Como Group’s Christina Ong leads the way in bringing global culinary icons to Singapore

It is arguable that no one in Singapore understands luxury better than Christina Ong, owner of Como Group. After all, it is undeniable that the veteran retailer is not only behind some of the city’s most exciting fashion and hospitality additions, but also the Singapore outposts of culinary superstars Massimo Bottura and Cedric Grolet.

Last December, Christina, who is in her 70s, published Como Simple, a cookbook celebrating Como’s 30 years in the food and beverage industry. Designed as both a memoir and a guide, it traces the group’s culinary journey since 1993, beginning with the launch of the Michelin-starred restaurant The Halkin in London.

Written with the home cook in mind, Como Simple brings together years of flavours, techniques and stories in recipes that embody the Como approach to good food.

Expect insights into Como’s collaborations with renowned chefs such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the mastermind behind The Dempsey Cookhouse and Bar, and Malcolm Lee of the Peranakan-inspired restaurant Candlenut, along with recipes that allow readers to recreate dishes from Como Hotels and Resorts’ menus. Christina credits her grandmother with sparking her love of cooking.

In the book, she writes: “She showed me how food brings you into a community of passionate people – an exchange of ideas, discoveries, tastes.”

Star-studded culinary highlights

The culinary scene is now even more vibrant, thanks to these globally renowned additions with a cult following.

FROM ITALY: TORNO SUBITO Led by acclaimed chef Massimo Bottura – who has three Michelin stars and a green Michelin star under his apron – the Italian restaurant’s debut Asian flagship doles out specialities from the Emilia-Romagna region.

FROM THE US: COTE SINGAPORE Elevating the Korean barbecue experience is the first international outpost of the US-based Cote Korean Steakhouse, which boasts Michelin-starred locations in New York and Miami. Expect high-quality prime beef cuts and a James Beard Foundation-nominated wine list, all set in swish surroundings.

FROM FRANCE: CEDRIC GROLET He has made a name for himself by specialising in exquisite desserts shaped like flowers and trompe l’œil fruits. So it’s no surprise that when the French pastry chef launched his fourth shop (after Paris and London) in 2023, it drew long queues of fans eager to get a taste of his creations before they sold out.

To learn more about the 60 women who have shaped Singapore as we know it today, click here.