Get ready for a night of culinary fireworks! CALI @ Novotel Singapore on Kitchener is rolling out the red carpet to host 56 international, award-winning chefs fresh from the prestigious 40th World Chef Congress 2024. Since its inception in 1928, this event has become the Oscars of the chef world, with Singapore playing proud host this year at Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Expo from 20 to 25 October. With more than 5,000 chefs from 110 cities attending every two years, it’s a global kitchen of culinary creativity.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. CALI is turning up the heat, as they’ve been chosen to host the grand finale dinner for this esteemed congress. They’re seizing this opportunity not just to showcase their delectable dishes, but also to get some valuable feedback from the best in the business. As part of the event, these superstar chefs will sit down for an exclusive critique of CALI’s new Culinary World Tour Menu — a smorgasbord of seven global cuisines in one mouthwatering location. Launched in August 2024, this menu spans culinary delights from the Caribbean to Mexico, France, America, China, Mughlai, and Asia.
CALI’s Culinary World Tour Menu
Jamaican Escovitch Fish
We catch up with CALI’s CEO, Neelendra and Executive Chef Anand for their thoughts on CALI as an established Tex-Mex restaurant servicing more than 2,000 meals a day.
Neelendra Jain, CEO, CALI Singapore
“My focus has been on scaling the CALI brand while ensuring that we maintain the high standards and values that have made us successful. One of the key milestones has been expanding our locations outside Singapore while keeping a consistent dining experience across each venue. We’ve also placed significant emphasis on building a strong team culture, where everyone is aligned with our mission to deliver exceptional service and innovative cuisine. Another major achievement has been our ongoing commitment to sustainability, which has become a core pillar of our operations. Whether it’s reducing food waste or sourcing locally, these initiatives are part of our long-term vision for responsible growth,” says Neelendra Jain.
“Hosting the chefs of the Worldchefs Congress at CALI felt like a natural fit because we strongly believe in the power of culinary exchange and innovation. It’s a fantastic opportunity to bring together some of the world’s most talented chefs to not only showcase their skills but also critique and celebrate Singapore’s culinary landscape. This aligns with CALI’s mission to elevate the dining experience by blending global and local flavours. It also provides a platform to highlight Singapore’s culinary talent and position CALI as a destination for food lovers worldwide,” he adds
Among the chefs lending their expertise are Thomas Andreas Gugler, President of the World Association of Chefs Societies, Culinary Olympics gold medalist Chef Dimuthu Kumarasinghe from Sri Lanka, and globally recognised culinary judge Chef Tarek Ibrahim. Joining them will be Chef Alla Mishina from Russia, Chef Strafford DeCambra from the U.S., Chef Manjit Singh Gill from India, along with Sri Lanka’s own Gerard Mendis and Neviled Fernando, and South India’s Chef Sheetharam. Mark your calendar — the culinary showdown at CALI takes place on 25 October 2024, at 7 p.m. It’s set to be a night of incredible food, expert critiques, and unforgettable flavours!
Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our October 2024 issue.