A Passion for Perfection

Renowned for its world-class cuisine and exceptional service, Jaan par André in the Equinox complex at Swissôtel the Stamford, is no stranger to awards for excellence since its inception little more than two years ago. The Level 70 restaurant is hailed in the Miele Guide as Asia’s 4th best restaurant and Singapore’s 2nd best thanks to Taiwanese-born chef de cuisine André Chiang’s inspired flair for nouvelle cuisine and his resourcefulness in using unusual ingredients. Jaan par André has rapidly achieved recognition by the gourmands of Singapore. Mercifully now - their secret is out. Located at 2 Stamford Road, Singapore. Tel: +65 6338 8585

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Chemistry in the Kitchen

Have you ever found yourself helpless and at a loss when confronted with highfalutin cooking methods such as sous vide and ingredients such as liquid nitrogen? Food snobs who boast about their dinners at El Bulli, the recently shuttered restaurant helmed by Ferran Adriá, the Spanish chef who put molecular gastronomy on the map, are never shy to show off their knowledge of obscure techniques and rare ingredients that are at the core of experimental cuisine. Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, a newly released encyclopedia is the new must-have for wannabe foodies and self-professed gourmands. A collection of six heavy tomes of glossy photographs, sleek illustrations and extremely rare–and at times impossible to recreate–recipes, this tour de force of a publication was conceived by an unlikely character, Nathan Myhrvold, the former chief technology officer of Microsoft, who is celebrating his lifelong obsession with food with this magnus opus, the result of three years of research and the collaboration of dozens of experts. The oeuvre comes with the seal of approval of Taschen, the glossy publisher, so we can rest assured that all the recipes will not only taste good but also look fabulous. Available at www.taschen.com

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Travel in Fashion

The best travel tips always come from someone who has been to where you want to go, and who has already sussed out the hotel with the best location and service and where to get the most authentic cuisine. But who to ask? You can’t ask just anyone—not everyone has, ahem, great taste. Assouline has the answer. The publisher of luxury books on art, fashion and lifestyles has teamed up with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to bring you American Fashion Travel: Designers on the Go, a scrapbook-style compilation of favourite travel tidbits from some folks with probably the best taste around—America’s top fashion designers. Learn useful tips like Diane von Furstenberg’s favourite beach (Pink Sands in the Bahamas), Donna Karan’s favourite place to stay (Como Shambhala in Bali) and Philip Lim’s jetlag remedy (sleep, water and Shiseido eye patches on the plane). One flip through the pages, and you’ll be packing your bags. (Don’t forget the book.) American Fashion Travel: Designers on the Go.

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How Many Hands?

40 to be precise. In a mall-centric city like Singapore, independent coffee shops are rare commodities so 40 Hands, a less-than-a-year-old café on a quaint street in Tiong Bahru, is a real gem amid countless coffee chains. Harry Grover, an Australian transplant who fell in love with the hawker’s food paradise of Tiong Bahru on his frequent visits to the city, has singlehandedly put the neighbourhood on the map by opening his café. His aim was to bring real coffee to Singapore but 40 Hands is not just about espressos and lattes. Its sandwiches and pastries–especially its take on local favourite Tau Sar Pau, filled with a rich azuki bean paste–are true delicacies that you can enjoy for both dinner and lunch, and in the evening beer and wine are served in the hip interior decorated with funky murals and in the quiet backyard garden. Don’t let the frequent queues intimidate you. Just sit back with your laptop and enjoy a cup of coffee in the coolest coffee house in town. With a Books Actually right across the street, it won’t be long before this charming area becomes a destination for the city’s artsy types and hipsters. 40 Hands is located at 78 Yong Siak Street. Tel: 6225 4623

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