Singaporean chef Tariq Helou, who had worked at Michelin-approved restaurants in Europe and Japan, has reportedly died at the age of 29.
He was the owner and chef at Fleurette, a restaurant on Rangoon Road that served Japanese-French-Singaporean cuisine.
Source: @fleuretterestaurant on Instagram
The up-and-coming chef also had the distinction of being named the most Googled chef in Asia.
Mr Helou died suddenly on Thursday (25 April), reported The Straits Times (ST).
His cause of death is unknown.
He was of mixed heritage, being of Lebanese, Japanese and Chinese descent, according to The Peak magazine.
He also had a younger brother and two younger sisters.
Mr Helou, an alumnus of St Joseph’s Institution International, studied at the Culinary Arts Academy in Switzerland from 2015 to 2018, getting a degree in culinary arts, according to his LinkedIn bio.
He then worked at Michelin two-starred restaurant Domaine de Chateauvieux in Geneva.
In 2019, he moved on to Restaurant Louis in Paris, and Sumibi Kappo Shirosaka and Restaurant Anis in Tokyo, honing his French and Japanese culinary skills at these establishments.
Source: @bibikgourmand on Instagram
That same year, he also co-founded Division Supper Club, a private dining experience in Singapore that earned rave reviews and was always sold out.
In February 2020, Division Supper Club’s social media accounts teased a pair of keys.
Mr Helou and a partner opened Fleurette later that year, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source: @fleuretterestaurant on Instagram
The stylish restaurant on Rangoon Road serves classically rooted modern French cuisine with Japanese influences, according to its website.
The restaurant introduced an interactive Kappo-style dining concept where dishes came to life as he prepared them right before diners’ eyes. The menu also changed with the seasons, offering intriguing renditions of similar dishes.
Mr Helou’s mother Catherine Yong told ST that she has spoken to Fleurette’s staff and they have agreed to continue running the restaurant for now.
Besides his culinary achievements, Mr Helou had online clout as well.
Just a few months ago, he was named the “most Googled chef in Asia” by travel platform Explore.
Source: @fleuretterestaurant on Instagram
Between November 2022 and October 2023, his name was searched 1.62 million times, the portal said.
Worldwide, he made it to No. 7 on the list of most searched chefs, with big names such as Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver taking the top two spots.
Mr Helou’s culinary style “reflects Singapore’s reputation as a melting pot of flavours” and Fleurette’s menu displays “a unique fusion of French and Japanese cuisine”, Explore wrote, adding:
His ability to marry traditional dishes with contemporary twists continuously makes him a celebrated figure in the culinary world and has earned him a stop on the top ten most Googled chefs in the world.
Fleurette’s sous chef Shaun Wong told ST that Mr Helou was “one of the best” chefs he’d worked with in more than 10 years.
He also treated his staff very well, thus he “really enjoyed working with him”.
Tributes have started pouring in on the most recent Instagram posts of Mr Helou and Fleurette.
Source: @fleuretterestaurant on Instagram
Some netizens professed shock at the news, while others said they will miss him.
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Featured image adapted from @fleuretterestaurant on Instagram and Instagram.
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