SINGAPORE TO HOST THE WORLD’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS AWARDS IN 2019: The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has today announced that its 2019 awards and events programme, sponsored by S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, will take place in Singapore.
The 2019 location marks a new era for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, with Singapore being the first city in Asia to host the world’s most important annual gourmet gathering, after hugely successful editions in Bilbao this year, Melbourne in 2017 and New York in 2016. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants made the move several years ago to hold the global event in various gastronomic hotspots across the world to encourage greater discovery of different cuisines and fresh experiences for leading chefs and for the wider dining public.
The much-anticipated awards ceremony, often referred to as the Oscars of the culinary world, is preceded by a full programme of associated events and activities for consumers and renowned names in the restaurant world. Visitors and locals will be able to attend a series of events including #50BestTalks, presented by Miele, to hear about the latest trends in gastronomy and partake in discussions on topical issues around food, as well as to attend masterclasses and dinners by some of the world’s greatest chefs. 50 Best and Singapore Tourism Board will also collaborate on an interactive culinary student programme.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants will be welcoming the globe’s leading chefs to The Chefs’ Feast ahead of the awards ceremony, an opportunity for them to enjoy the gastronomic delights that Singapore has to offer, share ideas and celebrate together.
Partnership between William Reed Business Media and Singapore Tourism Board
William Reed Business Media, the company behind the 50 Best brand, has signed a three- year partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the first time such a partnership has been inked, bringing a pipeline of prestigious 50 Best events to Singapore from 2019- 2021. Besides the Lion City hosting the greats of the culinary world at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in 2019, it will also see Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards continue to take place in Singapore for the next two years (2019 and 2020).
In addition, a standalone special edition of the #50BestTalks thought-leadership event will also take place in the city-state in 2020. Finally, The World’s 50 Best Bars awards will be hosted in Singapore in 2021 – making it the first city outside London to be announced as hosting the Bars awards – reflecting Singapore’s fast-rising status as a must-visit destination for cocktail lovers.
50 Best has a long-standing relationship with STB, which showcased Singapore’s food and drink credentials with its hosting of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards from 2013-2015. Earlier this year Singapore hosted the inaugural edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards.
The announcement of the partnership was made prior to a six-hands celebratory dinner hosted at Avenue in St James’s, London. The menu was presented by three chefs heading up acclaimed restaurants in Singapore: Julien Royer of Odette, Jason Tan of Corner House and Malcolm Lee of Candlenut. Accompanying cocktails were created by three of the most highly regarded bartenders based in Singapore: Vijay Mudaliar of Native, Philip Bischoff of Manhattan and Sasha Wijidessa of Operation Dagger. Tim Brooke-Webb, managing director of 50 Best, was joined at the event by the Acting Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board, Melissa Ow.
Besides showcasing Singapore cuisine at the celebratory dinner, the six Singapore-based culinary and bartending talents are also in London in conjunction with the rollout of STB’s new Passion Made Possible global destination campaign. To highlight Singapore’s globally renowned culinary and mixology scene, a key highlight of the campaign is ‘The Singapore Supper Club’, which is open to the public from October 4-6, 2018, in London.
Tim Brooke-Webb, Managing Director of 50 Best, said: “We are very excited to host an edition of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in Asia for the first time. 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. It’s a pleasure to work with the Singapore Tourism Board on our 2019 edition of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and the series of future events.”
Melissa Ow, Acting Chief Executive, STB, said: “We are excited to ink this ground-breaking partnership with William Reed Business Media. Hosting the internationally-renowned 50 Best branded events in Singapore, including The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars, bears testament to Singapore’s rising stature as a gastronomic and nightlife 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. 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. We look forward to welcoming the world’s best chefs and mixologists to Singapore come 2019.”
Almost one in five of the restaurants listed in the 2018 edition of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, are based in Singapore. Singapore is also represented in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list with Odette, a new entry this year at No.28. In addition, Burnt Ends is featured in the 51-100 section of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Moreover, six of The World’s 50 Best Bars are located in Singapore, with the 2018 edition of prestigious global bars ranking set to be revealed at an awards ceremony in London tomorrow evening (October
The voting process
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is independently adjudicated by professional services consultancy Deloitte. The list is voted for by more than 1,000 international restaurant industry experts and well-travelled gourmets who make up The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy. The World’s 50 Best Bars is voted for by more than 500 international bar industry experts and cocktail aficionados who make up The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy.