Not copied — Each of André Chiang’s six restaurants has its own unique character

▲All six restaurants under André Chiang have unique features and avoid replication. (Photo / Huang Shih-yuan)

Reported by Huang Shih-yuan / Taipei

Since opening his first restaurant, Restaurant ANDRE, in 2011, two-Michelin-starred chef André Chiang has launched five additional restaurants in recent years, including RAW in Taiwan. But compared to other chefs or well-known restaurants, Chiang’s other five are not copies of Restaurant ANDRE. Each has its own distinct personality, built around six different core concepts.

Chiang believes that a successful restaurant will align with one of the six dining models he has identified. These six models are: Perfection, Back to Zero, Historical Transformer, Environmental, Speak-easy, and Community Player.

Restaurant ANDRE
The dining concept at Restaurant ANDRE is Perfection. Everything in the restaurant is perfectly refined. Chiang gives the example that he loves the texture of wood, so every element in the restaurant relates to wood — even the tablecloths feature wood grain patterns. Another aspect of this perfection is precision: every item is measured with a ruler, and every detail, including the dishes, is executed flawlessly.

Address: 41 Bukit Pasoh Rd, Singapore 089855
Phone: +65 6534 8880

Burnt Ends
This is the second restaurant he opened, with the Back to Zero concept. Many countries have successful restaurants using this model — it’s a small eatery on a bustling street with limited seating, but the turnover is three times per meal. The standout feature here is that no electricity or gas is used for cooking; everything is prepared solely with charcoal.

Address: 20 Teck Lim Rd, Singapore 088391
Phone: +65 6224 3933

Bincho
This is a Japanese restaurant opened by André Chiang, but unlike conventional Japanese eateries, it fuses three concepts into one. The front section sells pork miso noodles and fish ball soup, the middle area features 12 seats for yakitori, and the final third is a Japanese whisky bar. During the day you enter from the front, and at night you can go straight to the bar from the back for drinks. It’s a Speak-easy concept — a hidden gem passed along by word of mouth. It has an air of mystery, is affordable, and welcomes visitors at any time.

Address: Singapore 78 Moh Guan Terrance #01-19
Phone: 6438-4567

RAW
RAW combines interior design with a distinctive service style, linking every element of taste, sight, sound, and more into a seamless dining experience. In terms of cuisine, RAW selects ingredients strictly according to the 24 solar terms, as well as local Taiwanese produce, and interprets shared Taiwanese flavors using French culinary techniques. Additionally, RAW has been increasingly focused on naturally grown food and wine, as well as zero food waste. Chiang says RAW embodies the Environmental dining concept.

Address: 301, Lequn 3rd Road, Taipei City

Porte 12
This is the restaurant Chiang opened in Paris. Housed in a 150-year-old corset workshop, it carries the spirit of 150 years of French tradition. The decor and dishes here are minimally adorned, and the menu changes regularly. For just 40–60 euros, you can enjoy a full tasting menu. This model is Historical Transformer, and similar restaurants can be found all over the world.

Address: 75010 Paris, 12 rue des Messageries
Phone: +33 1 42 46 22 64

Meat Smith
This is an American-style eatery offering beef, BBQ, fried chicken, and bread. It follows the Community Player concept. Many customers come to buy beef to take home, or dine in, or pick up some bread. It becomes a regular part of people’s lives, visited more often than typical restaurants. The restaurant also hosts pizza parties where the entire space serves only pizza — guests decide how much they want and how much to pay.

Address: 167-169 Telok Ayer, Singapore
Phone: +65 6221 2262