Part of the 29th edition of the Singapore Food Festival, the dinner event recently organized by the Singapore Tourism Board to kickstart the gustatory journey promises to introduce Filipino foodies to the flavorful world of “Mod-Sin” cuisine.
If, for some reason, you can’t leave home yet to visit your favorite leisure destinations and dining haunts in vibrant Singapore, you can let your taste buds do the travel instead, as you embark on a one-of-a-kind culinary journey.
For the rest of August and the entire month of September, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) presents a special four-hands dinner by two of Asia’s top chefs – Chef Chele Gonzalez of Gallery by Chele (69th on Asia’s Best Restaurants in 2022) and Chef LG Han of Labyrinth (1 Michelin Star and 40th on Asia’s Best Restaurants in 2022). The special dinner at Gallery by Chele in BGC ended yesterday.
For the entire month of September, other Singaporean chefs are poised to visit the country to allow more Filipino gourmands to sample their brand of “Mod-Sin” dishes at The Grid in Rockwell. Prior reservations are required.
Spanish-born Chele is well-known in the Philippines for his adventurous interpretations of Filipino heritage flavors and techniques, while Singaporean LG Han gained a reputation for championing Singapore produce and communities in his modern take on Singapore dishes. Since their cooking philosophies resonate well with each other, the two chefs have come together to collaborate on a menu that will reimagine both Singapore and Filipino food, making foodies see the two local cuisines in a new light.
This exclusive collaboration has kicked off the Manila edition of the Singapore Food Festival (SFF), which will run until the end of September.
Ruby Liu, Philippines area director, STB, said: “Now that tourism has resumed for Singapore, STB is excited to present the Manila edition of the Singapore Food Festival to remind Filipino foodies of what they can taste when they visit Singapore for their next holiday. As many of us are travelling for the first time after the last few years, STB invites travelers to try something different on their next trip. Thus, we invited Chef Han Li Guang of Labyrinth to introduce to us the ‘Mod-Sin’ style of Singapore cuisine that we hope can excite the palates of Filipino foodies and entice them to visit Singapore soon.”
“Mod-Sin” stands for modern Singaporean, and centers on creatively transforming traditional dishes with modern interpretations. It is a celebration of Singaporean cuisine, elevating local flavors in unexpected ways, while staying true to its history and culture. “Mod-Sin” first became popular in the early 2000s and can now be found in many establishments across the island, from hawkers to casual-dining and Michelin-awarded restaurants.
As part of the new wave of chefs reshaping Singaporean cuisine, Chef LG Han is set to bring the very best of “Mod-Sin” to Manila. Born to three generations of restauranteurs and F&B operators, Chef Han founded Labyrinth in 2014 which went on to receive a coveted Michelin Star three years later. At his restaurant, the 80 percent locally sourced menu is an expression of Chef Han’s childhood memories. Bringing together the passion of local farmers and the enlivenment of traditional recipes and techniques, Chef Han calls his food movement the “New Expression of Singapore Cuisine.”
“The pursuit of innovation and creativity guide my team and I at Labyrinth,” said Chef Han. “By consistently championing these values in our expression of modern Singaporean cuisine, we deliver a culinary experience that delights and surprises in each bite.”
“Although I have visited Singapore many times before, the recent R&D trip for Singapore Food Festival was special. We went on a wet market tour to learn about the Singapore local bounty and immerse in the local flavors that I did not know of,” said Chef Chele. “This Singapore journey truly inspired us and our menu.”
The four-hands dinner by Chef Chele Gonzalez and Chef Han Li Guang is one of many forthcoming SFF 2022 culinary experiences to be presented by the STB. Within Manila, foodies can expect a monthlong celebration of Singaporean cuisine with pop-ups of hit Singapore restaurants at the The Grid in Powerplant Mall, Makati this September. Beyond the activities in Manila, SFF also has global virtual classes that are free to watch and many in-person activities in Singapore that tourists can visit.
For more on SFF 2022, go to https://www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/annual-highlights/singapore-food-festival/or http://www.facebook.com/VisitSingaporePH
