Zén reopens after redesign in Singapore

Zén reopened in Singapore on Wednesday after a three-month refurbishment, bringing a redesigned dining room and a shorter-format service model to one of the city’s three-Michelin-starred restaurants. Time Out Singapore reported that chef Björn Frantzén described the new approach as “faster, sharper” and framed it around what he called “casual luxury.” (timeout.com) The restaurant at 41 Bukit Pasoh Road kept its three Michelin stars in the 2026 Michelin Guide Singapore, where it remains one of the city’s three top-ranked restaurants. (timeout.com) Zén’s own website says the restaurant spans three floors in a shophouse and now asks guests to plan about 3.5 hours for the experience. (restaurantzen.com) ### What physically changed inside Zén? Time Out reported that the most visible change is on the ground floor, where Zén has replaced its previous lounge-style setup with a 16-seat counter that brings diners closer to the kitchen. The restaurant kept its three-storey structure, with canapés on the first level, main courses on the second and desserts, waffles and digestifs on the third. (timeout.com) Stockholm-based interior studio Joyn worked on the redesign, according to Time Out, which described earthy brown and hazelnut tones, raffia wall coverings and an Ann Wolff Snowball chandelier as part of the updated look. The third floor received lighter changes than the rest of the restaurant, the report said. (guide.michelin.com) ### Why is Frantzén changing the pacing now? Björn Frantzén told Time Out that fine dining needs to move more quickly, and the publication said the new format responds to changing dining patterns. The refurbished version cuts back from the previous four-to-five-hour lunch and dinner format to a service that the restaurant’s own site says now runs about 3.5 hours. (timeout.com) Time Out said Frantzén used the phrase “casual luxury” to describe the new service model. The publication reported that the restaurant kept signature elements including its Nordic-Japanese cooking, relaxed service style and music-driven atmosphere while reworking the sequencing and room design. (timeout.com) ### Does the Michelin status change with the relaunch? The Michelin Guide lists Zén as a three-star restaurant in the 2026 Singapore selection. A separate Michelin Guide roundup published on August 4 named Zén alongside Les Amis and Odette as Singapore’s three three-star restaurants. (timeout.com) Zén’s website says it has held three Michelin stars since 2021. Time Out reported that the restaurant first opened in 2018, reached two Michelin stars in 2019 and earned its third star in 2021. ### Who is running the restaurant on the ground in Singapore? Time Out reported that head chef Kelvin Ng, general manager Rachel Ezekiel and beverage director Warren Estrop now form the core Singapore-based leadership team. (timeout.com) The publication said it is the first time those three roles at Zén are all held by Singapore-born executives. Zén’s website identifies the restaurant as Frantzén’s Singapore outpost and says the chef became the only person simultaneously leading three Michelin three-star restaurants after FZN in Dubai won three stars in 2024. (guide.michelin.com) ### What does the current guest experience look like? Zén’s website lists lunch at SGD 450++ per guest and dinner at SGD 620++ per guest, with supplementary courses and beverage pairings available. (restaurantzen.com) The Michelin Guide describes the restaurant’s menu as neo-Nordic with Japanese influences. Reservations for September 2026 are available through the restaurant’s booking page, and Zén says tables for each coming month open on the first day of that month at 10 a.m. local time. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, according to its website. (timeout.com) (restaurantzen.com 1) (restaurantzen.com 2)