Restaurant: Cloudstreet

Chef: Rishi Naleendra

Cuisine: Progressive Gastronomy

Chef Rishi Naleendra, born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 1985, is the owner and chef of Cloudstreet, the two Michelin-starred restaurant located in a conserved shophouse in Amoy Street, a stone’s throw from Singapore’s financial district, Raffles Place. Opened in June 2019, the restaurant quickly garnered international acclaim, with its first Michelin star in 2021 and a second in 2022.

Its name is taken from the 1940s titular novel by the Australian author Tim Winton, exploring the search for connection with the past, family and the spaces they inhabit at any one time. This subject resonated deeply with Chef Rishi Naleendra, who grew up in Sri Lanka, studied, worked and gained permanent residency in Australia, then relocated to Singapore in 2014, where he still lives to this day.

Cloudstreet is inspired by his compelling personal journey and the values of family and home he holds dear, regardless of where he finds himself in the world. Bold, unexpected, and contrasting in its identity, Cloudstreet’s menus offer an expressive, progressive cuisine, melding disparate cultures and influences with distilled and layered flavours. Rishi’s thoughtful and sophisticated dishes effortlessly blend Australian and Sri Lankan influences.

Signatures of the house are recipes meticulously developed over the years and, at times, presented in different iterations – for example, the Grilled Oyster with Betel Leaf, Coconut and Finger Lime is a pre-meal snack and Sri Lankan tradition. Guests are welcomed with betel leaf, or ‘bulat’ as an auspicious symbol, and at Cloudstreet, it enrobes a raw Australian oyster that recalls Rishi’s first taste of oysters in Australia and his love for its brininess. The parcel is grilled and finished with freshly squeezed coconut milk, basil oil, and finger lime. This palate teaser is an apt opener, blending his Sri Lankan heritage with the Australian culture he embraced and his Singaporean home.

The dishes, ever-changing according to season, are complemented by a collection of up to 450 natural and classic wines, with cocktails and an intriguing ‘temperance pairing’ adding a further dimension to the experience. Taking a cue from the cuisine, wines are exploratory and non-conforming, and all beverages explore provenance and challenge expectations.

Unbound by specific regions, the collection features natural and classic wines originating from Germany, Austria, South Africa, Slovenia, France, Italy and more, complementing the distinctive character of the dishes. Be it small, unique wine producers practising sustainable, biodynamic or regenerative farming, or classic regions and varieties made with a progressive approach, each glass brings something different to the table.

The interior is modern, eclectic, and lavishly decorated. It, too, takes inspiration from the novel, celebrating community and Rishi’s aesthetic vision of connection with family, the past and the environment in which he now lives. Art is a central feature of the Cloudstreet aesthetic, be it painting, sculpture, fabric, or installation. They bring to mind old family portraits, beloved heirlooms, or personal memorabilia – and heighten the sensation of roaming through the halls of someone’s home.

Amongst these are the vintage oil paintings painted over by Rishi, inspired by the artwork on the labels of Californian Cruse Wines and his paintings of female nudes. Elsewhere, sculptures include a ‘lucky monkey’ on the kitchen island and a life-size bronze leopard in the lounge area. At the same time, a striking floral installation made of dried and painted cacao pods descends from the ceiling on the second level.

Guests end their meal upstairs at Cirrus, named after the cloud, which symbolises the fulfilment of dreams and continuous progress. The word ‘cloud’ has always held enormous seduction and meaning for Rishi. Clouds are protean: ever-changing into an infinity of forms, a creative catalyst conjuring images that fuel the imagination. They incite positivity, hope, and optimism; their splendour fuels strength, bestowing the power to overcome and bring harmony and balance, which is a symbolism that resonates with Rishi’s life journey.

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