The newly refurbished two Michelin starred restaurant draws inspiration from the natural landscapes of Devon to transport guests on a culinary journey through Chef Westaway’s home region
Two Michelin starred JAAN by Kirk Westaway is poised to reopen its doors on 6 December following a three-month transformation, presenting an elevated experience that transports guests on a journey to Devon in Southwest England, the home region of Chef Kirk Westaway. The refurbished and elegant space pays homage to the uniquely diverse terroir of Devon, also the root of Chef Kirk’s inspired culinary creations.
“Design and ambience is such an intrinsic part of creating a memorable dining experience and I am thrilled to have been involved in the design of a space that further complements and embodies our culinary philosophy. JAAN has been a landmark dining destination for nearly 20 years, and this journey of evolution is an integral part of our enduring promise to continue delivering exceptional guest experiences that combine impeccable design, fine flavours and the exquisite craftsmanship of Reinventing British cuisine. We cannot wait to welcome guests back into JAAN to experience it all,” mused Executive Chef Kirk Westaway.
Working in close partnership with award-winning global hospitality design agency greymatters, the new JAAN promises an immersive dining experience that highlights the essence of JAAN through modern and timeless lens.
“The new JAAN by Kirk Westaway pays homage to an illustrious history while celebrating its iconic location overlooking sweeping city views. This evolution has been much anticipated and we’re thrilled to finally unveil JAAN’s new look and welcome guests into the stunning new space, as Chef and his team continue to provide an elevated and incredibly memorable and distinctive fine dining experience,” said Mr Marcus Hanna, Managing Director of Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford.
Unique to any region in the world, the county of Devon holds immense diversity in a small footprint. Its remarkable terroir ranges from vertical Jurassic-era cliff sides of layered ancient sedimentary to silty fields of sand and salt. Move a little further in and the land takes the taste of the iron in the granite-rich soil as well as the peat of the bogs or the earthy forest.
Mr Alan Barr, Founder of greymatters, says “The elevation of the interior environment, its carefully curated guest journey, and its decor is interspersed with some truly iconic design features, which typify the close bond that has developed between our design team and the visionary Chef Kirk and his team. JAAN by Kirk Westaway – with such balance and equilibrium between the environment, the cuisine, and the service – is placed to lead amongst the brightest stars in the Singapore culinary landscape for the foreseeable future.”
Designed to take guests on a multi-sensorial journey through Devon, each chapter unfolds as they make their way through the halls to the main dining area. The journey begins when the lift doors open on the 70th floor of Swissôtel The Stamford. On the left, the front-of-house team welcomes guests into the restaurant through brass-framed glass doors to a hallway lined with artworks by Australian artist Steven Cross, designed to take guests on a visual journey through the varied landscape from which extraordinary produce is yielded. The artworks draw inspiration from Chef Kirk’s cultural essence and his roots.
Fringing the vast expanses of barren Moorland, with its sentinel Tors, fertile farmland is interspersed with wooded valleys. The haunting grey permanence of Dartmoor, one of the oldest natural landscapes on Earth, gave Devon-born Chef Kirk Westaway inspiration to develop JAAN, anchoring his innovative British cuisine on Devon’s vernacular terroir and produce.
Past the second fluted glass door, guests ascend the stairs and step into a cosier space expressed by architraves and mirror reflections and framed by a curved feature screen. The arrival experience is enhanced with a thoughtfully curated welcome drink, served from the elegant bar area just off the carpeted dining area and distinctively marked by herringbone wood flooring. Made out of engineered marble, the edges of the bar are curved, bringing a touch of modernity to the space. Throughout the restaurant, each piece of furniture complements the next, harmoniously collaborating to transport guests to the shores of Devon.
In the main dining area, the space opens up completely with an invitation to dine against the exquisite backdrop of Singapore’s city and coastline. The eye is immediately drawn to a stunning floor-to-ceiling light installation in the centre of the room. Inspired by hawthorn trees that bend and brace to withstand nature’s wrath, the new signature piece represents the essence and the spirit of Chef Kirk, adapting and scaling new heights. This imagery was brought to life by fashioning 20-year-old, hand-blown Italian Murano Glass, upcycled from the restaurant’s original chandelier, to evoke much of the tree’s texture and forms. With a smart lighting system, the lights are programmed to dim and brighten according to the hour of the day.
Devon’s terroir frames the backstory of the main dining hall, with a soothing palette lining the walls as well as gold mirrored panels on the raised ceilings. The walls are accentuated by textured wallpaper that features abstract brush strokes reminiscent of soft gauzy clouds. A deep blue gradient carpet fills the floor, all coming together to evoke a feeling of standing on the Jurassic-era cliffs of Devon and gazing out at the ocean.
Working with French furnishing company Pierre Frey on fabrics, and Muebles Asia, leading manufacturers of wooden furniture in Bali, on the furniture, the 35-seater main dining room includes a mix of banquette and regular seats to create a warm, intimate feeling for guests. Drawing inspiration from natural landscapes, every piece is custom-made to feature organic curves, from the seafoam blue banquettes to side tables in the style of a tree branch.
(The Menu)
Building on Chef Kirk Westaway’s belief that provenance is the driving force behind extracting maximum flavours from any meal one can create, the restaurant reopens with a new Winter menu geared for the festive season. The highly anticipated instalment of the lauded Reinventing British menu, which features over 3000 ingredients, pays tribute to quality and seasonality, featuring white truffles, fresh lemon thyme leaves, and a guinea fowl as Chef’s modern take on the classic Christmas poultry. The new menu will also include a new British cheese selection that will be refined with new cheese sourced from Devon, including a luscious Baron Bigo from Suffolk, England. Featuring only the freshest ingredients, JAAN’s iconic menu is a quality interpretation of English food that could and should be seen in the future.
The menu, available from 6 December is complemented with an award-winning wine list of over 700 labels co-curated with Rajeshwaran Gopal, Head Sommelier, and impeccable world-class service presented by a dedicated team headed by Giuseppe Farinotti, Restaurant Manager.
