Staples like coffee, tea, chocolate and rice are becoming harder to grow- and to source. Lab grown meat is on restaurant menus. Climate-resilient foods like jellyfish, millet and moringa are gaining traction.
by
and
Matthew Evans
author, chef
Australian restaurant critic- turned farmer, chef, TV host and author of The Real Food Companion, On Eating Meat and Soil.
Symposium
Nithiya Laila
Culinary Anthropologist
Culinary anthropologist and host of TV show, Edible Wild, which explores edible indigenous plants in Singapore. Co-founder of the SG Seed Exchange.
Sourcing Seminar
Eelke Plasmeijer
Chef, Futurist
Dutch-born chef and co-founder of pioneering and award-winning Balinese restaurant Locavore, and now Locavore NXT.
Symposium
Helianti Hilman
Founder, javara
Indonesian lawyer and founder of Javara, which packages and markets endemic food products. United Nations eTrade for Women Advocate.
Symposium
René Benguerel
CEO, BlueYou
Swiss founder and CEO of BlueYou, an aquaculture company regenerating impaired mangrove forests through shrimp, crab and bivalve farming.
sourcing Seminar
Charlotte Mei
Nutritionist (ANutr; SNDA)
An accredited nutritionist and former radio talk-show presenter, Charlotte Mei is on a mission to transform how we think about food and nutrition, through her social media platforms and her podcast, In A Bite.
Sustenance Seminar
Peter Smit
Chef & Owner, Dirty Supper
Owner of Dirty Supper in Singapore and champion of whole animal cooking
Stretching Seminar
Dalia Adler
Head of Marketing, Vow
Head of Marketing at Vow, a food company that crafts entirely new meats through cell-culturing, starting with cultured Japanese quail.
Symposium
Enzo Acerbi
Founder & CTO, Vertical Oceans
Co-founder of Vertical Oceans, pioneering urban aquaculture in Singapore producing high-quality shrimp.
Sourcing Seminar
Blair Crichton
co-founder, karana
Co-Founder of KARANA who are scaling Jackfruit as a climate super crop, to feed millions of people and drive regenerative agroforestry.
Stretching Seminar
Jake Berber
co-founder & ceo, prefer
Prefer is pioneering the creation of bean-free coffee through fermentation of by-products like soy pulp, and spent grain.
Stretching Seminar
Christian Lukey
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BE WTR
Christian is a sustainability leader in the APAC region, with over 30 years of background in hospitality, travel and tech. He has spearheaded the market entry of BE WTR in Singapore, introducing locally bottled water with a circular model.
Source Seminar
Nova Dewi
CEO & Mixologist, Suwe Ora Jamu
On a mission to preserve the ancient remedy of jamu, introduce it to a new generation and take it global.
Stretching Seminar
Didier Chanove
Innovations Lead at Kerry group
Didier is spearheading the transformation of sustainable food, beverage, health and pet technologies across Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa
Sourcing Seminar
Joxe Mari Aizega
General Director of Basque Culinary Center
Since it’s inception, Joxe has led the Basque Culinary Center, home of Spain’s pioneering Gastronomic Faculty, publishing world renowned Gastronomy and Culinary Arts research and innovation.
Symposium
Future of Food Series
Monday, 20 Jan, 6PM – 8:30PM
@ Synthesis Creative Data House
Sourcing the Future of Food
Central Question
Rising populations will increase the demand for food, whilst rising greenhouse gas emissions will diminish food supply and security. Where will we source food from to raise production in a resource challenged world?
Speakers include
• René Benguerel, CEO – BlueYou
• Enzo Acerbi, CTO – Vertical Oceans
• Nithiya Laila, Culinary Anthropologist
• Didier Chanove, Innovations Lead – Kerry Group
• Christian Lukey, Managing Director – BE WTR
Test Kitchen
Kick off with a sampling of future foods, crafted by chef Christopher Kong of Dearborn (drawing on his previous experience at Waku Ghin, 2-Michelin Stars, Singapore; The NoMad, 1-Michelin Star, NYC).
Expect next gen innovations like vertical ocean farming and bold, transformative choices—from native, abundant plants to untapped foods like algae, regenerative methods, and even insects—that are set to redefine what—and how—we eat.
Monday, 10 Feb, 6PM – 8:30PM
@ Synthesis Creative Data House
Stretching the Future of Food
Central Question
Of all options available for feeding a growing population and cutting emissions, reducing food waste—which today accounts for at least one third of all food produced—is the most impactful. How can we maximise the food that we have available?
Speakers include
Blair Crichton, CEO – KARANA
Jake Berber, Co-founder & CEO – Prefer
Peter Smit, Chef-Owner – Dirty Supper
Qi Herng Kong, Co-Founder – The Moonbeam Co.
Test Kitchen
Chef Peter Smit, owner of Dirty Supper, will challenge the idea of a “good cut,” serving up less familiar options like pig head nuggets and pig ear terrine. With experience in Australia, London, and Singapore, he brings a whole-animal cooking approach, focusing on big flavours and minimal waste.
Chef Russell Nathan, former head chef of Michelin-starred Nouri and creator of Analogue’s circular menu, will prepare a vegan curry made from byproducts. He’ll also demonstrate preservation techniques, including fermentation, smoking, curing, pickling, and dehydration.
Vijay Mudaliar, owner of Native and Analogue—one of the World’s 50 Best Bars—will craft cocktails using byproducts and preserved ingredients, showing how these techniques unlock bold flavours.
Monday, 24 Feb, 6PM – 8:30PM
@ Synthesis Creative Data House
Finding Sustenance in the Future of Food
Central Question
We’re eating more and getting less nutrition. Foods have lost nutritional density by up to 50% over the last 50 years and ultra processing reduces nutrition even further. Is a healthy diet for all ever possible?
Speakers include
Charlotte Mei, Nutritionist
Nova Dewi, CEO and Mixologist – Suwe Ora Jamu
Florence Leong, Co-founder – Kosmode Health
Stefan Klade, COO – TUMCREATE
Test Kitchen
Through his consultancy Re:Growth, Chef Oliver Truesdale-Jutras pioneers regenerative hospitality, redefining sustainable food systems. With experience in top kitchens across Canada, the U.S., and Australia, he’ll use the test kitchen to explore food as medicine, bioavailability, and the joys of moderation.
Monday, 17 Mar, 2PM – 8:30PM
Registration Opens at 1:30PM
@ New Bahru
The Future of Food Symposium at New Bahru
The Test Kitchen seminar series will culminate with a large format symposium in the old school assembly hall at New Bahru on Monday March 17. Here, some of the sharpest food thinkers and innovators from around the world will ask the big questions about how we will feed and nourish people in the future.
Speakers include
• Joxe Mari Aizega, General Director – Basque Culinary Center
• Eelke Plasmeijer, Chef-Owner – Locavore NXT
• Helianti Hilman, Social Entrepreneur – JAVARA
• Matthew Evans, Chef & Author
• Dalia Adler, Head of Marketing – Vow
