Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford are delighted to announce the appointment of local industry veteran Chef Vijay Shanmugam as Director of Culinary Operations.
Chef Vijay, as he is fondly known, has had an outstanding career. Over almost 30 years, he has scaled the ranks of the regional luxury hotel landscape, both home and away, across multiple prestigious hospitality brands including Hilton, Conrad, Parkroyal, Intercontinental, Shangri-La, and Raffles.
Early in his career, he served as Junior Sous Chef at Raffles here in Singapore, followed by Sous Chef at Sheraton Towers, Marina Mandarin, and Shangri-La, before returning to Raffles as Executive Sous Chef for several years more, where he spearheaded culinary operations across an impressive 16 restaurants. Additionally, his pivotal role in the pre-opening team for Raffles Seychelles ensured the seamless launch of this esteemed property. Subsequent to that, he was pre-opening Culinary Director for the prestigious Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi with a total of 11 F&B concepts. Most recently, Chef Vijay served as Director of Culinary at Hilton Singapore, where he played a key contributive role in the pre- and post- opening.
In his current role as Director of Culinary Operations at Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford, Chef Vijay oversees strategic planning and operational execution across the complex’s 12 restaurants and bars, including 2 Michelin-starred JAAN by Kirk Westaway, SKAI, Prego, ANTI:DOTE, and the 108,000 sq ft Raffles City Convention Centre. Under his guidance, these venues shall continue to remain at the forefront of luxury culinary innovation, elevating our dining experiences to new heights.
“Our F&B strategy continues to gain momentum, and attracting world-class experts in their respective fields is truly a testament to our success. I am proud, for the first time, to have a local star at the helm of our culinary operations” said Managing Director of Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford, Mr. William J. Haandrikman. He adds, “In this dynamic hospitality landscape, we need people with creative passion, infectious positivity and a constant pursuit for excellence; to stay ahead of trends, competition and guest expectations. I’m confident that with Vijay’s exceptional culinary expertise, global experience and active leadership, we have on board an A-Team that will push the benchmark of success and take us to greater achievements, together.”
Of his appointment, Chef Vijay said, I’m thrilled to have found my dream position here at home. Now that I’m on board, I look forward to leading this exceptional team with inspiration and energy, encouraging innovation and growth every day. Personally, I believe in constant learning and am also passionate about mentoring. Always stretch ourselves and aim high because the sky is the limit. We have a world-class team playing on a world stage, and I can’t wait to show everyone what more we can achieve.
