A++ Recipe | 2024

Initiative project
Commissioned by: DesignSingapore Council
Concept and Design: Fang Hu, Yue Liu, Yongxin Lai, Shijia Huang and Xijing Xu
Photo credits: Yongxin Lai, Fang Hu and Studio Wongs

A++ Recipe: Co-creating Speculative Stories & Recipes is an exploration of Singapore's culinary heritage, brought to life through two local workshops in July 2024. Collaborating with Tipo Pasta Bar, this initiative is part of the research for EAT: Transformative Seeds, celebrating the richness of Singapore’s food culture.

The name A++ stands for:

Appetising: Create a delicious dish not only in the way of tasting but also visually attractive.
Appealing: Design a multi-sensory appealing presentation and not in a common appearance.
Accessible: Ensure easy access to ingredients and cooking methods for all, celebrating simplicity without compromising on flavor or authenticity.

The workshops began with a shared food experience—popped seeds and seed-related snacks prepared in-house at Tipo Pasta Bar. This setup invited participants to explore flavors and provide feedback that shaped a special menu for Singapore Design Week 2024.

Participants were encouraged to bring objects holding significant food-related memories or stories. Through these, they introduced themselves and shared personal narratives. Using their objects as “raw materials” and “Ingredients Cards”—inspiration cards with visual and textual prompts designed to spark creativity—they brainstormed and transformed taste and cultural memories into specific dishes reflecting Singapore's cultural diversity, social context, and rich flavors.

Recipes were documented by participants on A3 templates, resulting in 10 speculative and conceptual creations. The design team “baked” these recipes into 3D sculptures, showcased in the thematic exhibition area DESIGN at Singapore Design Week 2024.