What happens when traditional flavours and cherished family stories come together under one roof amid the bustle of metropolitan life?
The “Grandma’s Recipe” cooking competition, organised to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Sree Narayana Mission, brought this spirit to life.
More than a celebration of cooking, the competition served as a bridge between generations, cultures and relationships, rekindling family bonds while celebrating the richness of culinary traditions.
Twelve teams took part in the competition, bringing together a fascinating mix of relationships and friendships. Among them were an uncle and his daughter-in-law, a young Singaporean paired with a Swede, and long-time friends who joined forces in the kitchen.
Together, the participants showcased flavours rooted in European and Asian culinary traditions, blending recipes and techniques while highlighting the enduring bonds of family, friendship and cross-cultural connections.
Sarala Raman, 79, chairperson of the Mission’s Members Sub-Committee, said this was the first time in the organisation’s 78-year history that a cooking competition of this nature had been held as part of its anniversary celebrations.
The dishes were evaluated by a panel of three judges, including culinary expert Mr Balasundaram Pillai (S.R. Bala).
The memories and traditional flavours passed down by ancestors from different parts of the world, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, France, Sweden and Malaysia, filled the competition venue. Behind each dish was a grandmother’s story and a grandfather’s legacy.
The fragrant dishes prepared at the venue delighted the audience, while the judges tasted each creation, awarded scores and asked the contestants about the traditions and stories behind their recipes.
The contestants prepared a wide variety of dishes, including a traditional Swedish fish dish, gravlax sandwiches, Russian tuna salad pita bread, Southeast Asian desserts, bubur cha cha, Royal Mughlai Feast mango payasam, tofu biryani, black pepper rice bhakaram, Thalassery chicken and tender coconut payasam.
Mr S.R. Bala, the chief judge and adviser to the competition, said: “I have seen many international culinary stages. But the cooking here was very honest, without commercial motives, and came from the depths of the heart. Every dish is full of love and tradition.”
Asked about the traditional dish that remained most memorable to him, he spoke emotionally about “Rasandhan”, a delicacy carefully prepared by his late father, Sundar Raju Pillai.
Rekha Dinesh, 48, and Gauri Ramachandran, 50, won first prize in the competition. They said they were delighted to recreate and share the traditional cuisine of Thalassery in Singapore.
“It’s a spiritual thing to bond over food. Although we’ve cooked together many times before, this is the first time we’ve cooked in public like this. However, it was an indescribable pleasure to cook using our grandmother’s recipes and the spices that our mother ground,” they said.
Second prize went to Anton Fredriksson, 26, and Adira Billakat, 23, who showcased the culinary traditions of Anton’s Swedish grandmother in Singapore.
The third prize was won by the uncle-and-niece duo of Jagannathan, 50, and Tanya Soman, 35.
“The grandmother who made the dining table of our home sparkle and shine is no longer with us. However, the taste of the food she cooked is still in my mouth,” said Mr Jagannathan.
Mrs Sarala, who was pleased to see so many people enjoying the event, said: “Rather than celebrating the anniversary in the usual ways every year, we chose this cooking competition to bring the members together this year in a more meaningful and heartfelt way.
“The entire venue where the competition was held was filled with affection and warmth, beyond just the aroma of cooking. Such events are a great help in bridging the generation gap and passing culinary traditions — these ancestral treasures — on to the next generation.”
Ultimately, “Grandma’s Recipe” was about more than food. It was a celebration of memories passed down through generations, relationships strengthened around the dining table, and traditions that continue to find a place in modern Singapore.
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The Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) has undertaken a major initiative to provide assistance directly to 1,000 households in a single day.
As part of the initiative, assistance was provided to low-income families living in rented one-, two- and three-bedroom flats. Food items donated by NTUC FairPrice were distributed to 1,001 families who met the national income threshold of $1,000 and SINDA’s income threshold of $1,600.
For the past ten years, since 2016, SINDA has been knocking on the doors of homes to provide assistance while also listening to the needs and concerns of these families.
While SINDA has reached a total of 1,100 households over the past decade, this year’s initiative saw assistance delivered directly to 1,000 households in a single day.
Approximately 500 volunteers took part in the initiative, which was held on Sunday, 24 May.
Fifteen partner organisations, including the Indian Activity Executive Committee, National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, Sree Narayana Mission, NTUC FairPrice and Sovy Logistics Pte Ltd, contributed to the initiative.
The volunteers were divided into various groups and visited families across 15 constituencies, including Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak and Tanjong Pagar.
“For various reasons, people from disadvantaged families may not seek help. Some may not know where to turn for assistance. The main purpose of going directly to their homes and providing assistance is to reach them,” said Anbarasu Rajendran, CEO of SINDA.
He noted that, despite having reached a number of families so far, he had come to realise that the selected households faced a range of challenges. With every day of delay, he said, there was a risk that these problems could become more serious and widespread.
Mr Rajendran acknowledged that there would be many challenges in carrying out such a large-scale initiative in a single day. However, after considering the difficulties faced by these families, he took the initiative on the belief that it could be done.
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