Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro is Singapore's only Chūka Szechwan Ryori restaurant, located on Level 35 of Hilton Singapore Orchard. It's a Michelin-starred restaurant (Michelin Guide Singapore, since 2016) and the international debut of Japan's Shisen Hanten, a Szechwan restaurant chain with a culinary legacy spanning three generations.
The restaurant traces its roots to 1958, when Chen Kenmin founded Japan's first Szechwan restaurant and became known as the "Father of Szechwan cuisine" in Japan. His eldest son, Chen Kenichi - nicknamed the "Szechwan Sage" and celebrated as one of Japan's iron chefs - expanded the brand to 14 branches across six Japanese cities. Chen Kentaro, the third generation, trained in Szechwan province in China from 2005 to 2008 before establishing Shisen Hanten Singapore as his own venture in 2014.
The cuisine reinterprets Chengdu's bold Szechwan flavours - sour, spicy, hot, sweet, bitter, aromatic and salty - through Japanese precision, with a signature Mapo Tofu made using fermented bean paste aged over three years in Chengdu's Pi Du District. Shisen Hanten also offers five private dining rooms for 6 to 30 guests, an 8-seat Chef's Table for intimate gatherings, and seasonal experiences including live cooking demonstrations and a Mid-Autumn mooncake collection.
High on Level 35 of Hilton Singapore Orchard sits Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro, Singapore's sole specialist in Chūka Szechwan Ryori - a distinctly Japanese interpretation of Szechwan cuisine, and the international debut of one of Japan's best-loved restaurant names.
The Shisen Hanten story begins in 1958, when Chen Kenmin founded Japan's first Szechwan restaurant, earning him recognition as the "Father of Szechwan cuisine" in Japan. Born in Szechwan province and having honed his craft across Taiwan, Hong Kong and China before settling in Yokohama, Chen Kenmin's stated vision was to "make Shisen Hanten guests truly appreciate Szechwan food through all the five senses."
His eldest son, Chen Kenichi, inherited the family business and became one of Japan's most celebrated iron chefs, earning the nickname "the Szechwan Sage." Under his stewardship, the Shisen Hanten chain expanded to 14 branches across six Japanese cities - Fukuoka, Matsuyama, Nagoya, Takamatsu, Tokyo and Yokohama - and he authored several bestselling cookbooks, including "Ironman Kenichi Chen's Chinese Cooking" and "Carrying on My Father's Work - Creating My Own Flavours."
The third generation, Chef Chen Kentaro, trained in the kitchens of Szechwan province in China from 2005 to 2008 before establishing Shisen Hanten Singapore as his own venture in 2014 - the brand's first venture outside Japan. The restaurant has held a Michelin star in the Michelin Guide Singapore since 2016.
Szechwan cuisine is built on seven basic flavours - sour, spicy, hot, sweet, bitter, aromatic and salty - with the Szechwan peppercorn delivering the numbing mala spice the region is known for. At Shisen Hanten, these traditions are revived with an exacting Japanese sensibility, finesse and quality ingredients, alongside traditional Cantonese fare on the menu.
The restaurant's signature dish is its Mapo Tofu, a dish born in 19th-century Chengdu. Shisen Hanten's version uses fermented bean paste aged over three years in Chengdu's Pi Du District, combined with silky tofu, ground pork, chilli oil and Szechwan peppercorns - a recipe Chef Kentaro has held close since childhood.
For group occasions, Shisen Hanten offers five elegantly appointed private dining rooms, each accommodating between 6 and 30 guests, suited to everything from close-knit celebrations to larger events. For a more intimate experience, the Chef's Table seats up to 8 guests and offers direct interaction with the restaurant's chefs - a rare chance to connect with the people behind the food.
Beyond the regular menu, Shisen Hanten runs seasonal programming, including a live cooking demonstration with Chef Kentaro and Chef Hayashi (making its Singapore debut after success in Tokyo), which includes a hands-on Truffle Siew Mai-making session where guests prepare their own siew mai before it's steamed to perfection. The restaurant also releases a Mid-Autumn Collection of mooncakes each year, alongside seasonal set menus and a dedicated Chef's Table menu that changes with the seasons.
Lunch service runs Monday to Friday from 12pm to 3pm (last order 2:30pm), with weekend and public holiday brunch from 11:30am to 3:15pm (last seating 1:45pm). Dinner is served daily from 6pm to 10:30pm (last order 9:45pm). The restaurant is cashless, accepting major credit and debit cards, and maintains a dress code - smart casual with pants and covered shoes for gentlemen, and elegant attire for ladies, with shorts and flip-flops not permitted.
Shisen Hanten is a concept by OUE Restaurants, which also operates Chatterbox, Chen's, Délifrance, Hanare, IYASAKA by Hashida, HighHouse, NOVA, Osteria Mozza, and others across Singapore.