A TALE OF TWO CITIES

18.19 DECEMBER 2021

“IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES.” - CHARLES DICKENS

Inspired by the famous quote from Dickens’ classic novel, International Chefs Summit Asia reinterprets the tale of Singapore and Taiwan in this peculiar time of a global pandemic where people cannot dine out and socialise in their favourite restaurants as freely as they used to. This year, ICSA presents itself as a live virtual event held over one weekend, and — for the first time — concurrently across Singapore and Taiwan.

YOUR FRONT ROW SEAT TO THE BEST OF GASTRONOMY IN ASIA

Welcome to a whirlwind weekend of gastronomical experiences:
2 days, 7 events, 14 award-winning chefs, and a whole world of cuisines delivered to you.

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ONLY 100 TICKETS PER SESSION, GET YOURS FAST!

(Please note that a ticket gets you a pass to the virtual event with the chefs of your chosen session, as well as a DIY ingredient kit to cook along with the chefs.)

 
 

PROGRAMME

& MENU

 
 

SATURDAY, 18 DECEMBER

  • Abalone Risotto with Shrimp Bisque

    (DIY Ingredient kit delivered to your home)

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    VIRTUAL EVENT

    WHEN EAST MEETS WEST
    11 am to 12 noon

    Presenting: Abalone Risotto with Shrimp Bisque

    Men who rose up from humble beginnings, Chefs Thomas Chien and Edward Chong might be disparate in age, but they are the same in their insistence on hard work and equal in talent. Chef Chien—the founder of an eponymous F&B group built over almost three decades—has made waves in Taiwan through his high profile collaborations with global giants the likes of Alain Passard and Pierre Gagnaire, Andoni Luis Aduriz, Sebastien Bras, Anne-Sophie Pic, Eric Frechon. Chef Chong is the fresh-faced executive chef of Singapore’s award-winning Cantonese restaurant Peach Blossoms, quietly revolutionising the scene with his unique style of incorporating Western techniques into traditional Chinese cuisine. Together, they fuse French techniques with elegant Cantonese sensibilities to create a risotto like no other.

  • 48 Hours Short Rib Beef Noodle with a Khao Soi Broth

    (DIY Ingredient kit delivered to your home)

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    VIRTUAL EVENT

    SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW
    1 pm to 2 pm

    Presenting: 48 Hours Short Rib Beef Noodle with Khao Soi Broth

    Young and with a cosmopolitan spirit, Chefs Malcolm Lee and Ton Thitid weave modernity into tradition to outstanding effect. Lee created Candlenut, the world's only Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant; while Ton is the dynamic chef behind Michelin-starred Le Du and Baan. Both deep dive into heritage and culture to make fresh, exciting reinterpretations that celebrate traditions in novel ways, and here, they demonstrate how to create what possibly might be the best bowl of soup noodles you’ve ever had at home.

  • Char Siu Cannelloni

    (DIY Ingredient kit delivered to your home)

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    VIRTUAL EVENT

    FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD: A SINO-ITALIAN CROSSOVER
    3 pm to 4 pm

    Presenting: Char Siu Cannelloni

    Evocative and precious seasonal ingredients are the cornerstone of Chef Matteo Ponti of Michelin-starred Braci, and Chef Vincent Weng — the Taiwanese chef who made his name first as chef de cuisine of Yannick Alleno’s Stay, and now the Co-Founder & Head Chef behind Taipei’s 1 year-old Chinois. Discover how the two chefs infuse the finer points of Chinese and Italian cuisine to create a unique dish that presents distinct elements of the two culinary cultures, yet surprise with a universally comforting quality — the perfect show-stealer at any Christmas table.

SUNDAY, 19 DECEMBER

  • Our “Quay” Ingredient

    (DIY Ingredient kit delivered to your home)

    Showcasing a technique used in almost every menu in Quay Restaurant, Sydney, this dish shows off the delicateness of the shaved squid noodles, along with a consommé made of its trimmings, ginger scented custard and smoked Engawa.

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    VIRTUAL EVENT

    AUSTR-ASIAN CUISINE, REINTERPRETED
    10:30 am to 11:30 am

    Both alumni of Australia's most celebrated restaurant, Quay, Chefs Lewis Barker of Sommer and Kai Ward of Canvas in Taipei are united in their passion for pure ingredients of premium quality — the foundation of modern Australian cuisine. Infusing into Barker's English background, Ward’s Northern European techniques and both chefs’ Asian experience, they bring to each dish a truly cosmopolitan perspective.

  • “ODEN”

    (DIY Ingredient kit delivered to your home)

    Michelin-starred chefs Ryogo Tahara (2* logy) and Shigeru Koizumi (1* Esora) reinterpret the Japanese traditional stew Oden, their special version comprising beef tongue, duck, crab, shrimp, abalone and other premium ingredients.

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    VIRTUAL EVENT

    A SYMPHONY OF FOUR SEASONS
    12 pm to 1 pm

    Two Michelin-starred Japanese chefs redefine "dining out" and "dining in". How do fine-dining establishments continue to dialogue with diners when dining out is restricted? How do they contribute to their diners' meals at home in a manner that is authentic to their identity? Just as each season presents its own unique conditions, the pandemic has dealt its cards — and the chefs are riding through it as they would through the harshest winter: by appreciating its own opportunities and silver linings. This promises to be a presentation on Seasonality like no other: one that goes beyond a showcase of ingredients to deliver a story of changing times, and an uplifting sense of hope — fitting for the festive season.

  • Wu Pao Chun's Red Wine Longan Bread & Janice's Chocolate Terrine (Pure Imagination Single Origin Chocolate)

    (Pastry/Bread box delivered to your home)

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    VIRTUAL EVENT

    THE PATISSIERS’ MEETING OF THE TWO WORLDS
    2 pm to 3 pm

    Tireless in expanding their reach and always pushing boundaries, Janice Wong, named Asia's Best Pastry Chef twice by the prestigious San Pellegrino Asia's 50 Best, and Wu Pao Chun — crowned Master Baker in the bread category of the 2010 Bakery Masters competition held in Paris — are revolutionaries who take things into their own hands. With a growing presence in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo, the dynamic duo are revered names in the baking world. Seize this chance to learn best-in-class techniques in baking, discover sublime combinations that both are renowned for, and transform your newfound skills into an edible work of art.

  • Mala Spiced Beef Short Rib with Sugarcane Beef Jus, Beef Fat Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms and Crispy Dried Scallops

    (DIY Ingredient kit delivered to your home)

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    VIRTUAL EVENT

    MEMORIES OF TAIWAN & SINGAPORE
    19 December 2021, 4 pm to 5 pm

    Chef Han Liguang of Labyrinth and Chef Richie Lin of Mume jointly present their memories of Singapore and Taiwan through a collaboration dish comprising elements of chicken rice, braised beef soup and Mala hotpot.