Interested in pursuing a career path in the hospitality industry? The Symposium with Le Cordon Bleu held at the Singapore Tourism Board Auditorium yesterday was an educational experience, with guest speakers like Executive Pastry Chef Christian Faure, MOF, as well as Kathy Shaw, director of Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa, Canada. Giving aspiring students insight to the hospitality industry, as well as explaining the syllabus of the elite cooking school Le Cordon Bleu, it was certainly an enlightening experience for those in attendance. Click here for photos!

Bordeaux-trained, German-French, winemaker Axel Heinz is Tenuta dell’Ornellaia’s latest maestro, having joined the famed Super-Tuscan winery only in 2004. His first task at Ornellaia was to help blend the difficult 2003 vintage which, true to the hot weather conditions, compelled Heinz describe it as, "Slightly jammy with over-ripe fruit, and tannins that are less refined than the 2004." Heinz says he ’got lucky’ with his first vintage, 2004, which saw good weather conditions and robust grape production. At the wine masterclass, the 2004 was praised for its tight tannin structure, slight oak dominance and restrained but fresh fruit which would age beautifully for another ten to 15 years. At the vintner dinner afterwards, chef Ezio Gritti proved his understanding of Ornellaia wines with a menu comprising flavours of tobacco, vanilla, chocolate, accompanying meats like duck and venison, that embodied the aromas and textures of the Cabernet Sauvignon-rich Ornellaia wines. For a view of the Italian masterpieces, please visit our photo gallery!

One of the most popular events of the World Gourmet Summit, the Wildlife Safari takes guests to three different eating locations in the Night Safari by tram rides that allow guests to tour around the Night Safari. The first stop was Forest Lodge where guests ate two courses before going on a 20 minute ride on the tram to look at the animals of the Night Safari. Stopping near the road area near the giffaes, guests dine on the specially converted gourmet safari tram before taking another 20 minute safari ride to Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant to eat the last two courses. If you have missed the wildlife safari, fret not. Click here to see photos of the night and make a note to attend it next year!

It was a culinary eye-opener for most particpants who attended Le Cordon Bleu’s masterchef Philippe Clergue’s class as he preached to everyone how exact and precise chopping up ingredients can be. Truly dedicated to his craft and passionate about French cuisine, participants learnt the different between brunoise and julienne, and how tipping a dash of hazelnut oil to escargots in butter will make the snails more flavourful. No doubt, it was an enlightening class for food gourmands and practising chefs alike, and witnessing first hand how good organisational skills is crucial in the kitchen, multi-tasking proved to be a true art to be mastered as chef Clergue has shown. Please visit our photo gallery!

It was a night of glitz and glamour as well-heeled guests dined at The Fullerton Hotel in the aid of a good cause. Cuisine of lauded chefs like two-Michelin-starred Reto Lampart, Chef Jereme Leung of Shanghai’s Whampoa Club and Chef Mark Best of Marque Restaurant in Sydney Australia, as well as Fullerton’s own executive chef Arnaud Thulliez, served to give guests a treat for the palates. 14 parcels of various wines, whisky, and even ginseng were auctioned off during a silent auction at dinner, with all proceeds going to the Community Chest. The final amount raised was a very respectable $327,650. Please view our photo gallery for more pictures!