How food is influencing story-telling of Singapore’s heritage and culture

About 40 guests of authors, poets, and playwrights gathered for the launch of The Roving Library, which seeks to uncover forgotten stories of Singapore’s food heritage and culture.

The launch, supported by TEDxSingapore, was held on 18 July 2024 at Sojourner Coffee at Raffles Place.

As a global community welcoming people from every discipline and culture, TEDxSingapore and TED seek to welcome people from every discipline and culture to gain a deeper understanding of the world and want to turn that understanding into a better future for all.

In addition, the community serves as a platform for discussion of organised idea events that bring people together to share a TED-style experience and spark deep discussion and connection among people and ‘curious souls’ who love and value ideas.

The Roving Library aims to celebrate the vibrant local literature scene, spotlighting authors, poets, and playwrights who enrich the community with their stories and creating a platform to honour and preserve our literary voices for future generations.

Given that the food of Singapore is more than just what we as a people eat, it also serves as a living record of the country’s cultural, social, and economic revolution; the myriad influences that contribute to the food we eat today are not just sustenance, but a story passed down from the many generations before us.

Exploring the history of Singapore food

Speakers at the event touched on topics such as how Singapore enjoys the most extensive food, ranging from Chinese to Malay to Indian and more, and food diversity, which directly embodies the diverse ethnic communities that comprise the nation.

For instance, award-winning author of “The Food of Singapore Malays“ Khir Johari, touched on the origins of the well-loved cake lapis, the process of localisation of the cake lapis from Western delicacies, and the various cake lapis from different eras and traditions in Singapore and the region.

In addition, TEDxSingapore’s vision to preserve and amplify the stories that matter to our community has added a unique sensory element of taste, which creates a deep dive into history that is interesting for the wider community, satisfying taste buds and bellies.

“Studying and discussing Singapore’s food history allows people to celebrate a common heritage,” said Ms Vivian Lim, Founder of The Idea Co. and Lead Curator of TEDxSingapore. “By exploring these origins, we not only celebrate our differences but also weave a stronger, more inclusive community.”

She also shared that food is a significant part of our cultural identity, and delving into its history helps us appreciate the diverse influences that have shaped our culinary landscape, such as the bold spices of Malay cuisine to the comforting flavours of Chinese, Indian, and Peranakan dishes, which tells a story of how our multicultural society came to be.

The Future of F&B in Singapore

Singapore’s F&B scene has been evolving in the past few years, with many more local and international restaurants expanding or setting up shop here following the pandemic.

For instance, the Japanese-run Cross Group opened its first overseas outlet, Moss Cross Tokyo Singapore, at Capri by Fraser, China Square Hotel, in January this year.

In addition, the omakase joint, which is centred around wakon-yosai, meaning “Japanese spirit, Western cuisine”, seeks to balance the line between Japanese and Western ingredients and techniques, presented as meticulously crafted small bites in their signature Shokado-9 omakase menu.

Building on the momentum, The Roving Library aims to establish itself as a platform where the voices of Singapore’s literary community can be heard, celebrated and preserved for future generations.