Chef Julien Royer

Award-winning chef Julien Royer is co-owner of Odette, a three Michelin-starred modern French restaurant located at the iconic National Gallery Singapore. Born into a family of 4th generation farmers in Cantal, France, Julien spent his childhood foraging and harvesting in his family’s backyards. It cultivated in him an appreciation for all that Mother Nature has to offer. To this day, those experiences continue to shape his philosophy and inspire him to bring authenticity to the table, underpinned by the principles of French cuisine though his years in Asia have infused his approach with a sense of place.

In addition to being chef-owner of Odette, he is chef-patron of Claudine, a neighbourhood French restaurant for the present day, as well as founder of one Michelin-starred Louise, a French bistronomy-style restaurant in Hong Kong. As a restaurateur, Julien has come to be recognised around the world for bringing a refreshing perspective on French dining and takes pride in grooming the next generation of talent, providing a platform for people to shine.

Guided by a lifelong respect for seasonality, terroir and artisanal produce, Julien has devoted years to forging lasting relationships with some of the world’s finest boutique producers, taking pride in offering guests a unique opportunity to taste exceptional ingredients at their peak. Julien’s first venture into the kitchen under the legendary Michel Bras in Laguiole instilled in him a respect for the integrity and purity of each ingredient in every dish. His career then took him from the French West Indies to London, before landing in Singapore in 2008. He has presented at events including Madrid Fusion Manila, a prestigious culinary conference, Ubud Food Festival, where he was the only Singapore-based chef present as one of the headlining personalities, and at Chefs Club in New York. He has served as mentor as well as judge at the San Pellegrino Young Chef Competition, and was one of twelve global culinary superstars featured at Hangar-7’s illustrious Michelin-starred guest chef concept Restaurant Ikarus, Austria.