#5 | SQ Food Takes Flight, A Singaporean Head Chef at Noma, Andre and His Olive Tree, No 2020 Michelin Guide SG Selection, and More
The Potluck - A weekly round-up of what's buzzing in the F&B world in Singapore (28 Sep - 4 Oct)
A Great Way….to Dine?
It could be a great way to dine when Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A-380 restaurant takes flight later this month. The national carrier is giving travel-hungry diners a taste of its inflight menus in its largest aircraft and in the comfort of their homes.
Checking into a grounded plane for a meal costs from $50 (economy class) to $600 (suites). In-flight meals from First and Business class meals can also be delivered to one’s home.
Forget the Kerbaya girl dishing her demure smile with your food, meals will arrive in vacuum-packed parcels to be heated up by yourself.
One of SIA@Home packages is the Wine and Dine First Class (starts from $448) includes SIA’s much raved-about satay, Oscietra caviar, appetiser, main course, dessert and tipples. Main course options include poached lobster or Kyo-Kaiseki dishes. Luxe amenity kits are also included. The Business Class meal starts from $288. A four-course lunch menu at three Michelin-starred Les Amis costs $195.
Bookings are available from Oct 12 on KrisShop. Here’s hoping the lobster thermidor and laksa are available too.
The Listicle: New Openings Snapshot
Catfish : The latest feather in the cap for chef Andrew Walsh’s Cure Concepts F&B Group is Catfish, which opened on October 1. The contemporary fish grill and raw bar dishes out an Asian fusion menu. Mains include green curry scallops, whole Sichuan BBQ fish and snacks include the Catfish Mini Cone Selection.
Adda: Chef Manjunath Mural has left one Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Song of India in August and will open his new restaurant Adda next month in Beach Road. His focus will be on ‘neo-Indian’ cuisine and continues his focus on regional Indian cuisines.
Spice & Rice: This hip hawker stall is a stand-out sight in Amoy Street Food Centre with young chefs in fancy aprons. Its star dish is the nasi lemak, which features an Indian-spiced fried chicken that has been marinated overnight with 16 ingredients. Check out their menu.
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A Singaporean Head Chef at Noma Restaurant in Denmark
Continents away from his sunny hometown, Singaporean Kenneth Foong is heading the kitchen at one of the world’s much-talked-about restaurants, Noma in Denmark. The 31-year-old took up the position of head chef in the new Nordic restaurant in July. Two years ago, Foong took up an internship at Noma after his head chef stint in Cure in Singapore and worked his way to become the first Asia-born chef in the cutting-edge restaurant that is much associated with foraging and fermentation. Full Story.
Rise of Andre & His Olive Tree
Chef Andre Chiang hosting a farewell party at Restaurant Andre in February 2018 with a buffet put together by him and his staff. He presented Taiwanese beef noodles - a nod to his heritage. (Photo: Kenneth SZ Goh)
Andre & His Olive Tree, a documentary film on chef Andre Chiang of Michelin-starred restaurants RAW & Sichuan Moon, has become the highest-grossing documentary in Taiwan so far this year. The film, directed by Josiah Ng, a Singaporean film-maker and the head of film and social content at creative agency DDB Group, has raked in more than NT$10 million (S$470,000).
The film centres around Chiang’s decision to close his two Michelin-starred Restaurant Andre in 2018 after 8 years. The film is divided into 8 chapters - a homage to the Taiwan-born chef’s ‘Octaphilosophy’ concept. The film will be released in Singapore in January next year. Full Story.
Au Revoir Michelin Guide Singapore 2020 Selection
Gourmands who collect the Singapore editions of the Red Guide will miss the 2020 edition in their collection. With a prolonged restaurant closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michelin Guide has canned its 2020 edition in the Republic, according to a press release. With many eateries closed for as long as 11 weeks, its team of anonymous inspectors could not properly assess restaurants. One of the pillars of its rating is the dining-in experience.
Traditionally, a ‘star revelation’ ceremony-gala dinner in Singapore is held in June or July. Last year’s sold-out event was held at the Capella Hotel on 17 September (Seats were priced at S$599 per head). Look out for its 2021 edition in “the coming months”.
However, it is business as usual for other cities in Asia - the Guide announced its Guangzhou 2020 selection (with 2 new starred restaurants) in September, while this year’s Taipei & Taichung selection was announced in late August.
Get Tippled Pink At Smoke & Mirrors
Get tickled (or tippled) pink over tipples in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month throughout October. Smoke & Mirrors in National Gallery Singapore has concocted 4 pink-hued cocktails and a free flow night of Bellini cocktails on Mondays this month. Cocktails include Pink Martini, a dry, tangy, herbal flavour combination from a blend of dry vermouth, cherry and bitters mixed with Botanist Gin.
And that is a (kebab) wrap for this week. Stay hungry for the next round of The Potluck by subscribing the newsletter below:
Follow me on Instagram (@kenneats). Got news? Get in touch at kennethgohsz@gmail.com. Tuck into previous editions of The Potluck here.