came in next with 10 restaurants, narrowly surpassing Japan’s total of nine restaurants.
Indonesians might wonder why Mozaic, located in Ubud, Bali, was picked as the best restaurant in Indonesia.
The restaurant is accustomed to receiving awards of this stature.
Just a few months ago, Mozaic was awarded a commendable fifth place on the Miele Guide 2013’s Asia’s Top 20 list. Like the Michelin Star, Miele Guide is another much-coveted award in the fine dining world.
More interesting, however, is Chris Salan’s take on the overall dining scene in Indonesia, which gives insight into why his establishment is a standout.
Only occasionally does the chef visit Jakarta for special events or stints outside Mozaic. When asked why he still has not relocated to Jakarta, he bemoans the capital’s crowds, which simply make it impossible to be creative with locally sourced, fresh ingredients — his passion and forte.
There is truth in the notion that many diners in Jakarta still find it mind-blowing to pay more than Rp 1 million ($103) per person per meal, despite their growing purchasing power.
Jakarta’s dining scene, as rapidly developing and evolving as it is, unfortunately still tends to focus on superficial qualities. The capital dwellers’ mind-set is still “to see and be seen,” and few people dine and pay a fortune to indulge in divine gastronomic treasures.
The attitude is different in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan, all of which have become world-renowned culinary hubs, for anything from creaky street food push carts to ethereal fine dining niches.
This event will hopefully be a wake-up call for Indonesians to reflect on the way they perceive and enjoy food.
In Singapore, the Inaugural Oscars for Asia"s Foodies
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