Zén Reopens with a Renewed Experience
Today marks a new chapter for three Michelin-starred Zén, as the restaurant reopens its doors after an extensive, three-month-long refurbishment and renewal.
While staying true to the DNA that has made it one of Asia’s most acclaimed culinary destinations, Zén has returned in a more contemporary, intimate form, where architecture, hospitality, and storytelling come together once again in a renewed expression.
Guests now begin each dining experience around a newly installed, intimately lit 16-seat counter served directly by Zén’s chefs. Offering a series of canapés, each inspired bite is the prelude to the courses that follow and can be accompanied by a pairing of sake and wine, mixed alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and full non-alcoholic.
From there, the meal continues on the second floor for the main courses of the experience. Guests will enjoy dishes such as Crudo: shima aji, artichoke bariguole, quince & nasturtium; Chawanmushi, abalone, coriander, shiitake & beef broth and Wagyu, oxtail pressé, morel & fermented kampot pepper. Menus are constantly evolving as produce moves through the seasons, with full changes three to four times per year.
Each visit concludes on the top floor with desserts, petit fours and a selection of the finest digestifs.
The creative vision has been realised in a bold reimagining of the interior, refining the space and elevating every dimension of the guest experience. Created by JOYN, an interior architectural studio based in Stockholm, the design considers how layout, texture, and colour blend with changes in lighting, sound, and materials to shape how guests and staff alike interact and communicate as they move through the space.
Shades, touchpoints, and elements in earthy brown tones now draw guests in and up through the building. Paler shades of biscuit and hazelnut, calming and neutral, represent a fresh simplicity, while richer tones of cinnamon and chocolate represent luxury, affection and of course, delicious food.
Background lighting is ambient and soft, highlighting drinks and ingredients, as well as pine-block wood stairwells and ornamental displays. Shelves display ferments and pickles; artwork is an eclectic mix of Scandinavian pieces and small curated items that bring heritage and design to tell Sweden’s story, including the traditional Dala horse, now considered a symbol of good luck, strength, and hospitality.
In the main dining room, a dramatic chandelier made of the famous Snowball candle holders, designed by Ann Wolff for Kosta Boda, casts water-like reflections off the copper shade and high-gloss ceiling above.
From the moment they arrive at Zén, guests are immersed in a world of familial relaxation. Now with three of the island’s most skilled Singaporean-born leaders at the fore: Head Chef, Kelvin Ng, General Manager Rachel Ezekiel and Head of Beverage Warren Estrop, the team continue to build on the prestigious Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award they collected during the ceremony at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023.
Chef Frantzén said:
“Zén has always been a restaurant built around emotion, movement, and discovery. With this renovation, we wanted to refine every moment of the journey and create an even deeper sense of anticipation, warmth, and surprise. This is not about changing who we are — it is about elevating every detail of what guests already love.”
Press contact
Stefan Gissberg, Communication Director, Frantzén Group
E-mail: pr@frantzengroup.com
