André Chiang
André Chiang | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 27, 1976 Taiwan |
| Occupation(s) | Chef, restaurateur |
| Known for | Octo-philosophy, Restaurant André, RAW |
André Chiang (; born 27 April 1976) is a Taiwanese culinary professional and proprietor of five dining establishments. He previously served as the executive chef at the acclaimed three Michelin star restaurant Le Jardin des Sens in France. Renowned for his culinary concept called "Octo-philosophy," which integrates eight distinct elements into his creations, his namesake Restaurant André earned two Michelin stars and was honored as Singapore's top restaurant and the second-best in Asia by Restaurant magazine in 2017.
Early life
Chiang was born in Taiwan and spent his formative years in Japan, where he acquired cooking skills from his mother. Despite familial expectations to enter the family trade, he chose to pursue wider culinary goals, dedicating himself to mastering French cuisine, which he considered the most demanding culinary discipline.
Culinary career
Originally planning a brief visit to France, Chiang ended up residing there for fifteen years. He secured a position at the prestigious three Michelin star restaurant Le Jardin des Sens, managed by Jacques and Laurent Pourcel, even though he initially did not speak French. Over nearly a decade, he rose to the role of chef de cuisine. His experience also includes tenures at La Maison Troisgros, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, and Restaurant Pierre Gagnaire.
Following his time in France, Chiang relocated to the Seychelles to work at Maia Luxury Resort. It was here that he refined his personal culinary philosophy, feeling that his creativity had been constrained in French kitchens. He developed the "Octo-philosophy," which centers on eight principles: "pure, salt, artisan, south, texture, unique, memory and terroir." The "pure" aspect focuses on presenting dishes without added seasoning to highlight natural balance on the plate.
Among his hallmark dishes is "Memory," a warm foie gras jelly accompanied by a black truffle coulis, which has remained unchanged since its inception in 1997 and stands as his inaugural original recipe.
In 2008, Chiang inaugurated Jaan par André at Singapore's Swissôtel The Stamford. Within eighteen months, it achieved a ranking of 39th in The World's 50 Best Restaurants. He closed this venue in 2010 to establish Restaurant André in Singapore’s Bukit Pasoh area. There, he introduced menus crafted daily from fresh market ingredients, encouraging innovation in both dish composition and culinary techniques. Chiang declared the closure of Restaurant André in October 2017; it officially ceased operations in February 2018.
Expanding his culinary footprint to Taiwan, he launched RAW in Taipei in 2014.
Awards
While leading Restaurant Jaan par André, Chiang received the Rising Chef of the Year award at the 2009 World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence. Since 2013, Restaurant André consistently appeared within the top ten of Restaurant magazine's Asia's 50 Best Restaurants rankings and was distinguished as Singapore’s premier restaurant and Asia’s second-best dining establishment in 2017. His Taipei venue RAW was acclaimed as Taiwan’s finest restaurant and secured the 24th position across Asia that same year.
Popular culture
In August 2020, Singaporean director Josiah Ng released a documentary entitled Andre & His Olive Tree, chronicling Chiang’s journey.