Long before the ballroom lights come on and this year’s honourees take their seats, plenty of decisions have already been made behind the scenes to bring the Spirit of Enterprise (SOE) Awards 2026 gala dinner together. One of the more delicious parts of that planning: working out exactly what will be served on the night.
This time round, the focus was purely on the food. SOE’s Board of Governors (BOG) headed to The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore for a dedicated food tasting session, sitting down with the hotel’s culinary team to sample dishes being considered for the evening’s menu.
Sampling What’s on the Menu
A food tasting session is less a leisurely meal and more a working lunch. Each course put forward by the Ritz-Carlton’s chefs was assessed on taste, presentation and how well it would suit the pace of an evening built around speeches, performances and moments of recognition for Singapore entrepreneurs. Portion sizes, plating and the order in which courses are served all come under discussion, since a gala dinner has to run as smoothly as the programme sitting alongside it.
For an event built around celebrating Singapore’s entrepreneurial spirit, the meal is not an afterthought. Guests spend a good part of the evening at the table, and a well-paced menu gives honourees, sponsors and supporters room to connect between speeches rather than rushing through each course.
Part of the fun of a night like the SOE Awards is keeping a little mystery in reserve for guests. The exact dishes sampled that day are staying under wraps until the evening itself, which is why no food photos made it into this update. What we can share is that the Ritz-Carlton’s chefs brought their usual level of craft and creativity to the table, giving the BOG plenty to consider before the final menu is locked in for 5 November. From starters through to dessert, each course was weighed up not just on its own merits but on how it would sit alongside the rest of the meal, so the full sequence feels considered rather than a collection of individually strong dishes.
Getting the Table Right
Food was only one part of the session. The BOG also spent time on the finer details that shape how a room feels once guests are seated, from the flowers on each table to the linens draped over every chair.
- Tabletop flowers were chosen to complement the room without competing with the evening’s programme.
- The design and colour of the plates and utensils were reviewed, so each course would sit well against the table setting.
- Tablecloths and seating covers were matched for colour and design, tying the room together from the stage to the very back tables.
None of these choices are as visible as a keynote speech or an award presentation, but they shape the atmosphere that entrepreneurs, sponsors and guests will experience for the entire evening. A room that feels considered, from the centrepiece on each table to the seat a guest sits in, sets the tone before a single course is served.
Part of a Bigger Picture
This tasting session builds on other preparations already underway this year, including SOE’s 2026 Awards Honourees Briefing, where this year’s honourees were introduced to the programme for the evening ahead. Between the two sessions, much of what guests will experience at the gala dinner, from the schedule on stage to the meal on the table, has already been carefully thought through.
For the BOG, sessions like this are also a reminder of what the SOE Awards set out to do. Recognising Singapore entrepreneurs is about more than a trophy and a photo on stage. It is an evening meant to celebrate the journeys behind each business, bring the wider entrepreneurial community together and give honourees a night that matches the effort they have put into building their companies. Getting the small details right, down to the flowers on a table, is one way the BOG makes sure that recognition feels genuine rather than routine.
Counting Down to 5 November
With the menu direction set and the table details falling into place, the countdown to the gala dinner continues. Guests can look forward to an evening at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, designed with as much care behind the scenes as it will show on the night itself, right down to the dishes on the table and the details around them.
There is still plenty of preparation ahead before 5 November, but with the food, flowers and table settings now taking shape, this year’s celebration of Singapore’s entrepreneurial spirit is well on its way to coming together.
AUTHOR BIO
ALAN KOH
Alan Koh is the Founder and CEO of Impossible Marketing, a group of companies renowned for hyperlocal marketing strategies tailored to businesses in Singapore. His professional journey began in the banking sector, where he quickly rose through the ranks, garnering eight industry awards in just four years.
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