Wherever you go in Southeast Asia, there's one fruit that always sparks debate: durian — the infamous, spiky “king of fruits” with its love-it-or-hate-it aroma. And it seems even one of the richest men in the world isn’t immune to its polarising charm.
Photo via TikTok (@rebecca89292)
Bill Gates was recently spotted at Newton Food Centre in Singapore, sampling local dishes during what appeared to be a filmed visit. The Microsoft co-founder was in town for a two-day trip to speak at the Philanthropy Asia Summit 2025, where he also announced plans to open a regional office for the Gates Foundation in Singapore.
While his itinerary included meetings with major political figures such as Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong — it was his casual stop at the hawker centre that really grabbed netizens’ attention.
A now-viral video shows the 69-year-old billionaire surrounded by a camera crew as he tries various Singaporean dishes, including satay, chicken rice, and roti prata. But it was the moment he sampled durian that truly got people talking.
The short clip shows Gates holding a piece of the fruit, cautiously smelling it before taking a bite. His reaction? A mix of curiosity, contemplation… and then a subtle shake of the head. He didn’t spit it out or recoil in horror — but the look on his face made it clear: durian isn’t quite his cup of tea.
Though the video captured no audio, viewers were quick to interpret his expression as a polite but unmistakable "no thanks."
Even with all the culinary treasures Southeast Asia has to offer, durian remains one of the biggest taste tests for any visitor — and Bill Gates is no exception.
