An amazing eight-hands dinner with Malcolm Lee, Adam Liaw, Janice Wong and Anna Polyviou

6, 300km apart, with 80 guests over two days, an eight-hands dinner with a five-course menu was held simultaneously in two countries (Singapore and Sydney). On 21 and 22 February, we saw Malcolm Lee, chef-owner of one Michelin-starred Candlenut; Adam Liaw, host of SBS Destination Flavour and winner of the second season of Australian Masterchef; Janice Wong, chef-owner of 2am:dessertbar; and Anna Polyviou, pastry chef of Shangri-La Sydney come together to present a special AU x SG Foodies Dinner for 80 guests – in Singapore and Sydney. 

For the full cross-cultural experience, every table was fitted with microphones, a camera and a plasma screen for the live broadcasting between two countries, allowing each table to chat with the corresponding table in Sydney. Organised by the folks from the Singapore Tourism Board to launch Passion Made Possible (Singapore’s new destination brand), the dinner was held in one of the ballrooms in Shangri-La Singapore and Sydney.  

The dinner kick-started with entrées from the kitchens of Shangri-La Singapore and Sydney. We tucked into Singapore favourites like Pork Satay served with the must-have thick peanut sauce and topped with chopped fresh pineapples; moreish Otak Otak, made from minced fish and squid laced with coconut cream, then sprinkled with deep-fried shallots and scallions; and Fruit Rojak, a myriad of local fruits.

Drawing inspirations from their Asian heritage, Lee and Liaw joined hands and gave a modern spin to the quintessential Singapore dish, Hainanese-Peranakan Chicken Rice. It was served with fragrant Buah Keluak sambal – one of Lee’s favourite ingredients – and the innovative crab chilli sauce, where fat from the back of the crab was mixed with the chilli. 

We ended the night with Wong and Polyviou’s stunning 101-step Passion-Ate Singapore. Influenced by Singapore’s tropical climate and the Cloud Forest from Gardens by the Bay, the intricate dessert included a medley of fruits like pandan, kaya, coconut, lychee and passion fruit, surrounded by cotton candy decorated with vibrant edible flowers.

For more upcoming foodie events, head over to visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/