Singapore Food Festival arrives in the UAE

Enjoy the finest of Asian flavours at the Singapore Food Festival, on now in the UAE. Running until March 2nd at 13 Lulu Hypermarket stores and participating restaurant locations, the event brings to the UAE Singapore’s most sought-after cultural export.

Twenty Singapore food and beverage companies are participating in the festival, bringing a smorgasbord of Singapore taste sensations through a variety of food products that offer quality, innovation and diversity. During the two-week festival, visitors can sample the unique flavours for which Singapore is renowned, participate in cooking demonstrations hosted by Singapore celebrity chef Violet Oon and have the chance to win a host of prizes, including an unforgettable holiday to Singapore.

The Singapore Food Festival was officially launched by Mr. Umej Singh Bhatia, Singapore’s Ambassador to the UAE, last night in Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi. The opening event showcased the country’s cultural diversity through food and theatre. Its rich heritage of Chinese, Malay, Indian cultures were reflected in the distinctive Singapore cuisine on offer as well as a captivating lion dance performance. Another event will take place in Dubai today at the LuLu Hypermarket in Al Barsha, Dubai

"Singapore cuisine weaves a unique blend of aromas and flavours that reflects our cross-cultural and multi-ethnic heritage. I hope that the Singapore Food Festival will help make Singaporean food a regular feature of the dining experiences of UAE residents," said H.E. Mr. Umej Singh Bhatia.

"We are excited to partner with Lulu Hypermarket to bring easy-to-make, authentic and high quality Singapore products to the UAE, another country rich in cultural diversity. Our partnership with Lulu will continue beyond the festival to provide the UAE with delicious Singapore food products," said Mr. Albert Tan, Centre Director (Abu Dhabi) for International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, the lead government agency driving Singapore’s external economy.

Recognised as one of the world’s gastronomic cities, Singaporeans are profoundly passionate about their culinary culture and none more so than celebrity chef Violet Oon. An accomplished chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and TV regular, she is considered one of Singapore’s most respected food authorities. With her deft kitchen skills and vast food knowledge, Chef Oon leaves a lasting impression on all she encounters and her cooking demonstrations at the Singapore Food Festival will be sure to have you racing home to whip up signature Singapore dishes.

Among the taste sensations to discover at the festival are three of the country’s most famous dishes. Considered a Singapore institution, Chilli Crab combines the freshest mud crab with spicy chilli and tomato sauce to create a sweet yet savoury gravy that leaves taste buds tingling. Chicken Rice, another Singapore staple, is a slowly poached dish of succulent, Chinese-spiced chicken accompanied by fragrant rice, vegetables and condiments. Singapore Satay, meat skewers marinated for hours in authentic spices, is served with a velvety peanut-based sauce that will leave you longing for one more bite. Although complicated to cook from scratch, these dishes are made simpler through the tasty range of ready-made, Halal-certified foods and sauces now available at Lulu Hypermarkets.

Be sure to check out San Grill Singapore Satay, a range of delicious marinated meat skewers that are ready-to-eat in just two minutes. Or replicate the essence of distinctive Chilli Crab with Prima Taste’s ’Chilli Crab La Mian’ instant noodle range. Make the perfect side of Singapore fried rice with seasoning mixes from Seah’s Spices that bring a symphony of authentic flavours with minimal preparation.

"At Lulu we always strive to offer the biggest depth and breadth of world cuisine and it is through events like the Singapore Food Festival that we can showcase our international offering. We are confident our cosmopolitan customers will embrace the fusion of Southeast Asian flavours, which is why we are introducing more than 180 different Singaporean products to our hypermarket shelves," said Mr. Ashraf Ali M.A, Executive Director, EMKE Group.

Up for grabs in the festival prize draw are three pairs of round trip tickets on Singapore Airlines for three nights’ stay in Singapore, with every AED50 spent on Singapore products at LuLu Hypermarkets. Singapore’s top eateries in the UAE, Fish & Co. and Pastamania are also offering a 15% discount at their restaurants for every AED50 spent on Singapore food items at LuLu Hypermarkets. Showing their support for the Singapore Food Festival, Chef Sai Min Oo from Radisson Blu DDC Dubai and Chef Joel Miranda Villanueva from The Club, Abu Dhabi will also be hosting live cooking demonstrations alongside Chef Violet.

Serving up fantastic food, interactive cooking demonstrations and great prizes, the Singapore Food Festival promises to be a fun day out for foodies and families alike. So get down to your nearest Lulu Hypermarket to get your Far Eastern food fix.

The Singapore Food Festival is a joint initiative of IE Singapore, the Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA) and LuLu, one of the largest hypermarket operators in the Middle East.

Emirate:  Dubai

Date: Feb 21, 2013

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