BBR by Alain Ducasse, Raffles Singapore by Jouin Manku: 2019 Best of Year Winner for Hotel Dining
An open kitchen is the heart of the 5,700-square-foot BBR by Alain Ducasse restaurant at Raffles Singapore, the 17th collaboration between the French chef and Interior Design Hall of Fame member Patrick Jouin and his partner, Sanjit Manku. But diners here are likely riveted not only by the preparation of food but also by the sculpture over the cooking area, which evokes an enormous marine creature sailing through the sea.
Built in Japan, the lightweight structure is formed from wrapped textured aluminum that has been painted blue on the outside, then overlaid with woven stainless-steel cables. Sections of the aluminum are folded up, revealing the unpainted side and creating reflective, fishlike scales. The interior—copper, “like kitchen pans,” Manku notes—is ink-jet printed with a map of the Mediterranean, the inspiration for the menu.
All this daring is tucked into an historic envelope, a freestanding building that’s part of the landmark Colonial-era hotel. The design team pays respect to the original detailing. Pendant fixtures are hung from the wood-paneled ceiling, now restored, and the old ceramic-tile flooring runs under the Jouin-designed dining chairs.
Project Team: Mio Shibuya; Bruno Pimpanini; Ken Tchikaya; Pascal Legrand; Valentine Finet; Timothé Duc; Vincent Cuzin; Axel Mak.
> See more from the December/January 2020 issue of Interior Design
