Sago House holds the number 10 position on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023 list and ranks number 32 on the World’s 50 Best Bars for the same year. But what makes Jay Gray’s establishments stand out is their great service–this is where the phrase “feels like home” really rings true—as well as their non-pretentious, cosy vibe. He started Sago House during the height of Covid-19, and the group has since opened Low Tide, Idle Hands and Ghostwriter. 

Read more: How Jay Gray, formerly of Sago House, intends to go back to basics with his new concept Idle Hands

Dalad Kambhu’s contemporary Thai restaurant Kin Dee Berlin has quickly become one of the most sought-after spots in the German capital. Named after the Thai phrase for “eat well”, it combines the authentic flavours of Thai cuisine with sustainable, ethically produced ingredients, mostly from small local farmers. It opened in 2016, received a Michelin star in 2019 and has held it ever since.

Read more: 5 fine-dining experiences in Bangkok you can’t miss

At 21 and with only $500 in his pocket, Mathew Leong moved to Stavanger, Norway to join the farm-to-table restaurant Re-naa as a chef de partie. He has since risen to become executive chef of the establishment, which is now the Norwegian city’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurant, and heads its bistro counterpart, Matbaren. Leong has also represented Singapore at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or Asia and hopes to become the first and youngest chef in Asia to win gold.

Read more: Mathew Leong on his favourite local eats in Singapore

With its novel twist on modern Taiwanese fusion cuisine, Ban Bo picked up its first Michelin star just eight months after it opened in 2023. Co-founded by Lee Cheng and chef Steven Su, the restaurant transforms beloved local memories, flavours, environment and culture into delectable plates. Its space showcases handcrafted furniture and tableware by local artists and has received multiple design honours.

Sareen Rojanametin is very much the kind of person who dives first and then learns to swim later. Case in point when he moved to Australia, he became a barista without knowing much about making coffee. This experimental streak can be seen in the one-Michelin-starred Small Dinner Club, located in a two-storey building at Charoen Krung Road, Bangkok. Here, he lets his imagination run free and focuses on Thai food, elevating local ingredients and transforming them into unique dishes served across a three-hour, 10 to 12-course experience.

Read more: Introducing Tatler Best, the ultimate celebration of Asia’s finest hotels, restaurants and bars

Trained under the tutelage of French chef and restaurateur Joel Robuchon, founder of Le Kief Seven Yi identifies as a molecular gastronomist. Following the success of his first speakeasy, Le Kief, he unveiled Room by Le Kief. This establishment marries gastronomy and mixology, spotlighting the theatrical flair of its bartenders within a stage-like setting. The Taiwanese trailblazer has since added Mad:Men, an izakaya concept, to his portfolio.

Lim Kian Chun, the co-founder and CEO of the Ebb & Flow Group started his career as a venture capitalist, investing in early-stage startups in Southeast Asia. His deep understanding of the business landscape has informed his direction for the Ebb & Flow Group, which owns concepts such as one-Michelin-starred Willow, cafe and bakery Tigerlily Patisserie, and heritage kopitiam Chin Mee Chin in Singapore. Other ventures include Tribal and Slate at the Mondrian Singapore Duxton, as well as an e-grocer called Modern Provision, focusing on the Asian culinary experience.  

Read more: Ebb & Flow is opening three restaurants and an e-grocer

Named one of Tatler Dining’s Top 20 Restaurants in Malaysia, Akâr Dining is helmed by owner and chef Aidan Low, whose first foray into the kitchen was when he was 10 years old. He picked up the tricks of the trade in Osaka and Lyon, where he lived and worked for several years.

In 2020, he set up Akâr Dining. Since then, it has grown from strength to strength, thanks to Low’s focus on only using Malaysian ingredients and championing everything local.

Read more: How Darren Teoh’s Dewakan became Malaysia’s first two-star Michelin restaurant

For three years, Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn hosted the World Class Bartender event. There, he was introduced to the world of bartending and developed his passion and skill for the trade. In his fourth year, he decided to compete, placing 11th globally and earning the title of Thailand’s best bartender.

Kanivichaporn is now the founder and head bartender at Mahaniyom a low-waste cocktail bar that features only local ingredients. Each drink is made from various parts of one ingredient and is influenced by his Thai palate of sweet, sour, savoury, salty and bitter.

Read more: Where to drink during Asia’s 50 Best Bars in Hong Kong, from Darkside to Call Me Al, and more

Married couple Gan Guoyi and Indra Kantono founded their first cocktail bar Jigger & Pony in 2012, and have expanded their business to include contemporary Italian restaurant and bar Caffe Fernet, mid-century Japan-inspired bar Live Twice, and creative small plates and oyster bar Humpback, among others. In 2020, Jigger & Pony clinched the top spot on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list for the first time, and secured the ninth spot in the World’s 50 Best Bars list. In 2023, the bar was named Best Bar in Singapore and retains its No. 2 spot on the Asia’s Best Bars list. It was also named the Rémy Martin Legend of the List for its consistent performance in the rankings since the list started in 2016.

All eyes have been on Tam Chudaree Debhakam since she burst into the culinary scene in 2017, becoming the first winner of Top Chef Thailand as the show’s youngest contestant. In 2022, she opened Baan Tepa in Bangkok at her grandmother’s old home, offering elevated contemporary takes on traditional Thai dishes, driven by ingredients that in many cases are grown in the restaurant’s garden. The restaurant received its first Michelin star in 2023.

Read more: Why Bangkok is Asia’s most exciting food city right now

Coa was launched in 2017 as a way for Jay Khan to advocate for 100 percent agave tequila and traditional mezcal—two of the industry’s least-understood, and somewhat misunderstood, spirits. In 2020, together with fellow mezcal enthusiast Andrew Davis, Khan established Mezcal Mission. Khan showcases their spirits in engaging mezcal and tequila workshops, with all proceeds going to support the work of Habitat for Humanity—a charity that provides much-needed resources and support to vulnerable families in need of housing. Khan’s newest venture is called The Savory Project, which he opened with co-founder Ajit Gurung in May 2023. The new bar focuses on cocktails with an earthy or umami character, using meat, fungi, brine, and other savoury ingredients.

Read more: Jay Khan is a man on a mission

One of Hong Kong’s most distinctive culinary artists, Venezuelan native Ricardo Chaneton was schooled at classical European restaurants including the three-Michelin-starred Quique Dacosta in Spain and Mirazur in France. At Mono, he combines that training with inspiration from his homeland and the surrounding continent to create an ingredients-driven cuisine. Mono was named Tatler Dining’s Restaurant of the Year in 2023.

Read more: Ricardo Chaneton wants to cook Latin American food for the world

Angela Lai’s journey to becoming a dessert chef is a study of globalisation and multicultural cosmopolitanism. Based in Taiwan, the native Singaporean uses seasonal ingredients and takes inspiration from Taiwanese local elements to create a stunning repertoire ranging from French pastries to traditional Taiwanese sweets. In 2021, the pâtissier at two-Michelin starred Tairroir became the first person in Taiwan to clinch the title of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef as part of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.

Stephan Duhesme’s restaurant, Metiz, aims to modernise Filipino food while preserving its heritage. Dedicated to producing innovative interpretations of local flavours and traditional dishes, the restaurant uses almost exclusively homegrown produce and puts a particular emphasis on fermentation. Stephan previously worked at the celebrated New York Philippine restaurant Purple Yam.

Read more: Reframing fine dining: What has to change? An honest conversation with chef Stephan Duhesme

The Bridge in Chengdu was once known as a family-run local restaurant, but when Hebe Ni took over, she launched it to the stratosphere. With a vision of transforming it into Chengdu’s premium fine-dining destination, she enlisted world-renowned chef André Chiang as creative director. Under Hebe’s leadership, The Bridge has won widespread acclaim for its historical architecture, stylish decor and high-end cuisine.

Read more: André Chiang on creating culinary masterpieces that he wants to introduce to the world

Bartender Angus Zou was inspired by casual, stand-up beer-drinking culture, and wanted to bring a sense of approachability to the world of cocktail mixology. His musings eventually birthed Draft Land, the first bar in Asia to serve speciality cocktails on tap. It has since expanded from Taipei to Hong Kong and Bangkok, with Tokyo and Singapore to come.

Baking has been Karen Carlotta’s passion since she was young, so it was no surprise when she decided to turn it into a career. She founded Union Brasserie, Bakery and Bar, which ranked 33 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2021—and also the best bar in Indonesia. A former guest judge on Masterchef Indonesia, she also runs the pastry department of AMKC Private Dining and has created a private dining experience for Barack Obama.

See more Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow from the Food & Beverage category. 

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