An Evening of Art and Food at Supper House

Artist Genevieve Leong and chef James Tay

Last week, Supper House collaborated with Tung Lok Events to present 镜月, or Mirror Moon, prompting a confrontation of the void that resides within us. It is an exploration of the “void”, which is the curatorial theme for the art and design studio this year. Executive Chef James Tay prepared a four-course degustation menu that unfolded across the evening of 2 April, with approximately 30 guests. It began with Chaos Culture, an interactive first course featuring a commissioned art installation by Genevieve Leong, with appetisers prepared by Tay. This was followed by Conscious Clarity, a sit-down dinner component, then After Hours Bar for a final treat. 

The 2025 UOB POY Award winners at the awards ceremony. Image courtesy of UOB.

This is not the first time that food has been presented at Supper House, which originally had a space at Tagore Lane. In 2022, for the showcase titled 你我, translated to mean You and I,  Supper House collaborated with artist Adeline Kueh to create a cocktail paired with kueh salat from a local baker. Supper House set down roots earlier this year at a sprawling warehouse space at 37 Keppel Road. “We have been exploring the intersections of various industries, seeking out potential tensions that can lead to exciting discoveries,” explains Supper House Co-Founder, Ashley Chiam. “Culinary art has been a particularly intriguing area for me, where I’ve been trying to seek out the connections between art and gastronomy over the years.”

Genevieve Leong, Ashley Chiam and James Tay speaking to guests. Image courtesy of Supper House.

Chiam found a kindred spirit in Tay, who was already thinking about working on a project like this. Speaking about the partnership with Supper House, Tay reveals, “I had been toying with the idea of working with an artist and offering a unique, one-of-a-kind art and dining experience to people in Singapore.” He adds, “When the idea was proposed by Supper House, I was excited. I did not waste a second thinking. It was an immediate yes!” The event was not without its challenges, requiring extensive and precise preparation to pull off. Tay explains, “Logistics was the biggest challenge we faced!” He adds, “We had to move almost half our kitchen to the location. Food safety is our highest concern. That said, we had lots of fun bouncing ideas around with Genevieve, Ashley, and myself.” 

Tay and Leong fed off each other’s creations. Leong first created her installation, placing objects and assemblages on a round table with a four-metre diametre, made with existing works from Leong’s studio and Tay’s kitchen. In her practice, Leong often creates installations using both found and made objects that invite change through audience participation and environmental factors. Leong shares, “Food embodies that sentiment entirely, and is a medium/element that I never got the opportunity to work with, so I said yes.” This marked the second time Leong worked with Supper House. In 2023, she created a body of work titled Conjunctions, which she created using objects from both her studio and Supper House. 

A closer look at the appetisers in the first course. Images courtesy of Supper House.

Tay worked off Leong’s installation to complete the first course that welcomed guests into the space. They included meat options such as plum sauce duck confit spheres and beef tartare and vegetarian options, such as a particularly tasty szechuan spiced mushroom “meat” ball and fried quinoa. “When I saw Genevieve’s installation, it was so inspiring—subtle, yet playful,” Tay reflects. “Immediately, my mind went into overdrive: if I were Genevieve, where would I put this, where would I put that? I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process, from the first contact to the end of the session.” Leong concurs. She says, “Chef Tay has such a fluid, adaptable and open-minded ethos to his work which I felt blended seamlessly with mine.” She adds, “I had the honour to witness the installation transform from objects only, to being activated with intricate food elements, to the aftermath of sauce, crumbs, and deconstruction, which was especially beautiful. And that was the most magical bit for me.” 

Guests at the inaugural dinner event were enthralled by the presentation, which was a feast for the eyes and for the palate. “I've rarely seen food displayed so beautifully,” says artist Anna du Toit. “The way the artworks wove together with the food felt so perfectly considered. The sheer scale of the tables, contrasted with the tiny canapés and delicate objects, made everything feel simultaneously gargantuan and deeply intimate.” There were murmurs of approval as guests walked around the table to pick and choose their appetisers to enjoy.

Setting the table for the second course. Image courtesy of Supper House.

Moving to the second course, everyone was ushered to another part of Supper House, and sat together at a long candlelit table to chat with friends old and new while enjoying the plates of food. To start, there was warm bread served with butter and eggplant tapenade, followed by a vegetable consommé and a main dish built upon locally grown monkey head mushroom. The dessert was a deconstruction of a tart composed of passionfruit curd, coconut cream, mango bubbles, caramelised pineapple and chocolate.  Chiam draws parallels between making food and making art. “Each exquisite plating, every explanation of the courses divulges the thought process that goes through the courses served that is not defined as art,” says Chiam. “A culinary chef is not all that different from an artist here, as they are both constantly creating works.” The difference is that for the chef, elaborates Chiam, “the proof is always being eaten”.  

Guests at the table. Image courtesy of Supper House.

The company was another highlight for the guests. Charissa Guan, Founder & Managing Partner, bSIDE Agency, shares, “There's a particular joy in finding a new community, and this evening offered that in spades.” She adds, “Supper House provided a space where food and art was offered in a tangible, sensory, communal manner that felt equally welcoming for seasoned collectors and newcomers alike. The openness to connect with a creative community was the true highlight.” Du Toit echoes the sentiment, saying, “ It felt like I was attending a grand yet warmly familiar supper, surrounded by friends at a table that calls The Last Supper to mind, which is very apt!”

In the months ahead, Supper House will be rolling out a robust roster of events. “This year is about reaching out to a wider demographic, especially the youth,” declares Chiam. To do so, there are projects in the pipeline that range from the visual arts to food, and from fashion to retail. The dining experience will be offered as a regular event on the calendar, and the team will work with new visual artists to spark fresh conversations for each edition, combining the capabilities of Supper House and TungLok Artistry. 

Chiam is already actively working on improving the event based on reflections with his team, as well as feedback sought from guests. Guest Brian Foong, who is Executive Director (Secretariat), Art Galleries Association of Singapore, remarks, “Overall, I think the concept has strong potential, and with a more seamless continuation of the art narrative and guest flow, it could become an even more distinctive experience.” Chiam has the same thought, saying, “We could incorporate more signages and art-speak labels that convey the ideas and thought process behind the dinner, treating it more like an art show than a meal.” 

Ending the night was a giant bowl of truffles, inspired by René Magritte’s surrealist artwork Ceci n’est pas une pipe, or in this case, ceci n’est pas une truffe. In reality, they were made from potatoes, and highlighted the experimental spirit of the evening.  “The final dish — the potato dessert — was fantastic and a memorable close to the evening,” enthuses Foong. Chiam explains the meaning behind the coda, “We provided a final glance into the seriousness or unseriousness we approach each of our crafts.” The dinn-ART, which is what Chiam calls the concept, underlines the thoughtfully playful way that Supper House operates, from a tantalising beginning to a satisfying end.

Follow @supperhousesg for details of its next events.