THE Singapore National Culinary Team came in fourth at the Culinary Olympics in Germany last year, beating 17 countries and achieving fame as the first Asian country on the top list. So, to "celebrate" the occasion, what better way than to give local Singaporeans a taste of their winning cuisine, and give the proceeds to charity?

"It's the first time the team is cooking for the public - it's an experience that money cannot buy," says Edmund Toh, vice-president of the Singapore Chefs' Association. Since it was going to be a unique charity dinner, the Singapore Chefs' Association (SCA) roped in partners to make this a meaningful experience, he says.

For example, the Vanilla Pod restaurant where the dinner will take place is sponsoring 20 seats, while other food and beverage companies are sponsoring wine, service staff and ingredients. "We always think that charity is about us giving, but in doing so, a lot of us have also benefited from the experience of being involved," says Mr Toh, who is also the executive chef (hotels & casino) at Resorts World Sentosa.

"There's more coordination work with more partners involved, but it's worth it."

Despite the price of $3,000 for two, response has been good so far, as the event is small and exclusive. "Obviously, people are a little more hesitant to spend, due to the economy. Most of them are sales by word of mouth, and we have had a lot of support from our suppliers," he reveals.

The fundraising is also to celebrate International Chef's Day, and to make sure that it's not just about raising money, chefs are also doing their bit for the community.

Tomorrow, a team of chefs from Shatec will trot off to the Little Arts Academy at Selegie Road to give cooking classes to 16 pairs of parents and children. The message is that one can create healthy delicious meals on a budget.

Culinary showcase

Then in the evening, the Singapore National Culinary Team will whip up a five-course dinner at Mandai Orchid Garden, showcasing culinary techniques that have impressed international judges. The SCA picked ChildAid, a charity concert that supports The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund. "The thought of kids being deprived of pocket money, and hence, not being able to buy food during recess, was something we couldn't fathom. So we decided to adopt the charity this year," Mr Toh explains, adding that a lot of SCA members have children so it's a cause that they identified with. And the Budding Artists' Fund? "Well, cooking is also an art," he quips.

The Oct 17 degustation dinner is priced at $3,000 for each pair of tickets. To purchase, please e-mail louis.tay@tanglin-club.org.sg or call 9475-8235