Indulge your inner gourmand at Singapore’s 14th Food Festival

Savour the flavours and let your tastebuds run wild during Singapore’s 14th annual Singapore Food Festival (29 June – 31 July), when the foodie’s paradise puts on a feast to whet any appetite.

Always beloved for its fabulous food, Lion City locals love nothing more than an added excuse to invite visitors to join them in their national pastime of eating out, and throughout July Singapore’s special spread firmly ensconces the city on the calendars of foodies from around the globe.

Festival highlights this year include:

** Singapore Tiger Chilli Crab Festival – 29 June – 1 July, Civic Plaza @ Ngee Ann City, Orchard Road

Kicking off the celebrations with a display of utter crab mania, the Singapore Tiger Chilli Crab Festival will stage the largest crab feast ever held on the island, with more than 1000 people devouring a staggering 400kg of the popular icon in record time. There will also be more than 30 stalls selling delightfully inventive concoctions created from local chilli crabs and other treats.

Yuk! (pronounced “yook”) Makan Festival – July 7 -8, Malay Heritage Centre

Loosely translated as “let’s eat together”, take the opportunity to tuck into the traditional flavours and halal delicacies of Malay kampong cuisine in the atmospheric setting of an Istana (palace) courtyard.

Tantalising Treats of Chinatown- July 13 – 15, Smith Street, Chinatown

Prepare yourself for a culinary food trail which will uncover shop corners and hidden stalls serving some of Singapore’s oldest food brands from Chinatown. Partake in a Chicken Rice feast where you’ll be challenged to consume as many bowls of the local favourite as possible within record time.

Rasa Satay Singapura – July 19 – 22, Lau Pa Sat

This spectacular satay festival will transform Boon Tat Street into a dazzling ‘Satay Street’ selling every conceivable variety of the worldwide favourite, including Satay Ayam (chicken), Satay Lembu (beef) and Satay Kambing (mutton), all dipped in an absolutely more-ish spicy peanut sauce.

Singapore Seafood  – July 27 – 29, VivoCity

VivoCity, Singapore’s latest and largest retail and lifestyle destination on the waterfront will put on an irresistible selection of seafood specialties to satisfy the cravings of even the most dedicated seafood enthusiast, including shellfish, crabs, lobsters, prawns, oysters and much much more.

The Spice Tour of Mustafa – July 12, Little India

A much anticipated event following celebrated chef Saba Saxena on a fascinating tour of the authentic spice merchants of Little India. Use this hands-on experience to learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about aadrak (ginger), haldi (turmeric), lal mirchi (red chilli) and tulsi (holy basil), before finishing up with a lavish meal at acclaimed cooking studio Palate Sensations.

True to Origin – 10-course banquet

Throughout the Singapore Food Festival at Café Georges, Le Meridien. For those with serious dining stamina, True to Origin is a specially crafted, original and affordable 10-set-course meal, available for lunch and dinner, introducing Singapore’s trademark fare. Beginning with appetising satay and rojak (a Singapore salad), it also serves up popular Hainanese Chicken Rice and Chilli Lobster, before finishing with durian mousse cake and mango pudding topped with sweet corn ice sweet.

Culinary workshops

With just as much available for accomplished chefs as for amateur epicurean addicts, choosing a culinary workshop is the challenge during the Singapore Food Festival. Log onto www.singaporefoodfestival.com for a complete calendar of workshops and guest master chefs.

Chef’s Secrets offers an unsurpassed range of short courses throughout the Festival focused on Singapore’s eclectic culinary heritage with dishes ranging from street food to fusion.

The at-sunrice Culinary Adventure opens its designer kitchen classrooms to participants prepared to tantalise their tastebuds with an exploratory tour of the Lion City’s wet markets and their display of textures, colours and often overpowering aromas. Stock up on the freshest produce then let the experts guide you through the art of slicing, dicing and artfully arranging a three-course menu, paired with flavoursome wines.

For further information on the Singapore Food Festival log onto www.singaporefoodfestival.com  or contact the Singapore Tourism Board on (02) 9290 2888.

Report by The Mole