It is not every day that you see a MICHELIN star restaurant sending out its prized Japanese sea bream by the basketful — but these are not ordinary times.
On Monday, Greg Bess, executive chef of one-MICHELIN-star CUT and MICHELIN Plate restaurant Spago Dining Room, was among an army of chefs in white — with both masks and toques on — who were waiting in the hangar-like cargo bay of Marina Bay Sands.
Instead of toiling over plates of intricately plated food, the chefs were packing trucks with large baskets brimming with fresh fruit, vegetables, meat to be donated for charity.
In total, the integrated resort donated nearly 15,000kg worth of food, such as breads, vegetables, fruits, herbs, seafood, meat and dairy products, and 3,600 eggs to The Food Bank Singapore. The move comes as Marina Bay Sands closes down for one month as part of the nationwide “circuit breaker” campaign to curb the spread of Covid-19.
MBS restaurants including CUT, Spago and MICHELIN Plate restaurant DB Bistro & Oyster Bar contributed dried goods as well as fresh produce like vegetables, fruits, herbs, mushrooms, and dairy products, with several premium ingredients among them.
“These are certainly unusual times, but we are looking at all the positives that can result amidst this challenging situation. We are fortunate to be able to give back to the community and help support important services like the Food Bank,” says chef Bess (pictured, Photo: MICHELIN Guide Digital).
“We’re donating what we can to bring some delight to the underprivileged. We are hopeful that we can tide through this uncertain climate to come back stronger, and welcome our guests when the time is right.”
The food collected will be distributed to The Food Bank Singapore’s various beneficiary centres such as the Chen Su Lan Methodist Children's Home, Free Food for All, Sion Christian Aftercare Services, Sunlove Home and Willing Hearts, as well as the migrant community in the coming days, according to a Facebook post by the charity organisation.
Nicholas Ng, co-founder of The Food Bank Singapore, said its donations and volunteer involvement have been badly impacted by the pandemic and that the sponsored food will help alleviate the food insecurity concerns of its beneficiary members. "We truly appreciate Marina Bay Sands’ thoughtfulness and generosity. We would like to call out to more organisations to join Marina Bay Sands and donate their excess food to feed the hungry.”
Christine Sheares, vice president of F&B in Marina Bay Sands adds: "As an integrated resort, we consume a lot of food every day, from our staff dining rooms to our restaurants. For the next one month, we may be pausing action, but we hope our donated food will fill up the tables of the underprivileged and keep them warm and full during these unprecedented times.”
Banner Photo courtesy of Marina Bay Sands.
