For his dedication and contributions to the vibrancy of Singapore’s landscape, Chef Damian D’Silva of Rempapa has been named a recipient of the Special Recognition award at the Singapore Tourism Awards 2024.

Chef Damian grew up in a different time, when recipes were stored only in memory and everything was made from scratch. Pop, Grandma, Aunty Zainab, and the other culinary greats of his childhood toiled for hours to prepare dishes from their culture and the kitchens of local ethnicities. With so much love and pride poured into their art, every bite spoke to the soul.

As he savoured these flavours and sensations, one thing became clear to Chef Damian: the culinary heritage of his home deserved celebration and demanded preservation. This sentiment fuels Chef Damian’s passionate advocacy for Singapore Heritage Cuisine to be shared with current and future generations, locally and around the world. It finds a stage in Rempapa, where diners are served a repertoire of specialities from Chinese, Peranakan, Eurasian, Indian, and Malay traditions. Also offered at the all-day restaurant are dishes incorporating elements drawn from across Singapore’s ethnic cuisines, coined “Singapore New Heritage Cuisine” by Chef Damian. Heritage recipes are thoughtfully edited to boast profiles and textures tailored to the preferences of younger generations, in the hope that they will learn to love the food of home, and be inspired to continue its story.

Presented by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the Singapore Tourism Awards honour the outstanding work of individuals or organisations in delivering experience and enterprise excellence in tourismrelated industries. The Special Recognition award is conferred upon parties who have made key contributions to the tourism sector through their creativity, innovation, best practices, or by the sheer significance of their achievements; be it by enhancing destination attractiveness or supporting future growth areas. This award comes at a significant time, as STB commemorates its 60th anniversary.

“Receiving this award pushes me even harder to drive a message that I’ve advocated from the moment I embraced cooking as a profession,” shares Chef Damian. “Then, not many were aware of Singapore’s culinary heritage and its rich diversity; the different ethnicities it encompasses.”

“As a chef, I’ve always had a sense of duty and conviction to perpetuate the skills and recipes that were passed down to me from my heritage. My dream has always been to share the food that I grew up eating, with as many people as I can, while I’m still breathing.”

“Thank you to STB for honouring the culinary heritage which I cherish so deeply.”

 2 Paya Lebar Road, #01-01/02/03, Park Place Residences at PLQ, Singapore 409053