Singapore’s parks, especially the Botanic Gardens, can be lovely places to have picnics at. However, Singapore’s weather can be too much at times — an outdoor picnic at one of your favourite gardens will more often than not mean braving the relentless sun and humidity. As much as we love the sun and the natural greenery, it’s always fun to change things up a bit.
After a successful first run last year, ION Orchard Culinary Creations is back for its sophomore edition from now until 17 July 2016, providing picnic-goers with a wide collection of mouthwatering treats all in air-conditioned comfort.
For the first time in the mall’s history, the basement of ION Orchard will transform into a pop up indoor picnic garden, pampering shoppers with delectable treats amidst a backdrop of lush greenery and decor styled by American furniture brand Crate and Barrel.
The first 100 shoppers to spend a minimum of S$50 at any F&B stores in the mall can make their way to the B4 ION Station to redeem this beautiful picnic basket packed with dining vouchers, picnic essentials, food treats, and the ION Orchard dining booklet worth up to S$150.
Another key highlight of the event would be the collaboration between ION Art and UOB. Representing the exquisite harmony of visual art and culinary art, ION Art and UOB presents: Create will see chefs from The Marmalade Pantry and Salt Grill & Sky Bar combine haute cuisine with art, offering diners at ION Orchard new exclusive dishes inspired by artworks from the UOB Art Collection. To see the works from the awarded artists from the UOB Painting of the Year competition, simply stroll over to the ION Art Gallery between 20 and 31 July. Part of the sales proceeds from these delightful work of art-inspired dishes will be donated to charity.
One such art-inspired dish is the winning burger from Chef Matthew Leighton of Salt Grill & Sky Bar. Inspired by the 2014 UOB Painting of the Year titled Let’s Have a Burger, Chef Leighton of Salt Grill & Sky Bar came up with this burger that oozes perfection with every bite and tastes as good as it looks. The artist behind the painting, Lee Jia Zhen had conceptualised her painting as an escape from the stresses of school “by eating an imaginary burger”.
For those with a sweet tooth, Pastry Chef Ryan Low created the Starry Starry Night cupcakes, citing inspiration from Aaron Gan’s Starry Starry Night Painting, which won the 2015 UOB Painting of the Year. “The Starry Starry Night cupcakes mirror the theme of how it is only through looking upwards and moving forward that one finds new hope in times of uncertainties,” says Ryan.
The Watami Salad
Apart from an indoor picnic and aesthetically pleasing food options, shoppers will also be entertained with a buffet of activities at the picnic garden such as culinary workshops with appearances by popular Mediacorp artistes Desmond Tan, Ya Hui, and Jeffrey Xu, contests, as well as food samplings of local delights and popular food items from well-loved brands like Putien, Wrap & Roll, 4Fingers Crispy Chicken, Watami, Mr Churros and Nara Thai.
Putien Jian Bao
From now till 31 July, upload an Instagram picture of your favourite food at ION Orchard with the hashtag #IONxCulinary and you stand to walk away with dining vouchers.
ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn
Singapore 238801
