From telecommunications to hospitality, the nearly 100-year old former Eastern Extension Telegraph Company building is now home to Sofitel So Singapore, the city’s own version of the Solabel luxury boutique hotel. Its iconic facade of symmetrical columns and large balconies exude a charm of the past while its contemporary urban interior reflects the city’s dynamic identity as a cosmopolitan with a myriad of cultures. True to Sofitel’s commitment to redefine luxury hospitality experiences around the world, Sofitel So Singapore’s interior design is developed by Isabelle Miaja and chic touches courtesy of the hotel’s signature designer Karl Lager feld. “The Lion’s Seal” emblem of the hotel is a commemoration of the birth of ‘Singa Pura’, the Lion City that symbolises innate courage and dignity in the hotel’s vision to for ward the evolution of the local hospitality industry. The emblem’s symbolism is connected to guests via a variety of objects in and around the hotel – from collaterals to surprising touches waiting for guests to discover. Tasteful luxury is the language spoken throughout and its 134 guestrooms imbue French 18th century decadence combined with local tones and equipped with completely Apple®-based guest technology solution – truly a balance of relaxation, culture and connectivity.
Curating distinctive elements transcends all the way to dining as well. At the “Xperience”restaurant, guests will delight in watching chefs prepare their food on the customised Molteni stove that meets Culinary Designer, Chef Anne-Cécile Degenne’s concept of taking diners on a textural-based trip; as opposed to the traditional approach of serving entrees, main courses and desserts. The assembly is based on crunchy, zesty, smoky, spicy, silky, saucy and juicy textures. Sofitel So Singapore’s Molteni sophisticated black matt enamelled finish is one of the biggest units in Asia, measuring 6 metres long and split into a warm and cold side. The warm segment is where the saute, grill and boil action happens and because Chef AnneCécile intended that all garnishes, seasonings and herbs stay fresh and flavour ful, the cold front cooking side is used for plating purposes.
Specified to the dot, it has the efficiency to cater for morning and lunch services crowd in a hotel with 134 rooms and guests who have limited time. The evening service takes a slower mode and the a-la-carte menu presents 21 dishes therefore requiring different types of equipment on the same stove to go through all the different textures without disruption, explained the chef. One could say, the Molteni is “Xperience”restaurant’s showstopper that not only captivates guests with its striking design but is also an outlet for creative culinar y expressions with function, technology and ar tisan quality.
