An Exploration of Singapores Food Culture

Over the course of the food tour, we will undertake an in-depth exploration of Singapore’s food culture. You will learn about the history of food in Modern Singapore, from it’s founding in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles through to the present day.

We start our food tour in Katong. It is here that we learn about the early Chinese immigrants to Singapore. The focus will be on food but we will also talk about the types of jobs that they had, how they lived and who they married. It was through the marriage of Chinese immigrants to Malay ladies that the distinctive Peranakan culture was born. In this district, we will enjoy a selection of Singapore’s favourite foods with Chinese and Peranakan heritage including Kaya Toast or Curry Puff and Kopi, Bak Chang, Kuehs and Laksa.

From the East Coast, we travel by public bus to the Old Airport Road Hawker Centre, a Hello! Singapore favourite because it is home to so many ‘hawker legends’. It is here that we will enjoy one or two distinctly Singaporean dishes from a choice of Hokkien Mee, Rojak, Popiah and Carrot Cake.

Our next stop is the district of Kampong Glam, the centre of the Malay community and where the stunning Sultan’s Mosque is located. We will discuss the history of the district, the Sultan’s role in the founding of Modern Singapore and we will try the most popular local foods from the Malay, Arabic and Indonesian communities. Teh Tarrik, Beef Rendang and Murtabak are options on our foodie menu.

Throughout this tour, you will discover the histories and stories behind the foods that we eat, as well as the stories of the restaurants that you eat them in.