Michelin Meet Shiok!

Bib Gourmand Awards to Hawker Stalls in Friday's paper.

     Remember when San Francisco's beloved Slanted Door didn't earn a Michelin Star? The media reaction then pales in comparison to Singapore's take on Michelin's first Singapore rankings.
     You can examine the full results, priced from cheapest on up, here.
     Friday, Saturday and Sunday papers were filled with news and analysis. The best summary of these was Straits Times Food Editor Tan Hsueh Yun's essay, which began "Michelin is counting on your outrage." Reasons for outrage?

• Four restaurants at the Resorts World Sentosa, host of the ceremonies, got stars.
• A sushi restaurant open only a few months, got two stars.
• Fine dining places and a hawker stall both got one star.
• International celebrity chefs were chosen over both young and old Singaporean masters; there were no Singaporeans on the roster of inspectors.

She hopes that the buzz created by the awards will inspire both hawker and classically trained chefs, publicists and the front of the house to do better. 

     Another winning essay appeared in The Business Times.  Stefanie Yuen Theo penned a spoof, "A Failed bid to keep cult eateries from Michelin." She imagines a secretive meeting of government, banking, listed company, media, and legal executives who fear that Michelin awards could ruin life as they know it. They have plotted to plant misinformation among the inspectors. 

     I could almost believe that such a meeting took place.  The magic of Hawker Stall food goes beyond low prices.  You have to understand that complex dishes are prepared a la minute by a chef and perhaps another family member, just for you.  That is a level of service unheard of in American fast food. You must also realise that forming a queue for something extraordinary seems second nature to Singaporeans.  No matter your wealth or social rank, you will stand in line for a bowl of comfort.  

     Payback is a dish that can be served hot. On Saturday, the Straits Times announced the first Singapore Food Masters contest.  Sponsored by Knife Brand Cooking oil, the Lam Soon Group, SFM 2016 is a people's choice affair, putting the specialities of 124 hawker stalls and restaurants up for votes. 

     Meanwhile, the Accompanying Spouse is doing very little cooking, no need when $2 to $6 Singaporean dollars buys dinner!

     

1,2,3 Star Announcements in Saturday and Sunday's Paper