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Cuisine: Legacy, Transformation and Transmission “Singapore’s Food Heritage: Eat it, Share it, Save it?” Presented by: Daniel CHIA Slow Food (Singapore) 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Nanyang Technological University School of Art, Design and Media 26th January 2016 Today’s Presentation 1. A Very Brief Introduction to Slow Food (Singapore) 2. Singapore: A Historical & Cultural Overview 3. Singapore’s Food Heritage. 4. Singapore’s Food Trends through the lens of Bordieu’s Food Space. 5. Challenges in maintaining Food Heritage. 6. Our work: Eat it, Share it, Save it? 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Introduction to Slow Food (Singapore) • Established as a Non-Profit Community Organisation and was authorised by the Singapore Registry of Societies on 30th October 2013. • The local chapter of the international Slow Food movement founded in Italy, in 1989. • One of the main objectives for Slow Food (Singapore) is to safeguard Singapore’s Food Cultural Heritage through the promotion and preservation of traditional knowledge by: • organising meals, tastings, forums, talks, seminars, lectures, shows, recreational and study trips and other like events, so as to help educate its members and the public; • preparing, publishing and disseminating such books, periodicals, pamphlets, photos, articles and drawings as well as produce such films, videos and recordings in whatever form, electronic or otherwise, as may be necessary or relevant to educate its members and the public; 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Singapore: a historical & cultural overview • A centre along southeast Asian trade routes since at least the 1st century • Populated since the early common era by peoples from the Malay peninsula, and migrants from south and southeast Asia • Claimed by Sir Stamford Raffles as a British outpost in 1819 • Gained self-governance in 1959 and national independence in 1965 • Just over 5.5 million people live on just over 700 square kilometres • Very little agriculture: vast majority of food produce is imported • Four official languages: English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil • Multicultural harmony a crucial part of national identity 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Singapore: a historical & cultural overview • Food culture & history braided with Chinese, Malay, Indian, southeast Asian & Western influences: immigration & an evolving expat population continue to add new & different voices to the mix • Unique regional cuisines, natural fusions arising from historical intermarriages: Peranakan - Chinese, Malay, Indonesian, Indian & some colonial influences Eurasian - Portuguese, Dutch, Malay, Indian & Chinese influences • Formerly teeming with itinerant street hawkers, which were moved into roofed hawker centres from the 1970s onwards • Hawker centres a central part of gastronomy in public life: each one spans multiple cuisines, ethnicities & kinds of dishes • Well-established, dynamic hospitality & restaurant industry which attracts many international chefs & cuisines: Singaporean chefs are frequent medallists in international culinary competitions 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Copyright © 2015 Christopher Tan. All rights reserved. 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Singapore’s Food Heritage Food Traditions Family Food Customs, Practices & Recipes Community Food Traditions & Festivals Unique Dishes & Adaptations Copyright © 2015 Christopher Tan. All rights reserved. 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Singapore’s Food Heritage Foods Media Cookbooks & Food History Books Private Recipe Journals Heritage Food Blogs Food Magazines Food Television Copyright © 2015 Christopher Tan. All rights reserved. 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Singapore’s Food Heritage Foods Businesses Farms & Food Producers Restaurants Hawker Stalls Food Manufacturers & Processors Bakeries & Confectioneries Food Brands & Food Stores Copyright © 2015 Christopher Tan. All rights reserved. 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Singapore’s Food Heritage Foods Spaces Hawker Centres & Food Courts Wet Markets Provision Shops Kopi Tiam (Local Coffee Shops) Supermarkets & Hypermarkets Gourmet Grocery & Specialty Stores Shopping Malls Cooking Schools Community Centres Pasar Malam (Night Markets) Community Spaces – Tents on Fields Copyright © 2015 Christopher Tan. All rights reserved. 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Singapore’s Food Heritage Food Traditions Foods Spaces Family Food Customs, Practices & Recipes Hawker Centres & Food Courts Community Food Traditions & Festivals Wet Markets Provision Shops Unique Dishes & Adaptations Kopi Tiam (Local Coffee Shops) Foods Media Supermarkets & Hypermarkets Private Recipe Journals Gourmet Grocery & Specialty Stores Heritage Food Blogs Shopping Malls Cooking Schools Cookbooks & Food History Books Community Centres Food Magazines Pasar Malam (Night Markets) Food Television Community Spaces – Tents on Fields Foods Businesses Foods Events Farms & Food Producers Food Festivals Restaurants Hawker Stalls Farmers’ Markets Food Manufacturers & Processors Cooking Competitions Bakeries & Confectioneries Culinary Awards Presentations Food Brands & Food Stores Trade Fairs & Food Expositions 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Bordieu’s Food Space Singapore Context 1960s to 1980s ECONOMIC CAPITAL + CATHAY RESTAURANT Upmarket DRAGON PHOENIX ELIZABETHAN GRILL Dim Sum Refined SIN LEONG TROIKA RESTAURANT Wedding Banquets Continental Cuisine LAI WAH CHESA Live Seafood Roast Beef on Wagon RED STAR HUGO’S Sharks Fins Flamed Dishes LOCAL SEAFOOD EATERIES Crepes Suzette Cheese Trolley Kopi Tiam Kopi ANGLO-HAINANESE Liqueur Trolley NEIGHBOURHOOD KOPI TIAM Traditional Piah GRILL ROOMS TRADITIONAL BAKERIES Kueh Kueh Hot Plate Steaks CULTURAL CAPITAL + STREET SIDE HAWKERS Local Flavours “HOME BAKERS” Western Flavours Homecooked Colonial CULTURAL CAPITAL - Rice/Porridge Rum Balls Mostly Vegetables Swiss Rolls Starch on Starch Milk Shakes Meat on Special Occasions Banana Splits HAN’S SILVER SPOON Sweet Club Sandwich MOTHER’S COOKING Mushroom Soup COLBAR EATING HOUSE White COLD STORAGE MILK BARS Salty WESTERN STYLE BAKERIES Fried ECONOMIC CAPITAL - 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Bordieu’s Food Space Singapore Context 1980s to 1990s ECONOMIC CAPITAL + Upmarket HOTEL CANTONESE RESTAURANTS ANGLO-HAINANESE GRILL ROOMS Refined HK CHEFS HOTEL JAPANESE RESTAURANTS TRADITIONAL RESTAURANTS Dim Sum Live Seafood HOTEL GRILLROOMS LOCAL SEAFOOD EATERIES Sharks Fins HOTEL WEDDINGS Peking Duck LES AMIS (1995) Hot Plate Steaks THE ITALIAN WAVE FOOD COURTS Nouvelle Cuisine Hawker Food in Roast Prime Rib HOTEL COFFEE HOUSE Aircon Comfort CULTURAL CAPITAL - Visiting Celebrity Chefs THEMED BUFFETS Local Fusion HK & Japan Trends Local Flavours Western Flavours CULTURAL CAPITAL Hawker Fare in Aircon Ribeye Steaks + Traditional White Loaf Salad Buffets PONDEROSA TRADITIONAL BAKERIES Rum Balls Multi-grain Loaves SIZZLER WESTERN STYLE BAKERIES Swiss Rolls Baguette Sandwiches DENNY’S Kopi Tiam Kopi Croissant NEIGHBOURHOOD KOPI TIAM Traditional Piah Fresh Brewed Coffee Sweet CHAIN JAPANESE HAWKER CENTRES Kueh Kueh Jam Donuts White EATERIES Rice with dishes Hamburgers Salty DELIFRANCE MOTHER’S COOKING Fried SUBWAY SWENSENS ECONOMIC CAPITAL - DUNKIN DONUTS FAST FOOD BURGERS FAST FOOD FRIED CHICKEN 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Bordieu’s Food Space Singapore Context 2015/2016 ECONOMIC CAPITAL + HOTEL GRILL ROOMS STEAK HOUSES Refined SAN PELLIGRINO TOP 50 LIST HOTEL CHINESE RESTAURANTS Healthy ORGANIC MICHELIN STARS SUNDAY BRUNCH BUFFETS Dim Sum Umami Nose to Tail OMAKASE SUSHI RESTAURANTS CELEBRITY RESTAURANTS HOTEL BUFFETS Chinese Tea Herbs Foraged Herbs Live Seafood BESPOKE COCKTAIL BARS TRADITIONAL RESTAURANTS GLUTEN FREE Sharks Fins WHISKY & CIGAR BARS CONVEYER BELT SUSHI Heirloom Varieties Peking Duck CHAIN COFFEE JOINTS Heritage Breed Meats Hot Plate Steaks CHAIN ASIAN EATERIES Modernist Cuisines SUSTAINABLE CULTURAL CAPITAL + Familiar Favourites Sous-vide Convenience Foods Heirloom Artisanal CULTURAL CAPITAL Food Court Western Ramen - Kopi Tiam Kopi Truffle Fries Economy Rice Small Plates HOME ENTERTAINING FAST FOOD Nasi Bryani Craft Beers FOOD COURTS Kaya Toast Single Origin Coffee FOOD TRUCKS RAMEN JOINTS HAWKER CENTRES Kueh Kueh Sweet Wagyu Burgers NEIGHBOURHOOD KOPI TIAM Roti Prata Eggs Benedict HIPSTER CAFES Tiger Beer White GOURMET BURGER BARS HOME COOKING Zi Char Salty D.I.Y. PRIVATE DINING CLUBS Fried GOURMET COFFEE JOINTS ARTISANAL ICE-CREAMERIES ECONOMIC CAPITAL - OTHER EXOTIC ETHNIC RESTAURANTS 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Challenges To gastronomic identity & home cooking • Fast-evolving food culture & trends • Dining out is convenient & popular • Home cooking less common as a family and bonding activity than in previous eras • Multicultural food heritage & culture not easy to explain and interpret to the wider world 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Challenges To hawker food & culture • Rising stall rental costs • Staff & heir shortages • Hawker profession seen as menial, laborious, low-profit • Challenging for young hawkers to amass capital & recognition • Public expectations of unsustainably low prices • Younger generations more interested in foreign food 3rd Singapore Heritage Science Conference Challenges To traditional food businesses & stores • Supermarkets displacing wet markets • Local producers of artisanal traditional foods few & far between • Traditional foods less understood or appreciated • Traditional ingredients & equipment increasingly