Same doorbell, new living room: Restaurant Zen reopens after three-month refresh

The highly-regarded three-Michelin-starred Zen restaurant, helmed by Swedish chef Bjorn Frantzen, has reopened with a refreshed look and feel after a three-month renovation. The newly designed space emphasizes sleekness, sophistication, and minimal color, creating an edgier ambiance compared to its previous decor.

The ground floor, which previously featured patterned armchairs, rugs, and coffee tables reminiscent of a cozy Swedish living room, now showcases a 16-seat stone counter. This centerpiece allows guests to enjoy seven canapés, including a signature French toast topped with shaved truffle, while the chefs prepare the dishes in front of them.

Additionally, the produce is now displayed in the foyer upstairs, and the dining room has undergone subtle updates, such as new furniture, lighting, textured wall coverings, and a statement chandelier designed by Ann Wolff for Kosta Boda.

The dining room's layout remains largely unchanged, but it now exudes a moodier, more urban atmosphere. The top-floor lounge, where desserts, petit fours, and digestifs are served, boasts sleek new sofas, coffee tables, and carpeting, complemented by bold pops of color to brighten the muted palette.

The redesign, a collaboration between the Frantzen Group and Stockholm-based interior architecture studio Joyn, aims to create an intimate, generous, and relaxed environment with added energy and sophistication. Head chef Kelvin Ng emphasizes the use of globally sourced produce and highlights the menu's evolution, retaining Nordic foundations, French technique, and Japanese precision while incorporating fermentation, acidity, broths, and fire.

Frantzen expressed excitement about the seven canapés and the deeper exploration of the previously mentioned elements, calling it the strongest expression of Zen to date. The new Zen is located at 41 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089855.