SingTel celebrates hawker heritage by challenging TV chef Gordon Ramsay

In the Hawker Heroes challenge developed by BBDO Singapore and Ogilvy PR, SingTel and local food bloggers have challenged Michelin-starred chef (and reality-TV personality) Gordon Ramsay to take on Singapore’s top three hawkers in a culinary contest.

A SingTel spokesman said the challenge is organised in response to recent concerns of a decline in local hawker culture and whether international recognition, such as Michelin-starred accreditation, would encourage fresh talent to join the trade and preserve Singapore’s culinary heritage.

“The challenge is in line with what we are working to achieve with our brand: to turn everyday moments into amazing experiences for our customers,” the spokesperson added.

In a video broadcast yesterday on television and YouTube, Ramsay, bombastic star of the Hell's Kitchen and Hotel Hell TV series, officially accepts the invitation, saying “The people of Singapore want to put their favourite hawker food to a Michelin star test. Now many of them think that hawker food is deserving of more recognition. Frankly, I’m not an expert on Singapore food; I’m not sure if it’s as good as Singaporeans actually say it is!”

A shortlist of 12 hawkers has been identified based on having consistently higher food ratings and recommendations on the popular food portal, HungryGoWhere (a SingTel property). The hawkers who go up against the celebrity chef will be determined by the results of a dedicated SingTel food poll.