Marina Bay Sands sees the return of the grand Epicurean Market 2019 from the 13 to 15th December with a lineup of gourmet food and wine featuring pop-ups and masterclasses from celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck, Tetsuya Wakuda and many more, setting the stage for a gastronomical holiday season.
Epicurean Market Exclusive Private Dining Events
The Epicurean Market this year included some special events including a Dry Aged CUT dinner by Wolfgang Puck, a five-course sake dinner at KOMA, a four-course wine-pairing dinner at LAVO and a Beef Wellington Masterclass at Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen. The Epicurean Market also had a kick-off party at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar.
“I have heard many wonderful things about Epicurean Market, and am excited to finally be part of this massive food celebration. I look forward to welcoming everyone to my restaurants, and interacting with all the food lovers at this year’s Epicurean Market,” — Wolfgang Puck of Spago and CUT at Marina Bay Sands.
Epicurean Market Stalls
This year saw a number of products available at the Epicurean Market, ranging from gourmet items which would make the perfect Christmas presents. Some highlights include the natural wines to caviar and wagyu to oysters. A number of wineries and craft beers were also available at the market, bringing you a festive taste of what’s available.
Epicurean Market Restaurant
The Epicurean Market saw some of the Marina Bay Sand’s anchor restaurants letting patrons try their iconic dishes all in one location. Restaurants that were included in this pop-up include Adrift, Black Tap, Bread Street Kitchen, CUT, Spago, KOMA, LAVO, db Bistro, Origin + Bloom, Rise, Waku Ghin, Yardbird and Chinoiserie by local celebrity chef Justin Quek.
“Every year’s Epicurean Market is a grand celebration of food and wine. My favourite part of the event is to discover new cultures and experiences as I meet old and new friends, fellow chefs and customers who share a common passion for food.” — Tetsuya Wakuda of Waku Ghin.
Pork Katsu Sandwich
Adrift by David Myers
The pork katsu sando is a signature at Adrift and was tender and juicy.
Carolina Burger
Black Tap by Christopher Barish & Julie Mulligan
The burger was sweet and smoky, but what gave it that extra kick was the dill dressing.
Fish and Chips
Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay
Decent fish and chips as you would expect of Gordon Ramsay’s iconic dish.
A5 Wagyu Tomahawk
CUT by Wolfgang Puck
The A5 wagyu tomahawk was seasoned and cut on the spot by Wolfgang Puck himself, and seared in a spectacular fashion as expected.
Octopus Lardo Lime Aioli Furikake
Spago by Wolfgang Puck
The octopus being cooked perfectly tender with the furikake giving it that umami.
Scallop and Uni Har Gow in Crab Bisque
JustIn Flavours of Asia by Justin Quek
The har gow was sweet and flavourful from the scallop and uni.
Wagyu Beef Tataki
KOMA by Ralph Scarmadela and Kunihiro Moroi
One of the best dishes at the market, the tataki was savoury and had the perfect fat distribution.
Cacio E Pepe
LAVO by Ralph Scarmadela
Decadent and enveloped with creaminess from the cheese wheel, a definite star.
Maine Lobster Roll
db Bistro by Daniel Boulud
The roll was filled with a whole lobster, which was worth every penny.
Singapore Chilli Crab
RISE
The version sold used soft-shelled crabs instead of mud crab, but the sauce made the change quite worth the while.
Crispy Chicken Biscuit
Yardbird Southern Table and Bar
The fried chicken biscuit was seasoned perfectly, and was easily one of the most flavourful dishes. We recommend trying out the fried chicken at the restaurant, you won’t regret it.
Mango
Origin + Bloom
Sweet and sour from the mango which made a nice palate cleanser in between all the hearty dishes.
Basque Cheese Cake
Waku Ghin by Tetsuya Wakuda
Arguably one of the best versions of the basque cheese cake you will find, with perfect fluffiness, umami from the burn and a not overtly sweet disposition. Definitely one of the best desserts.
Epicurean Bar
This year also saw the introduction of the Epicurean Bar, a selection of bars within Marina Bay Sand showcasing their cocktail flair, with some standouts including cocktails from Mott 32 Hong Kong, which will open its signature bar at Marina Bay Sands in 2020. Other standout bars include KOMA, Avenue, db Bistro, LAVO, Spago and Yardbird.
Star Studded Masterclasses
This year saw a number of masterclasses conducted by renown chefs, some of which were great for home gourmands like making the perfect risotto to the perfect roast.
Wolfgang Puck Masterclass: Alaskan Crab Risotto
CUT by Wolfgang Puck
This masterclass saw the charismatic Wolfgang Puck making his signature risotto with Alaskan crab, in the perfect sauce with Spago Singapore executive chef Greg Bess. He made it as such that its easily reproducible at home, but what was amazing was how he interacts with his audience, producing one of the most entertaining masterclasses. You can see why this powerhouse of a chef has his reputation. And yes, the perfect risotto.
Tetsuya Wakuda Masterclass: Waku Ghin at Home
Waku Ghin
Tetsuya’s masterclass focused on how to make the perfect steak at home as well as a portion of the class given by Naoki Maeda on the art of ikejime, a method of cutting fish while retaining the purity. This included how to fillet, bleed and salt the fish. An interesting aspect was how the right salting produces a ‘dancing’ movement on the fish fillets, which enhances the flavours.
David Myers Masterclass: Tokyo
Adrift
Always exploring, award-winning chef and restaurateur David Myers is constantly inspired by his global travels. In this inventive masterclass, he brings together his love of food and Tokyo’s vibrant culture, and demonstrates his popular pork katsu sandwich, paired with innovative tipples.
Ajit Gurung Masterclass: International Bar Programme
Mott 32
The masterclass saw Ajit talk about pairing cocktails with Asian cuisine as done at Mott 32. These include a minor bartending class on how to make 2 of their signature cocktails, the yuzu based Hanami and the Hong Kong Iced Tea, a play on the iced lemon tea.
Oscar Montelongo Masterclass: Roast Revolution
Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay
Chef Oscar at this masterclass teaches you how to create the perfect Sunday Roast at home by serving up a delicious roast beef with Yorkshire puddings, garnish and sauce to impress your friends and family this holiday.
The Epicurean Market Experience
One of the best aspects of the Epicurean Market is that it allowed patrons to try out the many offerings that Marina Bay Sands is so famous for, but also the ability to purchase a number of gourmet products, eat some delicious food and drink some tasty tipples. We definitely are looking forward to the Epicurean Market 2020.
For a different view of the Epicurean Market, see our Instagram Highlights.
For our other related features, see Epicurean Market.
| PHOTOGRAPHY BY: MARINA BAY SANDS | WEBSITE: MARINA BAY SANDS |