Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony returns to Singapore for its 10th anniversary

ON Mar 28, chefs from around Asia will party with a vengeance in Singapore in the biggest Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony since Covid-19 struck in 2019.

After almost three years of dining restrictions that resulted in restaurants around the world closing down or fighting for survival, the return of the awards is an affirmation of the resilience of the industry and an opportunity for chefs to once again mingle with their peers from other countries. It also marks the 10th anniversary of the awards where it started – when Singapore won the bid to host the inaugural event back in 2013.

Even so, the highly influential guide has not been without controversy, notably over its voting system which critics say opens itself up to manipulation by restaurants jockeying for a spot on the list. Unlike the Michelin Guide, where anonymous inspectors visit restaurants and award stars based on set criteria, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants are determined by a panel of some 300 voters (1,080 for the World’s Best 50 list) recruited from the food and beverage (F&B) industry and include chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and well-travelled diners.