For Jeff, Singapore has always been a place very close to his heart. He spent part of his teenage years living there, commuting back and forth to boarding school in Australia during term time. And, it has always remained tied to memories of home, family, and perhaps most importantly, food.

Jeff was born with a love of good food and his time in south east Asia brought a depth of flavours and ingredients that are still front and centre in our kitchen today.

The house where Jeff lived as a teenager with his family, in the Seletar area of Singapore.

So when we flew in for a few days to celebrate New Year’s Eve before heading on to a destination family wedding on Pulau Pangkil Private Island Resort, Indonesia, it felt like more than just a stopover. It was a chance to him to revisit a place that was part of his life story and also to share that with me.

We based ourselves near Robertson Quay, not far from Fort Canning, a location that made it easy to explore between the riverfront, the park, and the city. It felt like a quieter part of Singapore (think more polished, leafy, and calm) with the river nearby and the city always just a short walk or train ride away.

Tekka Centre, Little India

From this calm base, we started to explore further afield.

Away from the tourist spots, Singapore shows a very different face. A train ride out to Tekka Centre in Little India felt like a step away from the polished image the city is best known for. It was a public holiday, and the place was heaving: loud, colourful, and alive with rows of hawker food stalls and long communal tables packed tightly with migrant workers eating, talking and waiting their turn. The atmosphere was crowded with workers enjoying a day off, a sea of mostly men gathered over plates of noodles, curries and rice dishes.

We loved it, seated alongside the manual labourers in Singapore, digging into fragrant curries and rice with our fingers. Messy and delicious.

If a busy, hectic local market like Tekka is not your thing, there are food markets scattered throughout the city, and you can always find a place to sit, rest and enjoy a wide variety of Malay/Singapore flavoured food. Jeff was in heaven!

Spice Garden, Fort Canning Hill

From the energy of the Tekka Centre, we returned to a very different rhythm.

One of our favourite slow moments in Singapore was wandering through the Spice Garden on the slopes of Fort Canning Hill. Situated among the city’s skyscapers, it felt like stepping into an older Singapore with shaded paths lined with fragrant herbs and spice trees that once fuelled trade across the region.

It’s a section of the botanical gardens, and was the site of Singapore’s first Botanical and Experimental Garden, established in 1822 by Sir Stamford Raffles. The aim was to experiment with valuable crops and establish Singapore as part of the spice trade.

As we walked, crushing leaves between our fingers and breathing in warming scents like nutmeg, cloves, lemongrass and turmeric, I found myself slipping into naturopath mode. So many of these plants are more than spices and flavours. They’ve been used traditionally for digestion, circulation, inflammation and wellbeing long before modern supplements lined clinic shelves. Standing there among the living plants rather than jars and bottles was a reminder that food and medicine is where it all began.

For Jeff, it connected beautifully back to his memories of Singapore through its food. For both of us, it showcased the connection between food and medicine – from the garden, to the kitchen, to the meals that nourish us each day.

Happy New Year, Singapore!

As the year and our short stay drew to a close, the city vibe shifted into celebration. New Year’s Eve brought a different kind of energy, and with family and friends we laughed, reminisced and planned for our year ahead.

What better way to see in the New Year than with a Singapore Sling.

Next stop, Palau Pankil Island for the wedding.

Catherine & Jeff