Singapore is a gastronomes delight, but food waste has risen by 40% over the past ten years to 809,000 tonnes annually in 2017, which represents a whopping 140 kilos of food per person. Globally, around one third of all food production is lost or wasted – enough to end global hunger. Accor, the largest operator of hotels in Singapore, is committed to reducing its food waste in the same year the Singapore government has launched the Year of Zero Waste. Accor spokesperson Veronique Augier Nel, Director of Communications & CSR, shares their sustainability plans.

Tell us about Accor’s Love Food, Not Waste movement? 
Accor’s commitment under its Planet 21 sustainable development program is to reduce food waste by 30% by the year 2021 – not just here in Singapore but globally at our 4800 hotels and resorts around the world. Through the “Love Food, Not Waste” movement, our properties are encouraged to run initiatives to support food waste reduction. Singapore-wide agreements are being made to eliminate unnecessary packaging, align with seasonality and consolidate to more sustainable sources. Educating staff to be mindful of their natural surroundings is another of the inherent parts of Planet 21. By 2018, this has resulted in over 1,000 hotels fostering urban or organic vegetable gardens or beehives within their premises or in their vicinity, encouraging locally sourced ingredients, while reducing our food and carbon footprint.

How is Accor working to reduce food waste in Singapore?
Accor has 15 hotels and resorts and 50 restaurants and bars across the island. Every day, we serve over 20,000 meals in a city where we know people love to eat. Singaporeans are crazy about their food, but sadly they are wasting enormous amounts of it. All Accor restaurants in Asia Pacific and beyond follow a charter on healthy and sustainable food. They are committed to offering healthy, balanced and high-quality food by using ingredients grown in their own gardens, or locally sourced products. This includes a commitment on banning the use of overfished species, as well as reducing food waste. To better manage food waste, the group also works with providers to measure and record waste, resulting in some hotels reducing their waste by as much as 52%.

What are some other creative ways your Singapore hotels curb food waste?
Other note-worthy initiatives include our partnerships with treatsure (treatsure.co), an app that links consumers with excess food. It’s proven to be an effective tool enabling us to redistribute surplus food that’s still perfectly safe for consumption. To date, six Accor properties in Singapore use the app and we are now looking at expanding the tool across our hotels internationally. We also have a partnership with The Food Bank Singapore (foodbank.sg, a foodbank that collects excess food from suppliers and re-distributes them to organisations such as aged care homes, family service centres and soup kitchens).

What are some ways we can reduce food waste while travelling?
When consuming food in buffets, make it a habit to use smaller plates to only dish up what you need and take smaller portions. Even if it means returning to the buffet more often, this will allow you to burn more calories, hence giving you an excuse to consume just a little more!

Chef’s tips:

Executive Chef, Sofitel Singapore City Centre, Jean-Charles Dubois minimises food waste in the hotel kitchen by using surplus ingredients. “Almost nothing is wasted. We order products according to reservations to keep things fresh and lessen food waste. Another change is adding more live stations and smaller displays during buffets and replenishing frequently.”

Chef’s tips for reducing food waste in the kitchen:
*Giving life to leftover food is something a lot of grandmothers practice. It’s easy to search for an online recipe that allows you to reduce food waste.
*Do a market list and plan your meals weekly, before you do your groceries. Practice FIFO: the food that has been in storage longest (“first in”) should be the next food used (“first out”).

Romy’s Environmental Club:

Guests at Accor’s World Earth Day celebrations at Sofitel Singapore City Centre were treated to an inspiring speech by 8-year-old Romy de Graaf, who attends the Australian International School (AIS) and founded the Environmental Club at the school. “I started picking up rubbish in the school field and some of my friends in the class started to help me. My principal noticed this, creating the rubbish club for me to lead. We renamed it The Environmental Club last year. The club is responsible for keeping the school grounds free from rubbish.” Romy has spoken at her school assembly, and her club is quickly attracting more students. “I believe that one small effort is all it takes to change the future of our planet,” says Romy. “Just like how my actions of picking up rubbish in the school field resulted in The Environmental Club being created.”

After several years as a Singapore Airlines flight attendant, Yvonne Kwek decided to follow a long-held dream of opening her own ice cream shop. One of Yvonne’s business partners was a friend she met while they were at culinary school together. “In a way we developed the idea of an ice cream shop many years ago, while we were still at school. I’d always wanted to open a café, and eventually we narrowed it down to ice cream. Because I want to make people happy and ice cream makes people happy.”

The perfect place
When a shop lease came up in the retro Katong Shopping Centre, it was the opportunity Yvonne had been waiting for. “We’d been looking around the Marine Parade and Katong area because I grew up here. This place holds a very strong sense of cultural flavour, it’s also a Peranakan area and Peranakan culture is all about food. There’s a lot of history in this building as well, it’s very different from a regular shopping centre. The people who work here are very warm and friendly, it’s like a little kampong. Because I’m essentially making locally flavoured ice cream, what better place to showcase these kinds of flavours?” The shop was available for immediate takeover, with much of the equipment they needed. “Everything was here, except for the ice cream display and ice cream machine, and the blast freezer. Chancing upon this shop was the spark I was looking for. So, I took the leap of faith and started making ice cream.”

Local tastes
While Singapore has many ice cream shops, Yvonne and her partners had a unique vision. The Humble Scoop draws on memories of hawker centre snacks and Singaporean food traditions to create its signature flavours. “When I was flying for work, I went to places with excellent ice cream – Italy has awesome gelato, Australia has really good dairy ice creams. There are lots of artisanal ice cream places already in Singapore, but no-one’s really showcasing something very local.”
“Some people would argue that Singapore doesn’t have a flavour that’s truly us because our ancestors came from all over Asia. For exmaple, Chicken Rice came from China, Nasi Lemak is from Indonesia. But what’s truly ours are the memories we grew up with. Little things like eating guava dipped in sour plum powder at the hawker centres, that’s something that almost everyone has tried at least once.” That memory inspired their guava sour plum sorbet flavour. Another of the Humble Scoop’s sorbets is based on a tradition from previous generations. “The pineapple, lime and chilli flavour is a memory from my mother’s and grandmother’s era. When there were still roadside food stalls in Singapore, they used to buy pineapple slices and dip them in dark sauce and chilli.” The shop’s most popular flavour is Pulut Hitam, based on a traditional dessert of black glutinous rice. “We cook that from scratch first before churning it into an ice-cream,” explains Yvonne.

Universal flavours
While these flavours are significant to those who grew up in Singapore, a couple of Yvonne’s inventions have more universal appeal. There’s a milo flavour which pays homage to the milo dinosaur drink served at local kopitiams. And the ‘Cereal Killer’ ice cream was inspired by Saturday mornings spent eating a bowl of cereal while watching cartoons, something that many Aussie or Kiwi kids would also remember well. “We caramelise and toast cornflakes and then soak them in milk overnight to draw out the flavour into the milk itself.” All the ice cream is made on site at the Humble Scoop’s shopfront, using whole ingredients with no added flavouring or colouring.

If you happen to be in the East Coast area, it’s worth dropping into the basement of Katong Shopping Centre to try a little scoop of Singaporean history.

THE HUMBLE SCOOP: Katong Shopping Centre, 865 Mountbatten Rd, #B1-92, 437844 facebook.com/the.humblescoop/

Top five ice cream shops in Singapore:

1. Kind Kones
The Forum, B1-27, Orchard

Kind Kones’s claim to fame is 100% vegan ice cream. There’s no dairy or egg in any of their flavours and they’re free of refined sugar, soy, gluten and artificial ingredients. Coconut, cashew and almond milks provide a tasty, creamy alternative to the traditional dairy ice cream base. Flavours range from the traditional to cherry pie, black forest, and dragonfruit banana sorbet. facebook.com/kindkonesSG

2. Birds of Paradise
63 East Coast Rd & Jewel Changi

This East Coast favourite has recently opened a second outlet at the prestigious Changi Jewel development. As the name implies, nature has a big influence here, with inspiration coming from fruits, flowers, herbs and spices. Popular flavours include white chrysanthemum, strawberry basil, lychee raspberry and masala spice. Don’t miss their homemade thyme-infused cones. facebook.com/bopgelato

3. Tom’s Palette
Beach Road, #01-25

A long-standing local favourite, Tom’s Palette has been churning premium ice cream since 2005. They offer a huge variety of flavours, with rum & raisin and toffee joining more unique flavours like yuzu, hazelnut latte, After 8 (inspired by the dinner mint), dark chocolate stout, caramel stout and sangria. Keep an eye on their Facebook page facebook.com/TomsPalette for weekly specials and new tastes. They also run
ice cream making lessons. tomspalette.com.sg

4. The Dark Gallery
Takashimaya at Ngee Ann City, #B2-29 & Millenia Walk, #01-K5.

Indulge in multiple chocolate ice cream options, like 80% dark chocolate, their signature 38% milk chocolate, white chocolate, and single origin chocolate ice-creams featuring cacao from a variety of locations like Venezuela, Tanzania and Sao Tome in Africa. If you’re not a chocolate fan, there are options like red velvet, peppermint and salted peanut butter.
thedarkgallery.com

5. Creamier
Gillman Barracks, 5a Lock Road; and Tiong Bahru,
78 Yong Siak St, #01-18

From their origins in an HDB in Toa Payoh, Creamier has become one of Singapore’s best loved small batch ice creameries. The menu features standard ice cream flavours like chocolate and pistachio, and more exotic flavours like blue pea vanilla, or sea salt gula melaka. Home delivery is available for sudden cravings. creamier.com.sg

Brettschneider’s Baking & Cooking School
1 Greendale Avenue 289495
bakingandcookingschool.com

The lowdown: This impressive baking and cooking school is led by Global Baker Dean Bresttschneider and is part of the extensive Baker & Cook family.
What they offer: All kinds of baking and cooking classes, from gourmet doughnuts to sourdough masterclasses, kids’ holiday bootcamp, pastry perfection, pasta making, and even farm tours. They also have guest chefs from some of Singapore’s top restaurants.
Test class: I’m invited to test out the Cookies with Chef Jenna White class. On arrival at their sleek, gleaming cooking school, I’m handed printed copies of the recipes, an excellent latte, and an apron. We’re making double chocolate and pecan cookies, ice-box cookies and afghans, a New Zealand family favourite. The class runs from 9am-12 noon and costs $180, but that includes taking home all your own baked cookies after you’re done.
What’s the class like? This is a fast paced, hands-on session, where I’m thrown into my own station, cracking eggs, sifting, rolling and mixing. Chef Jenna is super clear with her instructions, knows her stuff, and will gladly help if you get into trouble or want to check you’re on the right track. A kitchen assistant manages the ovens and the actual bake times, but you’ll be in charge of getting the cookie dough mixed, shaped and onto the trays, and then decorated afterwards.
End result: All the cookies are beautiful and taste wonderful. Best of all I get to take boxes back to ANZA HQ for a special treat!

Food Playground
24A Sago Street, 059020
foodplayground.com.sg

The lowdown: Food Playground is a local style cooking school offering classes that highlight some of Singapore’s best loved dishes. They operate out of a pre-war heritage shophouse in the heart of Singapore’s Chinatown.
What they offer: Each day of the week is a different Singapore classic – including Nasi Lemak, Satay, Gula Melaka Pudding, Char Kway Teow, and Hainanese Chicken Rice.
Test Class: My mum is visiting and wants to do a cooking class, so we sign up for the signature Cultural Cooking Class, to learn more about Singapore’s food heritage. We’re making Chicken Curry, Roti Jala (Malay net pancakes) and Ang Ku Kueh (a local snack with sweet coconut filling). Classes are $99 and run during the week, from 9:30am-12:30pm. A sit-down lunch is included.
What’s the class like: Run by local Singaporeans, the school has a policy of trying to employ seniors and stay at home mums. Our culinary instructor is Mary – whose love for cooking was triggered at a tender age by her mother’s Teochew culinary traditions. In this fun and informative class, she leads us through Asian cooking techniques with a great sense of humour, sharing titbits about Singapore’s history along the way. We even master the tricky lace pancakes and press our own purple shaded kueh.
End result: A complex, rich curry makes the perfect lunch, mopped up with the delicate pancakes. We take the kueh home and have it with a cup of tea. Delicious.

The Providore
315 Outram Road,
#05-03, 169074
cookingstudio.theprovidore.com
The lowdown: The Providore Cooking Studio is a space for the popular food store to showcase and bring to life their yummy gourmet grocery range and share recipes that inspire home cooks to get creative with their dishes. There’s a main studio, as well as a cosy dining space for mingling and sharing food after classes.
What they offer: A mix of social and corporate classes, with a range of menus spanning various cuisines – Singaporean, Asian, and European. Try your hand at Pizza Basics, Pasta Making, Cheese Class, Middle Eastern Cuisine, Vegan Cuisine, and more.
Extra toppings: The school’s theme for July is Summer and their in-house instructor has come up with a menu of classes based on summer recipes that are both delicious and refreshing. Most ingredients used in the classes can be purchased from The Providore’s grocery as well.

Expat Kitchen
9 Norris Rd, #02-01, 208252
expat-kitchen.com
The lowdown: Expat Kitchen was created in 2007, to train helpers to prepare healthy and varied meals for their families. They still run lots of helper classes, but they’re now open to all interested food lovers and feature a range of cuisines, as well as baking, birthday parties, holiday camps and festive cooking.
What they offer: Expat Kitchen runs classes from 3-hours up to 4 weeks, catering from beginner level, right up to masters. Try gluten free sweets, Korean Cooking, Fish Frenzy, Japanese Ramen, Traditional Indian, Baking, Thai Delights, and more.
Extra Toppings: Got a party coming up? They provide catering to both private and corporate clients.

How do you balance life as a chef and home life?
I find balance by having two families. My restaurant family is my team and I enjoy spending time with them by guiding and teaching as well as collaborating on new dishes and finding exciting ways to share our culinary passion. On my off days, I prefer to stay at home and cook simple meals for my family. Or perhaps entertain some friends from time-to-time.

What’s your favourite food neighbourhood in Singapore?
Currently, my favourite neighbourhood hangouts are Lorong 35 Duck Rice, Lorong 32 Desmond Creations for homestyle Cantonese food, or Geylang Serai Kumbing Soup. Or if I have a craving, Aoki Japanese is my favourite fine dining.

How would you describe your food?
Clean flavours, using only top ingredients, all the while blending French and Asian styles.

Why does this fusion style interest you?
There’s a unique feeling I get when I try new dishes. Something will speak to me and I know that I can add a fresh new flavour to enhance the recipe – for example using European meat but braised in an Asian style. This style has always been at my core – I have an Asian heritage, but my French culinary training will kick in. That still excites me about cooking.

Where is your favourite food city in the world?
San Sebastian in Basque Country, Spain. I love to spend my time there discovering new pintxos (tapas) bars which I haven’t sampled yet, and enjoying the evenings with a mug of cider and a view of the Playa de la Concha beach.

Do you have any food connections to Australia or New Zealand?
I have some very close friends in Australia and New Zealand. I’m very fond of the food scene in Australia, its great ingredients and many talented chefs. Chef Tetsuya Wakuda is one of my favourites and a great person to have a chat with. I’m looking forward to exploring more of New Zealand. I’ve only travelled to Marlborough for food and wine events, but I’ve fallen in love with the quality of seafood and lamb.

Favourite hawker dish?
My favourite hawker food is a good Indian rojak, kumbing (mutton) soup, and Hokkien noodles.

What food were you raised on?
When I think of my childhood, I will always recall my grandmother’s cooking. I came from a Chaozhou family (a city in the eastern Guangdong province of China), so our staple food was porridge with soya braised pork belly, steamed fish, and preserved vegetables.

What’s one piece of wisdom you would offer a young, rising chef?
My go-to advice for any young chef is learn your basics well, they will be the foundation you build your career and passion on. Stay in a workplace for at least two years before moving on, so that you can get a feel for this industry. There will be highs and lows, but you’ll continue to do it because of the love.

If you could sit down to eat with any chef, who would it be?
I would love to have a meal with Chef Ferran Adria, he has inspired me a lot, especially his philosophy on gastronomy.

What are your passions outside of food?
Travelling and wines.

What are the secrets of surviving as a fine-dining restaurant?
To survive in the fine dining restaurant is to maintain consistency of quality of food and service.

How do you keep your cuisine fun and inventive?
I find inspiration as a result of my travels and the cuisines I’ve sampled. It’s all about recreating the tastes, textures and feelings I recall from my moments abroad. I take this back to my kitchen and dive into the process of trying to give my guests that exact same experience.

What are some of your current and future projects?
Currently, I’ve just launched my ready-to-eat meals from a vending machine. I was inspired by the Japanese passion for vending machines and taking something that most people find so commonplace to the next level. We only use the best ingredients and have meals like Fish Curry and Coconut Rice, Sambal Prawn Capellini and Kampot Black Pepper Beef & Rice. It’s called Modern Asia Cuisine and is available in Singapore’s CBD area, Downtown East. Next year it will launch in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

You can taste Justin’s flavours at JustIN Flavours of Asia and Chinoiserie, located at the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. justinquek.com

21 July – 1 Sept
Aladdin, The Hit Broadway Musical
Breathtaking sets, jaw-dropping special effects, over 300 lavish costumes and a fabulous cast bring the magic of Disney’s Aladdin to life on stage. You’ll be singing along to all the songs from the classic Academy award winning film, including Friend Like Me, and A Whole New World. Tickets from $68, Sistic.

5 -14 July
Ballet Under the Stars 2019
Established by Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) in 1995, these outdoor dance performances light up historic Fort Canning Green. Don’t miss this graceful, powerful dance display in a stunning natural environment.

28 July
Singtel-Singapore Cancer Society Race Against Cancer 2019
Angsana Green, East Coast Park.
Organised by Singapore Cancer Society (SCS), the Singtel-Singapore Cancer Society Race Against Cancer raises funds to drive SCS programmes and services. Take part in a 5.5km, 10km or 15km race along the East Coast Park. raceagainstcancer.org.sg

12- 28 July
The Singapore Food Festival 2019
The annual Singapore Food Festival is a feast for food lovers. Head to the outdoor food festival, STREAT, on 12-13 July at the Promontory and celebrate the best of Singapore’s local talents, flavours and cuisines. Plus, enjoy a wide range of tours, tastings, demos, and chefs’ tables. singaporefoodfestival.com

20-21 July
International Champions Cup National Stadium
Four of Europe’s top football clubs play in this fun friendly. Catch Manchester United vs Inter on Saturday and Juventus vs Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Tickets from $38, sportshub.com.sg

28 July
Sheena Easton “For Your Eyes Only”
Gateway Theatre
Fresh from her critically acclaimed London West End leading role on 42nd Street, pop royalty Sheena Easton makes a rare appearance in Singapore for a solo show. Hear hits Morning Train, Modern Girl, Telefone, We’ve Got Tonight, and the James Bond theme For Your Eyes Only. Tickets from $108, Sistic.

Until 22 Sept
Wonderland
ArtScience Museum
Fall down the rabbit hole into this immersive film exhibition celebrating Lewis Carroll’s timeless tale. Explore how Alice’s adventures inspired ground-breaking animation, evocative storytelling and technological development.

Coming Soon:
16 Aug
(7pm, 9.30pm)
Trevor Noah Loud and Clear
The Star Theatre
Trevor Noah has hosted numerous television shows in his homeland South Africa, including two seasons of his own late-night talk show Tonight with Trevor Noah. He made his US television debut in 2012 on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and in 2015 he was named host of The Daily Show, taking over the role from legendary Jon Stewart. Catch his intelligent, laser sharp humour right here in Singapore. Tickets from $108, Sistic

Before you depart for your trip, see your family doctor or travel clinic to discuss your travel plans and any vaccinations you and your kids might need to stay safe. Some vaccines need time to take effect and you might need more than one dose. Dr Bernadeta Wibisono, a US trained paediatric Doctor for IMC Paediatric outlines the most important vaccines for families travelling to South East Asia (SEA).

Hepatitis A and typhoid Two vaccines that are normally recommended for those travelling around SEA countries are hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines. Hepatitis A is an infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. It’s usually spread by eating contaminated food or drinking water. Typhoid vaccine protects against Salmonella typhi. Salmonella can lead to a high fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. Salmonella is spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person.

Rabies This vaccination is recommended for international travellers who are likely to encounter animals in parts of the world where rabies is common (including some countries in SEA). Three doses of pre-exposure rabies vaccines are recommended. Make sure to start the first dose of rabies vaccine one month prior to travel to ensure that you have completed the three doses.

Japanese encephalitis Another vaccination to be considered when travelling in Asia is Japanese encephalitis (JE). JE is a disease transmitted through mosquitoes that may cause swelling around the brain. You are at higher risk in rural areas (especially near rice paddies), will be outside frequently, or will be travelling for a long period.

For more information: imc-healthcare.com

Safe Travel Tips
Keeping in line with this month’s travel theme, the New Zealand High Commission shared their tips for travelling safely.
– Ensure you have at least six months validity on your passport.
– Always check whether a visa is required for your travel to your destination of choice.
– Remember to obtain travel insurance for the entire duration of your travel. Yearly travel insurance is a good way to make sure you’re covered.
– Register your trip on SafeTravel (http://safetravel.govt.nz)
– Know where your nearest New Zealand Embassy, High Commission or Consulate is in case of emergency.

Aussies are advised to check the smartraveller.gov.au website and register their trip before they leave. The website has tons of regularly updated travel advice – from the latest in natural disasters, ongoing political and social tensions, disease, crime, and more. You can also search for the best travel advice for the type of traveller you are – from backpacker to senior citizen, business traveller, or parents with kids.