The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has announced a three-year partnerhsip with Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
Next year’s celebration of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, will be the first in a line of events heading to Singapore, making it the first Asian city to host the worldwide annual gathering of chefs after successful events in New York, Melbourne and Bilbao in previous years.
“We are very excited to host an edition of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in Asia for the first time,” said Tim Brooke-Webb, managing director of World’s 50 Best. “As a confident, vibrant and thriving food city, Singapore is the perfect choice. We understand Singapore’s commitment to hosting great events, welcoming people from around the world and investing in the food and drinks sector.”
A truly global event
Having started out in London in 2002, organisers made the decision to take the ceremony to the world in 2016.
The 2019 ceremony in Singapore will be followed by the celebration of Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2019 and 2020 and in 2021 the World’s 50 Best Bars will return to the city. It will also see a special edition of #50BestTalks taking place there in 2020.
The announcement was made at a celebratory dinner in London, which also saw three chefs of Singapore restaurants cooking a six hands dinner, showcasing the best of Singapore cuisine. Julien Royer of Odette, Jason Tan of Corner House and Malcolm Lee of Candlenut each presented a dish, complemented by cocktails prepared by some of the best bartenders in Singapore.
Melissa Ow, acting chief executive of STB, said hosting the World’s 50 Best was an indication of Singapore’s rising stature as a nightlife and gastronomic capital.
“Through this partnership and series of events, we hope to raise the bar for Singapore’s F&B industry, as well as profile our culinary and cocktail offerings to top industry professionals and visitors,” she added. Over time, we also believe it will translate into more opportunities for our home-grown dining and cocktail establishments through greater global exposure and business possibilities.”
Global gastronomic destination
Chef Royer added that the announcement has got the gastronomy world in Singapore excited. It is a very proud moment for all of us; chefs, mixologists and food lovers,” he said. “Hosting the World’s 50 Best Restaurants is significant as it really places Singapore as a global gastronomic destination.”
It is not the first time organisers will host the event in Singapore – in 2013 it was the venue for the announcement of Asia’s 50 Best restaurants and last year the city played host to the World’s Best Bars – but the partnership between William Reed Media, the company behind the World’s 50 Best, and the STB represents a next step in the evolution of the successful brand.
Today the annual celebrations have become much larger events, preceded by a full programme of events, talks and activities for those attending. “We have established the World’s 50 Best as the most credible lists of where to go to get best food and drink in the world,” concluded Brooke-Webb.
Tina Nielsen
