Page 3 - WGA Booklet 2021

WORLD GOURMET A W ARDS 2021
A Message From The Founder

elcome, once again, to another World Gourmet Summit,
and one which has reached a milestone this year. This
year marks the 25 anniversary of the World Gourmet
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WSummit and the 21 edition of the World Gourmet Awards.
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Never would I have imagined that this event, borne out of a long,
enlightening conversation over an afternoon high tea session between
Dr Tan Chin Nam, then- Chief Executive of Singapore Tourism Board,
and myself, would come so far. Throughout these 25 years of journey,
we have seen great collaborations with international masterchefs, and
gastronomic excellence, all while putting Singapore on the culinary map.

As we approach our Silver Jubilee, we are not resting on our laurels. We are
always on the lookout for new ways to show the best of what we have to
offer. Therefore, it will only be fitting that we have a theme that references
exactly what we are doing from the past quarter of a century from the first
World Gourmet Summit in 1997. Titled, “Remastered”, we are taking
the best of what we have done, and adapting it for a new generation
of gourmands, masterchefs, and food and beverage professionals.
This is the treatise that we wish to approach this silver jubilee with.
However, as we all know, COVID-19 in 2020 has in many ways, halted and
derailed the world we knew in its very tracks, and the traditional way we
would have celebrated it in the past. The Hospitality industry was one of
the biggest sectors affected, as well as the Tourism and Food & Beverage
sectors. Many saw their family and friends tried hard to battle a virus that
many of us didn’t understand and still don’t. This harkens back to 2003,
where we were facing a very similar situation that SARS itself created
before. But this time, it is different. COVID-19 still ravages us to this day,
and while we are slowly opening up to a world that is recovering, we are
still living with the reminders every day that it can very easily disappear.
Thankfully, in Singapore, we continue to practice social distancing within
kitchens, restaurants, hotels and offices and most importantly, getting
vaccinated as well as staying vigilant with the hygiene practices in our daily lives.

Peter A Knipp
Principal, PKH Pte Ltd
Founder, World Gourmet Summit, World Gourmet Awards