"The Garden"
Every year, gourmands from around the world have been making their culinary crusade to the Lion City to take part in the much-anticipated World Gourmet Summit (WGS), Singapore’s most renowned dining event. Celebrating its 15th year, the summit gathers thousands of chefs, culinary critics and gourmet food enthusiasts in a 14-day event replete with workshops, master classes, cooking demonstrations and wine tastings.
According to the organiser of the event, Peter A Knipp, CEO, Peter Knipp Holdings Pte Ltd, “Top-notch chefs from all over the world participate at WGS each year. Securing a seat to dine at their prestigious dining establishments back home could mean a waitlist of weeks, or even months on end, so having them come all the way here is indeed a privilege that should not be missed.”
Among the world-renowned chefs who will be showcasing their pièces de résistance at the World Gourmet Summit include award-winning foie gras master chef Michael Ginor and Singapore’s breakthrough dessert chef Janice Wong. Both culinary stars are set to inspire Filipino gourmands and foodies with wine-paired feasts, allowing them privy to their cooking secrets.
Chef Janice Wong is set to sweeten Singapore’s biggest gourmet festival with a showcase of her innovative plated desserts that will be expertly paired with wine.
Gastronomic journey into foie gras
World-famous Chef Michael Ginor has been setting the standard in foie gras cooking, pioneering the Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the most comprehensive producer of the ingredient in the world. In his 20-year career that began with a passion for foie gras, he has filled his toque with numerous awards like the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences and the Award of Excellence from the American Tasting Institute and he has successfully established his acclaimed restaurants TLV and Lola, and his own television show called Runaway Chef.
In this year’s World Gourmet Summit, Chef Ginor will give guests a once-in-a lifetime learning experience as he whips up dishes expertly paired with champagne. Guests will be spoilt for choice with his six-course menu that includes a delightful tuna tartare with nori-cured foie gras and a crème brulee of foie gras paired with duck and mustard fruit. “I love to teach and I love to travel. I love people coming in and learning new ways of using a product or a new technique, and I’m excited to share my passion for foie gras and American culinary aesthetics. Hopefully, Filipino participants will return to the Philippines with something they have never seen before,” he says.
One of the pioneers who made the World Gourmet Summit a resounding success, Chef Ginor also treats the gathering as a platform to further hone his culinary craft. “I’m always excited to be part of this event because it’s a kind of cross-cultural culinary experience. As much as we bring our own experience, whether it’s with foie gras or our own techniques to share with the local people and the visiting chefs, we also learn new products and new techniques from the local cuisine,” he says.
Chef Ginor has always been a fan of Southeast Asian cuisine, especially the appetizing street food of Singapore. He takes inspiration from the Lion City’s hawker fare and creates timeless dishes that offer the distinctive Singaporean spice and flavor. Right now, he offers on his menu his own take on laksa that features lobster meat with the classic spicy broth, and a duck tenderloin satay with cucumber and mango.
“I love street food even if I’m trained in the high end, and I love eating and cooking on the street level. Invariably, every time I travel I bring back something that will reflect my visit in Singapore and incorporate it in my menu,” he shares.
Foie gras pioneer Chef Michael Ginor will dish out an exciting and palatable culinary experience in this year’s World Gourmet Summit.
Sweetening the deal
Another master who will showcase her avant-garde techniques in desserts and pastries is Chef Janice Wong, the owner of the cutting-edge 2am:dessertbar in Singapore. Even as a young chef, she continues to push the limits of gastronomic creativity with extraordinary dessert and pastry innovations that go beyond culinary tradition.
“When I first opened 2am:dessertbar, the media was very helpful and encouraging, and so were the customers. Being 24 at the time and running your own business, the pressure is there. I wanted to make it a grand thing and that was my goal. I wanted to continue to strive for better results and techniques and always maintain quality,” she explains.
Training at the prominent Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School in Paris and working in various Michelin-star restaurants together with some of the world’s best chefs, Chef Wong brings to the plate delicately plated desserts paired with wine for Filipino foodies to relish. Her sophisticated desserts reflect the beauty of nature, offering the perfect combination of texture, design and flavor.
“Visitors will get to enjoy a very unique way of presenting desserts, and how progressive our dishes are. With the World Gourmet Summit, you get an array of top chefs in the world all coming together, and you are exposed to so many different kinds of flavors and techniques. You will never get the same kind of chefs all at the same time,” she shares.
Chef Ginor guides his staff at his widely-acclaimed restaurant Lola in New York.
Along with a stellar cast of top chefs, Chefs Janice Wong and Michael Ginor will regale the taste buds of travelers and foodies with the world’s finest cuisines – something every Filipino who loves good food should look forward to. The World Gourmet Summit boasts an enviable list of gastronomic event highlights and will be held from April 25 to May 8.
For more information, please refer to yoursingapore.com.
