THE NEW ASIAN DINING SCENE
How the Covid-19 pandemic has rewritten the recipes for success of Asian restaurateurs.
How the Covid-19 pandemic has rewritten the recipes for success of Asian restaurateurs.
Covid-19 has pushed the global F&B business into crisis mode. Many restaurants have closed their doors permanently. Of those that remain, restaurateurs have had to change their approach to the new social distancing landscape fast.
Many have rushed to get their businesses online, tailoring menus to be more takeaway- and deliveryfriendly. Chefs are even boosting their brands through online recipes and cooking demos, while innovative personalities are bringing the eating out experience into homes.
Singapore’s Emmanuel Stroobant launched Virtual Saint Pierre – a private Zoom party with delivered fine dining bento boxes and a live online appearance from the chef.
In Bangkok, Fruitfull – a new platform about food by the creators of Wonderfruit – launched its first series called Lockdown that delivered interactive dinner parties to guests through live streams with music and in-person meals on April 24. First up was the seven-course progressive Thai menu by Duangporn ‘Bo’ Songvisava and Dylan Jones of the infamous Bo.lan.
To participate, diners made a reservation online. Once they received their meals, they joined a private live streaming program matched with their delivered feast. The series concluded on 22 May with a KoreanThai feast overseen by Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2020 – Cho Hee-sook of Hangsikgonggan in Seoul – and presented by David Thompson’s protege Prin Polsuk of Bangkok’s beloved Samrub Thai.
CREATING DIY MEAL KITS AND COCKTAILS IN A BAG TO GO
“Innovation, creativity – these are no longer a luxury. They’re a necessity,” says Cynthia Chua, the entrepreneurial brains behind the Spa Esprit Group, which owns and
operates several Singapore brands, including Tiong Bahru Bakery and Open Farm Community (OFC).
The group’s sales have dropped by 20 to 90 per cent across its various outlets. At the time of writing, some are open for takeaway and delivery while others do not see these sales covering operating costs. Argentine bistro boCHINche, for example, is temporarily closed as per circuit breaker regulations since its CBD location means takeaway orders would be minimal.
Open Farm Community, on the other hand, has become more than a restaurant doing takeaway and delivery in Covid-19 times. Chua has transformed it into a grocery store as well, selling DIY meal kits, condiments, cocktails in a bag and fresh produce. “You have to be able to adapt, read your trends, look at data and ask, ‘Do people want that?’” she says.
Yvonne Kam, founder of Yung’s Bistro, the younger sister to Hong Kong’s much-loved Cantonese classic, Yung Kee, agrees and adds that restaurateurs need to be fast and flexible. As soon as the pandemic hit, Yung’s Bistro joined a delivery service and created special dishes that travel well.
“Be practical and offer food people want, like comfort food,” Kam says. “During a crisis, people are not in the mood to eat fancy food as there is not much to celebrate. And, no matter what you serve, the delivery option is a necessity. Even without