Prayut gets a taste of 'future foods' to be served during Apec Summit
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday tasted future foods to be served to leaders and delegates attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit 2022 that Thailand will host from November 14-19.
The future food showcase event “APEC Future Food for Sustainability” took place on Tuesday at the Government House before a Cabinet meeting, government spokesman Anucha Buraphachaisri said on Wednesday.
The government has been organising a competition for Thai food startups under the concept “Plate to Planet”, aiming at finding new dishes that highlight sustainability and Thai elements to show the country’s potential in food as a soft power to drive the economy.
Eight newly created Thai dishes from the 21 finalist teams were presented at the fair and to be tasted by the prime minister and members of the Cabinet. They were: Southern-style chickpea rice salad with five vegetables; carb-free ramen from egg white protein; milk-free ice cream with kale and passion fruit; vegan Hor Mok (steamed fish with curry paste); layered sweetmeat with fiber and probiotics; plant-base croquette Phanaeng (dry curry); low-sodium sandworm noodle, and ice cream made of protein from crickets.
Anucha said the winning teams will receive prizes valued at 2.5 million baht, and their dishes will be served to leaders and delegates from the 21 Apec economies during Apec Economic Leaders' Week from November 14-19.
The Apec Gala Dinner on November 18 and 19, however, will be prepared by celebrity chief Chumpol Chaengprai under the concept of “Sustainable Thai Gastronomy Gala Dinner”. The food will highlight the theme of the Apec Summit this year, which is "Open. Connect. Balance."
“The gala dinner dishes will open new experiences to Thai cuisine by featuring all eight tastes of Thai foods,” said Anucha. “Ingredients have been selected from all parts of Thailand that possess unique geographical indications, while the presentation will reflect the balance between the nature and sustainable development guided by the concept of sufficiency economy.”
