Discover how Chryseis Tan and Nina Kaginda savoured the Culinary Festival at Marina Bay Sands with Tatler Asia

Hosted by Marina Bay Sands, the dynamic duo arrived bright and early at the Sands Premier Suite for hair and make-up with the Tatler Asia team. Two full days of shoots awaited them, but so did nights of delicious revelry at the Event Dome, specially erected for the festival. 

The first day of shoots brought the ladies to The Great Chef Showcase by Luke Mangan. Known as one of Australia’s leading celebrity chefs with a penchant for native produce fused with unique Asian flavours, Mangan presented his fine, fresh fare to a sold-out, 160-strong crowd for two nights in a row.

Welcoming Kaginda and Tan for the first time, the Event Dome was illuminated by light beams and a giant LED screen that transported guests into kaleiscopic universes as acrobatic dancers performed. Before dinner commenced, palates were first refreshed with a cocktail dubbed Aurora, concocted with gin, cucumber, mint and lemon juice—a perfect lead up to the first course of finely sliced Hiramasa kingfish sashimi served in a pool of delicate sesame and dash dressing, topped with cubes of sweet-tart compressed nashi pear and shiso. The second course continued also zoomed in on seafood: confit ocean trout complemented with a prawn, coconut yoghurt, kaffir lime and nam jim dressing; while a seared and poached 9+ wagyu beef fillet was the main course, alongside an earthy medley of red wine braised onions, mushroom, fig and asparagus. Crafted with the day’s finest catch and moremish cuts elevated with ingredients from different parts of the region, namely Japan and Thailand, the meal was paired with both bright and robust wines, from a Trimbach Riseling 2020 from Alsace, France, to a full-bodied Miles From Nowhere Best Blocks shiraz 2020 from Margaret River, Australia.

Mangan, who was in town exclusively for these evenings, made his rounds across the dome, stopping by tables to greet guests including our two special guests who had quite the number of questions for him around his dishes and restaurants to visit. Dinner culminated on a sweet high with a dessert of liquorice, apple, lime and mint—a dish that Mangan said reminded him of one of the greatest love stories he’s ever known.

Day two of our Culinary Festival escapade at Marina Bay Sands brought us to the twice-in-a-lifetime gastronomic experience, Six Star Dinner. This six-hand, six-Michelin-star meal combined the stellar culinary skills—and credentials—of three highly acclaimed chefs, all at once. Think Greg Bess of one-star Cut by Wolfgang Puck, Stefan Stiller of three-star Taian Table, and Tetsuya Wakuda of two-star Waku Ghin, all coming together for a collaborative menu that, as the Stiller put it, “represents each of our styles and what the restaurants are best known for”. 

Over the course of two nights, 320 diners were treated to this coveted five-course feast that highlighted each chef’s signature techniques and taste profiles, using the finest produce flown from across the globe, and a list of rare elixirs to pair with every dish. A trio of delectable canapés—one by each chef—kicked off the fete of flavours, followed by the first course by Wakuda. This succulent abalone salad with white asparagus came laced with a luscious black bean and orange sauce, complemented by Masuizumi Junmai Daiginjo sake made for Wakuda. That uplifting starter was followed by two courses by Stiller, starting with a shio koji-cured aji, or horse mackerel, with beef tongue umeboshi balancing sour, salty and umami with much aplomb; as well as an exceptionally cooked Brittany blue lobster with carrots tartar and vin jaune sauce. These were served with a 2019 Peter Lauer riesling and 2018 François Carillon burgundy respectively. Bess helmed the evening’s main course—a cooked-to-perfection stone axe full blood wagyu fillet mignon with wasabi pea puree, caramelised red onion and yuzu kosho, of which diners indulged in with sips of Wolfgang Puck’s 2010 Schrader-Beckstoffer-Georges III red wine. Bridging the differences and diversity of their dishes into a dessert that melded East and West, Wakuda prepared a light and flaky millefeuille with caramelised apple, tea cream, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce that was just as silky as it was scrumptious. Safe to say that diners who managed to get a seat at this truly rarefied gourmet experience were thorough satiated…and impressed.

Towards the end of the night, we got some exclusive one-on-one time with the three chefs, and the asked about the collaboration process, for which Bess was quick to answer: “I was over the moon excited, and my team was too because this gets us out of our comfort zone. We’re able to connect with other chefs and see new techniques”. “It was very fun for us, and the menu came together naturally—and efficiently, and we have Stefan to thank for that”, Wakuda added. Stiller then ensued by saying “efficiency is key, and we very quickly knew what styles best represented us and our restaurants, and we aligned almost instantly. The interesting part for us is that these dinners are not served from our own kitchens, and out of the Dome’s one, so it’s really a test of cooperation between chefs—it’s a performance”. 

This two-night gourmet soirée also witnessed deft dance performances as well as the chefs presenting their creations on stage, taking the time to share stories on the career evolutions, iconic flavours, sustainability in the culinary industry, and the art of fine dining—and cooking. Acclaimed Hong Kong actor Bosco Wong also graced the event on 19 May, taking to the stage with event hosts to welcome all three chefs into the spotlight, a moment that was celebrated with endless applause and toasts.

The night, however, was still young and a night cap—or two—was in order. Together with Kaginda, we set off to luxurious Avenue Lounge, which was coincidentally celebrating its fourth anniversary. Before the party switched into high gear, we spent some quality time at the bar with awarded mixologist Arcadius Rybak, who was in town to host two Mixologist Masterclasses at the festival. The Philippines-based, Polish cocktail specialist zoned in on Nikka whisky, creating classic drinks like the Old Fashion and Manhattan, as well as presented whisky flights paired with chocolate to bring out the multi-faceted rich, smoky, sweet and leathery notes within each golden elixir. “I chose to work with Nikka whisky not just because the products are good, it’s because the story behind the brand is just as inspiring. The founder, who rebelled against his culture and family to follow his passions, is essentially the founder of whisky in Japan—he set up the first distillery for Yamasaki, and after 11 years, his own Nikka distillery. I always try to highlight the back story and flavour profile of spirits and where they’re from, so I’ve kept these cocktails simple so that you can savour its true, unique flavours—and make them at home—while the whisky sour has yuzu juice instead of lemon to make it more Japanese, and has a nice sharpness to it”. 

Amidst the beautiful chaos of the club’s birthday party, we bowled, watched a burlesque performance, and danced the night away to audio gold spun by Justin Bieber’s DJ Tay James. It was a crowning night for a delectable journey of the senses to remember. 

Just like the inaugural Culinary Festival, Marina Bay Sands is debuting a series of signature events throughout the year that will repeat annually. From the Wellness Festival in June to the Music Festival in July, and a fabulous Fashion one towards the end of the year, visit this website to find out more.

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