Gourmets of the world unite     The best of the gourmet world will gather in Singapore this month as the World Gourmet Summit convenes. Celebrity chefs and culinary skills will once again be showcased as the World Gourmet Summit kicks off in Singapore this month. The annual signature event, held from April 10-28, will celebrate 10 years of epicurean excellence with more iconic chefs and celebrities, as well as a stronger and more exciting line-up of events. Events such as the World Gourmet Summit help to underpin the Singapore Tourism Board’s strategy of “bolstering Singapore’s position as a preferred lifestyle destination for well-heeled and discerning visitors seeking exclusive experiences”, said Dr Chan Tat Hon, Assistant Chief Executive (Leisure), STB. He said that the award-winning event – it won Gold awards from the US-based International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) – not only elevates Singapore’s culinary image but also profiles Singapore as a premier gourmet capital of Asia. “Food is a major draw for our visitors and Singapore’s diverse offering of cuisines and dining experiences is one of our strongest attributes. In 2004, food and beverage accounted for S$880 million, or about 14 per cent of overseas visitors’ total expenditure.” This year’s World Gourmet Summit will host no less than 11 Michelin-stars in the line-up of chefs as well as a record number of celebrity personalities. World Gourmet Summit 2006 welcomes the legendary Philippe Legendre (three-Michelin-stars) who, within two months of his joining Le Cinq in 1999, gained it its first Michelin-star; and Santi Santamaria, a self-taught chef who was the first in Catalonia to receive three-Michelin-stars in 1995. Other luminaries include Paco Roncero (one-Michelin-star) from Spain who is considered Ferrán Adrià’s most outstanding disciple; Gennaro Esposito (one-Michelin-star) from Italy who counts Alain Ducasse as one of his culinary admirers; Laurent Tourondel of the BLT (Fish) restaurant in New York which gained a Michelin-star when the Michelin Guide Book debuted its listing in 1995; Antonin Bonnet (one-Michelin-star) from The Greenhouse, United Kingdom; Kevin Thornton (one-Michelin-star) of Thornton’s restaurant in Dublin, Irelend; Alessandro Stratta from Wynn Las Vegas; Susur Lee from Canada; and Terje Ness from Norway. Giving a sneak preview into the wonders of gastronomy is a cooking demonstration and dinner presented by SPOON (a dining concept by Alain Ducasse who currently has nine-Michelin-stars). In association with the Discovery Travel & Living, Ian Wright, the award-winning host from the Globe Trekker series, will host a dinner highlighting some of his travel experiences in the new VIP Weekend series on Discovery Travel & Living channel. The Rubino Brothers from Toronto, Canada, will not only create a dinner event, but also film one episode for their next season of Made to Order at World Gourmet Summit. Chef Wan from Malaysia will also be in town to raise funds for the Singapore Cheshire Home with Brian Richmond from Gold 90.5FM, the Official Radio Station of World Gourmet Summit 2006. Presenting their favourite vintages are wineries from France such as Domaine Bonneau Du Martray, Château-Figeac, Domaine Joseph Faiveley; Domaine Michel Gros, Château Cos d’Estournel; and Luciano Sandrone from Piedmont, Italy. Wine tasting sessions will be presented by the winemakers of the respective wineries and moderated by World Gourmet Summit Wine Consultant, Dr N K Yong. For the first time too, 10 of Singapore’s leading restaurant establishments – Au Jardin, Au Petit Salut, Garibaldi, Hua Ting, Li Bai, My Humble House, Rang Mahal, Saint Julien, Saint Pierre, and Tenshin – will create special celebratory menus and promotional activities like French Charcuterie, Molecular Gastronomy Dinner and  tea appreciation, to name a few. Other new events are the exclusive tasting sessions of The Macallan’s fine and rare whisky collection, and a gourmet barbecue (presented by Meat & Livestock Australia) which will bring to a close 19 days of decadent food and wine celebration at the World Gourmet Summit. Said Mr Peter A. Knipp, Managing Director of Peter Knipp Holdings: “The trend of dining is blooming and World Gourmet Summit has been successful in raising the culinary bar of Singapore and will continue to do so, challenging the palate and catering to the growing sophistication of the local and regional diners through knowledge exchanges and exposure from the visiting gastronomy experts. “As we celebrate the 10th anniversary, World Gourmet Summit enters into another key milestone, that is, putting the spotlight onto the local restaurateurs and giving due recognition to some of the best dining establishments that we believe give a good representation of the culinary standards of Singapore!” For further information on the World Gourmet Summit, visit www.worldgourmetsummit.com.