Photo credits: tvN Asia

Singapore, 2019 –  tvN Asia elevates the experience of its original production Wok The World with a spin-off culinary journey, which concluded with a spectacular Gala Dinner at S.E.A. Aquarium, Resorts World Sentosa Singapore on 4 January 2019; followed by a Cooking Competition on 5 January 2019 at Adventure Cove Waterpark, Resorts World Sentosa.

Wok The World Gala Dinner was held at S.E.A. Aquarium’s iconic Open Ocean Habitat, home to more than 40,000 marine animals such as majestic manta rays and zebra sharks; and welcomed over 200 guests in attendance. The exclusive one-time-only menu left guests wanting more! The four-hands menu co-created by Michelin 3-star Demon Chef Alvin Leung and Executive Chef Li Kwok Kwong of Feng Shui Inn, Resorts World Sentosa, let guests taste some of the dishes that Alvin has de-constructed and re-constructed in Wok The World, giving them a truly immersive show experience.

Photo credits: tvN Asia

The star-studded Gala Dinner received the guest host Alexander Lee, a.k.a. Xander, of Wok The World as well as a special guest who flew all the way from Hong Kong, superstar Andy Hui! When chatting with the dinner host, Belinda Lee, and the Demon Chef, Andy Hui remarked that he’d like to see Alvin re-construct pig’s tongue, which symbolises prosperity and luck, into something unexpected. Xander and Eric Chong, protégé of Alvin also shared the stage to share some of the funniest moment when shooting Wok The World, and how, despite the age gaps, that they bonded with Alvin like brothers. The dinner concluded with a lucky draw, where winners bring home beautiful cutlery set sponsored by WMF Singapore, dining vouchers sponsored by Resorts World Sentosa and a luxurious watch sponsored by Maurice Lacroix.

Apart from the Gala Dinner, the Wok The World Cooking Competition at Adventure Cove Waterpark drew a perfect finale to this immersive journey. Five home cooks from Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines competed against each other for the grand prize, a luxurious watch with is worth SGD2,700 sponsored by Maurice Lacroix. Contestants also took home cooking utensils and cutlery sponsored by WMF Singapore as well as admission tickets to Universal Studios Singapore, The Maritime Experiential Museum, S.E.A. Aquarium, Typhoon Theatre and Adventure Cove Waterpark sponsored by Resorts World Sentosa. All contestants were required to make use of the limited edition sesame oil as well as dark and light soy sauce especially made for Wok The World, produced by Chee Seng Oil and Kwong Cheong Thye, respectively. The competition saw world-renowned chefs, Alvin Leung, Eric Chong and Li Kwok Kwong, along with Xander as the panel of judges, they graded the contestants’ dishes according to the taste and presentation, as well as on the creativity and inspirations behind the home cooks’ inventions.

Photo credits: tvN Asia

After an intense hour-long competition, regional contestant from the Philippines Marie’s Pork Adobo with Chicken Liver emerged as the winner. Chef Alvin remarked that her dish was cooked nicely and Marie used the ingredients, especially chicken liver and tomato, to create a well-balanced dish. Xander was similarly wowed by Marie’s interpretation of the Adobo, where she used creative ingredients like the salted egg to create a winning concoction. Marie was overwhelmed by her win and felt honoured to be recognised by top talented chefs that she looked up to on television. She also hopes that more people will be interested in Filipino cuisine and try different versions and variations of the Adobo.

Photo credits: tvN Asia

The 6-episode series, Wok The World, is in partnership with Viu and the third original production by CJ E&M HK this year. The show sees Michelin 3-star chef, a.k.a. Demon Chef, Alvin Leung along with his protégé, MasterChef Canada Season 1 winner, Eric Chong and K-pop heartthrobs, Nichkhun of 2PM, JinJin of Astro and Alexander Lee, a.k.a. Xander, embark on a quest to bring Chinese culinary traditions to a new level. The journey covers Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and the Philippines. With their unbridled ingenuity, the chef duo transforms celebrated traditional Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines into new masterful gastronomic creations.

Photo credits: tvN Asia