Singapore’s first-ever Latin American food festival returns this year; LATINADA 2019, which runs from 8 to 16 September 2019, will celebrate the culinary and cultural diversity of Latin America.
If there’s one thing that unites the different countries in Central and South America – aside from their dogged passion for football – it’s their love for food. And if you’re a big fan of the cuisines of Latin America, you’re in luck – LATINADA is back, and with a bigger bang this year as well. This year LATINADA will see 11 chefs, 12 restaurants and 13 events across a week of gastronomic festivities this month featuring the cuisines of Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Chile.
LATINADA is the brainchild of Peruvian chef Daniel Chavez from OLA Kitchen Group – which owns OLA Cucina del Mar, TONO Cevicheria, and TONITO Latin American Kitchen in Jewel Changi Airport – who had wanted to showcase the cuisine and traditions from notable regions of Latin America.
“I believe now is the time for Latin American cuisine to be exposed in this region. There is a misconception that Latin American cuisine is mainly Mexican and Peruvian, and that is what we hope to change with LATINADA,” said Chef Daniel.
To that end he has put together an impressive lineup of locally- and regionally-based chefs from across Latin America for LATINADA 2019 featured in culinary events across 12 restaurants for a Latino gastronomic adventure.
The week-long food fest will kick off with “Domingo Tropical!” on 8 September at Camp Kilo, with the Charcoal Club recreating a mini street food festival complete with Latin street favourites like tacos, roasted pork, ceviche and themed cocktails, coupled with hot Latin beats and salsa dancing. For those who love their tacos, OLA Cocina Del Mar will see chefs Daniel Chavez, Tamara Chavez of TONO Cevicheria and Chef Ricardo Luján of Six Senses Bali showcasing their heritage by serving up varieties of the traditional Mexican dish for “Tacos, Tacos, Tacos” on 9 September. OLA will also be playing host to “Barra Latina Nikkei”, a dinner featuring Peruvian-Japanese plates by Chef Edwin Guzman of Aji in Macau.
For a more fine-dining experience, “Movimiento Preludio” is a contemporary 4-hands dinner on 10 September with Columbian Chef Fernando Arévalo of Preludio – famous for its author’s cuisine – and Edwin Guzman of Aji in Macau, with a menu that will showcase both chefs’ interpretations of Latin American flavours inspired in black and white.
Rounding off the week-long celebration is another decadent 6-hands dinner titled “Our Journey Back Home” on 16 September, which will take guests on a culinary journey back to the childhood memories of BoCHINche’s Chef Patron Diego Jacquet, Ivan Brehm, chef-owner of Nouri and OLA’s Chef Daniel with a 5-course menu showcasing signatures from their home countries.
“Together with the chefs who have the same desire and with the success of the first LATINADA on our backs, I’m confident that LATINADA 2019 will be able to further raise the profile of Latin America, by presenting the wonderful flavours of the region and the warmth of Latino hospitality,” Chef Daniel added.
LATINADA 2019 will take place from 8-16 September 2019. Tickets for the various culinary events can be purchased here. For full event calendar and details, visit here.
