Push for the world gourmet club

Singapore's World Gourmet Summit (WGS) and the St Moritz Gourmet Festival are continuing their push for affiliated partner festivals to become members of the World Gourmet Club (WGC). The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and co-organiser of the WGS, Peter Knipp Holdings Pte Ltd, are in Switzerland at this year's St Moritz Gourmet Festival to reignite interest for a global grouping.

The WGC was formed in 1998 and supports one partner festival and two to four smaller affiliated festivals on each continent each year. The aim is for the Club to promote gourmet tourism across the world, and strategically, the WGC wants partner festivals in each continent to push this objective further.

Singapore's WGS, which won the coveted IFEA (International Festivals and Events Association) Grand Pinnacle Silver Award in USA last year, is the only Asian Partner Festival of the Club. Other partners are the famed St Moritz Gourmet Festival (Europe), Sydney (Australia), Capetown (South Africa) and Buenos Aires (South America).

Mr Kevin Leong, Director, Events Marketing, STB said: "Having been selected as the Asian representative of the WGC since 1999, we have worked together with the organisers of the Club in cross-promotional activities and exchanges in line with the Club's objective of linking up major food events around the world".

The Singapore delegation will also be promoting this year's WGS (April 22 to 27) and the Singapore Food Festival (SFF ) 30 March to 30 April) to the media and trade in Switzerland.

Led by Ms Josie Lau, STB's Assistant Director, Food Shopping Lifestyle, this year's mission to the St Moritz Gourmet Festival hopes to explore further ways with the organisers in developing and increasing international awareness of the WGC's events. Meetings have been planned to discuss ways of more joint promotions with members of the WGC.

"At such an international platform, the St Moritz Gourmet Festival also gives us the opportunity to find new partnership opportunities in enhancing the variety of events for both the SFF and WGS in Singapore," explains Ms Lau.

The Singapore contingent will also provide a sneak preview into the agenda of theme events for the SFF and WGS. A feast of culinary entertainment: from masterchef safaris, lunch with the lions and many other innovative and delightful ideas exemplifying Singapore's creative talents.

"Despite the WGS running for four years, it is maturing nicely to the standards of a world culinary event. Being a Partner Festival of the WGC has certainly helped in making this vision a reality"8 said Mr Peter Knipp of Peter Knipp Holdings Pte Ltd, co-organisers of the WGS.

For the very first time, Singapore will bring its cuisine to entice all at the St Moritz Gourmet Festival. Chef Manogaran of the Fullerton Hotel will be present to whip up some of Singapore's signature dishes. These include chilli and black pepper crabs, bak kut teh, sambal udang, satay, kueh pie tee, pandan tirimisu and many other local delights.

The IFEA is an association of world-wide festival and event organisers dedicated to strengthening the special events industry through education, networking and cultivating the highest professional standards.