Food vlogger Mark Wiens spotlights SG food kicking off STB and HBO tie-up

Popular food vlogger, Mark Wiens, has produced a six-episode food miniseries Food Affair with Mark Wiens and it is set to be premiered on 18 November on HBO, HBO GO and will debut same time on HBO Max in the US. The food miniseries is focused on Singapore food and the HBO Asia Originals’ production is the first non-scripted food series hosted by Wiens as he discovers the untold stories, personalities and history behind Singapore's smorgasbord of delicacies, from haute to hawker cuisine.

Food Affair with Mark Wiens kick starts a three-year partnership between Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Warner Bros. Discovery, which will see both parties collaborate on a suite of entertainment and lifestyle content, as well as joint marketing, to spotlight and inspire travel to Singapore.

Each episode features a star-studded panel of guests comprising a fine-dining chef, culinary veteran and a hawker hero. Through conversations, Wiens uncovers the artistry and stories, as well as the distinct and rich culinary heritage, that has made Singapore home to more than 50 Michelin-starred establishments and over 60 Bib Gourmand locations, including street food and hawker centre stalls.

“Singapore is a delightful melting pot of mouth-watering food from the woks of street hawker fare to high end Michelin-starred restaurants – a reflection of our multicultural society and heritage. Through food, I want to share with the rest of the world the diversity of what this tiny island has to offer,” said film maker Eric Khoo.

“It was a huge honour to be a part of the Food Affair series. I am immensely thankful for this opportunity and grateful to everyone who has made it possible. In addition to eating lots of delicious food and exploring the cultural diversity of cuisine in Singapore, it was most rewarding to learn the stories of each restaurant owner and how they have followed their passion (sometimes against many challenges), which is truly reflected in the taste of their food. It’s undeniable that food is at the centre of all our lives, and that's what brought us all together,” Wiens said.

Earlier this week, STB announced its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery to leverage the latter’s expertise in storytelling and global distribution network to entertain audiences through reimagined perspectives of the city. Both parties aim to create new content, leveraging Warner Bros. Discovery’s extensive portfolio of brands and popular franchises.

The partnership will present original localised stories spanning a variety of genres - from scripted formats like drama serials and animation, to reality-based productions such as mini-documentaries - to showcase Singapore globally.

Meanwhile, in August, HBO GO took fans of Rick and Morty on an immersive adventure with a global treasure hunt named #WORMAGEDDON. According to HBO GO, #WORMAGEDDON is a "living episode" that features 14 unique and immersive scenes that bridge the events from season five's finale episode with the recently announced season six premiere.

In the same week, the dragons roared back to life in HBO Asia's latest OOH activations across Southeast Asia to promote the House of the Dragon series, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The activations are carried out in seven markets including Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia and is understood to be HBO Asia's "biggest regional marketing investment to date" with more than 20 partners on board, including SM Mall of Asia in the Philippines, SecretLab and Grab.

Related articles: 

HBO GO takes Rick and Morty fans on global treasure hunt
HBO Asia's House of the Dragon roars to life in SEA marketing blitz
HBO star John Cena's ‘Peacemaker’ show plug amidst Russia-Ukraine conflict cops flak
Warner Bros sued for concurrent launch of Matrix Resurrections on HBO Max and theatres
HBO Max brings on board new GM to grow direct to consumer biz in Asia