Going casual to woo fickle diners

Serious artwork on the wall. Bespoke crockery on cloth-covered tables. A fine wine list. Eye-watering menu prices. Just don't call it a fine-dining restaurant.

- Tan Hsueh Yun

Upscale and fine-dining restaurants prefer to bill themselves as fine-casual or casual-fine these days.

Certainly, that is how chefs Daniel Boulud, 69, Massimo Bottura, 62, and Sergio Herman, 54 – known for their fine-dining restaurants – describe their Singapore outposts. Maison Boulud at Marina Bay Sands, Torno Subito in Dempsey Road and Le Pristine Singapore at Grand Hyatt Singapore all opened in 2024.

The year saw a number of fine-dining establishments closing: La Dame de Pic, Beni, Tippling Club and Sommer. Meanwhile, a new wave of casual restaurants flooded the market – brands from China, mostly offering numbingly or thumpingly spicy food; and Malaysian brands serving homespun food and pastries.

Chefs with fine-dining restaurants in Singapore opened casual offshoots in 2024.

There was pasta haven Locanda in Rowell Road, from chef Denis Lucchi, 43, of one-Michelin-starred Buona Terra; Korean barbecue restaurant Gu:um from chef Louis Han, 34, of one-Michelin-starred Nae:um; and Singapore soul food restaurant Choon Hoy Parlor from chef Dylan Ong, 37, of The Masses.