Would you pay $188 for a meal? The dinner which marked the start of the World Gourmet Summit 2007 (WGS) saw more than 200 people doing just that.

As a culinary philistine, I trip over words like foie gras and hors d'oeuvres, can't tell the difference in characteristics between red and white wine, and am much more comfortable handling one set of utensils at a meal, rather than four.

As such, I fully expected to feel intimidated at the Meet the Stars reception of the WGS, held in the Island Ballroom at Shangri-La Hotel on Monday evening. However, the event was held in a relaxing buffet-style setting which immediately removed much of the pressure, and I roved the place feeling at ease.

Talking to Michelin Star Chef Sang-Hoon Degeimbre before the event, I asked him for his definition of good food.

Said the masterchef: "I was a wine waiter before becoming a chef, and I think good food has to be able to go together with good wine." That certainly was the order of the day, with the assortment of wines displayed right in the centre of the ballroom.

Surrounding the wines were visually and gastronomically intriguing dishes on display, such as sea urchin served in test-tubes and blue tortellini, alongside smoked wagyu beef and abalone gello. My favourite of the night, however, was without doubt the chocolate desserts by French chocolatier Cacao Barry (right).

One thing's for sure though: Having the chance to talk to chefs such as Sang-Hoon Degeimbre and Cheong Liew, I realised that the infamous glamour of fine dining isn't really all that inaccessible. When asked what dishes he would choose to prepare for himself, Degeimbre replied: "Simple things, like beef, seafood, fish, olive oil - I really like simple food."

The WGS serves to brand Singapore as the choice gourmet destination of the region. The Meet the Stars reception was for me a comfortable introduction into the world of modern epicureanism - but nevertheless at a handsome price.

One participant was Chef Cheong Liew who heads The Grange at Hilton Adelaide in Australia. The 58-year-old has been rated by the US Food & Wine magazine as one of the world's top 10 hottest chefs alive.

I asked this well-travelled chef which airline serves the best food, and what he thinks of Singapore's cuisine.

"I've come across a lot of food that looks good, but when you put it in your mouth... it's the eating experience that counts." - Chef Cheong Liew

Excerpts of the interview:

Have you had a chance to try out our local cuisine?

Oh yes, every night! I've been here the last two to three nights, and it's been great. The best part of coming back to this part of the world is to eat all this local food!

Last night I had mutton tulang - I love the flavour of mutton. I also like things like char tow kway - the white one, I find the black one too sweet! I also like chilli stingray in banana leaf, and oyster omelette. We also went to the Soup Kitchen in Paragon - I've always wanted to try the Hakka chicken there as I like the flavour of the ginger with the chicken. I also like steamed belly pork - it reminds me of my childhood!

We tried to eat at three restaurants in one night, but ended up going to the hawker centres. The three or four of us had about eight dishes between us - we had a bit of satay and frog porridge last night. We bought everything!

We go out and try to get to as many restaurants as we can. I've got about a week more and I want to try as many local dishes as possible.

What's the most interesting food you've ever tasted?

Actually, I love to eat the pig's trotters that's done in Kuala Lumpur, and fresh bamboo shoot in Tokyo, which is cooked in seaweed.

This fresh bamboo is actually vegetarian food eaten by the Japanese monks in monasteries. It is not like any of the bamboo you've ever eaten here - it is so aromatic and tender, it is actually very yummy. It is a very delectable item - just bamboo but if it is done properly, it is so good, better than abalone or anything like that. Just a simple bamboo shoot.

And of course, I've had some great steamed fish in Brisbane - the pearl cod fish that lives underneath the corals. It's very rare, and costs about AUD120 per fish.

For a very simple thing like the Malaysian pork trotters - first of all it looks very surrealist, it's just got this pig's trotter filled with chestnuts, gingko nuts, bits of barley, then they sew it up and wrap it. The dish is not gelatinous at all, it is very light and soft. The stock made from this trotter is an old style of making rich stock, where they put pork bone, chicken bone, mushroom and one piece of Yunnan ham, so it's a really rich stock.

The pork trotter doesn't actually taste like pig, it tastes totally different - like it could even be dinosaur meat! That is the impression it gives you, and that is why it is so special. But it's a dying trade though because no one wants to take over - most of the chefs are over 70 years old.

The younger generation just doesn't take the trouble of making good stock, or analysing how you want to cook a dish. Sometimes the dish just looks good but when you taste it, it's not really balanced. It should taste like all the flavours - and how it's also good for you, nourishing your body. It should taste not just amazing, but special - not what you normally expect it to be. There's not much human ingenuity in blending flavours nowadays. I just love people who know how to blend flavours.

Having travelled all over the world, which airline would you say serves the best food?

Qantas, Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines - these are the only three I take really.

I think Singapore and Malaysian Airlines have a special touch, in that the comfort and the food on the plane is always a bit better - as long as they don't try and cook Western style food because it doesn't work very well. There's also very nice and generous champagne on board.

What I find is that the air hostesses and stewards are very attentive and friendly, and they make sure that you are very comfortable on the plane. I think that is the most important thing, which really contributes to the taste.

I think it's very important that you want to be as comfortable as you can when making a transition to another place in the air. Qantas is good for its casualness, as there isn't any formality between staff and passenger, and it's easygoing.

What's your definition of good food?

Absolutely fresh food, really fresh food, that's the key thing. I've come across a lot of food that looks good, but when you put it in your mouth...it's the eating experience that counts. In the end, the finishing is in the mouth. If it isn't in the mouth, it doesn't matter even if it looks as great as diamonds.

How can we cultivate a fine dining culture here in Singapore?

I think it is due not to the people who run the fine dining restaurants, but rather the public who have their own perceptions. They don't know how to relax and let themselves be entertained by somebody. It's very important to understand that they are there to entertain you, to make sure that your every need is being looked after. "I'm the host and you're my friend, and I'm doing this for the joy and love of doing it!"

But very often it seems that people who go to fine dining have the attitude of, "I've paid so much money, you should be kneeling at my feet!"

I think that's absolutely the wrong mindset and it's not really the fault of the people who are selling the food - often it is the public who doesn't know what to expect.

However, sometimes it is also the restaurant who doesn't know how to explain properly to the customers: "This is how the evening is run, and I am your host. I will make an effort to make you as comfortable as possible, and the food that you will be experiencing tonight will give you the time of your life."

You've got to give them the confidence and the comfort, you've got to reassure your customers what your intentions are at the beginning of the night, so that you let them sit down and enjoy the show. That's how it should be.

Fine dining is...

A great experience of hospitality, friends, style, a really good food experience. It's a total experience of indulgence.