2015/ Issue 8 - Restaurant Association of Singapore

WHAT’S COOKING
2015 / Issue 7
HIGHLIGHT
Star Chef Competition 2015
The annual Star Chef Competition returns for the fifth year with a mystery box!
This year, we are pleased to have Fassler Gourmet, Kendo Trading, Lee Say Poultry and Unilever sponsoring mystery
ingredients that were revealed to the 15 participating teams of fours only an hour prior to the competition.
The chefs were challenged to alter and plan their menu according to the mystery ingredients, which were Knorr Rock
Sugar Honey Sauce, two whole ducks and two whole chickens for the Asian category and Knorr Pronto Tomato Sauce
and salmon fillet for the Western category.
Jointly organised by RAS and the Singapore Chefs Association (SCA), the competition, serving as a platform for
Singapore’s professional and aspiring culinary talents to display the best of their skills and innovative creations, were
held on 26 and 27 August at the Asian Culinary Institute (ACI).
Alongside the competition, RAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ACI that aims to attract and
support new entrants into the F&B industry in Singapore. RAS will work closely with ACI to upgrade existing staff
capability through training and attachment programmes and support the improvement of productivity in the F&B
industry through consultancy work and applied research & development.
Results of the Star Chef Competition will be announced at the RAS Epicurean Star Award Gala Dinner on 18 November 2015!
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The Inaugural
Singapore
Restaurant Month
This year, the nation saw the first-ever Singapore Restaurant Month (SRM) taking place from 1 July to 10 August 2015!
RAS organised this inaugural festival, with support from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA),
Singapore Tourism Board (STB), UnionPay and Kuhlbarra, to offer the public a unique opportunity to savour local
produce (eggs, fish and vegetables) that were featured in 50 newly-created dishes from 50 restaurant brands. This
number was selected in celebration of Singapore’s golden jubilee this year.
Among the 50 restaurant brands who offered diverse cuisines were also 12 heritage restaurants who have graced the
Singapore’s culinary scene for decades.
RAS is honoured to have the participation of the below 50 restaurant brands for SRM 2015!
General
Heritage
Brewerkz
Café Iguana
Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine
First Culinary Restaurant
Forest
Hard Rock Café Sentosa
JPOT - Hotpot Singapore Style
JUMBO Seafood
Lao Beijing
LingZhi Vegetarian Restaurant
Malcolm Bistro
Mamanda
Osia
Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant
Peach Garden Chinese Restaurant
Portico
PUTIEN
RedDot BrewHouse
Restaurant HOME
Saha Signature Indian Restaurant & Terrace Bar
Seoul Garden
Seoul Garden Hotpot
Seoul Yummy Korean Casual Dining
Shin Yeh Restaurant
Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant
SUFOOD
Swensen’s
Syun
The Flying Squirrel
The Scholar Chinese Restaurant
The Soup Spoon Union
Tim Palace
Timbre
TungLok Seafood
TungLok Signatures
TungLok Teahouse
Yam’s Kitchen
Yum Cha Restaurant at Chinatown
Bee Heong Palace Restaurant
Beng Thin Hoon Kee Restaurant
Chin Lee Restaurant
Fatty Weng Restaurant
Gim Tim
Hua Yu Wee Seafood Restaurant
Islamic Restaurant
Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant
Red Star Restaurant
Spring Court
Westlake
Zi Yean Restaurant
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LEARNING
Visit to the National Restaurant Association Show!
This year, RAS led 26 delegates from 19 companies to
the annual National Restaurant Association (NRA) show
in Chicago, USA.
After a 2-day exploration at the showground, the group
proceeded to visit established food service companies
such as Eli’s Cheesecake Factory, NEXT and Aviary in
Chicago and also Boston College, Union Oyster House
and Café ArtScience in Boston.
Participants not only established contacts with suppliers
in the USA, but also took away applicable key learnings
relevant to productivity after the 9-day trip.
Touring Boston College
With Nick Kokonas at the super-exclusive
14-seats bar, The Office
While waiting for lunch at Union Oyster House
Visit to the Anuga Food Fair!
RAS visited the Anuga Food Fair 2015 with 34 delegates
from 23 companies from 5 to 12 October.
Before heading to one of the largest food fair for
the food service and catering market that took place
in Cologne, Germany, the group visited Barcelona,
Spain and visited well-known food companies such as
Nostrum, Reimagine Food and Tragaluz.
At Reimagine Food
Visiting Nostrum’s central production plant
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Visits to the companies proved useful as the best
practices sharing sessions sought to address issues faced
by the Singapore F&B industry such as low productivity
and high reliance on manpower.
Touring Flax & Kale
The F&B industry saw even more service stars at this year’s Excellent Service Award (EXSA)!
2,200 recipients were honoured at this year’s EXSA ceremony held on 1 October at the NTUC Auditorium with Senior
Minister of State for Health, Environment and Water Resources, Dr Amy Khor gracing the event as the Guest-of-Honour.
This year, RAS received 13 nominations for the coveted SuperStar Award, out of which five were shortlisted as the
finalists. They are:
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•
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•
Mr Jayachandran Nair A/L Janardanan Nair, Assistant Restaurant Manager, Swensen’s (under ABR Holdings)
Mr Vedamuthu Rex Kulandairaj, Restaurant Manager, Jack’s Place (under JP Pepperdine)
Ms Josephine Lee, Store Activities Representative, McDonald’s Restaurants
Ms Cherry S. Sampang, Restaurant Manager, Manhattan Fish Market
Ms Dok Pei Chin, Waitress, Breeks (under Zingrill Holdings)
Of these nominees, Ms Cherry S. Sampang from Manhattan Fish Market won the hearts of the judging panel with her
extraordinary dedication and excellent service, and walked away with the prestigious EXSA Superstar Award for 2015.
RAS congratulates all the award recipients and look forward to even more service champions next year!
HIGHLIGHT
The Service Stars of the F&B Industry
INITIATIVE
Partnership with SCORE
RAS signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE)
to intensify the collaboration to help ex-offenders enter Singapore’s F&B industry.
Under the MoU, which signing ceremony took place on 4 August at Hope Café (F&B training facility within Changi
Prison Complex), at least 100 ex-offenders per year can look forward to securing jobs in the F&B industry. At the
same time, the industry can also welcome another pool of skilled and trained workers to help address the current
manpower crunch issue.
Mr Vincent Tan, Vice President of RAS (left) and Mr Stanley Tang,
CEO of SCORE signed the MOU at Hope Café.
Prison inmates who are found suitable for the service industry
will receive relevant training before securing a job.
RAS Annual General Meeting 2015 with
Pleasures@RAS
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) brings together RAS’
members to review the contributions and involvement of
the Association to its members and the industry for the
past year.
This year’s AGM, held on 31 August, saw RAS’ members
gathering to discuss on RAS’ performance as well as
share and discuss business challenges, successes and
opportunities.
The AGM was followed by RAS’ quarterly networking
session, Pleasures@RAS, which had over 100 members
attending the informative sharing sessions by Singapore
Workforce Development Agency (WDA), IE Singapore
and SingTel.
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It is a dream of many to own an F&B business. Starting a
business is easy, but sustainability should be the key.
Noting this demand in the market, RAS invited Mr Ali Potia,
Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company’s Singapore
office, to conduct a seminar that talks about the F&B
business landscape in Singapore and how to start a
business right.
INITIATIVE
F&B 101: Look Out and Get Real!
Joining the 62 attendees from all walks of life at the
seminar were also Mr Benedict Leow, Co-founder of The
Soup Spoon and Ms Sarah Khaw, Founder of Maple and
Market, to share about their business concepts and model
as well as the real-life challenges.
Leadership for
Success in the
F&B Industry
RAS is pleased to have Dr Wee Chow Hou, Professor of
Strategy & Marketing at Nanyang Business School, Nanyang
Technological University, to conduct a two-day workshop
for the leaders of the F&B industry on 4 and 5 August.
31 F&B business owners and C-level representatives from
18 companies attended the workshop to learn from Dr
Wee strategic thinking and behavior for the company’s
growth and sustainability.
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Join Us @ Our Upcoming Trips and Events!
March 2016 :
Pleasures@RAS
March 2016 :
Futsal Tournament
April 2016
:
HR Learning Trip to UK/Europe
June 2016
:
Start of EXSA Workshop
June 2016
:
Pleasures@RAS
June 2016
:
Productivity Learning Trip to Japan
Interested? Please visit www.ras.org.sg for more details!
*Dates and event programmes are tentative and subjected to changes.
RAS warmly welcomes some of our new members
Alma Contract (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Newstead Technologies Pte Ltd
Aston Food & Beverage Specialities Pte Ltd
NOAMS International Pte Ltd
Blue Lotus Restaurant Pte Ltd
Oregano Trading Pte Ltd
Corporate Business Network Pte Ltd
Orient Xpress Pte Ltd
Dinggo Pte Ltd
Pezzo Singapore Pte Ltd
Eatigo Singapore Pte Ltd
Project Dignity Pte Ltd
Epoint Systems Pte Ltd
Red Brick Road Pte Ltd
Far Ocean Sea Products Pte Ltd
Scottish Development International
Guan Chee Hong Kong Roasted Duck Pte Ltd
SF Consulting Pte Ltd
HJ Maimunah Restaurant & Catering Pte Ltd
SDH Institute Pte Ltd
Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre
Singapore Productivity Centre Pte Ltd
Hygieia Warewashing Pte Ltd
Singapore Telecommunications Limited
Infinito Group Pte Ltd
Slake Pte Ltd
Jamtown Pte Ltd
Startaster Technology Pte Ltd
Little Jars Pte Ltd
Sugar Daddy Group Pte Ltd
Livio Frozen Food Pte Ltd
The Entertainer Asia
Logistics Security Solutions Pte Ltd
The Lo & Behold Group Pte Ltd
Nara Cuisine Pte Ltd
Tough Egg Pte Ltd
Network For Electronic Transfers (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Tower Investment Pte Ltd
Unlisted Collection (Bincho Restaurant Pte Ltd)
2985 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 159457
Tel: (65) 64797723 Fax: (65) 6479 8108
Email: enquiry@ras.org.sg
www.ras.org.sg
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