James Beard Foundation's 30th Anniversary Gala Will Celebrate Singapore

The James Beard Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary this fall with a themed gala: Singapore's Culinary Crossroads.

The event will take place Nov. 11 at the Rainbow Room and will feature renowned Singaporean chefs, as well as James Beard Award winner Alfred Portale, a member of Singapore Airlines' international culinary panel; chef, restaurateur, and television personality Cat Cora, who owns Ocean Restaurant in Singapore; and host chefs Robert Aikens and Kyung Kim of the Rainbow Room.

"To know Singapore is to understand our food scene and culinary culture," said Kershing Goh, the regional director for the Americas at Singapore Tourism Board. "This is why the Singapore Tourism Board is thrilled to join forces with the James Beard Foundation to illustrate the breadth, depth and dynamism of Singapore's diverse culinary offerings. Our diverse food offerings are inspirations for the event and the partnership between our two brands. We are excited to show New Yorkers, through our food, why Singapore is worthy of a culinary journey."

The culinary culture of Singapore has been slowly assimilated into the Western world recently. This year, Michelin released its first-ever guide for Singapore, doling out more than 30 stars to restaurants and two lucky street-food hawkers. Later this fall, Anthony Bourdain will be opening his own food hall in the style of a traditional Singaporean hawker center, where chefs "hawk" their goods for cheap prices to hungry crowds.