“For a chef, earning three Michelin stars is the equivalent of an athlete winning the Olympics,” declares Mathew Leong. Under his helm as executive chef, Norway’s Re-naa restaurant recently earned its third Michelin star.
Now 29, the Singaporean took a leap of faith eight years ago to pursue a culinary career in Norway. At the time, the Lion City was not included in the Michelin Guide. However, he had a strong desire to work in a Michelin-starred restaurant and hone his skills. “I sent out over 100 resumes to restaurants across Europe. I was very lucky to receive a reply from Re-naa, who wanted me to take on the role of chef de partie,” he says.
According to Leong, the passion for gastronomy is one of the push factors that elevated Re-naa from two stars to three. “We strive to exceed expectations and elevate customers’ senses by offering creative play. The best produce from the sea, fjords, land, forests, and mountains of Rogaland in Norway inspires our flavours,” he explains. The restaurant aims to create a destination where every visit is unforgettable, by fostering meaningful connections with diners.
Joining the ranks of three Michelin-starred restaurants has been Leong’s goal since becoming executive chef in 2022. “I am truly ecstatic to achieve this goal together with chef-owner Sven Erik Renna and my team in two years,” he says with pride. While reaching three Michelin stars is a monumental achievement, it also inspires him to push culinary boundaries by exploring new flavours, techniques, and concepts.
He admits to having mixed feelings. The responsibility of maintaining three stars, along with the pressure to deliver exceptionally consistent dining experiences, only increases after achieving the milestone. “Expectations become heightened, and scrutiny becomes more intense,” he says.
Not one to stay complacent, Leong is currently juggling between his role at Re-naa and training for the upcoming Bocuse d’Or Asia. He will represent Singapore in the rigorous culinary competition, held every two years in Lyon, France. “Right now, our time and efforts are focused entirely on the upcoming Bocuse d’Or Asia in September. Only the top five countries will advance to the final in January 2025,” Leong says.
For the past few months, Leong and the team have been working tirelessly to put in place the processes for the competition. “Since the competition rules are not out yet, we do not know which protein will be the key ingredient. We can only start working with the garnishes, and fermentation,” he says. He’s looking forward to being in the competition hall again, simply because he misses the adrenaline. This is only the beginning for Leong.
