The theme focused on all things Peranakan – the intermarriage between the Straits Malay and Chinese – and held a host of over 50 Peranakan-themed food events throughout Singapore, especially in the heart of Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam.

Some of the events included the Longest Peranakan Buffet Line, Nyonya Mobile, Peranaken Parade, and Culinary workshops taught by celebrated Peranakan chefs such as Violet Onn, Philip Chia, Joe Yap and etc.

STB did a survey among the tourists that visited the festival and more than 90 per cent were impressed by the events and 33 per cent ranked Singapore as the No. 1 food paradise when compared to countries such as Italy and Thailand. Also, almost half of those surveyed also said they will return for future SFFs and 13 per cent will schedule their trip to coincide with SFF events.

VISITORS.SG interviewed the STB's Director of Tourism Shopping and Dining Andrew Phua to know more about the SFF this year, and the future plans for Singapore’s most iconic food fest.

VISITORS.SG: What are some of the significant changes to the execution of the SFF from last year?

Andrew Phua: This is our first time introducing the Peranakan theme for the SFF. We hope to give visitors an insight into the soul of the culture, besides just introducing the cuisine. This could be a visit to the Peranakan Museum or other highlights which will showcase a myriad of Peranakan artefacts from fashion to jewellery. 

Shortened from one month to less than two weeks, what is the idea behind the change and how does it affect the number of programmes and activities?

The duration of the SFF, which spans two weekends this year, allows us to streamline the events and activities. Visitors are in town typically for about three to four days, the more compact programming allows them to take in more of the Festival, making it a more meaningful and memorable experience.

As for the number of events, we continue to have a strong line-up of about 50 events with a host of other key and supporting events including the Beauty and the Feast, Nonya Mobile, culinary workshops and many other events and activities in the ethnic precincts such as Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India.

How did the economic recession and the influenza epidemic affect the execution for SFF? And what is the expected participation for all the SFF activities?

The F&B industry has been relatively resilient as people continue to spend on the simpler pleasures in life. Most of the offerings at the SFF continue to be free access with a host of exciting, yet affordable deals such as the Food Street at Read Bridge where dishes start at $2. The Longest Peranakan Buffet Line on 26 July will feature more than 100 dishes at $35, as well as promotions and dining deals from shopping centres such as Marina Square, Central and Raffles City. As part of STB’s year-long 2009 reasons to enjoy Singapore’ marketing campaign, the Nonya Kueh Sampler will also allow visitors to try up to four different Nonya Kuehs with a minimum spend of $50 at any dining establishment.

How will STB strategise to draw the crowd (local and overseas) for the SFF activities?

We promote the festival overseas through STB’s network of international offices which employ a variety of marketing avenues including print and broadcast advertising, as well as Internet marketing to target customer segments. In addition, websites such as visitsingapore.com and singaporefoodfestival.com, also generates publicity and interest by engaging local and foreign media.

In general, much of the international marketing efforts feature the SFF and the Great Singapore Sale as two compelling draws to Singapore during this June-July period, with many of STB’s international offices partnering travel agencies to offer travel packages for shopping and dining.

What direction will SFF take for future SFFs? (ie. Themes, marketing strategies and activities)

The amazing reception to this year’s festivities marked another milestone in the Singapore Food Festival history. Aside from the Peranakan theme that resonated very well with locals and tourists, we believe the success of the Festival can also be attributed to the depth and authenticity of the local food showcased. Not only were diners able to taste their favourite local cuisine, they were also able to appreciate the culture and history behind the dishes.

Moving forward, we will continue to develop Festival programmes that showcase the depth, authenticity and even evolution of Singapore’s local food. This could take the form of highlighting one key ethnic cuisine, while showcasing the variety of gastronomic delights that Singapore offers.

For more details of SFF next year please visit www.singaporefoodfestival.com.