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Savor the flavors of America, France and India at the Singapore Sun Festival

Author: The Daily Tribune
Column: Life

Indulge yourself this October as the city-state of Singapore celebrates what she holds most closely to her heart food! As part of the highly-anticipated wine and cuisine disciplines of the Singapore Sun Festival 2009, the premium lifestyle festival will bring some of the worlds much-loved international chefs and cuisine right to your doorstep. You can meet the man who has cooked for Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama, taste the food and learn from a two Michelin star chef; or enjoy the cuisine prepared by one of the top Indian chefs in New York City.

Promising to provide an unforgettable gastronomic experience for all, the exotic and sumptuous feasts will range from contemporary French cuisine worthy of a two Michelin-star chef, tantalizing and carefully spiced new Indian dishes to a conversational cooking demo with a chef of famed political and entertainment leaders. Cooking classes with the respective chefs are also back by popular demand and participants can get up close and personal with the cooking maestros. With celebrity chefs sharing secrets at the series of intimate cooking classes at Coriander Leaf, be inspired and learn from show-and-tell practical tips, insights, advice, techniques and recipes that will surely make cooking effortless.

Starting the cooking series on Oct. 3, 10 a.m., is New York-based chef Floyd Cardoz, who will be sharing the secrets behind the use of spices and curries at aptly named Coriander Leaf. Chef Cardoz, owner of top Indian restaurant Tabla in New York, will showcase his signature style of blending Indian and Western traditions, techniques and flavors that ultimately results in the creation of New Indian cuisine. Participants will be taught to cook Cardoz's famous Goan style shrimp curry and Aachari lamb shanks, a tantalizing treat for your friends when they visit your home.

Festival-goers will also get a chance to taste his version of New Indian cuisine in Gourmet Kama Sutra on Oct. 4, 7 p.m. Held at Coriander Leaf and in collaboration with local chef Samia Ahad, the dinner (with a course that includes black pepper shrimp watermelon chaat and rice flaked lobster sammar curry) will be accompanied by wines from leading Rhône Valley vigneron and biodynamic viticulture champion Michel Chapoutier. Singapore's leading independent wine writer and wine enthusiast, Curtis Marsh, will also be on hand to provide insight and commentary on the superb wines as they are served with each course during the evening.

Let the magical hands of chef Art Smith, who's cooked for some of the most famous politicians and celebrities in America, show you how to prepare some of the best and most sumptuous family meals on Oct. 4, 1 p.m., at Coriander Leaf. With strong beliefs that family bonding can take place through a home cooked meal, Smith will present several of his favorite dishes that are easy to prepare at home: jambalaya; healthy and simple green salad topped with candied pecan and blue cheese Riesling dressing; buttermilk and goat cheese biscuits capped off with a sumptuous seasonal summer cobbler.

France's hottest contemporary chef (and Bruce Willis look-alike!), holding two Michelin stars, Thierry Marx, will teach cutting edge courses found in his new book Planet Marx on Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. Be inspired by Marx's take on modern French cuisine, that gives a lightness on touch and spirit.

The Fullerton Hotel will also be home to the Marx luncheon entitled "Planet Marx." Arguably the most sought-after avant-garde chef today, his talent will astound you as he prepares his wildly experimental take on molecular cuisine. To be held on Oct. 11, 12.30 p.m., the luncheon will be accompanied by a superb selection of fine wines from renowned French winemaker Jean-Michel Cazes stable including Château Cordeillan-Bages and Château Lynch-Bages.

Set sail for an unforgettable experience onboard a magnificent schooner, Rising Tide, on Oct. 3, 3 p.m. Hosted by celebrated traveler, photographer and publisher Hans Hoefer, the splendid evening will be accompanied with a sumptuous gourmet spread prepared by chef Samia Ahad, and fine wines from Cape Lavender.

Last but not least, and a familiar face in the Singapore Sun Festival no less, chef Ahad will share stories, cultures and flavors of the different regions, from Asia to Middle East and up to the Mediterranean. Embark on a gastronomic journey on Oct. 6, 10 a.m., as she presents the fascinating culture and richness of Arabian cuisines originating from the Bedouins and the Berbers; or on Oct. 10, 10 a.m., where Chef Ahad will be sharing the mystique behind the spices and various delicious recipes from the East Indies to Africa and finally to the Mediterranean.

The Singapore Sun Festival returns on the Oct. 3 to 12 to celebrate the art of living well. Featuring over 190 international artists and celebrities in more than 90 events, the festival will be held at some of Singapore's leading venues.

The Singapore Sun Festival is the third and only Asian chapter of a global lifestyle brand owned by the international arts management group IMG Artists. The Sun Festival is also celebrated annually in Cortona, Tuscany (Italy) and in Napa Valley, California (USA) under the auspices of Festival Association Napa Valley, a California not-for-profit organization, produced by IMG Artists.

Join the Singapore Sun Festival online community on Facebook and Twitter. For bookings at Coriander Leaf, call 6732-3354 or e-mail info@corianderleaf.com and for Thierry Marx lunch at The Fullerton Hotel call 6536-0031. The Singapore Sun Festival is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board. For latest updates and more information on wine and cuisine, visit www.singaporesunfestival.com and sign up on its mailing list today.

Source: The Daily Tribune