High-end Japanese restaurant Imamura in Sentosa closing, moving to Bali and Tokyo
Despite building a reputation for its fine kaiseki-inspired cuisine by chef Hirofumi Imamura in an authentic, Zen-style setting on the resort island, getting a consistent stream of customers from the 'mainland' was a major challenge, said Imamura, who teamed up with Japan-based hospitality group GHS Inc to open his eponymous restaurant.
Imamura restaurant was located in an old chapel on the grounds of Amara Sanctuary Resort on Sentosa. PHOTO: IMAMURA
Like other Singapore F&B operators who have been venturing overseas instead of expanding in Singapore, GHS will return to Tokyo, where it plans to open Imamura restaurants there and in Bali.
The new Imamura starts a new chapter in early 2026 at the new luxury hotel, Kimpton Ubud Bali, which opens on the Indonesian resort island in the early part of the year. This will be followed by a second restaurant in the Japanese capital. Chef Imamura said he will split his time between Tokyo and Bali to oversee operations in both locations.
He added: 'We started to feel the downturn in business after Covid-19. While things initially picked up as restrictions eased, sustaining consistent traffic, specially for destination dining in Sentosa, proved challenging. Changing dining habits also played a role.'
To drum up business, the restaurant introduced 'a brunch service and held special events like sake-pairing dinners in collaboration with sake masters, which were well received'. However, at the end of the day, 'it was getting more challenging, especially for fine-dining Japanese restaurants and kappo-style concepts'.
The restaurant, located in an abandoned chapel on the grounds of Amara Sanctuary Resort, made a splash when it opened in 2022, with the chef's unique take on classic Japanese cooking. But it failed to make it to the Michelin guide, despite strong expectations that it would earn a star.
Even so, Michelin stars have proved to be no protection for the bottom line, with eight Singapore restaurants having dropped out of this year's guide due to closures. The latest casualty was Alma by Juan Amador, which announced that it would close by Aug 15. The announcement on social media came just days after it retained its one Michelin star at the awards on Jul 24.
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