Singapore has been likened to a melting pot of culinary delights with its potpourri of cultures and ethnic diversities. Come Jul 1, expect more exclamations of “sedap!” (delicious in Malay) with the 12th Singapore Food Festival (SFF).
Ms Margaret Teo, Director of Food & Beverage from the Singapore Tourism Board, may be extolling the benefits of the annual culinary event in treating our foreign guests to our local passion for food in the press release. Still, we know Singaporeans are happy enough to keep this all for ourselves.
From tasting orchid flowers to reviving the kampong-style food of yore, UrbanWire sieves out the most exciting and economic events for the foodie in you that will have you scraping the bottom of your plates without digging deep into your pockets.
Core Events
Themed Events
Culinary Workshops
Food Trails
Cooking Demonstration
Core Events
The festival starts off with a blast from the past on the Makan Mania of the 60s at Parco Bugis Junction, Jul 1 to 3, from 11 am to 930pm. The stalls will sell assorted nostalgic food like the Hakka Abacus and Rickshaw Noodles. Bring your grandparents and parents there, and you might even get them to teach you to play dying breeds of games like Tikam Tikam and Five Stones.
What’s a food festival on our island without seafood? With that in mind, join the Deep Sea Medley from Jul 8 to 10 between 5 pm and midnight at the East Coast Seafood Centre, where the twin star attractions are the Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab.
If you’re health conscious or love veggies and fruits, participate in the Vegetarian and Fruits Jamboree back at Parco Bugis Junction from 11 am – 8 pm on Jul 22 to 24. Enjoy the colors from the tropical fruits showcase and learn to choose the right fruit or vegetable for the correct nutritional value based on their colors. Try the vegetarian version of popular local dishes like the Singapore Laksa (a Straits Chinese dish of rice noodles swimming in curry with thick coconut milk, fishcake, and cockles). Who knows, you might even leave the place a vegetarian!
Admission is free for these 3 core events.
Themed Events
What does having a chef at your beck and feel like? You can find out for $80 at at-sunrise, Fort Canning, with A Singapore Taste of Personal Chef serving customized local delights to suit your whim and fancy. Prawn noodles without the prawns or duck rice with curry sauce? You decide! Your chef will be at your command on Jul 23 from 4 – 6.30 pm. Booking applies.
If you only have time for one event, Singapore Makan Delights @ Food World should not be missed. Held from 29 to 31 July at the Singapore Expo, the highlight will be the announcement of the winners of the ‘New Dish Creation Competition’ and several cooking demonstrations, like the Pleasures of Cooking by City Gas.
Have we mentioned that you can look forward to perennial favorites Chicken Rice and Satay? (Grilled skewered meat with peanut sauce)
Culinary Workshops
Have you ever tasted Nasi Kerabu (Herbed Rice in Malay)? Chances are you haven’t, but with Cookery Magic’s Old Singapore kampong style, you can rediscover the pak cik (uncle in Malay) in you by visiting a real kampong (Malay for village) on Pulau Ubin and embark on a hunt for herbs like ginger flowers, young cashew leaves, and lemon grass before preparing your own Nasi Kerabu! This trip will be held on 2 and 30 Jul from 8.30 – 2 pm for $68. Click here for more information on Cookery Magic.
Herald A Fresh Start with Orchid on Jul 9 from 2 – 4 pm, where you can eat the garnish of orchids(yes, you read right) off your plate! For the uninitiated, orchids are not only edible but are even a source of fiber and vitamin C”, explained horticulturist David Lim in a recent Sunday Times article. The event at the Mandai Orchid Garden will see participants paying $55 to try out dishes such as the ‘Deep-fried Prawns in Orchid Lemon Sauce.’ However, as explained on the website, sauce flavored with organically grown orchids is used instead of the lemon sauce.
Food Trails
For the 1st time, the Singapore Food & Heritage Challenge will allow participants to contribute to the Moral Home for the Disabled (MHD). At the same time, they sample the range of multi-racial grub available in Singapore at Amazing Race. Don’t worry about gaining weight this time. Be prepared for a sensory overload, as the competition will bring you to culturally rich places to try the vast variety of local bites available. This day-long Jul 16 journey costs a mere $12.
Cooking Demonstration
Are you looking to improve your culinary skills and whip up your own food festival? Then don’t miss the Uniquely Singaporean Home-Cooking demonstration at NTUC FairPrice with Pauline Loh, a local food columnist who emphasizes “quick, convenient and healthy food,” according to this site. The demonstration will be held every Friday from 12.30 pm—1.30 pm at various FairPrice outlets.
For more information, visit the official website at www.singaporefoodfestival.com
Pictures courtesy of the Singapore Food Festival website
