A culinary journey set in Singapore’s UNESCO World Heritage Botanic Gardens’ E.J.H. Corner House; an iconic building steeped in history, it is now home to a new gastronomic jewel: Roia Singapore. In a nod to the river Roya, which meanders between France and Italy, the former colonial home of Professor Edred John Henry Corner, surrounded by tropical palms and lush greenery, has been transformed into a fine dining restaurant. Chef Priyam Chatterjee works with a natural and organic approach, highlighting the flora of the Gardens, where the essential herbs and flowers come from.
Roia – French elegance by Chef Priyam Chatterjee
Awarded the French knighthood of Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole, Chef Priyam invites diners to enjoy a unique gastronomic experience. His menu, infused with international influences, is meticulously crafted with creativity and refinement, reflecting his deep passion and exceptional mastery of French cuisine and savoir-faire.
Originally from the cultural capital of British India, Chef Priyam completed his culinary apprenticeship with exceptional chefs in Europe, including Jean-Claude Fugier, Akrame Benallal and Koldo Royo. His eclectic background and apprenticeship with top chefs are reflected in each creation, offering a unique fusion of culinary tradition and contemporary innovation.
Roia – A Culinary Odyssey
Preserving its heritage and environment, Roia magnifies its opulent setting with a refined culinary escape. Chef Priyam, through his originality, leads guests on an exceptional culinary journey, transforming each dish into a delicate ode to the splendour of Singapore.
Roia welcomes guests with a bright trio of amuse bouche that immediately sets the scene; Chef Priyam has landed in Singapore. Comprising of the Roia toast – affectionately referred to as “My Curry Puff” – a crystal toast made with kudzu flour, representing his first taste of the Singapore curry puff. The next, a fresh and sharp Hamachi, yuzu & ikura tart, and the third, a corn mousse and umibudo filled snack reminiscent of the local “kueh pie tee”, executed in buckwheat. Each a taste of things to come.
Beginning his menu is One Cluny Road, Chef Priyam opens with a light and fresh dish: one that pays tribute to Roia’s physical home, while embodying the uplifting and exciting spirit that Chef Priyam hopes to bring to the space. The next dish similarly perks up the palate while creating a refreshing dining experience in a unique way.
While the dish’s name – Snowfall in Singapore – sounds like a paradox, it captures the refreshing innocence and childlike wonder of Chef Priyam’s first experience of snowfall, and a reflection of the boundless potential of imagination.
Chef Priyam pays tribute to Professor Edred John Henry Corner, E.J.H. Corner House’s former resident, and the Botanic Gardens’ former Assistant Director. The creation, Fungi & Corner, as well as Corner’s Flowers, celebrates Mr Corner’s fascination with mushrooms and his love for orchids through a well- balanced combination of confit egg yolk, seasonal mushrooms, potato rosti, mushroom velouté and truffles.
Corner’s Flowers, features the unique and rare Japanese Ginpo, which Chef Priyam has paired with smoked almond and painted on with a beetroot extraction and yuzu calamansi – an example of his lifelong passion for art – the colours and strokes on the plate inspired by the works of Jackson Pollock and Damien Hirst, two of his favourite artists.
The other dishes on the menu are the culinary manifestation of Chef’s Priyam’s ethos, and journey from France to Singapore. CDG-SIN comprises of delightfully sous-vide and seared Challandais duck from Maison Burgaud, exquisitely paired with local flavours.
What’s For Breakfast? is the embodiment of Chef Priyam’s artistic inclinations, utilising the plate as his canvas for expression of form and perspective. Taking the appearance of a sunny-side-up egg, it is an optical illusion, made from coconut, black rice, and mango. Carrying on with the element of surprise introduced with Snowfall in Singapore, What’s For Breakfast? seeks to continue the engagement with diners through a fun and unexpected presentation.
Concluding on a sweet note, dessert takes the form of Sucre. Meaning sugar in French, Sucre is Chef Priyam’s special creation; a sweet, tangy, and nutty combination of French Charentais melon compressed in vanilla oil and topped off with melon sorbet and almond tuille. The balance between the earthy, nutty texture of the tuille with the sweet zest of the melon reflects Roia’s balance between French influences and its Singaporean home.
Inspired by culinary artistry and its Singaporean roots, Roia is the latest bold brush stroke on the Singapore canvas bringing an exquisite new experience to the historic and iconic destination of E.J.H. Corner House in respectful honour. Roia is an embodiment of its lush surroundings, and Chef Priyam’s ode to his new residence in our island-home.
Roia is open for dinner from Wednesday to Sunday from 6:30 pm until midnight, with the last seating at 8:30 pm. The 6-course menu is priced at SG $188++ per person and the 8-course at SG $288++ per person. From 14 – 18 February 2024, a special Valentine’s Day celebration set will be available for guests. Priced at SG $498++ per couple (6-course), the set includes complimentary return limousine transfers and a welcome glass of champagne on arrival.
