Born

Chinese Roots, A Chef’s Own Voice

At Born, Chef Zor Tan’s Chinese heritage and French training come together in cooking that feels distinctly his own. Familiar Chinese flavours find a contemporary expression, carrying the memories behind them into a different dining setting.

The connection between memory and technique is what struck a Taste Advisor most. Rather than presenting its influences separately, Born draws them into the character of the meal. A flavour can be recognisable even when its presentation has changed; its meaning rests in the taste and the response it evokes.

That balance takes sensitivity as well as skill. Tan’s approach allows Chinese culinary heritage to inform the cooking naturally, giving it a meaningful place within his personal expression of contemporary fine dining.

Ranked No. 3 in the 2026 Chinese-Inspired Asia Awards, Born represents the influence of Chinese cuisine beyond a traditional restaurant format. It shows how a chef’s heritage can shape an individual style, and how familiar flavours can evolve while retaining the qualities that made them memorable.

Selected Taste Advisors’ Comments

“Chef-owner Zor Tan draws on Chinese heritage, French technique and contemporary fine dining, yet the meal never reads as fusion.”

“The influences are so absorbed that they emerge as something personal.”

“The strongest dishes connect memory with technique, reinterpreting familiar Chinese flavors without losing their resonance.”