Story & photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling GourmetTM
All rights reserved
Food photos are of real food with no photoshop
Friday, 18 October, 2013
The implacable Travelling Gourmet goes to a Korean restaurant in Orchard Central to learn about FoodBank Singapore’s new initiative from…
MARVELLOUSLY passionate Nichol Ng’s who launched a new drive to feed the hungry and needy today. Nichol is the CEO of FoodXervices which produces yummy K00riMo Chestnut Ice Cream and chestnut products among other food products. Nichol is also the founder of FoodBank Singapore, a proactive charity that helps the hungry and needy with food. FoodBank Asia was founded in January 2012. Food is after all, man’s basic need for life. No food, you die. It is that simple.
Nichol explained passionately, “The big boys, they are hard to budge and don’t want to give away their excess food. They say all our stock is sold out…which is not true. Everyone has excess. They feel it is a matter of potential ‘loss of face’ to admit that they have surplus stock that they have to give away. However, there is also Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR…Food is something basic to life. Everyone loves to eat. The launch today ties up with World Food week, which is this week. We have had about 180 volunteers to pack 30,000 meals of which 15,000 meals are for needy Singaporeans. The other 15,000 meals are for the poor refugees in Thailand on the Laotian border. The meals with vitamins and soy protein are not halal but 100% vegetarian. Each meal costs $00.50 and can feed 6 people when cooked with 1.5 liters of water.”
I asked Nichol, “How much food is wasted each day in Singapore?”
Nichol answered, “There’s a lack of knowledge in the amount of food wastage in Singapore. There has been no proper study but it is a lot!”
I tried some of the rice and soy meal. It reminded me of the LRRP (Long Range Recon Patrol) military rations used by the SEALs and LRRP soldiers fighting the Vietcong behind enemy lines in Vietnam. The taste was rather bland but definitely it is a nutritious meal that can sustain life in someone suffering from starvation and hunger.
Nichol added, “Our aim is what I call “recxycling” which means we’re trying to link up the donors to the beneficiaries.”
With the kind sponsorship of Sarang Korean restaurant on level 7 of Orchard Central, I had a Korean Bento Box lunch which costs S$40, and the proceeds from each lunch sold will provide 25 meals for the needy! Until Octoiber 31, you can go and enjoy this yummy Bento Box lunch in Sarang and also help the needy! In short, EAT for a Good Cause!
The FoodLanthropy programme tied up with FoodBank Malaysia and Stop Hunger Now Malaysia. Nichol’s next project in December 2013 aims to get famous Chefs to use food that is close to their expiry date to create delicious meals, which can then be sold for charity! This is to educate the public NOT to throw away perfectly good food that is close to expiry but NOT yet expired!
What I personally like about this initiative is that the food will go direct to the needy and NOT to corrupt Generals, Mayors, Government officials and Middlemen who will hijack the aid money and use it to buy guns, RPGs and grenades and enrich themselves. This has happened to many charities in Africa and other parts of the world where aid money is stolen and used to buy arms, instead of helping refugees and the hungry. Aid money meant to help the poor and refugees than becomes used to oppress and kill the very people thay are meant to help!
What I want to say to Nichol and FoodBank Singapore is this: “Carry On helping the hungry! You are doing a good job and you have my full support!”
More than 1 Billion people in the world do not have enough to eat. To help please go to:
You can contact Nichol Ng to volunteer, sponsor, donate excess food and help in whatever capacity you can at: nichol@foodbank.sg
Bon appetit! Food is Life! 🙂
The Travelling Gourmet 
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