Loca Niru, the Japanese-French fine dining restaurant housed within the House of Tan Yeok Nee, has been awarded One Michelin Star in the Michelin Guide 2026. At the same ceremony, Chef Shusuke Kubota was named recipient of the MICHELIN Young Chef Award 2026 – a double for a restaurant that had only just marked its first year.
Since opening, Chef Kubota has kept to one clear idea: let the ingredients lead. His menus move between French technique, Japanese precision, and the flavours of Southeast Asia, built season by season around what is freshest at the time. Speaking about the philosophy behind his cooking, Chef Kubota describes it simply as “Japan, France, and Singapore, together on one plate.”
The Michelin Star reflects that consistency across every visit, while the Young Chef Award recognises Chef Kubota as one of the promising young talents across Michelin Guides worldwide – a chef already leading a kitchen with skills beyond his years.
Both accolades are a credit to the full Loca Niru team – the kitchen, the floor, and the producers behind the seasonal ingredients on the menu — and a strong marker of what this first year at the House of Tan Yeok Nee has built.