Emmanuel Stroobant is the Belgian-born, Singapore-based chef behind Saint Pierre, the two-Michelin-star restaurant on Marina Bay that he opened in 2000 with his wife Edina Hong. Known for marrying classical French technique with an Asian sensibility — and, since turning vegetarian, for putting plant-based cooking at the centre of a two-star tasting menu — Stroobant has become one of the defining figures of Singapore’s fine-dining scene.
Born in Liège in 1968, he abandoned an early plan to become a lawyer after a teenage kitchen job, trained in top Belgian restaurants, and built his career across Australia, Malaysia and Singapore, where he has opened a string of restaurants and taken Singapore citizenship.
TL;DR
- Belgian-born chef, born 1 April 1968 in Liège; Singapore citizen since 2014
- Chef-owner of Saint Pierre, opened in Singapore in 2000 with his wife Edina Hong
- Saint Pierre earned one Michelin star in 2017 and two stars from 2019
- Also behind the two-Michelin-star sushiya Shoukouwa, plus Kingdom of Belgians and other ventures
- A vegetarian who offers a fully plant-based “Elegance” tasting menu alongside the seafood-led “Opulence” menu
Emmanuel Stroobant key facts
| Born | 1 April 1968, Liège, Belgium |
| Nationality | Belgian; Singapore citizen since 2014 |
| Main restaurant | Saint Pierre, Marina Bay, Singapore (opened 2000) |
| Michelin stars | Two at Saint Pierre (one in 2017, two from 2019); two at Shoukouwa |
| Style | French technique with an Asian edge; strong vegetarian focus |
| Training | Pierre Romeyer (3 stars); Francis Dernouchamp (2 stars, l’Hostellerie Saint-Roch) |
Early life and training
Emmanuel Stroobant was born on 1 April 1968 in Liège, Belgium. As a teenager he had planned to become a lawyer, but a job at one of Belgium’s best restaurants at sixteen sparked a lifelong passion for cooking. He trained under leading Belgian chefs including Pierre Romeyer, of the three-Michelin-star Maison de Bouche (Romeyer), and Francis Dernouchamp at the two-Michelin-star l’Hostellerie Saint-Roch, before heading abroad. Stints in Australia and Malaysia exposed him to modern fusion cooking, and in 1999 he was named best expatriate chef in Malaysia.
Saint Pierre and Singapore
Stroobant settled in Singapore and, in December 2000, opened Saint Pierre with his Malaysian-Chinese wife Edina Hong — a fine-dining restaurant built on French technique with an Asian edge. Over the following two decades it became one of the city’s signature restaurants, moving to its current home at One Fullerton on Marina Bay. Saint Pierre earned its first Michelin star in the 2017 Michelin Guide Singapore and was promoted to two stars from 2019, a rating it has held since. The restaurant marked its 25th anniversary in 2025.
Signature style: French technique, Asian edge, and a vegetarian turn
Saint Pierre’s cooking has always combined French method with Asian ingredients and ideas, but the defining shift in Stroobant’s career was his decision to become vegetarian. That change reshaped the restaurant’s menus, which today are organised around the cyclic flow of the Zen Circle: guests choose between the seafood-led “Opulence” menu and the fully vegetarian “Elegance” menu. Putting a plant-based tasting menu on equal footing at the two-star level is unusual, and it has become central to how Saint Pierre is understood.
Other restaurants
Beyond Saint Pierre, Stroobant’s group has included the two-Michelin-star sushiya Shoukouwa, the Belgian concept Kingdom of Belgians, and the more recent Shoukouwa Shinjidai, making him one of the most prolific restaurateurs in Singapore fine dining. He has set up well over a handful of restaurants in the city across his career.
Awards and recognition
- Best expatriate chef in Malaysia, 1999
- World Gourmet Summit Chef of the Year, 2002 and 2006
- First Michelin star for Saint Pierre, 2017
- Two Michelin stars for Saint Pierre from 2019, retained since
- Two Michelin stars for Shoukouwa
Emmanuel Stroobant in context
Stroobant is part of the international generation of chefs who made Singapore a global fine-dining capital, bringing European technique into dialogue with Asian produce and tastes. His work sits alongside other leading Singapore- and Asia-based chefs such as Gaggan Anand in Bangkok, Vicky Lau in Hong Kong, Jason Liu in Beijing and Shanghai, and Daniel Calvert, all of whom have shaped the modern fine-dining conversation in Asia.
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Emmanuel Stroobant FAQ
Where is Saint Pierre?
At One Fullerton on Marina Bay in Singapore. The restaurant opened in 2000 and holds two Michelin stars.
How many Michelin stars does Emmanuel Stroobant have?
Saint Pierre has two Michelin stars (one from 2017, two from 2019), and his sushiya Shoukouwa also holds two stars.
Is Emmanuel Stroobant vegetarian?
Yes. He turned vegetarian and built a fully plant-based “Elegance” tasting menu at Saint Pierre, offered alongside the seafood-focused “Opulence” menu.
Where is Emmanuel Stroobant from?
He was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1968, and has been a Singapore citizen since 2014.
What other restaurants does he run?
His ventures include the two-Michelin-star sushiya Shoukouwa, Kingdom of Belgians and Shoukouwa Shinjidai, in addition to Saint Pierre.
