City-state risks losing gastro cred

Heat is on: A chef cooking in the kitchen at the Jekyll & Hyde restaurant in Singapore. — Bloomberg

Singapore restaurant owners are sending a message to the government that the nation’s status as a gastronomic centre could be under threat as rising rents, soaring ingredient costs and tighter labour laws push businesses to either cut corners or close.

Inflation in the city is near a 14-year high, with restaurants bearing the brunt of the increases.