Chef’s Table wraps up a decade of Western omakase
Chef’s Table by Chef Stephan is set to serve its final plate on Dec 31 – a decade after it opened its doors in 2013.
Nestled among the shophouses at 61 Tras Street in Tanjong Pagar, Chef’s Table serves European dishes with a Japanese omakase twist, each fully tailored to the dietary preferences of its diners.
Every dish is served and explained by the chefs, hence the restaurant’s name: Chef’s Table.
Initially operating as a cooking studio, Chef’s Table has come a long way.
Chef owner Stephan Zoisl told The New Paper he had the strong notion that no customer should eat the same dish twice and the idea of an “ever-changing” menu popped up.
“We then gradually changed the cooking school model into the current Chef's Table,” he said, acknowledging that constantly mixing up the menu was a challenge and the team of chefs had to innovate it in such a way that customers would be pleased.
“Post-Covid, we evolved to having different signature menus with ever-changing dishes carefully curated by our team of chefs."
The 42-year-old, who is also co-owner of German restaurant Berlin65, says the dining concept of Chef’s Table was hard to explain to customers at the start.
“The beginning was pretty rough given we had such a niche concept. It took us more than a year to get the restaurant rolling,” he said.
As the years went by, word of the restaurant slowly spread and customer levels rose. It won several accolades, including being listed as one of the top five dining destinations in Singapore on TripAdvisor for 4 years.
“Many of my regulars became good friends and I even got invited to their homes where they have kindly cooked for me. Food bonds us all," shared the Austrian.
“There have been several parties from small to big, all equally heartwarming – we hosted proposals, weddings and anniversaries, and we saw friends tie the knot at Chef's Table.”
Running Chef’s Table for a decade has taught Chef Stephan a valuable lesson: always trust your team.
“Find the right people to work with because you can't do it all by yourself. Lead and trust,” he said.
“I was very blessed to be able to enjoy a long period of thriving business and especially lucky to always have great support, and a team I could count on and trust 100 per cent.”
On Nov 1, much to the dismay of many customers, Chef’s Table announced on its social media that its final day of operation will be Dec 31.
This decision was not an easy one for Chef Stephan and he describes it as a “bittersweet” one.
“The landlord sold the building in late June 2024 and the new landlord will not be offering a new lease offer,” he shared.
Chef Stephan also feels Chef Table’s dining concept no longer aligns with the restaurant scene in Singapore. As such, he made the call to close the restaurant on a high note on New Year’s Eve 2024
“We have received very kind and heart-warming messages, calls and emails after we broke the news of closing,” Chef Stephan said, expressing his gratitude to everyone who has supported the restaurant.
“The team feels blessed and loved for the kind words we are receiving.”
Chef’s Table will cook up a special menu for its final month in December, bringing back crowd favourites over the years as a tribute to its 10-year-long journey.
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