Fresh from collecting the Best Restaurant in Asia title for his Singapore eatery Odette, French chef Julien Royer now plans to open a casual dining destination in Hong Kong.
Julien Royer is the hot name of the culinary world at the moment – after opening in Singapore in 2015, his restaurant Odette has received a constant stream of accolades, culminating in the No.1 spot on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, announced yesterday.
So there could not be a better moment for the French cook to announce that he has a new restaurant in the works – his first outside of Singapore. Developed in partnership with Hong Kong-based Jia Group, the restaurant is set to be called Louise.
“I’ve always wanted to explore the possibility of casual cuisine and I had the opportunity to develop a casual dining destination where people can hang out several times a week with simple, comforting and friendly cuisine,” said Royer, following the announcement of Odette as the No.1 restaurant in Asia.
Louise will open in June 2019 and will take the space previously occupied by Aberdeen Street Social at PMQ in Sheung Wan, which is set to close next week. The new restaurant will be designed by the internationally respected Andre Fu.
While Louise will be much more casual than Odette, it will surely display elements of Royer’s signature style of Asian-inflected French cuisine. The chef, who made his name in Asia at Jaan in Singapore, defines his cooking as “French in its DNA” and also “influenced by the geographic location of Singapore and the use of a lot of vegetables, seafood and spices from the region”.
“I’m trying to draw the flavour of Southeast Asia and slowly infuse it in my cooking, without breaking the DNA of French cuisine,” said Royer. “It’s a very delicate balance.”
More details about the restaurant’s concept and menu will be revealed in May.
Now go behind the scenes with Royer at The Best Restaurant in Asia 2019, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna:
Now watch the full awards ceremony in Macao:
The Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list was announced on Tuesday 26th March in Macao. Discover the full list and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to stay up to date with the latest news and photos from the best restaurants in Asia.
