"LET'S have the best gourmet dinner that will be the event most talked about in town!" said Mr Quek Chin Tiong, Chairman of the Methodist Schools' Foundation (MSF) Charity Dinner - Culinary Inspirations.


And so some of Singapore's finest and best chefs, including Mr Justin Quek and Mr Sam Leong, World Gourmet Summit Award winners, were assembled at the Ballroom, The Fullerton Hotel on April 25, 2004, and they creatively prepared dishes that truly expanded the taste buds of even the most seasoned gourmet diner.


Dinner commenced with two excellent appetizers followed by Chef Justin's famous Mushroom Cappuccino soup. The main courses of Wagyu Beef cheek prepared by Chef Justin and Live Spiny Lobster by Chef Sam from the Tung Lok Group were delightful and most delicious.


The evening ended with a wonderful Valrhona Manjuri Chocolate Citrus cake and Valrhona Chocolates (Rolls Royce of chocolates) with coffee. The Rev Dr Isaac Lim, President of Trinity Annual Conference, was the Guest-of-Honour.
Not forgetting the reason for the dinner, the MSF, together with the schools, raised $385,000, of which the schools will benefit more than $270,000.


The MSF would like to thank all the chefs for contributing their time and effort, and all sponsors and donors, especially the Lee Foundation, Mrs Dorothy Chan, Mrs Melanie Chew and Valrhona SA.


The MSF is a voluntary organisation tasked by The Methodist Church in Singapore to raise funds for our Methodist schools. Established in 1997, it continually seeks to raise funds to maintain as well as improve the buildings, facilities, educational equipment and teaching aids of the 14 Methodist schools.


The MSF's vision is to assist the Methodist schools in fund-raising so that all of them can provide a high standard of academic and Christian education to our children.

Mr Quek presenting a gift to a chef. - Methodist Schools' Foundation picture.