Eco-conscious dining

SHOULD another pandemic occur and cut Singapore off from the rest of the world, would we be able to feed ourselves with the resources found on our island alone? Some locavore chefs believe we can, and have set out to prove it.

Driven by a desire to showcase the richness of local plants and produce and minimise their carbon footprint, these culinary enthusiasts are creating home/private dining experiences and pop-up kitchens that present compelling cases for Singapore’s food security and self-sufficiency. In Friday’s edition of BT Lifestyle, we speak with some of these chefs to find out how Singaporeans can eat locally, and deliciously too.

In Design, we visit a restored shophouse with an amazing history. In founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s memoir, he mentioned that had he not found refuge in a humble shophouse dormitory for rickshaw riders during the Japanese Occupation, he would have been caught and taken to a beach near Changi Prison to be executed. That shophouse, which housed several businesses before being left vacant for years, has since been lovingly restored. We take a look.

In Health, we report on a new survey that shows employees’ mental health has suffered a recent setback, with a connection between unhealthy diets and lower mental health scores. And in Dining, we check out the menu at the new Le Pristine restaurant that sits in the freshly rejuvenated Grand Hyatt Singapore.

For all this and more, don’t miss Friday’s issue of BT.