'I tried the bargain local street food vendors who beat Gordon Ramsay in a cook-off'

It’s the place where Gordon Ramsay went to take on the street chefs...

and lost. Ramsay is one of the world’s most decorated chefs and you would have thought that being in the world’s joint-most expensive city, in and amongst the hustle and bustle of skyscrapers, finance bigwigs and fine diners, he would have been right at home. But Singapore’s significantly high cost of living (it’s up there with Zurich) has worked in funny ways.

Supermarkets can be so expensive that locals prefer to eat out rather than at home for most of their meals. The cheap eats culture at hawker centres is part of Singaporean DNA and, as a result, the 120 food centres possess some gems. And as we found to be increasingly common, Michelin stars too.

Yes, you read that right. You can go to the world’s priciest city and have a Michelin-star meal for a few quid. It’s 11 years since Ramsay challenged hawker chefs in the Maxwell Centre – one of Singapore’s most famous eateries – to a cook-off, but little has changed.

At every meal time it feels like you are competing in an Easter egg hunt, trying to find the treasure before anyone else. The treasure can be whatever you want it to be. The food in Singapore is inspired by all their neighbours, and Thai, Indian, Korean and Malay tastes help their spectacular culinary scene thrive.

Lau Pa Sat is perhaps the most famous hawker centre, with tourists flocking to get their hands on world famous grub with a relaxed market atmosphere. But similarly.