Taste The World Dining Series aims to show how food is a universal language

Private travel specialist Gourmet Trails has launched the inaugural Taste The World dining series, running from 4-26 May 2024. The festival demonstrates how food truly transcends boundaries and acts as a conduit for understanding and common purpose.

Taste The World highlights the essence of world cuisines in partnership with Appetite, Hashida, CURE, Canchita, Esquina, Ummi Beirut, and ANJU. Profits from the event will go towards the United Nations World Food Programme.

Opening Day Special: Dialogue Over A Lunch Journey with Michelin-starred Chef Ivan Brehm and Gourmet Trails founder Pamela Tan

Chef Brehm of Nouri and Appetite, known for his ‘crossroads’ cooking, will be hosting a lunch journey together with Tan on 4 May 2024. Join a group of no more than 14 guests and enjoy three snacks, four courses, dessert, and a choice of drink (S$300/pax).

Taste The World: Hashida

Source: Gourmet Trails. Preparing sushi at Hashida.

Dive into an unorthodox exploration of Japanese cuisine at Hashida, led by celebrity chef Kenjiro ‘Hatch’ Hashida. Chef Hashida brings to the table an interpretation of sushi omakase that is deeply rooted in personal reflection and uninhibited artistic expression.

Lunch and dinner sessions are available at S$220 and S$450 each respectively. Available on 10 May and 16 May for dinner service, and on 15 May and 18 May for lunch.

Taste The World: CURE

Explore the depths of modern Irish cuisine at CURE, from its produce to its history, through a meal. Michelin-starred chef Andrew Walsh offers variations of his seasonal menu on 9 May for dinner service (S$300 each) and on 10 and 11 May for lunch (S$220 each).

Taste The World: Canchita

Chef couple Daniel and Tamara Chavez will bring together the best of Peruvian and Mexican flavours in a six-course dinner, complete with a demonstration of ceviche preparation - a signature dish in Peru - and mole poblano (a Mexican stew) at Canchita, Dempsey Hill. Available on 4 May and 23 May for dinner service at 7.00pm ($220/pax).

Taste The World: ESQUINA

A six-course dinner awaits guests at ESQUINA, led by Barcelona-born chef Carlos Montobbio. The one-night-only event includes a Gran Reserva and Reserva Especial worth S$600 a bottle. Available on 15 May at 7 pm (S$220 per person, including wine pairing).

Taste The World: UMMI Beirut

At UMMI Beirut, where guests will be treated to a time-limited set menu. Helmed by Michelin-starred chef Greg Malouf and his protégé chef Ali Assaf, UMMI will serve elevated classics in a glamorous setting that will transport guests to the city of Beirut. 

Start with a welcome drink before being served six hot/cold mezze and freshly-made Lebanese bread. Guests will be able to select their choice of main before ending the meal with UMMI’s signature kunafeh dessert. Available from 4-26 May for dinner service at S$180 each.

Taste The World: ANJU

In Tanjong Pagar, ANJU brings modern Korean flavours to guests with a four-course dinner, including a dish created especially for Taste The World guests. Available on 7 May for a minimum of two diners.

Details

Tickets for Taste The World range from S$180 to S$450. Purchase at https://tastetheworld.sg/

Restaurant	Date / Time	Ticket price
Appetite (Crossroads cuisine)	4 May, 12 pm	Lunch S$300
Hashida (Japanese sushi omakase)	15 May, 12 pm 18 May, 12 pm	Lunch S$220
	10 May, 7 pm 16 May, 7 pm	Dinner S$450
CURE (Irish fine dining)	10 May, 12 pm 11 May, 12 pm	Lunch S$220
	9 May, 7 pm	Dinner S$300
Canchita (Peruvian and Mexican with chef demonstrations)	4 May, 7 pm 23 May, 7 pm	Dinner S$220
Esquina (Spanish dinner)	15 May, 7 pm	Dinner S$220
Ummi Beirut (Lebanese gourmet casual)	4-26 May, flexible ticket	Dinner S$180
ANJU (Korean gourmet casual)	7 May, 7 pm	Dinner S$180 each (minimum two diners)

Thailand's first dining and sky observatory opens

Source: Anantara Layan Phuket Resort. A couple admire the most powerful telescope on Phuket island.

From a grill-focused menu to guided astronomy sessions and hands-on Thai cooking classes, DARA Cuisine Phuket and Sky Observatory is poised to become the island's new go-to venue for modern Thai dining and stargazing.

DARA, meaning 'star' in Thai, celebrates the country's culinary heritage and Andaman seafarers who used stars for navigation. The new Sky Observatory is equipped with a custom-built dome and Phuket's most powerful state-of-the-art telescope, offering an intimate rooftop experience where Sky Storytellers guide guests through the wonders of the night sky.

During the day, an all-star team of Anantara chefs deliver masterclasses in Thai cooking in the show kitchen. In the evenings, diners have the opportunity to try local specialties from all corners of Thailand alongside Royal Thai cuisine.

The Southern region is represented by moohong Phuket, a slow-cooked meat dish seasoned with soy, star anise and cinnamon. From the North, khao soi curry noodle soup offers translucent river prawns served with homemade egg noodles and pickles, as well as the restaurant's signature tam ka noon mun wan – pounded young jackfruit served as a salad with sweet potato chips for added crunch. Central Thailand's complex flavours shine in miang kham khai hoy mhen, a popular snack of the Siamese court involving wild betel leaves, as well as green curry with Phuket lobster.

In the Northeastern dishes, such as the kob thod nam pla with crispy frog legs and the nam tok nuea ko kun featuring Korat wagyu beef, regional ingredients get a creative twist from Head Chef Supakarn "Hong" Lienpanich's family recipes and passion for fermentation. For those with sweet tooths, the goat cheese and honey ice cream paired with Krabi cashew praline will delight.

With an on-site fermentation kitchen, barrel-aged fish sauce cellar, and a verdant herb garden, DARA is a living ecosystem that nurtures every ingredient to its fullest potential. “DARA's culinary philosophy is simple: honour the natural taste of quality local produce and let the ingredients shine,” said Chef Hong. 

“In addition to growing our own herbs, we've partnered with ecoconscious local farms and fisheries, which allows us to adapt to the rhythm of the seasons – from serving crisp harvest in the dry months to showcasing Thailand's natural abundance when the monsoon comes.”

Details

DARA Cuisine Phuket is in Anantara Layan Phuket Resort. It is open daily for cooking classes from noon till 3 pm, for dinner from 6 pm to 10 pm.

The Sky Observatory offers drinks and stargazing from 6 pm till midnight.

Hashtags: #phuket, #stargazing, #thailand, #foodies, #Anantara, #minorhotels, #restaurant, #bucketlist, #travel

An invitation to go Way Back to a simpler time

Source: Ben Barbic/Ajax. Way Back is an invitation to go back to simpler, more carefree times.

Reggae/hip-hop artist Ben Barbic has dropped Way Back, a homage to a long friendship with producer Ajax and the first posthumous collaboration between the two.

Barbic has known Ajax since the age of two. Despite Barbic being based in the Bay area and Ajax relocating to Manhattan, both maintained an unwavering dedication to music. The genesis of Way Back came about after Barbic explored Ajax's catalogue of instrumentals after Ajax passed away in late 2023. One riddim* resonated in particular for Barbic, reminding him of classic hip-hop and the collaboration between Damian Marley and Nas in Nah Mean.

Barbic talked about the simplicity and innocence of youth, and the nostalgic longing for the carefree times of the past. Way Back is both for Ajax and an ode to the universal yearning for a return to a time when life was less complicated. Recordings of Ajax, taken from decades-old home movies, can be heard in the second verse.

"Collaborating on Way Back was a profound experience for me," said Barbic. "It's a tribute to Ajax's experience on my life and our shared journey through music. Sometimes, we crave to go 'way back' to relive those cherished moments."

*Riddim in Jamaican music refers to an instrumental accompaniment to a song and is typically more repetitive.

THAIFEX Anuga Asia 2024 - the global culinary adventure

With exhibitors from 45 countries and regions worldwide and fully-subscribed booth spaces, THAIFEX - Anuga Asia 2024, running from 28 May to 1 June 2024, promises to be the most vibrant and diverse edition yet.

Source: THAIFEX-Anuga Asia. Hosted buyer programme participants posing for a group picture during THAIFEX-Anuga Asia 2023.

Asia Pacific’s leading food and beverage (F&B) trade show has seen a record-breaking surge in international participation. Comprising 11 trade show halls and six special shows at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok, Thailand, the show will host exhibitors from two new APME geographies, Macau and Yemen.

"This year's THAIFEX - Anuga Asia is unprecedented - following a record-breaking 2023, the 2024 edition sold out faster than ever before," said Mathias Kuepper, MD and VP of Koelnmesse Asia Pacific.

"With the inclusion of new participating countries this year, trade attendees can expect amplified diversity and richness of offerings at THAIFEX - Anuga Asia. As a catalytic platform, our unified goal is to redefine Asia Pacific’s F&B commerce."

"THAIFEX - Anuga Asia marks a momentous stride for Macau’s global footprint,” said Vincent U, President of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM).

“For the first time, the institute is coming in as a pavilion and coordinating the participation of Macau SMEs for the event. Bringing Macau’s SMEs to THAIFEX - Anuga Asia is an exciting opportunity for us to showcase our region's distinct flavours and robust wholesale and distribution network on a global stage. We look forward to forging new partnerships and exploring lucrative business opportunities."

Details

THAIFEX - Anuga Asia

27 May – 1 June 2024

www.thaifex-anuga.com

 

Signature trade shows:

Coffee and Tea

Drinks

Fine Foods

Food Service

Food Technology

Frozen Food

Fruits and Vegetables

Meat

Rice

Seafood

Sweets & Confectionery

 

Special shows:

THAIFEX - Anuga Future Food Market

THAIFEX - Anuga Halal Market

THAIFEX - Anuga Organic Market

THAIFEX - Anuga Startup

THAIFEX - Anuga tasteInnovation Show

THAIFEX - Anuga Trend Zone

 

Supporting programmes:

Future Food Experience+ 

• Alternative Protein Flavour and Taste Contest

Thailand Ultimate Chef Challenge

Visitors to Mainland China can now pay with Weixin Pay more easily

Tencent has made it more convenient and safer to register for a WeChat account, as well as quicker and easier to link international payment cards to Weixin Pay*. Weixin Pay is also actively exploring interoperability with more overseas e-wallets to further enhance the payment experiences for visitors.

After downloading or updating the latest version of the WeChat app, overseas users can register for a WeChat account with an overseas mobile number, defined as a mobile number that does not have the +86 country/region code. They can either sign up for a new account or sign in with an existing WeChat account. After filling in basic card details to link an eligible international card** with Weixin Pay, overseas users will be able to easily access over tens of millions of merchants in the mainland of China, including small and medium-sized businesses and street vendors. The simplified card linking process allows international visitors to spend up to a certain amount safely and conveniently, Tencent said.

Those who would like to enjoy a higher transaction limit, can complete an identity verification process by submitting relevant information. Passport verification can take just seconds to complete. Weixin Pay has increased transaction limits for verified international users, with the single transaction limit being raised from US$1,000 to up to US$5,000, and the annual transaction limit being raised from US$10,000 to up to US$50,000. To provide international visitors with more diverse payment options, in addition to linking international cards with Weixin Pay, overseas users can also apply for and link UnionPay's Tour Card, a prepaid card offering a one-stop service for top-up and consumption, through Weixin Pay.

To support Malaysian visitors to China, Tenpay Payment Technology Company, NetsUnion Clearing Corporation, and China Construction Bank (Malaysia) have partnered with Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) for cross-border QR payment interoperability. Users of multiple local wallets in the PayNet system will soon be able to make payments in the mainland of China by scanning Weixin Pay QR codes displayed by merchants in China. Tenpay Global, Tencent's cross-border payment platform, will also work with NetsUnion to connect more overseas local wallets.

As the first overseas digital wallet entering the mainland of China, WeChat Pay HK, a HK$ e- wallet catering to Hong Kong residents, has already covered tens of millions of merchants in all cities in the mainland since the end of last year. With WeChat Pay HK wallet, Hong Kong residents are able to make payments in Hong Kong dollars, which are automatically converted from RMB for settlement. WeChat Pay HK has also raised transaction limits, increasing the single transaction limit to HK$38,000 and annual transaction limit to HK$400,000 for verified users.

Compared with the data before the merchant network was fully opened in July 2023, the average daily transaction volume of Weixin Pay's international card service has increased by over 3x, and average daily transactions have increased by over 4x. Consumption in online lifestyle services, shopping, dining and tourism is booming, with an average daily transaction amount of about RMB100.

Tencent recently launched a dedicated web page for visitors to Mainland China: Welcome to China, easy pay with Weixin Pay — about using Weixin Pay. Visit the page at https://www.tencent.com/en-us/media/weixin-pay.html.

*Weixin and WeChat are services operated by different companies under the Tencent group. There is built-in interoperability so that Weixin and WeChat users can connect with each other. Weixin users use Chinese Mainland mobile numbers while WeChat users use non-Chinese Mainland mobile numbers.

**Eligible international card refers to any payment card from Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover Global Network (including Diners Club) or JCB, and issued outside of Mainland China.

Pay with a local e-wallet at over 2 million Japanese merchants

Source: Ant International. Alipay+ - and the local payment methods it supports - is now offered by 2 million Japanese merchants.

Ant International's cross-border mobile payment solution Alipay+ has connected 2 million merchants across Japan, enabling local businesses to accept payments from customers using their home country e-wallets.

Sixteen e-wallets and bank apps are now accepted in Japan via Alipay+, a suite of cross- border digital payment and digitalisation technology solutions, including the following in the Asia Pacific region: 

- Alipay (Chinese mainland)

- AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR China)

- MPay (Macao SAR China)

- Kakao Pay (South Korea)

- Naver Pay (South Korea)

- Toss (South Korea)

- OCBC Digital (Singapore)

- Changi Pay (Singapore)

- EZ-Link (Singapore)

- Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia)

- MyPB by Public Bank (Malaysia)

- GCash (Philippines)

- HelloMoney (Philippines)

- TrueMoney (Thailand)

- Hipay (Mongolia)

Powered by Alipay+, transaction volume made by e-wallets and bank apps in Japan jumped over 200% in the first three weeks of March, compared with the same period in 2023. Transaction value is estimated to account for about 10% of total spending among users during their stay in the country, shared Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International. 

Another positive indicator is transaction volume from Alipay+ partner e-wallets and bank apps at Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores, a flagship department store chain in Japan. This figure rose over 10x in the first two months of this year, compared with the same period last year. 

Akito Kimura, Manager of Inbound Business Division for Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores said: “Starting with connecting Alipay to make Chinese customers more at home, we are pleased to expand our partnership with Ant International by integrating with Alipay+. This will allow us to accommodate the preferred payment methods of our international customers through simple integration. 

"We look forward to working together to drive more innovation, ensuring all customers can enjoy a memorable and peace-of-mind shopping experience at our stores.” 

Feagin added: “We are grateful to our over 40 local acquiring partners in Japan, including both big institutions as well as small ones that only have several employees, for their tremendous support to promote a seamless, transparent and efficient experience together for local businesses and international travellers.

“By working with these partners, Alipay+ provides global tourists with a seamless digital payment experience that is the same as in their own markets. Without any extra efforts, tourists can make purchases by simply scanning the QR code at merchants of all size, without worrying about foreign currency exchange or any language barriers.”

Alipay, AlipayHK, Kakao Pay, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, GCash and TrueMoney are among the most popular e-wallets used by travellers to Japan, while MPay, Naver Pay and Toss are seeing rapid growth in transactions, Ant International said.

Venetia Lee, CEO of AlipayHK said: “Japan is the first foreign destination of AlipayHK as it is one of the most favoured travel destinations for Hong Kong residents. Powered by Alipay+, Hong Kong people can now use AlipayHK to make purchases at local stores and use car-hailing in Japan, which are settled in Hong Kong dollars with competitive exchange rates in the market. 

"With the increasing acceptance of Alipay+ among local merchants in Japan, the daily transaction values and volumes of AlipayHK in the country in the first quarter have surged 3.5x and 5x over the previous quarter. I am confident that the usage of AlipayHK will continue to grow in Japan on the back of the strong adoption of Alipay+ services among the Japanese merchants.”

Ren-Ren Reyes, President and CEO of GXI (G-Xchange Inc.), the mobile wallet operator of GCash said: "Our long-standing partnership with Alipay+ has allowed us to be an indispensable companion for Filipino travellers in now 47 countries and territories around the world. We are glad to continue strengthening our collaboration with Alipay+ to ensure every Filipino has a seamless and secure cashless payment option when they travel abroad." 

Won-Keun Shin, the CEO of Kakao Pay, a major acquirer in South Korea, said, “We are glad that users can easily and conveniently pay with Kakao Pay at 2 million large and small merchants in Japan, one of the most visited countries by Korean tourists. Through discussions with Alipay+ as well as several e-wallet partners representing each country, we will accelerate global expansion and provide more benefits.” 

John Sun, Chairman and CEO of Macau Pass, stated, “As the leading mobile payment e-wallet in Macao, MPay, together with Alipay+ which has launched a suite of innovative digital cross-border solutions, strives to create a smart e-wallet that facilitates Macao residents to travel globally. This could also solve the issues they encounter with payment while travelling overseas, thus improve travellers' payment and shopping experience.  

"MPay will continue to expand in e-payments, lifestyle services, and marketing technology services to develop more open and diversified intelligent payment business scenarios.”

Alan Ni, CEO, TNG Digital, the operator of TNG eWallet, said: “As Malaysia's top e-wallet provider, we're committed to serving users locally and expanding globally. Our partnership with Alipay+ has seen transactions surge sixfold this year, specifically in Japan, a true testament to our dedication to innovative payment solutions. With over half of Malaysia entrusting TNG eWallet as their preferred digital payment and financial services provider, we aim to be the ultimate travel companion, ensuring easy and safe transactions wherever our users go.”

Monsinee Nakapanant, Co-President of Ascend Money, the operator of TrueMoney stated: “Japan ranks as one of the most popular destinations with approximately 1 million Thai travellers each year. We are pleased to work with Alipay+ to create more inclusive cross-border payments and enable Thais to enjoy safe, real-time, and cost-effective payments with their accustomed home wallet TrueMoney. Enabling the travellers to connect with Japanese merchants of all sizes will also expand their experiences of local culture and people that would make their trip more memorable.” 

Introduced by Ant International in 2020, Alipay+ now connects over 88 million merchants in 57 countries and regions to 1.5 billion consumer accounts on over 25 e-wallets and bank apps, allowing consumers to travel and pay hassle-free globally, and merchants to build out cross-border consumer engagement and digital marketing.

The service builds on Alipay+’s extensive regional partnerships, including those with national QR schemes including Singapore’s SGQR, Malaysia’s PayNet, South Korea’s ZeroPay, Sri Lanka's LankaPay and Cambodia's KHQR.