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Meta

Singapore

Shape-shifting restaurant manifesting culinary evolution

On the Pass

Sun Kim

Who's at the stove? Sun Kim spent most of his life in South Korea before leaving to work for chef Tetsuya Wakuda at Tetsuya's in Sydney and then at Waku Ghin in Singapore. Meta opened its doors in December 2015 and Chef Kim has been at its helm ever since.

What's the space like? The restaurant’s new home since July 2023 is an intimate 26-seat dining room that has a more modern, minimalist and elegant interior than the former space on Keong Saik Road, but keeps the welcoming feel that has always been part of Meta. The open kitchen allows diners a ring-side view on Chef Kim's style of contemporary cuisine with a global approach and Korean inflections.

Food and background: Meta is short for ‘metamorphosis’ and represents Sun Kim’s continually moving edible ethos. His is a unique blend of influences: you'll often see produce sourced from Japan cooked with French techniques and kissed with Korean flavours. The menu changes roughly every three months in line with the seasons, but among the permanent signatures is simmered and grilled abalone from Jeju Island served atop a risotto made from Korean short grain rice, barley and buckwheat, flavoured with abalone liver sauce.

Why dine at Meta? While there is no shortage of fine dining options in Singapore, Meta seamlessly blends Eastern and Western cuisines, executed with an unmatched level of finesse.

Other premises? Kim co-owns Thevar, a two Michelin-starred modern Indian restaurant, with chef Mano Thevar. They also opened Tambi in 2023: a casual eatery offering a fusion of South Indian and Korean cuisines in the heart of Singapore’s Chinatown.

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