THEVAR by Malaysian Tamil Chef Mano Thevar retains two Michelin stars

Malaysian Tamil chef and restaurateur, Mano Thevar has retained his two-Michelin-stars for “Thevar”, his fine dining Indian restaurant in Singapore.

Thevar, serves modern Indian cuisine with European techniques, some flavours from the (Malaysian) peninsula and high quality Japanese produce. One of his favourite dishes at Thevar is Irish oysters topped with rasam vinaigrette and sambal oil, which incorporates his Tamil grandmother’s recipe.

“Chef Mano Thevar serves a creative multi-course menu rooted in Indian traditions and crafted with European techniques. Signature dishes such as Chettinad chicken roti or Brittany lobster in curry beurre blanc pack a ton of oomph, while maintaining a fine balance with mindful touches. A vegetarian version is available but needs pre-ordering. The wine list covers 600+ labels; ask about wine, sake and non-alcoholic drink pairings.” Michelin Guide

Born and raised in Penang, the undisputed food haven of Malaysia, Chef Mano Thevar’s formative training and experience in the craft of French and European fine dining cuisine began with two-Michelin-starred restaurants Guy Savoy in Paris, Pure-C in Netherlands, and Japanese restaurant Waku Ghin in Singapore.

In 2018 he opened his first restaurant Thevar, in Singapore. Never having cooked Indian cuisine before, he spent a month in India to experience the country and regional cuisines. Growing up in Penang, Mano was surrounded by Malay, Chinese and Indian food, specifically Tamil flavours and spices cooked at home. Using his formal training, and Tamil upbringing, he created 300 to 400 dishes, selecting a handful for his menu.

In 2021, Thevar was minted with its first Michelin star, followed soon after by its second star in 2022. Thevar is recognised as one of the top 100 restaurants in Asia, landing 56th in the prestigious “the World’s 50 Best” for Asia. The only Tamil inspired restaurant in the World with Two Michelin stars.