With the sand under her feet, amid a special dinner celebrating Sentosa’s 50th anniversary in 2022, culinary doyenne Violet Oon found inspiration within herself. This wasn’t just another beachside soiree. As if the stars aligned, her reunion with the people behind the philanthropic organisation Community Chest at the event led to the beginning of her gastronomic overture called Empowering Lives: Food for Good.
Laying the foundation for Oon’s poignant vision of turning meals into notes of change, the initiative sets out to engage with members of the food and beverage community—from talented chefs and culinary experts to restaurant and hospitality groups—to come together for a year‑long fundraiser to raise money for the charities under the umbrella of Community Chest.
From her early days as a restaurant critic