Andre Chiang has been named winner of the 2018 Diners Club Lifetime Achievement Award for Asia, marking the first time a Taiwan-born chef has received the prize.
Chiang, 41, said it was a great honor to earn this recognition from his peers so early in his career and thanked his customers for their support. The award, part of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants program published annually by U.K.-based William Reed Business Media, is voted on by an academy of 300 acclaimed chefs and culinary industry experts from across the continent.
According to Chiang, who will pick up the prize at a ceremony March 27 in Macau, he plans to dedicate the next 30 years to developing an educational and creative platform for aspiring chefs. Young talents must take the time to hone their craft, not shy away from risks and approach their careers with diligence and dedication, he said.
The widely acclaimed chef and restaurateur trained under French greats including Jacques and Laurent Pourcel, Michel Troisgros and Pierre Gagnaire. After relocating to Singapore, he opened several restaurants, two of which have featured on the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
In 2017, his signature establishment, Restaurant Andre, ranked No. 2 in the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants and placed 14th in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Chiang closed his flagship restaurant Feb. 14 this year so he could return to Taiwan to focus on Raw—his first establishment in his home country. Launched in 2014, the restaurant in Zhongshan District of Taipei City serves modern interpretations of traditional Taiwan fare using seasonal local produce. (KWS-E)
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