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Straits Times
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Canadian wins inaugural S'pore board game tournament
Champion of World Series of Board Gaming Asia Wei Wei (in pink) beat three other opponents at The Castle of Burgundy in the final in slightly less than three hours. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE - After three days of competition, financial analyst Wei Wei was crowned the grand champion of the inaugural World Series of Board Gaming (WSBG) Asia on June 2. The China-born Canadian beat three other opponents at The Castle of Burgundy in the final in slightly less than three hours. In that board game, players aim to develop their estate and earn points by building castles or selling goods. 'It feels surreal,' said Mr Wei, 33. 'I was lagging behind in the first few rounds because I made a few poor decisions, so I thought that I didn't have a chance anymore, but the tides turned. He was among about 100 players who participated in the May 31 to June 2 tournament, which was the first WSBG event to be held in Asia. The parent event is held annually in Las Vegas, and satellite tournaments are mainly held in other cities in the United States. Sixteen board games were featured in the Singapore event, and winners for each game competed in the semi-finals on the morning of June 2. Mr Wei secured his spot in a semi-final by winning The White Castle on June 1, and triumphed over other semi-finalists in Wingspan. 'When it was announced that the game for the grand final would be The Castle of Burgundy, I was pretty elated because it is one of the games that I'm more familiar with,' he said. The final game was picked at random out of the pool of games that finalists had not played before the finale . The China-born Canadian finished with 139 points - 12 points ahead of the runner-up - and was crowned the grand champion to much applause. He also won a $1,000 reimbursement for his flight ticket to the 2025 WSBG in Las Vegas in September , which he has already bought event tickets for. Champion of World Series of Board Gaming Asia Wei Wei (in pink) makes a move during the final game, The Castle of Burgundy, on June 2. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Winners of their respective board games in Singapore will also be given a bye to the second round for that game in Las Vegas if they decided to go for the Sept 19-23 event. Hundreds of board game enthusiasts from different countries crowded Mind Cafe Mega at Prinsep Street during the three-day affair, much to the delight of event organisers Ivan Chen and Lynn Liu. 'The turnout was way beyond our expectations,' said Ms Liu. 'So many people walked in to play casually and just experience the atmosphere, and there were many times we ran out of tables.' The couple, who competed in WSBG in Las Vegas in September 2024, brought the event to Singapore to grow the board gaming community in the region. 'I think we've set out what we meant to do,' said Ms Liu. 'Many strangers came together to play against or teach each other, so there was definitely a sense of community.' Taiwanese Joyce Lin, 32, who won The Castle of Burgundy on June 1, said the tournament was a great opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals. Her win came as a surprise. 'I'm not the best at the game, so I was just playing to have fun. When I could smell my victory, I was trying my best to contain my excitement and not smile too wide,' said the finance professional who works in Shanghai. 'The competition was very friendly. Everyone would remind each other if someone forgot to draw or misplaced a game piece,' she said. 'I'll definitely be back next year.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Korea Herald
28-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Meituan Black Pearl Restaurant Guide Makes Overseas Debut in Singapore: Record-High Southeast Asian Listings, Connecting Global Chinese Communities with World Cuisine
SINGAPORE, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Meituan, China's leading technology-driven retail company, hosted the first-ever overseas ceremony of its renowned "Black Pearl Restaurant Guide" (the "Black Pearl") at Marina Bay in Singapore on April 25. As it expands globally and embraces cutting-edge AI technologies, Meituan not only seeks to help users worldwide eat better and live better, but also to unlock new business opportunities for culinary brands across the globe. As the first international food guide rooted in Chinese dining standards, the "Black Pearl" has served approximately 130 million users since its inception. This year, the Guide shines a spotlight on 55 overseas restaurants, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth in international listings. Tokyo leads the way with 30 restaurants, while Singapore and Bangkok each achieved record highs since the guide's debut in 2018. Notably, two Singaporean restaurants earned the highest honor—the prestigious 3-Diamond rating this year. Wei Wei, Vice President of Meituan and the company's head of the in-store dining division, described the ceremony as a major milestone in the global expansion of Meituan's ranking products. He highlighted the platform's use of advanced AI technologies to streamline user decision-making. Moving forward, Meituan aims to integrate AI and expertly curated recommendations to seamlessly connect users with quality restaurants, hotels, and attractions, enabling efficient connections between consumers and premium businesses. Over Half of Chinese Tourists Show Strong Preference for Fine Dining When Travelling Abroad; Southeast Asia's "Black Pearl" Listings Hit a Record High In recent years, Chinese tourists have demonstrated a rising preference for premium dining experiences while travelling abroad. According to Meituan data, more than half of Chinese tourists opted for fine dining experiences during cross-border journeys in 2024. During the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, over 85% of Chinese domestic users browsed or searched for information on overseas Black Pearl restaurants ahead of their travels. Chinese tourists' growing appetite for elevated dining experiences highlights the increasing importance of the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide as a trusted reference for cross-border culinary exploration. For instance, daily average online visits to Bangkok's Black Pearl listings surged by 27% week-on-week in the lead-up to the May Day holiday. Southeast Asian restaurants featured in the Black Pearl have flourished amid rising demand. Le Du, a celebrated modern Thai fine dining establishment, has proudly retained its 1-Diamond rating in the Black Pearl Guide for two consecutive years. Chef Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn shared that Chinese guests now make up 20% of the restaurant's clientele, with this figure continuing to grow. Similarly, Potong, a Thai-Chinese fusion restaurant nestled in the heart of Bangkok's Chinatown, earned its first 1-Diamond rating this year. Chef and founder Pichaya "Pam" Soontornyanakij described the accolade as a significant milestone for cross-cultural cuisine and shared her excitement for welcoming more Chinese diners to experience Potong's unique offerings. A Powerful Catalyst for Global Culinary and Cultural Exchange The Black Pearl has evolved beyond a ranking system into a platform for fostering global culinary and cultural exchange. Its annual "Food Vision Summit"—a global culinary exchange platform held every summer—aims to promote collaboration and dialogue between Chinese and international chefs. Chef Ton described the summit as a window into China's increasingly globalized and open-minded culinary market, where innovative techniques are warmly embraced. "Chinese cuisine is one of the world's finest, yet globally, awareness of high-end, refined Chinese restaurants remains limited. However, I believe this is changing," he remarked. Les Amis, one of Singapore's most established French fine dining restaurants, has been awarded 3-Diamond rating in the 2025 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. "Over the years, we've grown to really respect the guide — not just for its credibility, but for the cultural perspective it brings to the dining world. We love that it continues to grow its reach and push culinary standards, not just in China, but globally. It's also given us new ideas in how we run things — like hiring team members who speak Chinese." shared Chef Sébastien Lepinoy. Data-Driven Insights and Culinary Expertise Propel the Black Pearl's Global Ascent The Black Pearl Restaurant Guide follows a rigorous selection process that combines expert evaluations, anonymous visits by judges, and big data from Meituan and Dianping to ensure fairness and accuracy. Over 77% of the judging panel is made up of gourmand enthusiasts, with annual rotations to maintain fresh perspectives. Looking ahead, the guide plans to integrate AI technology with committee nominations, blending human expertise with intelligent systems to make the discovery of exceptional restaurants around the world even more effortless. After 15 years of remarkable growth, Meituan today connects merchants across over 170 countries and nearly 1,000 cities worldwide, offering a comprehensive ranking system spanning food, hotel, transportation, and travel. Wei Wei emphasized that as Meituan continues to expand its global footprint and as more Chinese culinary brands earn growing recognition among international audiences, the company's ranking products are gaining increasing prestige in new markets. This growing momentum underscores Meituan's broader vision to bridge global food cultures through innovation and champion the digital transformation of the dining industry, both within China and across the world. About Meituan Meituan (HKG: 3690) is a leading technology-driven retail company in China. With the mission of "We help people eat better, live better," the Company uses technology to connect consumers and merchants. Service offerings on its platform address people's daily needs for food and retail goods and extend further to broad lifestyle and travel services. Meituan is the world's leading on-demand food delivery service provider and China's leading e-commerce platform for in-store dining services. Meituan helps consumers discover merchant information, make informed decisions, complete online and offline transactions and enjoy on-demand delivery. The Black Pearl Restaurant Guide is a prestigious dining guide selected by food enthusiasts, culinary experts, and gastronomy researchers. Anonymous judges evaluate based on culinary presentation，service and environment, and heritage and innovation. Restaurants are ranked into three diamond levels, with three diamonds being the highest. The guide celebrates exquisite cuisine through the "Chinese palate," reflecting Meituan's mission: "We help people eat better, live better."
