Australians may be tempted to tick Singapore off their foodie bucket list once they have tried Chilli Crab and Hainanese Chicken Rice, but there is so much more to the city’s eclectic culinary scene waiting to be discovered. 

On Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th March, Singapore Tourism Board invites foodies to join them at Cirrus Dining for Taste Obsession Singapore, a 9-course degustation discovery dinner that pays homage to the Lion City and its reputation as a foodie’s paradise. Characterised as a melting pot of cuisines that reflects its people, Singapore’s food scene is steeped in heritage and tradition, whilst maintaining a voracious appetite for culinary innovation.

Brent Savage, co-owner and chef at award-winning Cirrus Dining is teaming up with Wayne Liew, the head chef at third-generation, cult Singapore eatery Keng Eng Kee to each design 7-courses that tell the story of ‘their’ Singapore. The chef’s menu will be served in a storytelling format and will culminate in an additional special collaborative dish featuring Steamed Blue Eye Trevalla + Fermented Wood Ear Mushroom + Shiso + Bak Kwa that reflects the fusion of their styles and experiences discovering Singapore together earlier this year. 

About the menu

• Brent’s interpretation will stay true to his renowned, elegant and refined style; with dishes such as: Glazed Duck Breast + Sichuan Pepper, and Crisp Fish Skin + Whipped Mullet Roe + Cured Egg Yolk. In addition, Brent has designed a show-stopper dessert featuring Pandan Custard + Kaya Coconut Jam + Lychee Granita to end the night on a sweet note.
• Wayne looks forward to introducing Australians to some of his iconic Zi Char dishes, including coffee pork ribs and his famous signature black pepper sauce that will be served with Balmain bugs. Often found in alfresco eateries dotted across the island, Zi Char (literally meaning “cook and fry” in Chinese) is a unique dining experience, which offers a menu of over 100 dishes, with eateries known for their own signature dishes. 

Although their cooking styles and cultural backgrounds couldn’t be more different, both chefs share a common passion for Singapore’s food scene, including the array of exotic ingredients and tantalising flavours and the mish-mash of cultural influences that include Chinese, Indian and Peranakan to name just a few. 

Brent Savage, co-owner and chef at Cirrus Dining comments: “I visit Singapore many times a year and I’m always inspired by the variety of cuisine on offer – from world-class fine dining through to Michelin-star hawker stalls and everything in between. Singapore may be small in size, but it certainly packs a punch when it comes to flavour and diversity of authentic cuisines. It’s easy to understand why Singaporeans are so obsessed with food and why so many foodies visit the city.”

According to Singapore Tourism Board’s Area Director Oceania Stephanie Yong: “It’s a well-known fact that Singaporeans are incredibly passionate and obsessed with food! Ask any local and they will always be thinking ahead about that next meal.  Our multicultural heritage serves up an array of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan, European and also innovative fusion fare too. There is just so much variety on offer in Singapore, that we’re simply spoilt for choice.

“Our local chefs are the real drivers of Singapore’s unique food scene. Just like Wayne and the Liew family at Keng Eng Kee, our chefs pay homage to their cultural heritage by keeping traditions and recipes alive, they cook from the heart and constantly push themselves to make their food even better, drawing inspiration from both Singapore and the world. We look forward to meeting food-obsessed Aussies at the Taste Obsession events this March in Sydney.” 

WHEN:

Wednesday 4 March 2020 - bookings from 6pm

Thursday 5 March 2020 - bookings from 6pm

WHERE:

Cirrus Dining

23 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000

BOOKINGS:

Tickets cost $90 per head for the 9-course degustation

The cost per head excludes drinks. Wine matches selected by Nick Hildebrandt will be available.

Bookings: www.cirrusdining.com.au or T: (02) 9220 0111

Visit www.visitsingapore.com/TasteObsessionSingapore for more information

-ENDS-

About the Taste Obsession Singapore menu

The full menu with chef commentary is available upon request.

For interviews with the chefs, ‘how to’ recipes, the talent’s tips to exploring Singapore, campaign video or stills photography, please contact: 

Adhesive PR on behalf of Singapore Tourism Board

Nikki Gunnis or Madison Yarrow

P: (02) 9281 3933

E: nikki.gunnis@adhesivepr.com.au, madison.yarrow@adhesivepr.com.au  

 About the Singapore Tourism Board

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore’s key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions. Passion Made Possible celebrates the spirit and attitude of a city whose tenacity and innovation continually create new experiences and possibilities for its people and visitors. For more information, visit www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com or follow us on Twitter @STB_sg (https://twitter.com/stb_sg).

About Brent Savage

Brent Savage is chef and co-owner of renowned Sydney venues Bentley Restaurant + Bar, Monopole, Yellow, Cirrus and Botanica. One of Australia’s most respected and influential chefs, Brent has a reputation for exciting, cutting edge food, clever technique and a unique mastery of flavour and texture. He has twice been awarded the Good Food Guide Chef of the Year (2005 and 2015) and is the author of the cookbook Bentley: Contemporary Cuisine.

About Cirrus

Located on the waterfront at Barangaroo and specialising in seafood, Cirrus is the creation of chef Brent Savage and sommelier Nick Hildebrandt, the multi award-winning team behind Bentley Restaurant + Bar, Monopole and Yellow. With stunning views across the northern end of Darling Harbour to Pyrmont and Goat Island, Cirrus offers the finest waterfront dining in Sydney. With both indoor and outdoor seating, it is ideal for everything from an intimate dinner to a long weekend lunch. Brent’s menu at Cirrus reflects the location, and is created from the finest seasonal produce from local growers and sustainably caught seafood. Non-seafood eaters and vegetarians are also catered for. Nick’s wine list always pairs superbly with Brent’s food; you’ll find more than 500 wines from around the world on the list from the cutting-edge to the classic.

About Keng Eng Kee & Wayne Liew 

Cult Singapore eatery Keng Eng Kee Seafood (KEK) was started in the 1970s by the grandparents of the current Liew family, who had immigrated to Singapore from Hainan Island in China. The first iteration of KEK was a small hawker stall in Old Havelock Road that specialised in simple Chinese stir-fry dishes. The family later handed over the stall to their daughter and Malaysia-born son-in-law who expanded the menu by introducing Southeast Asian influences. KEK is currently managed by the 3rd generation of the Liew family, with all three children involved in the operations – Wayne is Head Chef, whilst Paul and Geraldine are responsible for Front-of-house and Service & Operations respectively. With almost half a century of history under their belts, the KEK team has inherited and perfected not only wok-skills from their forefathers, but also values on how best to manage the family business. The culinary approach of KEK today is to preserve the traditional recipes, whilst also constantly creating new flavours. KEK was awarded a Michelin Plate in Michelin Guide Singapore 2016, 2017 and 2018. It was voted Number 1 in the ‘Hot 100 Hawkers in Singapore’ by Burpple Singapore.