A grand institution

Celebrated French chef Anne-Sophie Pic first stayed at Raffles Singapore more than 30 years ago when she visited the iconic hotel as a student – these days it’s the home of her first restaurant in Asia.

The stunning La Dame de Pic, dressed in pale pink and pastels and known for exquisite dishes that look as good as they taste, picked up the first Michelin star for Raffles Singapore that celebrated its 135th anniversary in September.

It’s a fitting birthday gift for the hotel that was founded by the Sarkies Brothers, proprietors of the Eastern & Oriental in Penang and named after Singapore’s founder Sir Stamford Raffles.

Pic says opening her restaurant at Raffles Singapore in 2019, seemed ‘natural’ given the shared values for excellence and heritage – both the hotel and her great grandmother’s family’s restaurant, L’Auberge du Pin, opened in the late 1880s.

“I was thrilled to see La Dame de Pic, crowned with one Michelin star – it bears witness to the investment of hard work, dedication and patience of our teams in the challenging times following the restaurant’s opening,” says Pic, who is based in France.

“For me, these stars shine a special light on my lifelong fascination with Asian culture and cuisine and are the perfect illumination of the shared commitment of the Maison Pic and Raffles to the marriage of history and modernity.” 

Pic, the fourth female chef to hold three Michelin stars in its history, follows in the footsteps of her father Jacques Pic and grandfather, Andre Pic, who were also awarded the accolades.

She grew up in the family Café-Restaurant du Pin in Valence, between Lyon and Avignon and has 10 restaurants and cafes worldwide.

Her dishes are known for their aromatic complexity, combination of flavours and powerful tastes and she hopes guests take away special memories of exceptional culinary experiences.

Pic’s menu changes seasonally but signature dishes include her acclaimed berlingots pasta parcels with filling combinations that ‘pop’ in your mouth.

The latest menu includes scallops from Hokkaido, signature triangular berlingots filled with French cheese fondue, leek dashi with geranium and cardamon leaves, madai from Shikoku, pigeon from Bresse or organic Welsh lamb as well as dessert offerings of white mille-feuille or jasmine flower and Tainori chocolate.

The restaurant is located near the foyer of the colonial style hotel where a grand chandelier takes centre stage. 

Under the Accor management umbrella, the hotel recently underwent an expensive 30-month restoration from top to toe preserving the wonderful historical features as well as giving the legendary property an overall refresh.

From the moment you are ushered in by liveried Sikh doormen, it’s easy to fall under the Raffles spell – it is just one of those hotels where you want to linger.

Decreed a national monument by the Singapore Government in 1987, Raffles is an intoxicating blend of luxury, heritage and sophistication. The whitewashed walls with their elegant arches and pillars contrast with the leafy gardens of the hotel that was the first to have electric lights and fans in the city.

A colourful history abounds and many tales are shared in an historical hotel tour with intriguing snippets – the last tiger in Singapore was dealt with while cowering under a billiard table.

Everything about the hotel is sophisticated and transport the visitor to another time, from the elegant guest suites to the charming butlers, always ready to assist with whatever may arise.

Then there is the famed Long Bar where one visits for the quintessential cerise-coloured Singapore Sling and where peanut shells are traditionally discarded on the floor without eyebrows raised. Of another favourite haunt of the regular guest, the newly located Writers Bar with its solid brass bar counter, where one goes to sip as Million Dollar cocktail. It was concocted by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon, of Singapore Sling fame and became popular after a mention in The Letter, a short story by Somerset Maugham, one of many scribes who resided at the hotel. 

For dinner, it’s the chic and fun Osteria BBR by acclaimed Chef Alain Ducasse with a menu that’s inspired by Mediterranean cuisine prepared with local and regionally sourced produce.

For lunch perhaps try the elegant Tiffin Room that’s been operating since 1892 serving amazing curries with the flavours of North India.

Of course there is always a crowd for the traditional afternoon tea with dainty sandwiches and sweet treats accompanied by the tinkling of a piano.

Then, after a swim in the pool, perhaps back to the suite to sit on the polished teakwood verandah and enjoy the frangipani perfume and contemplate the many literary luminaries that have stayed here.

Rudyard Kipling, Joseph Conrad, William Somerset Maugham, James Michener, Noel Coward and Andre Malraux have suites named after them and the tradition continues with a writers’ in residence program.

A nostalgia laden photo corridor shows the many who have stayed at the hotel from the late Queen to Michael Jackson and a parade of world icons.

Don’t leave without a wander around the magnificent grounds with their palm trees and manicured lawns - the times may well have changed, but the charm and enduring style of Raffles remains unchanged. Except perhaps for the addition of that Michelin star.