Encore by Rhubarb, a casual French restaurant located on Duxton Hill, is among the latest establishments to announce its closure.

In an Instagram post on 26/5, chef Paul Longworth, 47, announced: "After 12 wonderful years, I have decided to close the restaurant." He stated that instead of sadness, pain, or anger, the decision brought him "a little relief" and a sense of pride for years of dedication and the affection received from diners. He declined to comment further to the media but added that he was "in the process of finalizing the closure".

Chef Paul Longworth poses at his restaurant in Singapore. Photo: ST

Longworth previously worked at Au Petit Salut in Singapore before opening the 20-seat fine dining restaurant Rhubarb in 2014. The restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2016, the year the Michelin Guide Singapore launched globally. In 2025, Longworth's restaurant lost its star after he transformed it into a more casual 32-seat establishment, serving a generous three-course lunch for USD 48 per person. Encore was previously named Best New Restaurant of 2025 by The Straits Times.

However, in a March interview, he stated that the shift to a more casual model required him to fill every seat. The restaurant often had empty tables, prompting Longworth to question whether he was still meeting market and diner demand.

Over the past two years, Singapore's restaurant industry has experienced significant setbacks.

The strong Singapore dollar makes overseas travel and spending more appealing. Residents are also tightening their belts amid global political and economic uncertainties, particularly following the Middle East conflict which began on 28/2. Additionally, Singaporeans face persistent challenges with high rent, and restaurant owners struggle with labor costs.

These factors have led to the closure of many restaurants across all segments. Recent closures include high-end establishments such as the Spanish restaurant Sugarra and the pastry chain Tarte by Cheryl Koh. Furthermore, casual venues like The Horse's Mouth bar and The Black Sheep French cafe have also ceased operations.

Upcoming closures include the traditional Wing Seong Fatty's restaurant and the Peranakan Nana Dolly's restaurant, both expected to close by the end of this month.

However, many other restaurants are still opening. According to statistics from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, 1,436 new food and beverage businesses were registered from January to April, a 7% increase compared to the same period last year. Nevertheless, during the same four-month period, 1,267 businesses went bankrupt, nearly half of the total closures for all of 2025.

Magdalene Tang, 64, owner of Mag's Wine Kitchen on Neil Road, has known chef Longworth since 2009, when he arrived in Singapore to work.

She highly regards Longworth's culinary skill at Encore. "But we live in an era where people often value inexpensive and fleeting things more than those that are well-considered and enduring," she said.

Tang believes that restaurant closures do not reflect the chefs' talent but rather the current reality. The culinary industry is no longer vibrant but has become subdued and diminished due to numerous closures. Tang hopes this is not the final chapter for Longworth or the restaurant industry.

In 2025, Singapore was ranked the world's second-richest country based on gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, with USD 90,700, trailing Switzerland (USD 100,000). Norway ranked third with USD 86,000, according to a January ranking by the British economics magazine, The Economist.

Data from the Ministry of Manpower shows that workers in Singapore worked an average of 43.3 hours per week in 2024, equivalent to nearly 6.2 hours per day. In contrast, in Norway, the third-ranked country, workers averaged 33.2 hours per week, or more than 4.7 hours per day.

Anh Minh (According to The Straits Times, The Economist)