In the latest edition of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants rankings, Singapore’s Odette retained its No.1 position for a second straight year, ahead of The Chairman in Hong Kong and Tokyo’s Den. But the announcement on Tuesday was overshadowed by the escalating coronavirus pandemic that has swept the continent.
Normally the annual awards ceremony is one of the highlights of the spring season, an international jamboree that presents itself as the Oscars of Asia’s hospitality industry. This year, however, nothing is normal, and the 2020 countdown took place in very different circumstances.
For the first time, the ceremony was due to take place in Japan. Saga Prefecture in northwestern Kyushu was the chosen venue, and it was being feted as an opportunity to showcase an area of the country that rarely gets a chance to shine in international news.