12 Local favourites get recognised at Singapore Food Masters 2018

The Singapore Food Masters 2018 is back with more eateries this time to wow and tempt your palate.

From piping hot noodles to fragrant risottos, a total of 120 eateries featuring food from different ethnicity were up against each other in the hope of garnering the most number of votes by readers of Singapore Press Holdings' (SPH) newspapers. More than70,000 votes were cast over a period of four weeks via SMS and online - sgfoodmasters.sg. 12 voters also walked away with $100 shopping voucher each from supporting their favourite stalls.

Mr Neo Ching Leong, 49, participated in the voting of Singapore Food Masters for the very first time. He shared that: "Being someone who will actively look out for new places to dine at, I chanced upon this year's Food Masters 2018 from The Sunday Times and decided to vote for my favourite stall. This event is really amazing as it helps generate exposure and promote the eateries that are taking part in it, especially the newer ones who need more publicity."

Our selected panel of judges, comprising of food writers and bloggers made surprise visits to the top ten most-voted-for eateries of each zone, to decide on the top three finalists. The finalists were determined through the following judging criteria - taste, service, cleanliness, value for money and healthier choice.

This year's judging panel consists of the following:

Charmaine Phua, Music Director / Producer / Presenter on ONE FM 91.3, SPH Radio
Ng Yimin, Food Correspondent, Chinese Media Group NewsHub, Singapore Press Holdings
Mr Yeoh Wee Teck, Columnist, The New Paper
Ms Maureen Wee, Blogger, Ms Tam Chiak
The Ranting Panda, Founder/Writer
Mr Joe Yang, Instagrammer, Mightyfoodie
William Tan, Content Creator (Lifestyle and Food),OnlyWilliam.blogspot.sg, @william82sg
Maya Hazel Qin, Content Creator for @qinlovesmacaronsss for Food, Beauty & Lifestyle

The top three finalists from each of the 4 zones and their winning dish (in no order of ranking) are:

North

Feng Food
Sembawang Traditional Claypot Rice
JB Da Pai Dang

Central

Taste Good Kitchen
Thai Goldmine Kitchen
Legendary Bak Kut Teh

East

Tan Ser Seng Herbal Soup
Yu Cun Claypot Curry Fish Head
Hai Xian Zhi Jia (Fish Soup)

West

Peace Japanese Cuisine
Empress Porridge
Yuzutei

For some of the Top 3 winners, being nominated to be in the Top 10 and Top 3 came as a complete surprise for them. It is a symbol of affirmation and it also means a lot to them, having come so far into the competition. Feeling a mix of gratitude and happiness, Singapore Food Masters 2018 was simply a journey where their hard work and efforts were paid off.

Ms Ong Swee Yee Cathryn, 29, third generation master of Legendary Bak Kut Teh (Central Zone Top 3) said: "We joined this year's Food Masters 2018 for the first time with lightheartedness and needless to say, we are over the moon to have gotten into the Top 3. We believe in using freshly prepared ingredients to deliver simple and healthy food to our diners. We would also like to thank all our local supporters and the judges for their recognition to continue to improve and perform better in the F&B industry."

Mr Yu Cheng Min ,42, owner of Feng Food (North Zone Top 3) said: "We would like to thank Singapore Press Holdings for holding this event and offering us an opportunity to be part of it. As this is our first branch in Singapore, we aspire to let our customers in Singapore have a taste of delicious Taiwanese food that is different from the local cuisine. We will continue to introduce more dishes that appeal to the palate and serve food made with our hearts."

Others, who have been part of the competition for more than once, have expressed their delight to be in the competition again to vie for the spot of Top 3.

Mr Simon Ng, 50, owner of Peace Japanese Cuisine (West Zone Top 3) said: "We feel encouraged to even be in the Top 10, and getting into the Top 3 is a form of reassurance by the food critics and bloggers to continue serving quality food at an affordable price. We will always be here to offer a peaceful dining environment, and make our diners feel at home whenever they swing by. We are also more than glad to be part of next year's Food Masters 2019."

Mr Chan Yoong Yuan, 48, owner of Yu Cun Claypot Fish Head Curry (East Zone Top 3) said: "It is with great pleasure and joy for Yu Cun Claypot Fish Head Curry to win Top 3 once again, and we owe our success to the loyal customers and suppliers who have always supported us. We have always insisted on using the freshest ingredients to cook our delicacies, and serving our diners with the most heartwarming services. We will continue to join Food Masters 2019 as we believe that it will give us the confidence to take Yu Cun Claypot Fish Head Curry to the next level."

Visit sgfoodmasters.sg to find out more about the Top 10 finalists from each zone and information on Singapore Food Masters 2018.