The world was forced to evolve over the last 12 months – the food and beverage industry no less. Indeed every f+b business twisted itself into a pretzel trying to remain relevant and viable amid supply, logistics and cash flow challenges. We’re glad they persevered, those that did anyway. They don’t just keep us alive, but also help us hang on to the most fundamental of human joys: the communion of shared meals. Here are the top f+b notes going into the first quarter of 2021.
Making Wine in China
In 20 years, the Grand Crus on your table may well comprise Ao Yun, Long Dai, Grace, Puchang and Silver Heights wineries. China’s young wine industry is one to watch in the coming years as it continues to push boundaries, attract talent from all over the world and adapt to challenges in its path.
For anyone looking to understand Chinese wines in the coming decades, Robert Parker Wine Advocate has released its long-awaited comprehensive China Wine Report 2020, which joins the growing international coverage of wine regions reported by the review team.
Said master of wine Edward Ragg, who has been actively tasting Chinese wines since 2007, “While there are some inevitable exclusions to this first report, I’ve tried to cover the country’s very best wines and those most likely to whet the appetites of Robert Parker Wine Advocate subscribers. That said, I look forward to covering an even wider range of Chinese fine wines in future. They are, indeed, just coming of age.”
See the full report here.
A Bigger Piece of Spain
When Restaurant Gaig opened in Singapore in 2017, food connoisseurs here hailed Carles Gaig’s first international outpost of his original Michelin-starred restaurant in Barcelona. The restaurant very quickly won the hearts of local diners with its recipes, some dating back to the 19th century, and its affable heartfelt hospitality that transported them into the typical home of a Catalan family.
Four years on Restaurant Gaig spreads its wings once again like its colourful avian namesake, and promises to deliver a heightened culinary experience with an enhanced and immersive menu and an expanded dining space.
This new chapter in the restaurant’s journey sees the addition of individual dining enclaves, as well as a private dining room. Carles’ daughter, Núria Gibert now leads the restaurant along with Carles’ protégé Martí Carlos Martínez.
Explore the menu here.
A New Negroni
The InterContinental is collaborating with Campari to launch a series of Sala Spiritello pop-ups across Southeast Asia. The partnership between the two luxury icons will also see the birth of a brand new InterContinental Negroni, created exclusively by Symphony Loo, Campari’s brand ambassador for Southeast Asia.
With international travel still on hold, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts aims to bring luxury experiences to its properties across the region. Led by Campari’s regional brand ambassadors, the initiative allows guests to immerse in the Milanese culture and rituals of aperitivo and digestivo through a series of masterclasses and suite experiences.
“Inspiration of the Camparino in Galleria with 105 years of history is the symbol of the authentic Milanese aperitivo. The most important intervention is The Sala Spiritello, hidden within Camparino, where the art of mixology meets the aromas and flavour of the food mastery. We are delighted to partner with InterContinental Hotels & Resorts bringing the rituals of aperitivo and digestivo experience to Southeast Asia,” said Daniel Schwalb, Campari’s regional managing director.
Learn more about Sala Spiritello here.
Super In More Ways Than One
Although Ola Cocina Del Mar’s Super Foods Peru menu ran only for a limited time, it served as an eye opener to the culinary accomplishments of chef-owner Daniel Chavez and head chef Tamara Chavez.
It was inevitable. The lucky diners who got to enjoy the special menu that showcased the bounty of nutrient-dense Peruvian produce (including chia seeds, sweet potato, tricolor quinoa seeds, camu camu berry powder, and dried Inca golden berries) naturally looked beyond the ingredients to the talents of the two passionate chefs who crafted the dishes. Certainly, we won’t be needing any persuasion to go back for more of their culinary magic.
12 Marina Boulevard, Tower 3, 01 – 05/06 Marina Bay Financial Centre, see menus here.
Chinatown Food Street Reopens
With Phase 3 of reopening, Chinatown Food Street is welcoming diners back to its well-loved al fresco heritage food lanes. In addition to the favourites, six new steamboat and BBQ outfits have joined the ranks. Local foodies can expect to get more value with free-flow dishes, like Sichuan wanton, poached Hainanese chicken and Korean tteokbokki, alongside thematic ‘Always 99’ offers.
“As an iconic heritage food street in the heart of Chinatown, we want to offer our best local and Asian favourite food experience at an affordable price to Singaporeans as part of the reopening celebration of Chinatown Food Street. Good food always brings people together and with the unique, nostalgic ambience of the street, we aim to bring joy, community spirit and normalcy back into the Chinatown precinct,” says Rae Ng, senior head of marketing for Select Group, which manages Chinatown Food Street.
Get all the updates here.
What are the must-try signature dishes from top celebrity chefs in 2021? Find out here.