Stepping through the portal
Stepping through the portal
By PORTALTO Editor
20 November 2025
In a city celebrated for its culinary ambition, Restaurant Born stands apart—not just for its deeply personal cuisine, but for the way it transforms history, memory, and craft into a profoundly modern dining experience. Tucked inside the conserved Jinrikisha Station, a 1903 architectural icon along Neil Road, Born marries the future of Singapore dining with a building rooted in the island’s past.
This is where Chef Zor Tan, former protégé of André Chiang, presents his signature brand of Contemporary cuisine: a refined fusion of French gastronomy and bold Chinese sensibilities, expressed through his philosophy known as the Circle of Life.
This philosophy expands into nine guiding principles; Birth, Roots, Memories, Craft, Relationship, Vicissitudes, Time, Progress, and Legacy—that anchor the restaurant’s entire culinary narrative. But this isn’t fusion for the sake of novelty. Zor’s approach distills the elegance and finesse of classic French technique while honoring the depth, flavor, and nostalgia of Chinese cuisine. The result is food that feels both contemporary and comfortingly familiar—storytelling on a plate, articulated with restraint and imagination.
Born’s setting inside a conserved 1903 building, once a depot for rickshaws, adds another layer of storytelling. The design welcomes guests into a palette of soft curves, sculpted light, and exquisitely staged details. It’s contemporary, yes, but with a sense of time, place, and history woven subtly through the space. Floating above the dining room is a paper sculpture by Dutch artist Peter Gentenaar—its cloud-like forms adding an expressive touch that deepens Born’s narrative aesthetic.
Chef Zor Tan: A Life in Motion, Turned Into Cuisine
Chef Zor Tan’s journey mirrors the very philosophy that defines Born. Having trained under influential mentors and shaped his craft through years of refinement, Zor’s path spans Restaurant Jaan, Restaurant André, and RAW Taipei before a transformative chapter at Sichuan Moon in Macau, where he blended rigorous French technique with the depth of Sichuan cuisine, earning two Michelin stars and a place on Asia’s 50 Best. Rooted in the belief that 吃饱就是幸福 (“contentment comes from a full belly”), he brings that warmth, discipline, and the virtue of 传承 (inheritance) into Born, presenting Contemporary cuisine that marries French elegance with bold Chinese sensibilities while nurturing the next generation of chefs.
Here’s What Makes Restaurant Born Truly Exceptional
What elevates Born is its commitment to detail at every level. The conserved 1903 Jinrikisha Station offers a sense of history even before the first dish arrives. Zor Tan’s Contemporary French–Chinese cooking continues the story with dishes that feel personal, layered, and grounded in memory, each shaped by his Circle of Life philosophy.
The experience unfolds with nothing rushed, nothing loud, everything intentional. It’s the rare kind of fine dining where pacing carries meaning, flavors hold narrative weight, and every element; space, philosophy, and craft works in harmony.
All photos courtesy of Restaurant Born
Restaurant Born
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