SINGAPORE: Food guru KF Seetoh had a very special guest at a Hungry Ghost Festival Getai in Toa Payoh recently with none other than Mr Jonathan Kaplan, the United States Ambassador to Singapore.
“I ask if he would like to experience a uniquely Singapore Hungry Ghost Festival Getai in Toa Payoh… @usambsg Ambassador Jonathan Kaplan gamely said yes and loved each minute. Even had fan selfies with organisers @aarontan_zhiwei and singers @peifen_leee and gang. The only reason that stopped him from crooning on stage was… no license,” wrote Mr Seetoh in a Facebook post on Wednesday (Aug 23).
The Makansutra founder even joked that Mr Kaplan would have sung onstage if he could have.
The food guru added, “Support our Getai culture..it’s unique to us. Dun enbloc this one.”
He posted several photos from the event, with the US Ambassador shown posing with finger hearts in each one.
Ambassador Kaplan also posted a video and pictures from the event. He wrote, “Thank you Singapore for teaching me about the Hungry Ghost Festival traditions. And thank you @kfseetohsg for reminding me not to sit in the front row!!! So much fun to watch the getai and meet the vibrant Toa Payoh community!”
Thank you Singapore for teaching me about the Hungry Ghost Festival traditions. And thank you @kfseetohsg for reminding me not to sit in the front row!!!
So much fun to watch the getai and meet the vibrant Toa Payoh community! pic.twitter.com/8bGz1LavZc
— Jonathan Kaplan (@USAmbSG) August 23, 2023
Ambassador Kaplan was appointed to his position in late 2021. He is the co-founder and chairperson of a nonprofit organisation, EducationSuperHighway, which brought high-speed internet to more than 49 million children in K-12 classrooms around the world. He was also the founding CEO of a chain of restaurants in the US called The Melt. /TISG