SINGAPORE, July 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Marina Bay Sands is counting down to another exciting edition of Epicurean Market, as the region's finest food purveyors, award-winning restaurants and wine experts get ready to give guests an unforgettable culinary experience.

Delicious bites

Consider the amount of food that will be prepared for this three-day food fiesta, and you'll appreciate the scale of Epicurean Market. Some 2,000 kg of seafood will be prepped, alongside 20,000 fresh oysters, 20 kg of caviar, and an estimated 15,000 pizzas.

Enjoy freshly shucked oysters and seafood dishes at db Bistro & Oyster Bar and head over to Adrift for Californian heirloom tomato toast with vanilla and turmeric, Pineapple tamarind glazed pork ribs, and its signature King crab melt with pimento cheese. Look out for CUT by Wolfgang Puck's Indian spiced wagyu short ribs and Char siew pork buns. Participating in Epicurean Market for the first time, Spago will offer Handmade Agnolotti and Spicy tuna tartare, as a sneak preview ahead of its official opening.

At Pizzeria Mozza, savour pizzas such as Margherita, Aglio Olio, Prosciutto di Parma with Rucola and Bianca with sage. Osteria Mozza will offer its popular grilled octopus and introduce a new cold pasta dish -- the Squid Ink Chitarra Freddi with sea urchin, fresh crabmeat and jalapeno pesto. At Bread Street Kitchen, enjoy signatures including the Potted Salt Beef Brisket, Dingley Dell Pork Belly and traditional fish and chips.

Favourites at Waku Ghin will make a return -- they include the Marinated Botan Shrimp with sea urchin and oscietra caviar, Grilled Rolled Ohmi Beef with fresh wasabi and Japanese musk melon from Shizuoka Prefecture. Chef Tetsuya Wakuda is also expanding his repertoire this year with a second booth focusing on 12 exquisitely delicate pastries.

Look forward to daily specials at Sky on 57 such as the Seared Wagyu tri tip with slow cooked egg, lu shui truffle sauce, Chilled Somen with sze chuan pepper-peanut sauce, dried bean curd, cuttlefish and sakura ebi and Braised Dorper Lamb Ribs with Asian spice, dried fruit-nut, turmeric cous cous. Tasty Thai treats from Long Chim include Aromatic beef skewers, grilled eggplant salad with dried prawn, charred rice noodles with pork and yellow beans, and deep-fried chicken with plum sauce.

Farmer's Market

Pick up the freshest heirloom tomatoes, kale and artichokes from the Farmer's Market at close to wholesale prices. Inspired by the farmer's markets of California, Epicurean Market's own version will feature great quality fresh vegetables, roots, fruits and seafood as well as artisanal products, set within an authentic and rustic environment. Guests can sample and taste fresh food throughout the Farmer's Market, interact with experts for home-cooking tips, and pick up a recipe card or two.

Buy gourmet cheese from The Cheese Artisans and sample unique European cheese such as the VSOP Gouda from Netherlands. This hard cheese has been aged for two years in a 100 year-old ripening house on the banks of the Oude Rijn River, which gives it a deep caramel flavour with a slight crystalline crunch. Be sure to also check out their bestseller, Gorgonzola Dolce -- younger, creamier and sweeter version of Gorgonzola -- paired with Acacia White Truffle Honey.

Epicerie Boulud, Chef Daniel Boulud's popular gourmet shop in New York, will occupy a section within the Farmer's Market. Get ready for its signature house made charcuterie alongside freshly baked breads and pastries.

Fine wines, spirits and premium coffee

Wine connoisseurs can look forward to the finest and rarest wines sourced from around the world at the massive Wine Zone with nearly 30 wine suppliers including KOT Selections, The Oak Cellars, Monopole, Enoteca, Excaliber Wines, Unique Wines and Wine Culture. Participating Epicurean Market for the third time, KOT Selections will be unveiling some cellar treasures from its "library" -- a mix of older vintages and highly sought-after wines; some of which Singapore only gets 2 to 3 cases a year. Guests can also take part in a blind tasting competition at its booth.

Diageo is making a splash at this year's Epicurean Market -- not least with a stunning booth that combines a Cocktail Bar with a Whisky Lounge. Manned by award-winning mixologists from Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender Competition including Steve Leong, the bar will offer a spirited selection of cocktails using ingredients sourced at the Farmer's Market itself and workshops on creating various types of cocktails. Whisky connoisseurs can park themselves at the plush lounge seats, where a wide range of Single Malts as well as rare blends from John Walker & Sons await. Whisky appreciation mini-workshops will also be conducted by Christoph Nyfeler, founding partner of Whisky World.

Enjoy premium coffee at the Nespresso bar, and discover the exceptional world of Nespresso where only the top 1-2 per cent of the world's coffee beans are selected. For a more luxurious indulgence, enjoy a special iced coffee recipe by Chef Tetsuya Wakuda and pair it with Waku Ghin's delicate pastries.

Day 1 highlights - Friday, 14 August

• Celebrate the end of the working week with a new After Party activity on 14 and 15 August, from 9pm to 1am, as Epicurean Market turns up the volume and transforms into a night spot. Guests can linger late into the night to party to the tunes spun by international DJs and enjoy handcrafted cocktails and bottle service at a special Epicurean Market price. Late night bites will be served by our alumni chefs, Daniel Chavez (formerly from Santi) and Stephane Istel (formerly from db Bistro) as they operate from pop-up booths just for the four magical hours. Access to the After Party comes with the ticket for Epicurean Market, which is set at a very affordable price of S$28 for a three day-pass (including a pair of Schott Zwiesel red wine glasses worth S$38!)
• Get up close with your favourite super hero, courtesy of the folks behind the newly opened DC Comics Super Heroes Cafe -- the first such cafe in the world. Renowned Singaporean chef Eric Teo lends a hand with other creative dishes such as Super Hero Burritos and Super Hero Nachos. The multi-talented chef will be showcasing his comic sketches at a masterclass while dispensing tips on creating Super Heroes-themed Chicken Sausage Gumbo with Parmesan Lavosh and Tomato Carpaccio Salad at home.
• They sold more than 7,000 oysters last year -- no wonder then that the folks at seafood supplier Global Oceanlink is back with a blast this year. You can enjoy freshly shucked oysters such as the Kumamoto, Shigoku and Virginica shipped from Taylor Shellfish Farm in Seattle at a special price of S$15 for half a dozen at its booth. If oysters aren't your cup of tea, have a seafood feast at home by buying other items such as premium cod and tuna fillets, cooked Boston lobster, snow crab and king crab legs, clams and mussels.
• Discover cuisines from around the world with the Epicurean Market passport. Pick up the passport at the event and begin your gastronomy journey by purchasing an item from selected restaurant booths to get a stamp in the passport. Collect 5 stamps, each from a different booth, to redeem two limited edition SG50 Coca Cola aluminum bottles, while stocks last!

Day 2 highlights - Saturday, 15 August

• Discover the king of Cognacs, LOUIS XIII de Remy Martin, in an exclusive tasting session. Created in 1874, LOUIS XIII is an exceptional blend of 1,200 eaux-de-vie aged over 100 years, with each decanter highlighting the passionate work of four generations of Cellar Masters. Taste the exceptional cognac in a LOUIS XIII Pillet Crystal glass and enjoy it with a dark chocolate pairing. Ticket for this exclusive master class is priced at S$60 (original ticket value of S$350) with a limited capacity of 35 participants. Limited-edition tickets have been packaged for this exclusive session, at S$88 per person (includes the S$28 ticket access to Epicurean Market for three days).
• The oldest and rarest Single Malt bottled by the prestigious Glen Ord Distillery in over 170 years -- the Master's Casks 40-year-old -- will be unveiled at Epicurean Market. With 999 bottles available worldwide and only 20 in Singapore, the rare Single Malt will be available to the public for the very first time in Singapore. Experience a journey of flavour by tasting the whole range of Singleton of Glen Ord variants, starting with the 12-year-old, 15-year-old and 18-year-old until you discover the grand dame - Master's Casks 40-year-old. An amazing dessert pairing will also be provided. This exclusive masterclass is led by Sean Baxter, whisky expert and current brand ambassador for Johnnie Walker Whisky and Classic Malts Portfolio. Ticket is priced at S$88 per person (includes the S$28 ticket access to Epicurean Market) with a limited capacity of 35 participants.
• Aspiring junior bakers can take part in an interactive workshop with db Bistro & Oyster Bar's Executive Pastry Chef Benjamin Siwek as he leads 25 children in a Junior Pastry Academy session, guiding them to create a cute "minion" birthday cake. The pastry class is open to children aged 5-10 years old. Pre-registration is required, email dbreservations@marinabaysands.com to register.
• Take a tour around India as Chef Javed from Punjab Grill takes you through the various spices used in traditional Indian cuisine and recreate dishes from Punjab Grill including the Pan grilled dill and carom seeds flavoured fish Tikka, Warm sprouted salad with trio bell pepper and the signature Butter chicken.

Day 3 highlights - Sunday, 16 August

• With its precise and graceful movements, sophisticated bar tools and shaking techniques, it's no wonder Japanese bartending has been described as an art form. Learn more about the craft from Kazuhiro Chii, head bartender from Waku Ghin in this masterclass for 30 participants. Be prepared to be mesmerized by Chii's elegant and refined moves as he shows how to create perfectly balanced classics such as the Martini, Sidecar and Gin & Tonic, the Japanese way.
• The secret to making perfect eclairs and cream puffs is in the pate a choux, a light pastry dough that is used to make delicious treats such as eclairs, cream puffs (profiteroles), gougeres and beignets, among others. At this masterclass, Executive Pastry Chef Michael Hadobas from CUT by Wolfgang Puck will demonstrate how to prepare the dough, baking the pastry and filling the eclairs and cream puffs with pastry cream.
• Learn the art of tea in a masterclass by The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf -- Beanstro to learn about the differences between black, green and oolong tea while sampling some of the finest brews. Head over to its booth for the Singapore Blend tea that is specially crafted in celebration of Singapore's Golden Jubilee. This unique tea captures the aroma of the country's flower -- the orchid, and the essence of sweet fruit. It combines the finest green tea with wild honey bush to create a magical blend.
• Renowned bartenders, Zdenek Kastanek and Peter Chua from Proof and Company will lead a master class on the essential tools and spirits to set up the perfect home bar.

Wine Dinners

In the lead up to Epicurean Market, db Bistro & Oyster Bar and Osteria Mozza will be hosting the Sommelier Challenge dinners on 4 August (Osteria) and 11 August (db Bistro) in an epic showdown of Italian wines versus French wines at the respective restaurants. The chefs of each restaurant will create special menus and each sommelier will offer a wine pairing for each course. Guests will vote for the best overall pairing and crown the winner.

Event Partners

Epicurean Market is supported by Presenting Sponsor Citibank, Gold Sponsor Coca Cola, Official Glassware Schott Zwiesel, Official Entertainment Media Timeout, Official Gourmet Lifestyle Magazine Epicure and Lifestyle Partner Miele.

"Citibank is delighted to be the Presenting Sponsor of Epicurean Market 2015, one of the most highly anticipated gourmet fairs in Singapore, for the second consecutive year. As the bank with the largest consumer credit card portfolio in the country, we take pride in our ability to constantly raise the bar to come up with the best dining deals and experiences for our cardmembers. Epicurean Market, with an impressive line-up of international culinary experts showcasing their talents and exquisite creations, promises to offer Citibank credit and debit cardmembers an exciting gastronomic journey that draws inspiration from across the world.

"Our cardmembers will also get to enjoy other privileges such as great discounts on entry tickets and items on offer at the fair including food and wine. As the icing on the cake, 50 Citibank cardmembers will get an exclusive meet and greet with selected celebrity chefs at the event," said John Denhof, Head of Cards and Personal Loans, Citibank Singapore Limited.

Epicurean Market on Social Media
Follow #EpicureanMarket on Marina Bay Sands' Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to get updates, join in the conversation and participate in contests during the three-day event. Stay tuned for more details on Marina Bay Sands' Facebook page.

Ticketing Details

Priced at S$28 per person for a three-day pass, tickets include a complimentary pair of Schott Zwiesel red wine glasses (up S$38), access to the After Party and an exciting line-up of master classes by chefs and pastry chefs, food and drink demonstrations by sommeliers, wine producers, mixologists and various industry experts.

Epicurean Market will be held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Basement 2, Hall D & E from 14 - 16 August 2015.

 

SOURCE: Marina Bay Sands