MANILA, Philippines – The World’s 50 Best Restaurants announced that its 2019 awards and events program, sponsored by S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, will take place in Singapore; a landmark event as this is the first time for the prestigious awards to be held in Asia.

This marks a new era for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, with Singapore being the first city in Asia to host the world’s most important annual gourmet gathering, after hugely successful editions in Bilbao this year, Melbourne in 2017 and New York in 2016.

William Reed Business Media, the company behind the 50 Best brand, has signed a three- year partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the first time such a partnership has been inked, bringing a pipeline of prestigious 50 Best events to Singapore from 2019-2021.

50 Best has a long-standing relationship with STB, which showcased Singapore’s food and drink credentials with its hosting of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards from 2013-2015. Earlier this year Singapore hosted the inaugural edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards.

Besides the Lion City hosting the greats of the culinary world at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards this 2019, it will also see Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards continue to take place in Singapore for the next two years (2019 and 2020), which makes Singapore the first city outside London to be announced as hosting the Bars awards – reflecting its fast-rising status as a must-visit destination for cocktail lovers.

“We are very excited to host an edition of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in Asia for the first time. As a confident, vibrant and thriving food city, Singapore is the perfect choice,” said Managing Director of 50 Best Tim Brooke-Webb.

The much-anticipated World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony, often referred to as the Oscars of the culinary world, made the move several years ago to hold the global event in various gastronomic hotspots across the world to encourage greater discovery of different cuisines and fresh experiences for leading chefs, and for the wider dining public.

Each year, it is preceded by a full program of associated events and activities for consumers and renowned names in the restaurant world. Visitors and locals get to attend a series of events including #50BestTalks, presented by Miele, to hear about the latest trends in gastronomy, and partake in discussions on topical issues around food, as well as to attend masterclasses and dinners by some of the world’s greatest chefs.

50 Best and Singapore Tourism Board will also collaborate on an interactive culinary student program.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants will be welcoming the globe’s leading chefs to The Chefs’ Feast ahead of the awards ceremony, an opportunity for them to enjoy the gastronomic delights that Singapore has to offer, share ideas and celebrate together.

Almost one in five of the restaurants listed in the 2018 edition of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, are based in Singapore. Singapore is also represented in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list with Odette, a new entry this year at No. 28. In addition, Burnt Ends is featured in the 51-100 section of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Moreover, six of The World’s 50 Best Bars are located in Singapore, as revealed in the 2018 edition of the global bars ranking ceremony held in London last October 3.

Melissa Ow, Acting Chief Executive, STB, said: “We are excited to ink this ground-breaking partnership with William Reed Business Media. Hosting the internationally-renowned 50 Best branded events in Singapore, including The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars, bears testament to Singapore’s rising stature as a gastronomic and nightlife capital. Through this partnership and series of events, we hope to raise the bar for Singapore’s F&B industry, as well as profile our culinary and cocktail offerings to top industry professionals and visitors. Over time, we also believe it will translate into more opportunities for our home-grown dining and cocktail establishments through greater global exposure and business possibilities. We look forward to welcoming the world’s best chefs and mixologists to Singapore come 2019.”

ADVT