YiTyng.Sin@informa.com

🥘 Chef Cho leads Onjium, a Seoul-based restaurant, showcasing innovative takes on Korean royal cuisine by using local ingredients like heirloom rice and walnut oil. Traditional techniques from temple and royal kitchens are integrated into seasonal menus. Dishes include tofu “cheese” from soybean milk and shrimp wrapped in strawberry gochujang. Onjium emphasizes food sustainability through fermentation, offering vinegars and drinks from repurposed peels, demonstrating a blend of heritage with modern culinary practices.

🍴 Shuhe, Lijiang, Yunnan province, northwest China, hosts Lan Bistro, a modern tribute to Yunnan's cultural identity, designed by FUNS Creative Design Consultant. Opened in 2100 square meters with a 300-meter entrance, it aims to transform guests' experiences. Founded in 2014, FUNS specializes in luxury commercial environments and has worked globally in cities like Toronto and New York. Lan Bistro's design offers a calming transition from the bustling old town, reflecting a blend of nature and architecture.

🌱 Founded in 2015 by Lê Na, Kashew offers artisanal plant-based cheeses in Vietnam, utilizing local cashews and European cheesemaking techniques. After 10 years, Kashew innovates with handcrafted cheeses featuring Vietnamese ingredients like garlic and chili, and a range of dairy-free products. Located in Thảo Điền and District 7, Kashew Cheese Deli serves as a community hub, offering vegan sourdough sandwiches, pizzas, and more, celebrating plant-based culinary potential.

🌿 Mireia expands into vanilla products, including drip coffee and powdered vanilla, aiming for daily enjoyment. Real vanilla offers 250 distinct notes, unlike artificial flavors. Five varieties—planifolia, Tahiti, pompona, odorata, aphylla—are cultivated at Singapore's Science Park. Vanilla matures in 4-5 years, plus 1 year for curing. Mireia manages sustainability with farms in Singapore and abroad, staggering plant growth for consistent yield. Singapore's tropical climate enhances unique, creamy, floral vanilla notes.

☕ Harpreet Gill, co-founder of Exposure Therapy in Singapore, pioneers matcha and coffee raves as a caffeine-fueled alternative to nightlife. These events, resembling micro-festivals, prioritize wellness, with LED walls, DJ sets, and performance art. Participants, mainly Gen Z and young professionals, enjoy the affordability, paying minimal entry fees instead of high club costs. This trend expands globally, with coffee raves popping up in Australia, Seoul, and Tokyo, offering inclusive, substance-free spaces.

🍹 Ārepa teams up with Brix & Co. to produce its brain-drink range across New Zealand and Australia. The brand, inspired by neuroscience and Te Reo Māori, offers caffeine-free drinks designed for mental clarity and focus. While not miracle cures, they're part of the trend for functional beverages. The drinks, Uplift and Calm & Clarity, aim to rejuvenate the brain-tired, emphasizing health over stimulants.