Three-Michelin-starred Nordic restaurant Frantzén in Sweden's capital city of Stockholm will open a sister restaurant in Singapore come fall.
Called Zén, the Scandinavian fine-dining restaurant will open on November 21, and will take over a three-story shophouse space in Bukit Pasoh Road that was vacated earlier this year by the renowned nouvelle French Restaurant André.
Zén is a partnership between Swedish chef and restaurateur Björn Frantzén and Singaporean hospitality group Unlisted Collection, which runs more than 10 restaurants including one-Michelin-starred Nouri and Burnt Ends. Zén will be the group’s first foray into Nordic cuisine.
The food at Frantzén, which is Sweden's first and only three-Michelin-starred restaurant, revolves around the use of Nordic produce. It is coupled with the chef’s background in classic French cooking and influences from Asian and Japanese cuisines.
Loh Lik Peng, founder of Unlisted Collection, says Frantzén approached his group last October after news emerged that Restaurant André would be closing for good after an eight-year run. “Restaurant Frantzén is a good fit to take over such an iconic fine-dining space," he says. "There are a couple of places in Singapore that do high-end French and Italian cuisine, but not for Nordic cuisine.” He adds that the group considered two other restaurants that were also vying to take over the coveted restaurant space on Bukit Pasoh Road.
Noting that Nordic cuisine is still relatively under the radar in Singapore, Loh says, “Diners here love diversity and are curious to learn about new cuisines. As long as you do the food well, people will come.”
Loh also says that “one of the best meals” he had was at Frantzén last June. “The flavors of the dishes were clean and refreshing with less use of sauces, and the dishes showcased good techniques," he recalls.
While Nordic cuisine features the use of many locally sourced ingredients, how will the flavors translate in Singapore? “While Frantzén is respectful to Nordic traditions, he will also incorporate ingredients from Asia too.”
To ensure that the quality of food is consistent here, Frantzén’s executive chef Marcus Jernmark will oversee the operations of Zén in its opening period. The restaurant will be headed by chef Tristin Farmer, who has worked at Maze by Gordon Ramsay in London, Aberdeen Street Social in Hong Kong and Marina Social in Dubai.
Zén is Frantzén's third overseas venture—he also has Frantzen's Kitchen and The Flying Elk in Hong Kong.
RELATED: The First Day I Got My Michelin Stars: Björn Frantzén
