Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants has today revealed that Les Amis in Singapore is the 2020 winner of the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award. Determined by Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants voting Academy, the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award recognises a restaurant that demonstrates outstanding service and exceptional hospitality.

William Drew, Director of Content at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, says: “A fine-dining institution in Singapore since 1994, Les Amis has earned justified plaudits for its impeccable front-of-house operation and is recognised as having one of the best wine lists in the region. Since the launch of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2013, Les Amis has maintained a constant presence on the list and is a worthy recipient of the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award.”

Under the stewardship of French executive chef Sebastien Lepinoy, who joined the restaurant in 2013 the French-leaning cuisine at Les Amis has seen a return to haute classics prepared to the highest level. Lepinoy is a protégé of the late Joël Robuchon and for many years was considered his right-hand man.

As part of the restaurant’s commitment to front-of-house excellence, Lepinoy has instituted a residency programme to send talented staffers to visit French-based producers for on-the-job training. The experience enhances the team’s knowledge, allows the staff member to specialise in a specific area, and provides the restaurant with an in-house expert in a particular field. The chef’s Master of Truffles, for example, recently returned from a visit to a supplier in Provence and will join his Master of Cheese and Master of Caviar in advising diners.

At Les Amis, exceptional service is a result of comprehensive training. The restaurant hires external consultants who have worked with renowned five-star hotels and airlines, to work with staff to promote an interactive, engaging and personalised service culture.

Chef Lepinoy, Director of Culinary and Operations at Les Amis, says: “My team and I are incredibility honoured to receive the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award. We would like to thank the Asia’s 50 Best team for bestowing us with this prestigious award, and in turn allowing us to make Singapore proud. In a fine dining restaurant, excellent food and personalised service carries equal weight in crafting a unique and memorable dining experience for our guests. It really is a team effort.”

The first Singapore restaurant to claim the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award, Les Amis joins an elite group of recipients, including Den in Tokyo (2017), Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet in Shanghai (2018) and 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Hong Kong (2019).

Joaquín Villanueva, Global Marketing Director for Gin Mare says: “One of the things what we, the Mediterranean people, do best is embody The Art of Hospitality. That’s why it is a great honor for Gin Mare to be part of this Award and congratulate Les Amis for bringing to life an outstanding experience beyond their amazing gastronomic offer. As a brand, we strongly believe that delivering memorable experiences to our customers is the only way to be relevant and reinforce our emotional link with them”.

Chef Lepinoy will receive his trophy as part of the eighth annual Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. As a result of current travel restrictions in Asia, this year’s event takes the form of a virtual awards ceremony streamed on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Facebook page and YouTube channel on Tuesday, 24th March from 4pm (HK/SG; 5pm JPN). Log on to follow the countdown, along with special awards, as well as to comment and converse with gourmets and food-lovers from across the world.

How the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is compiled

The list is created from the votes of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 300 leaders in the restaurant industry across Asia, each selected for their expert opinion of Asia’s restaurant scene. The panel in each region is made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and highly regarded ‘gastronomes’, with a 50/50 gender balance in the Academy. There is no pre-determined checklist of criteria, but there are strict voting rules.

50 Best works with professional services consultancy Deloitte as its official independent adjudication partner to help protect the integrity and authenticity of the voting process and the resulting list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. For more details on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants voting process, visit: https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/voting/the-voting-system

ENDS

 

Notes to Editors:

 

William Reed Business Media

The Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is published by William Reed Business Media, which also publishes The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, launched in 2002, and Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, launched in September 2013, as well as The World’s 50 Best Bars and Asia’s 50 Best Bars. William Reed Business Media is entirely responsible for the organisation of the awards, the voting system and the list.

Saga Prefecture

Saga is blessed with abundant nature, including two unique seas: the Ariake Sea, with expansive mudflats to the south; and the picturesque Genkai Sea to the north – as well as clean water springing from gently sloping mountains and vast, fertile plains. This has allowed Saga to produce the best quality nori (dried seaweed) in Japan; the Saga beef brand; sake awarded first place at the International Wine Challenge, and many amazing products. Saga is also the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, being home to Arita ware, which enthralled European nobility in the 17th century.

Main sponsor: S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna

S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna are the main sponsors of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna are the leading natural mineral waters in the fine dining world. Together they interpret Italian style worldwide as a synthesis of excellence, pleasure and well-being.

Award Sponsor: Gin Mare

Gin Mare is the first Mediterranean Gin and a true representation of craftsmanship using experience passed through generations in its production processes whilst paying attention to every detail to assure a gin of the highest of quality.

Gin Mare is crafted with a blend of single distillates of each of its botanicals, including key Mediterranean botanicals such as rosemary, thyme, basil and Arbequina olive. This allows the master distiller to always deliver the same exceptional gin. Gin Mare starts with a premium barley base, combined with a delicate maceration of 36 to 48 hours and independent distillation process of each botanical, finalised by its signature blending which allows all the characteristics of each botanical to be expressed in the final product. Our citrus are peeled by hand and then macerated for 12 months in small aluminium tanks.

Our distillery is located in an old fishing village found between the Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada housing an 18th century chapel and our custom-made still. The Mediterranean is more than a place, it is an attitude.

Other partners:

Miele – Official Kitchen Appliance Partner, Presenting Partner of #50BestTalks and sponsor of Miele One To Watch Award
American Express – Official Credit Card Partner and sponsor of American Express Icon Award Inedit Damm – Official Beer Partner and sponsor of Inedit Damm Chefs’ Choice Award
Valrhona – Official Chocolate Partner and sponsor of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef Award
Beronia – Official Wine Partner
Aspire Lifestyle – Official Concierge Partner
The Dalmore – Official Whisky Partner
illycaffè – Official Coffee Partner
Cinco Jotas – Official Ibérico Ham Partner
Legle – Official Porcelain Partner and sponsor of Highest New Entry Award
Frontier Tojo – Official Sake Partner

Non-commercial partners:

Food Made Good Global – Sustainability Audit Partner

Deloitte – Official Independent Adjudication Partner

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants – social media

Follow us on Twitter: @The Worlds50Best #Asias50Best
Follow us on Instagram: @TheWorlds50Best
Become a Facebook fan: https://www.facebook.com/Asias50BestRestaurants
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/worlds50best

This release is also available in the following languages:

English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese. The official language of the press office is English.

Note to media: To register for and access the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants online media centre, please visit

https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/media-contactsFor press enquiries, please contact CatchOn, A Finn Partners Company

Email: asias50best@finnpartners.com

Telephone: +852 2566 8988