What has it been like for America’s top culinary school to operate in Singapore, now one of the world's leading food destinations?
In an interview with GMI POST, chef and educator Eve Felder shared her experiences as the managing director of the Culinary Institute of America’s (CIA) faculty in Singapore for more than 14 years.
“I always love to say that Singapore is run like a company, said Felder, who applauds the government’s commitment to be forward-looking.
It was in 2010 when the city-state revealed its plans to become the top tourist destination in Asia and the world with the building of Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. It was around the same time the CIA set up its faculty in Singapore.
As head of the Singapore faculty, Felder is committed to making the dreams of her students a reality by exposing them to world-renowned chefs and nurturing in them a healthy relationship with food, while respecting their culinary heritage.
“These young people love Asian food and work in concepts that honor their heritage,” she said.
Because land-scarce Singapore imports 90% of its food, CIA understands the huge challenge of imparting the need to create nutritious and top-quality dishes. To her delight, the government and large food brands agree that chefs can play an important role in forming policies on food safety and production.
Through its partnership with Temasek Polytechnic and Singapore Institute of Technology, CIA, under Felder, will produce the next generation of leaders in Singapore’s food industry and culinary scene.
