EDITOR’S NOTE
As I’m writing this Editor’s Note in my living room with the balcony doors closed, I’m battling watery eyes, a dull, intermittent ache in the head and a stuffy nose. The discomfort has persisted for more than a week, thanks to the thick haze that usually shrouds our entire city at this time of the year. While the stifling smog should dissipate soon and I have taken to sleeping earlier and increasing my intake of double-boiled soups to alleviate these symptoms, the fact that the annual haze has been getting progressively worse each year is a wake-up call for the region to tackle the transboundary issue.
This haze is the result of man-made wildfires in Indonesia, which are in turn fuelled by demand for the country to grow more cash crops. It's ironic that millions of people around the world are still starving despite a huge surplus of food. World Food Day, which falls on October 16, is a poignant time to remind ourselves just how much more we need to do as conscious inhabitants of our shrinking planet to tackle global hunger. A rising appetite for ugly produce to reduce food wastage is one good way to start. The zero-waste challenge has picked up momentum among restaurants like Salted & Hung and Cure that use ingredients in multiple ways to create different dishes. One proponent of the waste-not movement is Alysia Chan, head chef of The Black Swan, who regularly discovers refreshing ways to breathe new life into odds and ends. (Experiment with her recipes on page 64.) Even a routine habit like snacking can turn into a feel-good exercise. (Don't believe us? Turn to page 12.)
When we talk about F&B establishments that are actively championing sustainability, the spotlight usually falls on Western restaurants with a progressive mindset. Yellow Pot, a cosmopolitan Chinese diner, is bucking the trend and doing its part to reduce food waste. (Chef Sebastian Goh shares his recipes on page 72.) Similarly, a big climate culprit is tourism, a fast-growing industry that is responsible for eight percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Hence, a staycation makes for a great environmental choice. This issue, we turn our attention to our own backyard. (Start your read from page 80 for tips on how and where to enjoy a well-deserved staycation.)