The final act

Philippe Rochat sits calmly amidst a hive of activity in Senso Ristorante & Bar. Journalists are waiting to speak to the three Michelin-starred chef, a restless public relations manager flits in and out of the room while a translator is earnestly explaining what Rochat's cuisine is about. Once in a while, this flurry is interrupted by a member of his crew who pops in to ask him about the ingredients that are supposed to be arriving any minute for the dinner tonight. The 58-year-old Swiss chef has been heading his eponymous restaurant in Hôtel de Ville, Crissier, Switzerland for the last 16 years. If the location sounds familiar, it is because it was once the purview of Frédy Girardet, who was for almost two decades, widely considered to be the best chef in the world.

This is Rochat’s first time in Asia; later that evening he will present a Swiss gastronomic dinner at Senso Ristorante & Bar—a unique dining experience to be held in conjunction with Audermars Piguet, the oldest Swiss watchmaking manufacturer. The dinner is making waves not only for its extravagant price tag—it costs chf2,500(S$3,534) per person— but also the fact that this marks his second gastronomic trip out of the country in 16 years; his first was in 2007 when he closed his restaurant in Switzerland and travelled with his entire crew to cook at Café Gray in New York. This time, Rochat will also be singing his swan song—he will be retiring and officially handing over the reins of his restaurant to his second-in-command Benoît Violer next April.

Excerpt from the December issue of epicure.