There was no other better ways than spending your Sunday brunch at Au Petit Salut. The air was fresh and clean, the weather was nice and warm and a jazzy singer to complete the mood. But what should receive the loudest applause were the buffet stations, which had been meticulously prepared by Executive Chef Patrick Heuberger and his team of dedicated chefs. In total there are four stations filled with fine French easy but gourmet standard cuisine each man by a chef. This is to ensure that guests are exclusively served while dining in a relaxing environment, surrounded by the beautiful voice from Dawn Ho serenading tunes from bossa nova and jazz classics.

More than 900 guests arrived for the World Gourmet Summit gala reception held at the Sentosa Pavilion at Serapong. Overlooking the lush greenery of the Serapong golf course, the Sentosa Pavilion was host to a myriad of booths and stations by various hotels and food and beverage (F&B) establishments. The reception, held to welcome the visiting masterchefs who would be participating in the second week of the prestigious World Gourmet Summit, saw many familiar faces from the F&B industry who had a fantastic evening mingling and enjoying the multitude of tapas-style cuisine and beverages. There was even a live music performance on stage, that provided an excellent backdrop to the grand event.

Orchard Hotel’s Cantonese restaurant, Hua Ting, saw excellent response to its feature activity this year, with a sold-out menu of master chef Chung Lap Fai’s home cooking dishes. In fact, the menu was only intended for lunch time, but good response saw Hua Ting offer it also at dinner time for selected tables. Click through to our gallery and find out just how delicious Chef Fai’s dishes home cooked dishes turned out to be.

Never before has there been such a stellar line-up of Spanish wines featured at the World Gourmet Summit. Vega Sicilia, Alvaro Palacios and Dominio de Pingus — three of Spain’s most famed wines, were presented together for the first time in Singapore (and perhaps the world). To top it off, the respective vintners personally made the trip down to share their views on the wines. Alvaro Palacios arrived early, despite a lost passport, Denmark-born Peter Sisseck came in support of this first-ever event, and Pablo Alvarez made his annual visit to Singapore an even more meaningful one. Joining the Spanish wine events also, were masters of wine Serena Sutcliffe and her husband David Peppercorn. These two renowned wine experts brought even more depth to the tastings, giving everyone present great insight into the evolution of Spanish wines over the last three decades.

The preparation for the Awards of Excellence has finally come to an end with today’s ceremony. Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore’s grand ballroom was decked out in majestic black, with chefs from all over Singapore showcasing their food. From the kitchens came the first dish, grilled fresh scallop with spicy cod roe, courtesy of Chef Ronnie Chua from Tatsuya Japanese Restaurant. Chef Benton Toh from the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore cooked up the yuzu salmon with olive fondant toast and bottarga powder. Next came the wagyu beef ravioli in piedmont style by Chef Roberto Galetti of Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & bar. The second last course came from Chef Emmanuel Stroobant of Saint Pierre, the low temperature braised lamb shoulder with black olive oil infused fork mashed ratte potato, edame scented with yuzu zest, piquillos and carbenet-sansho pepper reduction. The dessert was almond mousse with passion apple jelly and spice currant biscuit, iced apple with vnilla celery compote from Chef Benton Toh. But more important than the menu was the award winners, announced during the luncheon. The Hepp Food & Beverage Manager of the Year went to Melinde Lim of Conrad Centennial Singapore. Au Jardin clinched with Wine List of the Year, and Timothy Goh from Les Amis took home the Top Wines Sommelier of the Year. Le Cordon Bleu Restaurant Manager of the Year went to Royston Soo of Au Jardin. Imperial Treasure Restaurant won the Asian Ethnic Restaurant of the Year. Martini Bar of Grand Hyatt Singapore scored Bar of the Year and il Lido Italian Dining and Lounge Bar took home Classic Fine Foods New Restaurant of the Year. The Indoguna Restaurant of the Year award went to Les Amis. Years in a row, Chef Gottfried Schuetzenberger from Grand Hyatt Singapore took home Cacao Barry Pastry Chef of the Year and Jusman So from Sage, The Restaurant went home with the Meat & Livestock Australia Rising Chef of the Year. Amidst loud cheers which filled the ballroom, Chef Eric Teo from Mandarin Oriental Singapore was announced Executive Chef of the Year, presented by Tabasco. The Asian Ethnic Chef of the Year award was won by Chef Ronnie Chua, from Tatsuya Japanese Restaurant. Patrick Heuberger took home the S.Pellegrino Chef of the Year award. The WSQ Apprentice of the Year (an award which seeks to recognise an apprentice in an F&B establishment who has a high level of passion and enthusiasm) was won by Ng Quee Bee and Karen Kwok Pei Peo from At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy. Patrick Heuberger from Au Petit Salut was recognised for his commitment to culinary education and training, and also for his support in nurturing WSQ apprentices, and took home the WSQ Mentorchef of the Year award. The WSQ F&B Approved Training Organisation of the Year award went to At-Sunrice, which was accepted with loud cheers from supporters from At-Sunrice. The Fonterra Lifetime Achievement Award went to Alfred Leung from Imperial Treasure, for his significant contributions over the span of 15 years, which has led to the growth of the F&B industry. The following scholarships were awarded: At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy and Johnson & Wales University Culinary Scholarship to Kong Rui-An, Reuel from At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, Cacao Barry Pâtisserie Scholarship to karen Carlotta Setijono from One Rochester and the Bodegas Torres Wine Scholarship to Tay Jun Yang from Les Amis. A multiple winner this afternoon, At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy Singapore clinched with Electrolux Culinary Institution of the Year award. The Asian Cuisine Article of the Year, which recognises a journalist (based in either Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore or Thailand) who has written an outstanding article which promotes Asian cuisine, went to Howard Richarson for his ’Tay Five Favourites’. The Wine and Spirits Article of the Year went to Blythe Lee for her piece entitled ’A Perfect Pairing’. The afternoon was a success, and rewarding for everyone involved. Mr. Peter Knipp said, ”I believe everyone is a winner.” And indeed, because no only does the World Gourmet Summit aim to lift recognised individuals up, it also enhances the culinary scene in Singapore.

Once you’ve passed through OSO main door, it feels as though you had been instantly teleported to Italy. Everything about this restaurant spell Italy, from the ambience to the music, details are as authentic as the ones you can find in either Rome or Milan. A small yet rather cosy bar waits for you and someone will definitely greet you with a great big smile. This year’s World Gourmet Summit sees Chef Diego Chiarini demonstrate his flair in producing the best in Italian cuisine and have each course paired with the wonderful Azelia Barolo range. The five-course dinner that had been prepared Chef Chiarini is nothing but full of flavour. His signature style was very apparent by the way he presents the food and of course in the taste.

Angels may not have descended on that Saturday night, but for many WGS guests at Angel’s Share, the vertical Rockford Basket Press Shiraz tasting was a magical night to remember. Set amidst the lush greenery of Dempsey Road, Angel’s Share has taken wine cuisine to new heights despite this being the restaurant’s first participation in the World Gourmet Summit. Crowd pleasers include the veal cheek borsch soup with bellini that was exceedingly tender and succulent; and the platter of an angel, a special creative ’art’ piece course featuring small plates of heavenly eggs, green mango octopus with caviar etc., that was an excellent match for the 2002 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz and its immediate upfront release. Peng Yam, CEO of Angel’s Share, also gave a running commentary during the event on the vertical flights of Shiraz pairings which proved to be an enlightening experience for the guests.

”Everything on the menu is served at weddings from all the regions all over India.Weddings are the perfect showcase of Indian culture, from the cuisine, to the traditional dress and the music. People get the full experience of India. The only challenge is that the cusine is so diverse, that finding dishes which match is quite difficult,” says Song of India’s Director of Cuisine, Chef Milind Sovani. And indeed, the Song of India pulled all stops to ensure that diners got the full experience of everything Indian. From the dhol player who ushered the guests into the restaurant with his loud, thumping beats, to the welcome party who sprinkled rosewater and fragrance on the women, as well as tied turbans for the men, the experience was truly aimed to not only educate, but entertain. Chef Milind says, ”I’m very happy with the turnout. I think it’s great that people have been exposed to such a culture tonight – it really showcases how bright and lively India is.”

As the first-ever Sichuan restaurant to participate in the World Gourmet Summit, Sichuan Dou Hua shone in its debut with its featured Tea Banquet event, held on Friday 11th April. Seated among chic, sophisticated chinoiserie settings, WGS guests were treated to a spectacular array of tea-infused courses that were professionally paired with various Chinese teas by tea masters. The light flavours of the long jing minced chicken & beancurd soup starter dish for instance, was perfectly paired with the delicate fragrant osmanthus tea. A one-time choreographed tea performance by tea masters was also specially held for WGS guests, while the soothing tones of a traditional gu zheng played in the background. From the satisfied and pleased looks of the guests, including those who have come from as far as California, US, the inaugural WGS event by Sichuan Dou Hua was a rousing gastronomic success.

It was an evening everyone was waiting for — a combination of Spanish wine and cuisine, presented by some of the country ’s finest names. Stationed in the kitchen, Chef Ramon Freixa delighted diners with his signature delights like a deconstructed duck ’hamburger ’ and a dessert combining the flavours of curry, coconut and ginger. We also had the privilege of having three of Spain ’s most celebrated vintners grace the evening with much camaraderie. Dominio de Pingus ’ Peter Sisseck, Alvaro Palacios, and Pablo Alvarez offered diners a taste of their distinguished terroir driven wines — full of minerality, deep fruit, highly-strung tannin and great balance.

When asked why Chef Gabriele Piegaia, executive chef of Senso Ristorante & Bar, used astrology as the focus of his menu for this year’s World Gourmet Summit celebratory menu, all he did was shrugged, smiled and said ”it just came to me.” But it was a sensational combination indeed. For each sign of the twelve zodiacs, he managed to concoct a dish where flavours ”represent” the characteristics of the sign and have a connection with those who are having them. Each ingredient was carefully selected to ensure that it is almost a matching element that fits a Scorpio’s, Capricorn’s or Virgo’s mood, behaviour and well-being.

Is training for the food and beverage (F&B) industry a necessary expense? A panel discussion consisting of well-known individuals in the local F&B scene was held in the White Pavilion at Fort Canning Park. Leading the discussion was Peter A Knipp as moderator, who posed tough questions on serious topics such as professionalism and training, while chefs Emmanuel Stroobant and Roberto Galetti shared their experiences as chefs-turned-successful business owners of small businesses. Chef Stroobant for example, spoke on the importance of providing proper training and inspiration to employees in a successful business, and Chef Galetti spoke frankly on the reality of how increasing money is not the only solution for keeping employees. Cheong Hai Poh, executive assistant manager of Conrad Centennial Singapore, on the other hand, called on for new approaches to recruitment and labour composition. The event culminated in a brief Q&A dialogue session with the audience, which proved to be engaging and fruitful.

It was a fully booked night at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore’s signature Chinese restaurant, Shang Palace. The one-night only feature activity menu ’The Fragrance of Chinese Culture’, drew a record breaking number of bookings for the day — over 120! Response was so enthusiastic that Shang Palace had to organise two different seatings. Chef Peter Tsang took diners through a journey of Chinese cuisine crafted in traditional regional styles. From Canton and Huai Yang came suckling pig and thousand layer pig’s ear; Guangzhou was explored with a superlative shark’s fin soup and Sichuan’s mouth-numbing peppers were the perfect foil to fatty lamb chops.

A surprise awaited guests who chose Gunther’s Carte Blanche dinner, and what a fantastic surprise it was. Chef Gunther Hubrechsen churned out seven delicious dishes from his kitchen, which wowed diners. But perhaps the most unique aspect of the experience was that Chef Gunther did not present a dinner menu. ”I want people to know that I can look after them, when it comes to their likes and dislikes, without them having to worry or choose what they want to eat. However, I have to be very sure of the quality of the food I serve my customers. It’s something different, and not many places do this.” Amongst the courses was the spectacular white asparagus with holandaise sauce and Spanish ham and the brittany sole fish with char-grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, as well as the oven baked chicken with egg confit and foie gras stuffing. ”We definitely achieved our goal. Our ingredients were fresh, and many people chose this menu without knowing exactly what to expect.”

It was all about good beer, great German food and warm hospitality. The Paulaner Festival with Gold 90.5fm was a night to remember and it was one casual affair backed by music of the yesteryears. Paulaner was kind to prepare a whole range of typical German food like sauerkraut and weisswurst sausages and to top things off, four different types of beer where one was specially brewed just for this year’s World Gourmet Summit. But it wasn’t just all about food and beer, it was also about interacting. Familiar voices from Maggie from the morning show and Audrey Lim of Gold 90.5fm entertained guests with interviews with masterbrewers of Paulaner Brahaus who gave insights on the brew presented and as a special, a technique to really pour a good glass. Activities were aplenty with various competition held for both men and women where one of it was a test of strength. The one who can hold a one litre glass full of beer longest wins! Paulaner Brahaus festival is definitely one event that left guests light-headed but satisfied.

Fans and afficiandos of excellent traditional Chinese and contemporary Cantonese cuisine had their tastebuds tantalised this World Gourmet Summit at Golden Peony. With a special six-course menu created by executive chef Chung Ho Shi, the celebratory menu at Golden Peony showcases traditional delights, including the decadent 5 Head Abalone in black sauce, served with asparagus-flavoured beancurd, and the luxurious boiled seafood and fish maw in golden pumpkin soup.

At only S$118+ per person, the week-long premium culinary event will last until the 13th of April 2008.

He’s back. Fondly known as the Abalone King, Chef Simon Koh Yong has returned for his second World Gourmet Summit. This time, his abalone event is held within the sleek, contemporary settings of Tung Lok Signatures, located at The Central. Addressing a privileged fifty to sixty attendees, Chef Simon Koh Yong gave a talk on the distinction of premium dried abalone as compared to ordinary dried abalones. This included an exciting video, depicting the challenges of selecting, harvesting and drying the green-lipped abalones from Australia. ”Real premium dried abalone must have a very rich fragrance, and when you slice the braised abalone its texture must feel like it’s sticking to the knife,” explained the Abalone King to his listening audience. Once the talk on abalone was over, guests were able to enjoy the celebratory menu designed by Tung Lok Signatures, that included the special braised Koh Yong 12 head dried abalone combined with broccolini dish. For Chef Simon, the event was memorable to him. ”I’m very happy to be working again with Tung Lok... as the people are very professional in in how they work,” smiled the Abalone King.

Gentle flow of the river, dim settings from the candle lights and jazzy sounds to fill your soul. What a way to spend the night at Brasserie Wolf that has opened their doors once again for this year’s World Gourmet Summit. Featuring Etapes Gastronomic around France from Chef Philippe Nouzillat and serenaded by the sounds of jazz duo, Aya Sekine and Maya Nova, diners were definitely entertained. Each dish presented concentrated on the strong flavours from the nation. From the soup to the seafood course and to the main, each dish has a unique and acquired taste. Guests were dining in romantic settings under candlelight and good energy was felt everywhere. Courses were presented timely and the wine that was paired together was nothing less than perfect.

An interesting theme for a wine dinner, but Chef Roberto Galetti chose to use the best extra virgin olive oil in every dish, in the hopes that he might educate Singaporeans about the benefits of using olive oil to flavour food. ”I think in Singapore, olive oil is under-rated. Singaporeans use olive oil to cook, and don’t realise that it can change the flavour of different dishes.” He has chosen seven types of olive oil, which he says is very comparable to wines when it comes to producing, to feature in each of his dishes. ”The dinner today was great, and all the preparation paid off. This was a very interesting and refreshing idea which gave people insight into olive oil. Chef Galetti dazzled with dishes like cannellini beans soup with langoustine and extra virgin oil from Tuscany and his braised beef in extra virgin oil from Lombardia. ”I’m extremely pleased with the menu and all the dishes I created. They are very simple, and they are all in-line with my style.”

It was truly a night of giltz and glamour with the Seasons of India themed dinner, complete with a fashion show displaying brightly coloured Indian traditional dress (presented the modern way). Chef Amandeep Singh focuses on Spring in India, a season where harvests are reaped and joyful weddings take place with bright colours and enthusiastic celebrations. Throughout India, all cultures celebrate this same time of the year. “I wanted to create something special, so that people could sample India during Spring. People eat according to the seasons, and they’re definitely more attached to Spring. The food is light and refreshing.” The fashion show that took place during the meal was also something spectacular, the colours and designs of the clothes modelled reflected the light and airy theme of Spring. Judging from all the occupied seats, the night at Rang Mahal was definitely a success.

Executive Chef David Warren, at the helm of WGS partner restaurant Michelangelo’s, presented diners with an evening of six Japanese sake paired with an intriguing menu of Italian favourites given an Asian twist. Sommelier Ian Lim was also on hand to introduce each of the specially chosen sake, imparting interesting trivia on sake to the guests. For example, did you know that sake is a fermented beverage rather than a distilled one? Or that unfiltered sake looks very much like barley water? Delighting our palates first was a yellowtail king fish carpaccio dressed with a citrus combination of ingredients put together to literally, make one’s mouth water- pickled pink ginger, kaffir lime, lime and chilli. Each following course topped the previous one in flavour and intensity, and much kudos goes to Chef Warren’s korubuta pork belly dish which offered the perfect balance of savoury, sweet and spicy flavours. If you didn’t get the chance to try Michelangelo’s sake pairing menu, don’t fret because we hear there’ll soon be a revival of the special menu and Sommelier Ian Lim says he’s even got plans to put sake permanently on his drinks list.

Led by the 26th generation of the Antinori family, Alessia Antinori, it was night to be truly remembered by the wine lovers who attended the event. Held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront, she started the night off with a wine masterclass, co-hosted by local wine connoisseur Dr N K Yong, attendees for the wine masterclass were definitely enlightened by the insights provided by Antinori and Dr Yong. Together, Antinori had brought with her eight types of wine all from different ages and type but with the same Marchese Antinori signature. Straight after the dinner, she delighted guests even more with pairing of her wine with the wonderful taste of cuisine prepared by Chef Michele Pavanello of Pontini, Grand Copthorne Waterfront. Guests were dressed to match the fine occasion and looked delighted to be part of the celebration. Chef Pavanello had prepared six courses where each brilliantly matched Antinori’s wine. It had been one Italian affair meant to be savoured for a long time.

First time World Gourmet Summit partner restaurant, Wild Rocket, presented its inaugural WGS celebratory menu on 8 April 2008. Chef-Owner Wilin Low kept with his restaurant’s reputation for offering dishes which successfully blend cuisines of the East and West. A traditional French duck confit, for example, was served on a bed of Chinese yam cake (made from Chef Low’s mother’s recipe). Naming his specially created menu ’Modern Singaporean’, Chef Low certainly went all out to prove the gourmet potential of our everyday local delights.

Set within the breezy environment that overlooks the South China Sea, Reflections at Keppel Bay wouldn’t have been a better venue to host the opening press conference for this year’s World Gourmet Summit. The atmosphere was relaxing and the mood was warm and friendly noting a good sign awaits this year’s most-awaited gourmet event. Over 150 guests arrived in fashion from hotels, partnering restaurants, industry players, media and but of course the chefs. Hosted by familiar face Darryl David, the press conference was done casually and to end things off, each guest was handed a glass of Nicolas Feuilatte to toast for a great month ahead. Cheers to World Gourmet Summit 2008!

No restaurant could have done it like how Emmanuel Stroobant does it and what a way to kick off the World Gourmet Summit. Called ’Evolution’, he has brought in his good friend and Pastry Chef Hugues Pouget who is based in Shanghai, for the first time for only one night where both chefs crack their head together and produce a menu that combines savoury and sweet in every meal. Each course was elegantly paired with a glass of champagne from the 1996 vintage, and it was truly for the adventurous. It was a great night indeed with smiles seen and praises heard everywhere.

For this year’s World Gourmet Summit, Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant at Sheraton Towers Singapore has prepared not one but two sets of menus of five courses that are available till the end of the event. Featuring dishes by Chef Chung, the courses are served over lunch and dinner and each is a reflection of the chef’s creativity and flair in cooking.

Madame Butterfly’s World Gourmet Summit celebratory menu reflects the Asian feel of the restaurant with their ingredients. The appetizer is foie gras mousse layered with beancurd skin, served with Peking duck and crispy banana. The second course was pumpkin butter nut with top shell and roasted almonds. To clear the palate, Madame Butterfly served red wine strawberry sorbet. There were two choices for the main course: Chilean white bass served with Fuji apple puree and honey wolfberry or double boiled Black Angus beef cheek with herbal soyu and broccoli. Dessert was champagne Valhorna chocolate truffle with wild berries sabayon. A choice of Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillion 2006 Margaret River Australia or Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2005 Margaret River Australia is offered during the course of the meal.