Five Singapore food Instagrammers you should follow
With power-packed handphone cameras and a whole host of photo editing apps, posting your #foodporn on Instagram has become easier to do than ever. But who wants to see yet another photo of trendy “in” foods like red velvet cupcakes, waffles or the once-hipster now-commonplace Eggs Benedict brunch dish?
For the jaded Instagrammers and foodies among you, we introduce five local Instagram accounts with a fresh take on eating in Singapore. From quirky local chef Willin Low to the homey, comforting but insanely delicious looking dishes of HoneyBeeSweets, here they are for your consideration:
1) "The Kitchen Queen" Ellena Guan @CuisineParadise (16K followers)
This local food blogger and mum also writes at www.ellenaguan.com where she shares her recipes for simple but heartwarming homemade food ranging from gluten-free Banana Bread to Wanton Spinach Noodles made from scratch. Her Instagram account, which has 16,000 followers, is an endless stream of deliciousness. Where to find 10 creamy, bittersweet yellow-fleshed durians for $20? Count us in!
2) “The Mod-Sin Chef” Willin Low @willcookwilleat (21K followers)
Be prepared for as much dry wit as photos of both exotic and familiar dishes when you peruse Chef Willin Low’s Instagram account. Treat yourself to snaps of his prettily plated creations – sautéed squid with sambal made from squid ink tangled with purple and green vegetables sitting on a bed of Himalayan pink salt, anyone?
His account is not for the weak stomached, though – don’t expect him to sugar coat what goes into turning less appetising looking ingredients into something special. A photo of raw fish maw that vaguely resembles a testicle in one post – and another waxing lyrical about deep fried crispy intestines and tongue – let’s just say not everyone might get it.
His style? Mod-Sin, or Modern Singaporean cuisine, which Low describes as dishes “inspired by Singaporean flavours, hawker dishes or food (that he) grew up with as a child”.
The lawyer-turned-restaurateur owns and runs Wild Rocket, Wild Oats and Relish.
3) “The Super Mum” HoneyBeeSweets @honeybeesweets.sg (33K followers)
She describes herself as a self-taught baker and experimental cook, but its this mum’s #breadporn videos and well-lit photos of her homecooked dishes which have gotten foodies’ pulses racing.
Our favourites? The videos where she tests the “bounciness” of her bakes (fluffy tofu buns!) are strangely hypnotic and very therapeutic. If those don't do the trick, her gorgeous photos of thick, fluffy kinako pancakes, home-brewed nutritious soups and colorful mee-suah kueh will get your stomach growling instantly.
We wish we were her kids. To eat like that every day – we’d gladly wait for mum to finish taking her photos.
4) “The Video Instagrammer” Daniel @danielfooddiary (165K followers)
If you’re the kind of Instagrammer who needs the full multimedia experience before deciding where to eat, Daniel’s account is one you need to follow. He dissects the food, takes shots of the atmosphere and ambience, and zooms right in for you.
So if you NEED to see your chocolate tart from four angles, want to find out if the café is decorated prettily enough for selfies and then would like someone to break the tart apart for you to determine if it's buttery or crunchy enough, Daniel’s your man.
5) “The Domestic Goddess” Diana Gale @dianagale (489 followers)
She may only have 489 followers on Instagram, but Gale already has a firm following on other social media platforms – over 5,000 fans on Facebook make up a strong base.
Almost everything on her warm-hued Instagram photos are made by the domestic goddess herself – from towering, fluffy strawberry yoghurt chiffon cakes to rich, savoury one-pot stews and impossibly crispy looking prawn paste chicken. The account – and her blog – is a treasure trove for people looking for inspiration for what to eat and cook for dinner.