Luce, the beloved Italian dining destination nestled in the luxurious confines of InterContinental Singapore, unveils a brand-new experience under the guidance of new Chef de Cuisine, Andrea Rossi, who hails from Ravenna – the culinary heartland of Italy’s famed region of Emilia Romagna.
Launching on 6 May 2024, the exciting new chapter of the restaurant invites guests on a culinary journey that features the quintessential essence of la dolce vita, unveiling buffet spreads that span a premium selection of lunch and dinner curations as well as a luxurious Champagne brunch on Sundays that celebrates the culinary heritage of Emilia Romagna.
Moreover, a revamped selection of a la carte dishes brimming with authentic flavours straight from the heart of the Italian peninsula adds to the refreshed chapter at the restaurant.
With an impressive two-decade career at esteemed kitchens, Chef Andrea Rossi brings his culinary knowledge and most cherished flavours of Italian cuisine to Luce.
He draws inspiration from his rich experiences living and working in Asia, and seamlessly merges his understanding of Asian palates with his passion for authentic Italian cuisine.
“Food is Italy’s love language, a timeless thread weaving bonds through centuries of cherished traditions,” Chef Rossi muses. “At Luce, I aspire to raft a dining experience brimming with warmth and joy, where every dish narrates a tale of culinary heritage and heartfelt passion. Each dish we serve not only tells a story of Italy’s gastronomic legacy but also celebrates the exciting flavours and ingredients that Singapore has to offer, blending tradition with a contemporary twist.”
Harkening back to his childhood, Chef Rossi is eager to share the Italian culture of sharing and feasting by placing more emphasis on the buffet spreads at Luce instead — a huge change from when LUCE first launched. In his buffet curations, the concept of “famiglia” (family) is celebrated, encouraging meaningful conversations and togetherness over hearty dishes, from antipasti to pasta, pinsas and desserts.
Every meal here is transformed into an engaging spectacle, with theatrical open kitchens and interactive live cooking stations. Each menu section also showcases Chef Rossi’s artful fusion of the timeless allure of Italian flavours with the city’s locally sourced ingredients, promising a culinary journey that bridges cultures and tantalises the senses.
Bringing together the best of Northern and Southern Italian cuisine, buffets at Luce are elevated with a delectable spread that encompasses delights from both the land and sea. Feast your eyes on a bounty from the sea with a Fresh Seafood.
Cold antipasti options like the Stuffed Bell Peppers and Roasted Mushroom Salad will whet appetites, while an assortment of Freshly- Baked Bread serves as perfect accompaniments. There will also be a selection of Sashimi and Sushi, as well as fresh greens from the Salad Bar.
A visit to Italy isn’t complete without pizzas, and Luce offers its Roman-style variation, the Pinsa. The La Formaggio & Pere Pinsa features a trio of cheeses – mozzarella, taleggio and provolone – complemented with the sweetness of pear and a drizzle of acacia honey.
The result is a perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours in each bite. La Tartufata, its aromatic counterpart, presents generous servings of black truffle paste, button mushroom carpaccio, creamy mozzarella and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
At the Hot Dishes, delve into a tantalising array of hearty Italian dishes that traverse the culinary heritage from North to South.
During lunch, relish in the Broccoli and Gamberini Calamarata, Traditional Lasagna Alla Bolognese and Frecanto’ di Verdure – a Southern Italian vegetable ragout infused with fresh garden herbs and served with garlic croutons – while the Venetian-style cuttlefish stew, Seppia in Umido, brims brightly with flavours of the Mediterranean steeped in a tomato and red wine reduction.
For dinner, heartier mains appear on the Hot Dishes menu. Le Costine di Maiale in Umido comprises pork baby ribs braised in a rich red wine reduction and served with wild mushrooms, while La Cernia alla Zingara offers oven-baked sea bass served with a flavourful medley of marinated olives, tomato ragout, peppers, and capers.
An amazing pasta dish not to miss is Girelle di Pasta al Forno Emiliana, featuring pasta stuffed with ricotta and topped with creamy mascarpone cheese, green asparagus, and finished with luscious brown butter sauce.
To satiate all palates, the buffet also features flavours closer to home, including Kerala Fish Curry, Kashmiri Lamb Rogan Josh, and Chinese-style Braised Pork Knuckle and Mushrooms as well as Honey-glazed Iberico Pork Char Siew.
Dessert is a delightful affair both day and night. A must-try is the LUCE-misu, featuring a twist on the timeless tiramisu with mascarpone espuma and crunchy feuilletine.
Gelato e Sorbetti coats your palette with a tantalising rich aroma from the smooth and milky Madagascar vanilla ice- cream, served with forest berries.
The Lunch Buffet is served from Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 2:30pm, and begins at SGD29++ for children and SGD58++ for adults.
The Dinner Buffet from Sunday to Thursday, 6pm to 10pm, begins from SGD39++ for children and SGD78++ for adults; Fridays and Saturdays, 6pm to 10pm, are priced at SGD44++ for children and SGD89++ for adults.
On Sundays, guests are invited to indulge to their hearts’ content with the lavish international spread, anchored by authentic Italian fare and ample pours of Bauget-Jouette Champagne at its core.
Beginning at the raw section, indulge in a plethora of Seafood on Ice, including seasonal live oyster, Boston lobster, snow crab, black mussels, Australian yabby, tiger prawns and sea whelk, before feasting on Premium Sashimi and Sushi.
The Salad Bar boasts a bevvy of fresh leaves and dressings, while the Cold Cuts station has the best Italian cured meats destined to ignite the senses of even the most discerning charcuterie enthusiast.
Additionally, the extensive Artisanal Cheese selection highlights the finest offerings from each region of Italy, including the rare Ubriaco Al Whiskey – a whiskey-soaked and barrel-aged cheese from the Northeast Veneto region.
As with every visit to Nonna’s home, comfort soups are a must-have part of the experience, and guests can enjoy them in two delightful variations: La Pasta e Fagioli, a hearty Emilia Borlotti bean stew with savoury pancetta ham and vegetable mirepoix, as well as a rich Double-boiled Chinese Herbal Soup. Chilled delights include standouts such as the Foie Gras Mousse with Duck Breast and Japanese Lobster Salad, while appetisers like a Caprese Salad, Seared Tuna Nicoise Salad and House-cured Salmon Platter set the stage for heartier mains to take centre stage.
A full spread of Luce’s Roman-style Pinsas awaits during the Champagne brunch buffet, with eight selections to choose from.
Flavours deeply rooted in the classic Neapolitan from the South include the La Margherita Classica and La Parmigiana. Meanwhile, La Tartufata and La Mortadella highlight ingredients from the Northern Emilia-Romagna region.
From the same region, savour the pasta dish, Girelle di Pasta al Forno Emiliana, which is a baked pasta dish stuffed with ricotta and mascarpone cheese, green asparagus, and brown butter.
For other pasta choices, the Gnocchi Sorrentina stands as the pride of Sorrento, featuring pillowy potato dumplings enveloped in a vibrant Pomodoro sauce and topped with creamy mozzarella, while the Spaghetti di Gragnano alla Bolognese sees perfectly al dente spaghetti coated in a deep, savoury beef sauce – reminiscent of a comforting home-cooked meal.
The Champagne Brunch sets the stage for a memorable Sunday with its convivial ambience and live DJ, enhanced by theatrical live stations. Watch as chefs skillfully toss Fettuccine Truffle Alfredo in a Parmesan wheel, complemented by Truffle Cream Espuma or Roman Carbonara Espuma.
Seeking to enthral with its savoury and succulent meat is the Pollo Ripieno, a Tuscan- style rice-stuffed roasted chicken served with Nocellara olives, wild mushrooms and chicken jus.
The Porchetta di Manzo e Salsa Verde is an incredible slow-cooked masterpiece, resulting in the most tender beef slices served with zesty salsa verde and comforting potato fondant.
At the same time, the Bollito Misto showcases a diverse selection of gently boiled cuts of Emilia- Romagna beef, veal, chicken and pork in an aromatic broth.
In addition to the delectable array of Italian fare, Asian selections promise to elevate guests’ experiences. Loyal patrons of InterContinental Singapore will also enjoy the hotel’s Signature Prawn Noodle Soup, featuring succulent tiger prawns in a fragrant seafood broth.
Dishes such as Malabar Fish Masala, Ayam Masak Merah, Sambal Petai Sotong, Fried Seafood Hokkien Mee, and a Dim Sum Selection will also be available, among many others, to showcase the diverse flavours of Asia.
Finally, dessert boasts an impressive line-up of 13 mouthwatering creations. From a luscious Chocolate Fountain with an assortment of ingredients to Marble Cheesecake, Raspberry Panna Cotta and Mango Osmanthus Pudding.
Each treat pairs perfectly when washed down with a glass of bubbly and poses as a delightful way to round up the LUCE Champagne Sunday Brunch Buffet dining experience.
The Champagne Sunday Brunch is available every Sunday from 12pm to 3pm. Prices start from SGD38++ for children aged 3 to 5, SGD68++ aged 6 to 11, and SGD118++ per adult (includes free-flow soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea), SGD158++ (includes free-flow Prosecco, Peroni Beer and soft drinks) and SGD178++ per adult (includes free-flow Champagne or Italian Franciacorta, Aperol Spritz and selected cocktails and wines).
Epicureans eager to explore the breadth of Chef Andrea Rossi’s culinary expertise can indulge in his signature creations on the a la carte menu.
Each dish offers a glimpse into his storied life; of it includes his most cherished memories spent along the nearby coastal towns of Venice, where Fritto Misto was a common seaside dish featuring the freshest catch from the Adriatic Sea.
In Chef Rossi’s edition, guests will be treated to Il Filetto alla Rossini — featuring succulent Wagyu beef tenderloin with French foie gras, silverbeet, shaved black truffle, truffle jus.
La Culatello e Fichi is a tomato-based pizza that brings the best of Emilia-Romagna to the fore. In this dish, Chef Rossi crafts a perfect canvas of bocconcini, fresh figs, fior di latte, aged balsamic vinegar glaze, and culatello – the most prized salumi from the province of Parma, made of cured meat carved from the rear muscle of pigs bred in the region.
For main courses, discover the charm of Northern Italy and indulge in a luxurious Al Foie Gras. It combines high-quality carnaroli rice from the province of Piedmont and creamy Taleggio cheese sourced from the lush pastures of Bergamo’s Taleggio Valley, topped with PGI-certified green asparagus from Altedo and Parmigiano Reggiano Stravecchio that’s been aged for 36 months.
The L’Astice will pique the interests of pasta lovers with the alluring flavours of Sicilian and Venetian culinary traditions. The dish champions the flavours of the Adriatic Sea: squid ink pasta tossed in a rich crustacean bisque, plump cherry tomatoes and deglazed with a dash of Hennessy Cognac, is then topped with succulent chunks of Boston Lobster.
Last but not least is Chef Rossi’s signature dessert, the Lo Zabaglione al Marsala, a twist on Italy’s decadent cream- based treat that infuses a splash of Marsala wine, topped with Amaretto crumble, apple compote and anise syrup — guaranteed to hold the hearts of Nonnas and bon vivants worldwide.
