Ellen Chew to open Singaporean restaurant and bakery concept

Designed to replicate the makeshift nature of Singaporean hawker centres, Singapulah & Arôme will operate as a 12-cover bakery and retail area during the day, before being repurposed in the early evening into a 50-cover restaurant space.

Chew, who is known for founding Chinatown’s Malaysian and Singaporean restaurant Rasa Sayang, has developed the concept alongside head chefs of Lynette Zheng and Alix Andre, who will oversee the Singapulah restaurant and Arôme bakery respectively.

The Singapulah menu will feature a selection of traditional hawker dishes including bak chor mee, noodles with minced pork; and chwee kueh, steamed rice cakes.

Zheng has also partnered with Singaporean chef and restaurateur Willin Low to bring his third-generation Roxy Laska dish to the UK for the first time.

French baker and pastry chef Andre, who trained at Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester before joining Alan Yau at Yauatcha, will create a range of breads and pastries for Arôme, including a signature dish of milk bread toast.

“Singapulah will serve authentic Singaporean dishes not found anywhere in the UK,” says Chew.

“We will not compromise or alter the menu based on the local palate.

“It is important for us to be a destination that represents true Singaporean culture, a platform for both the cuisine and arts, in a traditional and modern reflection of our city and island nation.”

Chew also owns Lobos Tapas in London Bridge and Soho, as well as Bicester Village’s Shan Shui restaurant​​ and Simply Noodles kiosk.