Besides the mammoth lines of food stalls and hungry queues, uniquely Singapore dining events, food and beverage promotions and dining privileges, visitors of our national food event Singapore Food Festival 2007 (SFF 2007) from 29 Jun – 31 Jul 2007 can look forward to some exciting happenings in the heart of Chinatown.

Tantalising Treats of Singapore Chinatown, from13 to 15 Jul, is throwing into the mix 3 main events and activities to help Singaporeans rekindle the bond they had with their food more than 20 years ago.
1.The Annual Chicken Rice Eating Competition

If your talent has been snarfing down your lunch, you won’t want to miss this chance to stuff your face with chicken rice and to win $5000 worth of cash and attractive prizes with 1999 other hungry contestants. This competition organised by Chinatown Business Association (CBA) will crown whoever can consume the most number of bowls of Chicken Rice in 10 min.

To qualify, the Heats on 14 Jul at Kreta Ayer Square will see some 50 participants each time attempting to down as many bowls of fragrant chicken rice and tender boneless chicken. Onsite registration will open from 1 to 14 Jul at a charge of $5.

The 3 participants of each round whose bowls contents weigh the least will qualify. Some 40 participants are expected for the grand finals held the following day at 6pm.

General Manager of CBA, Mr Victor Ong, explained, “In conjunction with the SFF 2007, Tantalizing Treats of Singapore Chinatown hopes to draw people together using food as the common interest. Since Hainanese Chicken Rice “has always been a local favourite among Singaporeans and international tourists, we invite all food lovers to come down to Chinatown and have their fill of this fantastic local delight.”

2. Instantly Singapore! Mini Food Festival!

Help is here for urban dwellers who don’t know how to fry an egg. Some 20 food manufacturing companies selling different varieties of instant food with local flavours will gather to teach us novices how to whip up a delicious meal for the family using gourmet condiments.

Impress your boy/girlfriend with the help of Hainanese Chicken Rice paste, sambal [pounded chili fried in oil] for Curry [Indian condiment made up of different types of spices] Fish Head, spices for Bak Kut Teh [pork ribs soup] and Char Kway Teow [fried noodles with cockles, prawns and fishcakes]. These quick fixes and many more will be sold during the fair. Don’t be shy to ask for culinary tips on how to prepare the dishes to the standard of that in restaurants.

The mini food fair will be held at Kreta Square, Chinatown, from 11 to 15 Jul (Wed to Sun) from 10am to 8pm daily.

From 1 Jul, a Chinatown Food Map would be available at all brochure stands for both locals and visitors to navigate their way through Chinatown to the more than 12 all-time favourite restaurants and eateries that stretch from Upper Cross Street all the way to Kreta Ayer and Neil Road. During the period of the SFF 2007, discounts and promotions will be held in the featured restaurants so diners on a budget to savour authentic Singapore delicacies without burning a hole in their pockets.