A Taste of Art at National Gallery Singapore
Visitors to the National Gallery Singapore will enjoy a comprehensive museum experience that extends beyond the art - to a suite of specially curated dining options. Reflecting the Gallery’s philosophy of presenting unique perspectives about Singapore and Southeast Asian art histories within a global context, the wide variety of cuisines will span across Singapore delights to Asian and international flavours.
In curating the culinary experience, the Gallery selected five renowned Singapore brands to launch new dining concepts and flagship restaurants at the museum. Visitors will have their palates stimulated by Aura Restaurant and Sky Lounge by ilLido Group, National Kitchen by Violet Oon, Odette by The Lo & Behold Group, SAHA and The Altimate by The Padang FNB, and Yàn and Smoke & Mirrors by Park Hotel Group. Completing the list is a Gallery-partnered cafeteria that will be integrated with the museum’s retail concept. To complement these dining options, the Gallery plans to have food kiosks that offer simple and convenient meals.
“We want to create a seamless and unique experience for our visitors as they move from the gallery spaces into the various dining areas. The mix of cuisines, with a wide range of price points, was also deliberately selected to ensure that there is a palatable option for every visitor. We hope that their enjoyment of the art is enhanced by their culinary experience and vice-versa.” said Ms Chong Siak Ching, CEO, National Gallery Singapore.
About 2,500 square metres of the Gallery will be dedicated to the restaurants across various levels of the former Supreme Court and City Hall wings. Some of the menus will also be customised in conjunction with changing themes of the Gallery’s special exhibitions. More information will be available on www.nationalgallery.sg.
Quotes by Restaurant Operators
“Everything that we’re doing with Aura is different. It’s nothing that we have seen or done in Singapore to date. I am a restauranteur whose goal is to always bring diners high quality dining experiences with high value for money.”
~Beppe De Vito, restauranteur, Aura by ilLido Group
“Yàn and Smoke & Mirrors is Park Hotel Group’s first foray into a space outside our hotels. Drawing inspiration from the restaurant’s Chinese name, the experience at Yàn is reminiscent of convivial gatherings and feelings of togetherness. Befitting its location in the iconic National Gallery Singapore, it is an opportunity we will take to be creative in the design of our spaces by infusing elements of art.”
~Allen Law, Chief Executive, Park Hotel Group
“National Gallery Singapore is a museum of beautiful heritage with a rich history, and I am honoured to open my first restaurant here with The Lo & Behold Group. Odette will present honest, produce-driven cuisine that showcases and respects the integrity of high quality ingredients.”
~Julien Royer, chef-owner, Odette
“National Gallery Singapore was chosen as we wish to showcase what true Asian hospitality is and should be, and what better place to showcase this vision to visitors from all around the world! It is not just another food outlet but an experience of the senses. The guests would have been treated to a visual feast of highly prized artworks and then come to our restaurant to indulge the other four senses.”
~Abhijit Saha, chef patron, SAHA and The Altimate
“There is a deep sense of history tied to the building and we want to do justice to that through our culinary arts. The marriage is timely to be able to celebrate our diverse and wonderful culinary history and traditions. Violet Oon has spent 50 years of her culinary journey, dating back to 1965, when she first learnt to cook Singapore heritage foods of her own Peranakan culture – chronicling, recording and celebrating all that is Singapore food. We will bring this rich heritage of Violet's culinary journey, a journey that celebrates Singapore food, to National Kitchen.”
~Yiming Tay, co-founder and Director, Violet Oon Inc
ABOUT THE RESTAURANTS
Aura by ilLido Group
Spanning across two floors and over 840 square metres at the Gallery, Aura is comprised of four unique dining concepts, each an independent experience while complementing one another seamlessly. Owned by Italian restauranteur and well-known food personality Beppe De Vito, Aura is set to lead at the forefront of Italian dining in Singapore.
Aura Restaurant, an elegant and refined restaurant, is located on the fifth floor of the Gallery. It serves classic Italian cuisine from all regions of Italy, in a relaxed atmosphere.
Located at the rooftop of the Gallery is the luxurious Aura Sky Lounge, a chic all-day dining destination. With an indoor lounge and outdoor terrace, Aura Sky Lounge transits from Raw Bar during lunch to Tea Lounge in the mid-afternoon, before converting into Lounge Bar, the ultimate rooftop bar in the evenings.
National Kitchen by Violet Oon
Helmed by well-known local celebrity chef and one of Singapore’s most celebrated food ambassadors Chef Violet Oon, National Kitchen will serve diners unique, authentic flavours and perennial local favourites that reflect Singapore’s rich culinary heritage.
Violet Oon’s Kitchen, the Singapore bistro, gained critical acclaim in the New York Times in 2013. The restaurant has recently been renamed Violet Oon Singapore.
National Kitchen by Violet Oon is located adjacent to the DBS Singapore Gallery at level two. It features a private dining space, bold interior design with a striking old-world charm, a modern luxury, as well as a resplendent outdoor dining space that draws the city skyline into the view of diners.
Odette by The Lo & Behold Group
Odette, a Modern French restaurant located at level one of the Supreme Court Wing, helmed by chef-owner Julien Royer, a rising culinary star in Asia.
Julien Royer is well-known for his artisanal cooking philosophy which pays homage to the purity of fine ingredients and exceptional gourmet produce. He showcased this to critical acclaim during his four-year tenure at JAAN, winning the restaurant 11th place on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015 and 74th on the World’s Best Restaurants 2015 long list. He was named Chef of the Year at the World Gourmet Series Awards of Excellence 2014.
Odette is Julien’s first restaurant as chef-owner which he will operate under The Lo & Behold Group.
SAHA and The Altimate by The Padang FNB
SAHA serves modern Indian cuisine with an innovative interpretation by renowned Chef and Chef Patron Abhijit Saha. Chef Saha brings to Singapore his vast experience in the culinary industry with two existing award-winning restaurants in Bangalore. He was the Indian Federation of Culinary Association’s “Entrepreneur Chef of the Year” and Caperberry, his first restaurant in Bangalore was named “Best Independent Restaurant in India” at Time Out Food Awards (2011-2012).
Guests can look forward to an array of eclectic flavours originating from the rich culinary tapestry of various Indian regions, recreated using modern techniques and presented with an international aesthetic.
The Altimate will be the first ever Asian bar showcasing a host of wines from all over Asia and will operate a fully stocked bar with Asian inspired fruit cocktails
SAHA and The Altimate are located at level one of the Supreme Court Wing.
Yàn and Smoke & Mirrors by Park Hotel Group
Yàn is Park Hotel Group’s first foray into a space outside their hotels and will serve the best of Cantonese cuisine, offering up familiar flavours with modern day presentations. Staying true to the core principles and discipline of traditional Cantonese cooking, guests can expect quality ingredients, authentic execution as well as new signature dishes crafted using a diversity of ingredients and innovative pairings. Yàn is located at level five of the City Hall Wing.
Smoke & Mirrors is a destination rooftop bar boasting a panoramic view of the Padang and Marina Bay. The intimately designed space features an indoor lounge and an outdoor terrace, with a stunning sculptural bar as the centrepiece. Smoke & Mirrors focuses on a carefully curated drink menu that includes signature cocktails and craft spirits as well as an all-day food menu featuring comfort food and all-time favourites.
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