PRESCHOOL COOKS BATTLE IT OUT IN SINGAPORE’S FIRST-EVER PRESCHOOL CHEF HEALTHY COOKING COMPETITION
Raising New Standards in Preschool Nutrition and Creativity with Experts from KKH, HPB, ITE, and Parent Representatives
Kinderland International Education (KIE) has crowned See Yah and Siau Fen from NurtureStars Choa Chu Kang as the winner of Singapore’s first-ever Preschool Chef Healthy Cooking Competition – a milestone initiative that brings together nutrition, creativity, and early childhood care.
Held on 31 Oct 2025 at ITE College Central’s Delicatessen Café, the event showcased the culinary talents of preschool cooks from Kinderland, ELFA, and NurtureStars preschools, setting a new benchmark for nutritious and innovative meals served to young children.
RAISING THE BAR FOR PRESCHOOL NUTRITION
The Preschool Chef Healthy Cooking Competition challenged preschool cooks to go beyond preparing balanced meals, inspiring them to create festive-themed, culturally inspired, or fusion dishes that are healthy, safe, and appealing to preschoolers.
Each team worked in pairs to present a beautifully plated dish and tasting portions to a panel of judges comprising experts in nutrition, culinary training, early childhood education, and parent representation. Entries were evaluated on nutrition, presentation, taste, and creativity, encouraging cooks to combine nutritional science with creative flair.
EXPERT COLLABORATION FOR A HEALTHIER GENERATION
To ensure the highest standards of nutritional quality, food safety, and child-centred design, KIE collaborated with leading experts from healthcare, public health, and education.
● Dr Loh Wenyin, Senior Consultant, Allergy Service at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), shared her expertise in managing childhood food allergies.
“Most allergic food reactions occur when trigger foods are consumed, and can range from mild to potentially life-threatening. Since most food allergies develop during early childhood, pre-school staff must understand how to prevent reactions through strict allergen avoidance. Mealtimes should be inclusive and safe for children with food allergies, and this involves ensuring that meals exclude allergenic foods whilst maintaining nutritional adequacy.”
● Ms Jeslin Loh, Deputy Director, School Engagement Hub, Youth Preventive Service, Health Promotion Board (HPB) shared about the importance of establishing healthy eating habits in early childhood.
“It is important for children to embrace healthy food from young as good nutrition supports their growth, enhancing their overall health and well-being. They get an early healthy head start in life and gain better health outcomes in adulthood. We are heartened by KIE’s initiative to inspire preschool chefs to serve healthy and nutritious meals in creative ways and pique the interest of young children to eat healthy.”<
● Ms Rachel Lim, Deputy Director, School of Hospitality, ITE College West, contributed her perspective on how such collaborations help shape better eating habits for preschoolers.
“Healthy eating from young lays the foundation for a child’s lifelong health and success. The early childhood years are an important time for growth, building immunity, and developing healthy eating habits. We are glad to work with KLC International Institute to train the cooks from Kinderland, NurtureStars and ELFA in healthy cooking for pre-schoolers. Through this collaboration, we hope to inspire pre-school cooks to prepare balanced meals that are both healthy and fun, and encourage kids to explore new foods and enjoy eating well.”
● Mr Axel Low, Manager of Hospitality-Culinary Skills, ITE College West, provided professional guidance on culinary training, food preparation, and food safety, ensuring the dishes were visually appealing, innovative, and compliant with best practices.
“We are pleased to support preschool cooks in honing their culinary skills and ensuring food preparation meets high standards of safety and nutrition. It is inspiring to see their creativity shine through in every dish.”
● Mrs Angeline Teo, Veteren Education Specialist of 40 years, contributed her perspectives on how preschool menu has evolved over the years.
“Childcare menus in Singapore have come a long way. From simple, traditional meals in the 1980s to balanced menus in the 1990s, preschools like Kinderland have evolved with growing nutrition awareness. The 2000s saw HPB’s national guidelines, followed by the Healthy Meals in Preschools Programme in the 2010s. Today, HPB sets comprehensive standards for nutrition and hygiene – reflecting Singapore’s commitment to raising healthier children.”
Together, the expert contributors and parent representatives formed the judging panel, bringing a balanced mix of medical, educational, and parental perspectives to ensure that every dish was evaluated from both expert and child-centred viewpoints.
CELEBRATING CREATIVITY AND COMMITMENT
After a spirited afternoon of cooking and tasting, See Yah and Siau Fen from NurtureStars Choa Chu Kang impressed the judges with their Pasta with Salmon, earning the title of KIE Preschool Chef Champion 2025.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to take part in the Cook-off Competition. Through this experience, we have learned more about healthy eating for preschoolers.”
The competition not only celebrated culinary creativity but also underscored the vital role preschool cooks play in shaping healthy eating habits from a young age.
ABOUT KIE’S NUTRITION STANDARDS
The Preschool Chef Healthy Cooking Competition reflects KIE’s ongoing commitment to raising nutrition standards across its network. Guided by nutritionists and aligned with the HPB’s Healthy Meals in Preschools Programme, KIE ensures that every meal served in its preschools nurtures children’s growth while promoting lifelong healthy eating habits.
ABOUT KINDERLAND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Kinderland International Education (KIE), a member of Crestar Education Group, is a leading provider of preschool, international school, and adult education programmes in the region. Established in 1978, KIE manages over 120 centres across Singapore, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, and Bangladesh.
Through trusted preschool brands such as Kinderland, ELFA, and joint ventures NurtureStars and Skool4Kidz, alongside The Grange Institution Preschool, KIE continues to uphold its mission of providing a balanced education that promotes holistic growth and healthy living.
EXPERTS
Dr Loh Wenyin is a Senior Consultant with the Allergy Service at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and has a special interest in childhood allergic diseases including food allergy, allergen immunotherapy and allergic gastrointestinal diseases. She supervises oral food challenges, drug provocation tests and is involved in the development of hospital protocols for the evaluation and management of paediatric allergic diseases as well as advancing food allergy awareness in schools.
Ms Jeslin Loh is the Deputy Director with the Youth Preventive Service at the Health Promotion Board (HPB). She leads the School Engagement Hub, driving initiatives to promote healthy lifestyle habits among children and youth in schools. In addition, she is an active member of COMPASS (COMmunity and PArents in Support of Schools).
Ms Rachel Lim is the Deputy Director, School of Hospitality at ITE College West. With ITE for about 14 years, she initiates partnerships and engagements with the industry to drive greater opportunities for students, and collaborations to meet industry needs. Since joining School of Hospitality in 2024, she is involved in initiatives that drive awareness for healthy cooking and training in support of the CARE economy.
Mr Axel Low is the Manager of Hospitality-Culinary Skills at ITE College West. He brings over 24 years of culinary experience spanning hotels, fine dining, cafés, and bistros. Before joining ITE, he served as Executive Chef and later Corporate Trainer at Wine Connection, where he honed his expertise in culinary operations and training.
Mrs Angeline Teo, is a veteran early childhood educator with over 40 years of experience in the field. She currently serves as a consultant with Kinderland and ELFA, and holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.
Throughout her distinguished career, Mrs Teo has helped establish preschools across Singapore, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. She has collaborated with architects to design state-of-the-art learning environments and led major projects such as the Preschool in Dalian, China, and the Bank Negara Childcare Centre in Malaysia. Her work includes auditing centres, monitoring learning environments, and mentoring principals and teachers to ensure every child receives the best start in life.
A passionate advocate for healthy habits and joyful learning, Mrs Teo continues to inspire excellence in early childhood education. She has also attended prestigious international training programmes, including the Harvard Summer Program on Childcare Design, the Childcare Design Course in New Zealand, several NAEYC Conferences in the United States, and the Childcare Management Course at the University of Hawaii.
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