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LUM

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O12 - 2009 | R

p. 48.000TRAVEL

ABU DHABI, BALI, BORDEAUX

CHEFSSINGAPORE, NEW YORK, LAGUIOLE

FOODTHE GOURMET TRAVELLER

VOLUME 1 - NO12 - 2009

8. Michelin MandarinItalian cuisine “just like Grandma used to cook” with Chef Marco from Dolce Vita at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Singapore.

12. Only NaturalNo trip to France would be complete without a visit to Lou Mazuc; acclaimed as the best restaurant in France.

16. Abu Dhabi & Al AinThings to see and do in Abu Dhabi, where measured and thoughtful planning is delivering a treasure trove of modern and traditional tourism options.

20. Gourmet Traveller Three meals, three continents and twenty four hours to accomplish it. A gourmet challenge we just couldn’t resist.

24. The Best The 45 Best New Hotels for 2009 are........

Contents 26. A Day at VinexpoYan-Ling Moorfield takes us on a day trip to the biggest wine show in the world and let us in on the latest trends in wine.

30. The DesignerThe Art Villa in Bali is the latest creation of internationally renowned designer Pascal Morabito.

34. Capital ExchangeAfter plying his trade in the Australian capital, Canberra, Chef Nengah returns to his homeland wow us with his food at the Alila Hotel.

38. Living WellDaniel Vanneque explains how a two week Bali holiday lasted sixteen years, and how a noodle house turned into one of the best restaurants in Bali.

44. Beverly Hills 80361From cooking for the star’s to cooking under the stars. Chef Michael Shaheen has worked at some of the most famous restaurants in the USA.

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Contents 48. Liquid AssetsThe latest news on what is what in the world of wine and spirits; the winners, the innovators and the glamour.

54. CampariWe couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share with you some of the stunning photographs that have graced this years Campari Calendar.

56. Per SeChef Thomas Keller introduces his latest culinary offering, a new Salon Menu.

60. Central Perk Indonesia’s Mr. Bean, Joseph Tarquinio, on his hunt for the best Arabica coffee beans in Indonesia; the worlds fourth largest producer of coffee.

64. One Pot Dinners If you love to cook for yourself but find time to be the biggest obstacle, try some of our simple One Pot Dinner ideas.

68. Spain A Culinary Road TripFor the slightly more adventurous try some of the recipes from food legend Mario Batali and screen star Gwyneth Paltrows Spanish Cookbook.

72. Child’s PlayKeeping things simple, clean and efficient in the kitchen is what the world’s finest maker of commercial kitchen equipment, Rational, is all about.

74. Jivana Villa BaliThe latest offering from the InterContinental Bali; the new Jivana Villa is a self contained retreat within one of Bali’s best retreats.

76. TravelA food & beverage photographic tour with the wonderfully inspired Langham Hotels.

80. Where in the WorldAnswer our quiz question for your chance to win a lovely bottle of Hennessy XO.

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EDITORIAL

06

It is amazing how gloom and doom disappears so quickly. But it is human nature, not only to survive, but also prosper. So we are supremely happy to say goodbye to the global fi nancial crisis and

see the world economy on the mend. It is certainly good for the travel and food business and we do not need any more bad news.

Nor do we need the criminal outrage that overtook the Ritz-Carlton and the J.W. Marriott hotels in Jakarta. Our sympathy and our support go to them and we wish them a swift recovery.

This positivity is very evident in this (rather colourful, we might say) edition of Viva Asia.

It is not every chef who can boast that Frank Sinatra was his maitre d’. But Michael Shaheen can (or did) when he worked at the famous Morton’s in Los Angeles, this after a stint at probably the world’s most successful restaurant chain: Spago. We are happy to have Michael now in Seminyak where he is bringing Beverly Hills magic to the Samaya.

We pay a visit to the extraordinary Pascal Morabito, for many years a world success in design (of just about everything, from watches, to fashion, to furniture to perfume) who has now established his beautiful Art Villa in Bali.

We visit Michel Bras in country France where his back-to-nature restaurant has been acclaimed as the country’s best. We also pop in on Thomas Keller in New York. And we look at the state of the art of coffee in Indonesia.

We travel this month to the fascinating emirate of Abu Dhabi, now a popular stopover between Asia and Europe and fast becoming a cultural showcase for fi ne art. And we train it down to Bordeaux to Vinexpo and the latest in the world of wine.

Do enjoy this edition and look forward to the coming months, bringing with them an even more positive peace and peace of mind in the world.

Enjoy

Graham PearceThe rising star of the UAE; Abu Dhabi. On our cover this month a view from the stunning Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, looking across the water to the palatial Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque.

PublisherPT Artha Cipta Pratama

Editor in ChiefGraham Pearce

Production HouseOrigomedia

Art DirectorAri Arsyadi

Graphic DesignersOrigomedia

Senior Promotion

Angel

Marketing ExecutiveUchie Susilowati

Websitewww.vivaasiamagazine.com

Emailinfo@vivaasiamagazine.com

ORIGOMEDIAJl. Setiabudi III / 2A

Setiabudi, Jakarta Selatan 12910Indonesia

p +62 21 5292 1638 / 7031 6882f +62 21 5292 1637

e info@vivaasiamagazine.comwww.vivaasiamagazine.com

Contact:Editorial:Graham Pearcegp@vivaasiamagazine.com

Advertising:James Westonjim@vivaasiamagazine.com

ICON CHEF

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ICON CHEF

THE Italian food scene in Singapore takes a step higher with the arrival of Marco Pedrelli to Dolce Vita, the renowned restaurant at the Mandarin

Oriental Hotel.

MICHELIN MANDARIN

Pedrelli has actually worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants and attaining one star on his own merit.

He was born in Cesena and his career took off to a flying start at the One-star La Grotta in 1993. He then spent six years in some of the finest kitchens in Italy before he moved to Germany as sous chef at the one-star Massilimiano in Munich.

He also spent three years with the three-star chef Heinz Winkler before joining Jagdhof Glashütte where he worked closely with the Chef de Cuisine and led the restaurant to attain its first Michelin Star.

Later, at Mörwald Ambassador in Vienna, Pedrelli was awarded the title Newcomer of the Year 2006 by the a´la carte guide publication.

Now he is bringing his own particular Italian style to Singapore and already the town is abuzz.

“My style of cooking is mainly influenced by my grandmother back in Italy,” says Pedrelli. “I used to help a lot in the kitchen when I was a kid. She is the person who inspired me to further develop my passion as a chef.”

“And in my professional career, I will always be grateful to Heinz Winkler whom I respected greatly. He was a sensational mentor.”

“Here at the Mandarin my menu is traditional Italian. I use fresh ingredients specially flown in from Italy and I do insist on making my sauces and pasta fresh every day,” enthuses Pedrelli.

“Already a best-seller is our ravioli di zucca – pasta stuffed with pumpkin, bacon, and scallop with a tomato basil foam. It was a recipe from my grandmother which I’ve amended slightly over the years,” he says.

“Another is the Tris de pasta –a chef’s choice of three specialty pasta dishes you can try at one sitting.”

“This is my first time in South East Asia and one of the first things you come to terms with is seasonality – summer all year round. So, instead

ICON CHEF

of worrying about cold-climate ingredients, I am introducing seasonal specials, based on what is fresh at any particular time.”

“And this is actually a positive with our dessert menu because I believe nothing beats fresh fruit and we use a lot of it because it is readily available fresh. However, I don’t think any Italian restaurants would be worth its name if it did not offer a tiramisu and a good chocolate dessert: we have both.”

EATING IN

“Being Italian, I enjoy a simple pasta dish with fresh tomato sauce, garlic and basil. It is a treat in restaurants when I have time off (also easy to make at home). I also have a sweet tooth and I love home-made ice cream,” he smiles.

“If you are in Italy, you must try Franco – right in my home town of Cesena – terrific (and authentic) food.”

“Here in Singapore, I do enjoy barbecues by the poolside at the weekend – but home-made pasta is still my comfort food. Often it will be tagliatelle with shellfish and cherry tomatoes. Delicious – and it reminds me of home!”

ICON CHEF

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ICON CHEF

MethodCook tagliatelle in boiling salted water until just before al dente.Score the cherry tomatoes with the tip of a knife and blanch them in boiling water so the skin will come off easily. Cut them into quarters.Sauté the shallots and garlic in oil over a very low heat. Add the tomatoes and increase the heat so it lightly boils. Cook until they are soft then add the cayenne pepper, pesto and salt and adjust the seasoning with the sugar. Add the seafood and stir fry till cooked. Now add the pre-blanched pasta & cook for another minute or till the pasta is al dente. Serve immediately.

Seafood Tagliatelle with Cherry tomato sauce

Ingredients

80g tagliatelle250g cherry tomatoes50f shallots, sliced3g garlic, slicedSalt & Cayenne pepperSugar (to adjust the sourness)30g basil pesto15ml olive oil2 prawns, peeled3 scallops3 mussels on the half shell

ICON CHEFCHEF

Bras hales from the town of Laguiole where his family has the hotel and restaurant called Lou Mazuc. From an early age, cooking and Aubrac were his two passions. He was guided by his mother (herself a talented Cordon Bleu chef) and it was she who initiated him into the art of ‘la cuisine du terroir’ which still dominates his style today.

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Not able to venture out to the rest of France, Bras taught himself, reading culinary l iterature voraciously. It worked and Lou Mazuc gained a solid reputation, lauded by the critics and eventually awarded one and then two Michelin stars.

THE NIACS“The word n iac i s inseparab le f rom my cook ing. I t i s a combinat ion of e lements , o f tex tures and tastes , s ights and smel ls which s t imula te the senses” says Bras . “The n iacs a re products which we use every day in our cook ing, fo r season ing, enhanc ing, spread ing. There a re now f ive types used as cond iments: fo r example , zest o f o range wi th whi te or g reen pepper; lemon wi th cumin and fenne l ; zest

Michel Bras is unique among French

chefs. He is an innovator and a purist.

His style is natural, not ephemeral and

he believes all the good things he can

offer come from his own terroir.

MARKET“Going to market is a part of my life. I find it a joy to listento the growers and their tales. I rummage in the baskets; I am struck by the perfumes of the seasons in the crates.”

“Here on Aubrac , beef i s k ing; cheese is an ever present s tand-by and pork for fest ive occas ions . Vegetab les a re someth ing e lse . Today, they p lay an essent ia l ro le in my cu is ine and, apar t f rom the i r obv ious appea l , they too br ing back ch i ldhood memor ies . Someone who has never exper ienced the taste of a le t tuce cut s t ra ight f rom the garden knows noth ing about the taste of a le t tuce .”

CHEF

of lemon wi th g inger ; b lack o l i ves; tomato wi th sugar and p imento o i l ; and a spec ia l caramel fo r desser ts . ”

“These condiments, flavoured oils, vinegars and liqueurs

capture the very essence of the Aubrac plateau,” he enthuses.

LE SUQUET“We created this domici le in 1992, a place f looded with l ight. The architecture is r igorous, l ike the landscape, making use of natural stone and wood. The salon is entirely enclosed in glass as if suspended in mid air, this location, almost unreal, offers magnif icent views of the Aubrac plateau, the surrounding hi l ls, the summer pastures and the vi l lage of Laguiole.”

“Here, nature is the star, both outside and on the plate,” says Bras. “For example, the large oval leaves of the gentian plant Lutea become a canvas on which to present a fillet of monkfish, rather like the banana leaves in Indonesia.”Something is working there as Restaurant Michel Bras at Le Suquet was named 7th best in the world in this year ’s Travel+Leisure list; and, somewhat to the dismay of the traditionalists, the number one restaurant in France.

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ICON CHEFCHEF

“And I remember my first tomato! Long ago, father repaired agricultural machinery and one blazing hot afternoon, he took us with him to a neighboring farm. In order to protect us from the heat, the farmer’s wife suggested that we should go indoors and have a bite to eat at tea time. Imagine our discomfort when the only food presented was a plate of tomatoes from the garden? Like all children, we didn’t like tomatoes, and the dog waiting attentively under the table didn’t like them either…” he laughs.

“As far as we were concerned, the main purpose of these fruits from far off lands as ammunition to be thrown at an unfortunate human target on carnival days.”

“Today, of course, they are part of life here. Full of flavour and not just red; varieties that are ivory,

violet, red, pink and green. What a joy to discover these old varieties at the height of their season, perfumed, delicious; I eat them in the same way I eat fruit.”

“And rather than limit us, it has prompted us in the direction of a world of discovery! My wife Ginette and I have travelled the world, looking for produce and flavours. We have brought back seeds from everywhere (my favourites from the markets of India) to grow in our gardens. And now, they are part of the menu. A curry leaf with lamb; cumin in a millefeuille. We live in a sheltered part of the world where the food is great. But it is a nice surprise to bring some of the outside world to our home.”

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TRAVEL

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Located on the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula, the emirate of Abu Dhabi occupies the western half of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). At around 75,000 square km, Abu Dhabi is the largest of the UAE’s seven emirates and borders the emirate of Dubai to the northeast, the Sultanate of Oman to the south-east and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the south and west. To the north lies the Arabian Gulf.

Abu Dhabi has a clearly defined 2030 development plan, and unlike some of its fellow emirates, is not rushing its development but is carefully building a vision for a sustainable future. With its award winning airline, Etihad Airlines, Abu Dhabi is fast developing as a tourism destination; tastefully combining its long cultural heritage with modern editions including the first Louvre museum outside France and the F1 Grand Prix.

Abu Dhabi & Al Ain

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TRAVEL

Heritage VillageOn the breakwater near the giant UAE flag, Heritage Village comprises a group of traditional buildings and a small museum showing the life of the Bedouin in old black and white photographs. A replica of a traditional oasis irrigation system, or ‘falaj’, and a wind tower - the world’s first air-conditioning - are striking examples of the ingenuity of the desert people who founded Abu Dhabi. There is also a traditional souk where you can buy traditional gifts and souvenirs.Tel: +971 2 681 4455

Sultan FortAn impressive structure dating from 1910 and now a part of tours to the Al Ain National Museum, this fort was built by the grandfather of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa. Made of sun-dried mud brick and clay, the fort has four rooms and three round towers. One tower reportedly served as a jail.Tel: +971 3 764 1595www.aam.gov.ae

Abu Dhabi Falcon HospitalClose to Abu Dhabi International Airport this was the first institution in the world to provide comprehensive veterinary health care exclusively for falcons. Visits to the hospital are an unforgettable experience of the fascinating world of falcons and falconry and offers fabulous photographic opportunities.Tel: +971 2 575 5155www.falconhospital.com Al Maqtaa FortIf you’re driving in from Dubai and cross the Maqtaa Bridge (the eastern of the two bridges connecting Abu Dhabi island to the mainland) look right to catch a glimpse of this 200-year old fortified tower. A former sentry post against invading bandits, the fort has undergone a series of renovations and is now a striking monument.For more information go to:www.visitabudhabi.ae

Jebel HafeetThe 1,200m high rocky outcrop of Jebel Hafeet rocky outcrop rising from the flat desert plain outside Al Ain and its archaeological and biological features are playing a major role in Al Ain’s bid for World Heritage Site status. The hill has prehistoric desert encampments and is home to more than 115 species of plant, 140 species of bird and 18 species of mammal including the Arabian tahr (an endangered wild goat). Hot springs gush geothermally heated water from the ground along Jebal Hafeet’s lower slopes, turning either side of the streams a verdant green.

Al Ain ZooLocated at the foot of Jebel Hafeet, the 400 hectare Al Ain Zoo and Aquarium has a remarkably large collection of local and exotic animal and bird species including the magnificent Arabian Oryx, a much-revered animal in the southern Arabian peninsula.Tel: +971 3 7828188 www.alain-zoo.com

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archaeological and ethnographical material. The collection covers everything from flint tools to the falconry and provides theperfect historical introduction to Abu Dhabi. The museum is adjacent to the ochre mudbrickwalls and turrets of the Sultan Fort (or Eastern Fort) built in 1910.Tel: +971 3 764 1595 www.aam.gov.ae

Palace of HH the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al NahyanThis former palace is now a small museum; its immaculate grounds are tended lovingly by desert gardeners. Visitors can wander at their leisure, learning about the history of the ruling Al Nahyan family while enjoying the peaceful desert oasis atmosphere.Tel: +971 3 764 1595www.aam.gov.ae

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Grand MosqueThe mosque is a wonder of Islamic design, a feat of engineering and the first mosque in Abu Dhabi to allow non-Muslims to tour its interior, making it a must-see for visitors. Fourminarets soar more than 100 metres into the sky and look down upon the mosque’s 57 white marble domes. The building can house more than 35,000 worshippers, many of whom kneel to pray on the world’s largest carpet, which measures 5,627m square.To book tours contact: zayedmosquetour@adta.ae

Al Ain Oasis and Date PlantationAl Ain and Liwa are the two oasis settlements where the majority of Abu Dhabi’s varieties of date are grown. At Al Ain you can wander through a large shady plantation - a refreshing break from the modern city outside. The

date palm is the most widely cultivated indigenous flora in the emirate thanks to its tolerance of the harsh desert environment and saline soil. The plantation itself is divided into small date farms with two small mosques sited within its groves.

Women’s Handicraft CentreAn excellent example of how modern day Abu Dhabi women keep their Bedouin traditions alive, the centre features several huts where local artists perform silver threadwork andweaving; there’s also a collection of Arabic oils, incense and local clothes and crafts. Female visitors can try hand-painting with henna.Tel: +971 2 447 6645

Al Ain National MuseumThis museum houses a collection tracing the history of the Arabian Peninsula from the Stone Age to the modern Islamic period through

SHANGHAI’S ZENDAI ART HOTEL

Developed by the Zendai Group, the owner, Mr. Dai Zhi

Kang, has placed significant emphasis on making this

hotel a living, thriving display of Chinese art. Hotel General

Manager Mr. Graham Kiy explained “What makes this hotel

unique is the artistic influence on its’ interiors. From the

installation art in the lobby to the multi media projection at

the reception desk, every aspect of the hotel’s interiors will

allow guests to experience the fascinating art of China,”

The 313 rooms and suites of Zendai Art Hotel occupy

the first floors of a dedicated hotel tower in the

Himalayas Centre complex.

The hotel has recently joined Preferred Hotels & Resorts.

Zendai Art Hotel is one of only four hotels in China

admitted to this prestigious collection of 222 luxury

independent hotels and resorts. “Being a part of the

Preferred Hotels and Resorts network recognizes the

hotel’s elite status,” said Mr. Kiy. “We will offer a fantastic

opportunity for those visiting Shanghai whether for the

2010 World Expo or other business, to experience modern

Chinese hospitality.”

GALLERY

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TRAVEL

Gourmet Traveller

1

2

3

Unlike Phileas Fogg who had 80 days to circumnavigate the world I had just 24 hours to go halfway round the globe with the only conditions been the need to have the meals at a reasonable hour for that meal and that all meals had to be in five star locations; no fast food at the airport on this trip.

As I was looking at my options for the trip the annual World Airline Awards, run by UK-based

At Viva Asia we always

love a challenge and we

love to do things in style.

So when the gauntlet was

recently thrown down by

a friend challenging me

to have the three main

meals of the day on three

different continents, I

grabbed the gauntlet with

eager anticipation.

consultancy Skytrax, announced the winners of their 2009 awards. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE won the World’s Best Business Class and also won the World’s Best Business Class catering award. A quick look at the Etihad flight schedule revealed that, at the time, I could have lunch in Jakarta, dinner in Abu Dhabi, and then breakfast in London. Three continents, three five star locations, three meals, 24 hours, done!

Abu Dhabi Chennai Kathmandu MoscowAlmaty Chicago Khartoum Mumbai Amman Damascus Kochi Munich Astana Dammam Kozhikode MuscatAthens Dhaka Kuala Lumpur New DelhiBahrain Doha Kuwait New YorkBangkok Dublin Lahore ParisBeijing Frankfurt Larnaca PeshawarBeirut Geneva London RiyadhBrisbane Islamabad Manchester Singapore Brussels Istanbul Manila SydneyCairo Jeddah Melbourne TehranCapetown Johannesburg Milan ThiruvananthapuramCasablanca Karachi Minsk Toronto

Etihad flys from Jakarta to:

www.jakarta.grand.hyatt.com

TRAVEL

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Grand Hyatt Jakarta

Location: JakartaLUNCH

Seared Scallop Porcini Tomato and Asparagus

Salsa Orange Vanilla Sauce

Confit of Duck Ravioli in Spiced Consomme'

Roasted Seabass Squid Ink Potato Gnocchi

Crab and Citrus Sauce Radish Salad

Bobby Veal Loin "Rossini" Wilted Spinach

Raisin Foie Gras Parsnip Chips Madeira Sauce

Tradit ional Marsala Zabagl ione with Fresh

Mixed Berr ies

C’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant

Grand Hyatt Jakarta

Jalan M. H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30,

Jakarta 10350, Indonesia

Tel: +62 21 390 1234

Abu Dhabi Chennai Kathmandu MoscowAlmaty Chicago Khartoum Mumbai Amman Damascus Kochi Munich Astana Dammam Kozhikode MuscatAthens Dhaka Kuala Lumpur New DelhiBahrain Doha Kuwait New YorkBangkok Dublin Lahore ParisBeijing Frankfurt Larnaca PeshawarBeirut Geneva London RiyadhBrisbane Islamabad Manchester Singapore Brussels Istanbul Manila SydneyCairo Jeddah Melbourne TehranCapetown Johannesburg Milan ThiruvananthapuramCasablanca Karachi Minsk Toronto

Shangri-La Hotel,Qaryat Al Beri

Location: Abu DhabiDinner

TRAVEL

Champagne Billecart Salmon Rose

Amuse Bouche

Foie Gras Chanterel le Mushroom Sorrel

Onion Tart

Klur Gewurstraminer Alsace

Seabass Green Peas & Asparagus Lemon

Confit

Petit Chablis “La Chablisienne”

Wagyu Beef Striploin Consomme Spring

Onions

Gigondas, Cote du Rhone

Strawberries Pistachio Ice Cream Meringue

Muscat Beaume de Venise

Bord Eau

Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri

Between the Bridges

Abu Dhabi

United Arab Emirates

Tel: + 971 2 509 8888

www.shangri-la.com

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TRAVEL

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Location: LondonBreakfast

Hyatt Regency London

The Montagu

Orange Juice

Foccacia Smoked Salmon & Yellow Leicester Cheese

Fresh Strawberries

Bircher Museli

Croissants

Cumberland Sausages Bacon Scrambled Eggs

Fried Potatoes

White & Brown Bread for Toast

English Breakfast Tea

Hyatt Regency London

The Churchill

30 Portman Square,

London, England W1H 7BH

Tel: +44 20 7486 5800

www.london.churchill.hyatt.com

The BEST

ASIA AmanatSummerPalace,Beijing,China

Ritz-CarltonSanya,HainanIsland,China

WHongKong,HongKong,China

ParkHyattShanghai,China AmanNewDelhi,India TajNadesarPalace,Varanasi,India

AnantaraPhuketResort&Spa,Phuket,Thailand

SixSensesDestinationSpa,Phuket,Thailand

AFRICA,MIDDLEEASTANDTHESOUTHPACIFICXudumOkavangoDeltaLodge,Botswana

FourSeasonsResortMauritiusatAnahita,Botswana

MoloriSafariLodge,MadikweGameReserve,SouthAfrica

SixSensesHideawayZighyBay,Oman

Atlantis,ThePalmDubai,UnitedArabEmirates

PrioryCountryLodge,Tasmania,Australia

EUROPERoughLuxe,London,EnglandLeCouventdesMinimes,Provence,France

FourSeasonsHotelFirenze,Florence,Italy

LaVillaHotel,Piedmont,ItalyMEBarcelona,SpainDolderGrand,Zurich,Switzerland

FourSeasonsHotelIstanbulattheBosphorus,Turkey

ParkHyattMaçkaPalas,Istanbul,Turkey

UNITEDSTATESInterContinentalMonteluciaResort&Spa,Scottsdale,Arizona

MontageBeverlyHills,BeverlyHills,California

ResortatPelicanHill,NewportBeach,California

SLSHotelatBeverlyHills,ALuxuryCollectionHotel,BeverlyHills,California

MiamiBeachFontainebleau,MiamiBeach,Florida

Mondrian,MiamiBeach,Florida

ViceroyMiami,MiamiBeach,Florida

TheMansiononPeachtree,ARosewoodHotel&Residence,Atlanta,Georgia

MandarinOriental,Boston,Massachusetts

EncoreWynn,LasVegas,Nevada

Encantado,SantaFe,NewMexico

TheStandard,NewYork,NewYork

TheNines,ALuxuryCollectionHotel,Portland,Oregon

SOUTHANDCENTRALAMERICAANDTHECARRIBBEANFireflyBequia,TheGrenadines,Caribbean

Geejam,Jamaica,CaribbeanBanyanTreeMayakobaResort&Spa,Mexico

DistritoCapital,MexicoCityLegadoMítico,Salta,Argentina

UxuaCasaHotel,Trancoso,Brazil

LasCasitasdelColca,ColcaCanyon,Peru

InkaterraLaCasona,Cuzco,Peru

EstanciaVik,JoséIgnacio,Uruguay

Themuch-awaitedTravel+Leisuremagazine’slistoftheworld’sbestnewhotelsfor2009hasbeenreleased.

The“ItList”ischosenbythemagazine’seditorsandisconsideredoneofthemostinfluentialstampofapprovalaround.ThelistwaspublishedintheJuneedition,theannualhotelsandresortsissue.

The45BestNewHotelsin2009are:

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GALLERY

WINE

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When I think of France, champagne pops into my mind. So at Vinexpo, I naturally started my visit with some bubbly and I discovered a very attractive marque from Reims called Bruno Paillard. I met the dynamic father/daughter team, Bruno and Alice Paillard and was very impressed by their commitment to the export market. They believe in upholding their image at the high end; they seek placement in restaurants, specialist wine boutiques rather than high volume supermarkets. This champagne already has a presence in Singapore and Japan. Now Hong Kong and China are in their sights, which they believe eventually will surpass their markets in the UK and Belgium. In the same way they nurture their wines to develop finesse, elegance and length, they also invest in a careful selection of agencies and understand that building a relationship is a strategy that will bring success in the long term. www.champagnebrunopaillard.com

A Day at Vinexpo Bordeaux 2009

The current wine sensation in Europe is dry rosé. And my experience shows it to be a versatile companion for a variety of Asian cuisines. Vinexpo was awash with rosés but one that caught my eye was Chateau D’Esclans, which I had previously tasted in Hong Kong. Chateau D’Esclans is rosé. And what a rosé! This wine is as flamboyant as the owner Sasha Lichine and as vibrant as his young team. They look for listings in exclusive wine shops and classy restaurants and hotels. Among their strategy is to have a strong presence in overseas wine shows. They have a well established following in US and Europe while Asia is just beginning, but flourishing quickly in places such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and soon Australia. Made from old vines, their rosé is dry and well structured, with flavours that suit delicate seafood to spiced meats. www.chateaudesclans.com 

The Cazes family of Chateau

Lynch Bages in Pauillac are well respected as patron of culture, from visual arts to performing arts to culinary arts. At Vinexpo, they launched the release of ‘Echo’. It’s from the same Lynch Bages vineyards but from plots that make more approachable wines for this vintage. And ‘Echo’ has the bonus for export markets, as it is an easy name to say and remember! Following the launch was a cooking demonstration, where wines were matched with exotic Asian flavours. Their multi-lingual staff made sure everyone felt welcomed.www.chateaulynchbages.com 

Cantaloupe with prosciutto served the familiar way, then, echo reversed - served as a chilled soup with diced prosciutto.

Interspersed among the courses were three, yes, three ways of serving Bordeaux’s favourite indulgence - foie gras. A slither of foie gras mi-cuit, resting on a bed of rhubarb puree; pan-seared foie gras served with cumquat relish; then as a cigar in filo pastry served standing in a shot glass with a a splash of sauce at the bottom. A balance is achieved between the richness of foie gras and hints of acid in each pairing. Skalli wines, white, rosé and red are matched with the menu under the guidance of their staff. www.robertskalli.com

 

WINE

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Skalli Wines is a ‘ flagship family ’ of wines from the south of France – Languedoc, Rhone valley, Provence, and also Corsica. The winemaker speaks of a true expression of the ‘terroir ’ so I tried some of their ‘biologique’ wines, and found them to be delicate, balanced, with fruit character and soft tannins. Skalli is known for the most up-to-date winemaking practices and this is evident in their Rhone wines that have great concentration of flavour.

Skalli is a class act. They understand wine is often best appreciated with food so when mid-day chimes at Vinexpo, they are one of the most popular and welcoming exhibitors. Prepared by three Michelin-star chefs (friends of owner Robert Skalli) from Le Jardin des Sens, a restaurant in Montpellier, the degustation menu is a highlight at Vinexpo, but it ’s by invitation only! The food is fun, inspired, and full of colour and flavour.

Guests are treated with a seemingly endless array of small dishes (anyone for dim sum!), creative compilations of fresh regional produce.

One may start with a chilled soup, perhaps peas and mint (very refreshing after a morning of wine tasting) or tomato gazpacho.

Top: Mussels in coconut crème; Scallop, risotto with wild rice.Bottom right: Zucchini flower filled with langoustine mince.

WINE

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Other countries patronizing Vinexpo also used the theme of wine and food pairings to attract visitors. The Austrian Wine Marketing Board has a campaign called a Taste of Culture. This year, it featured ‘Austrian Wine with Asian Cuisine’ complete with posters, pamphlets, recipes, tasting notes on wine styles. Some suggestions are: Riesling or rosé with tempura, Sauvignon Blanc with spring rolls, Cabernet Merlot with umami-rich beef dishes. Could this be an indication that women are becoming more recognized as consumers/buyers?! Just as Pinot Gris has overtaken Sauvignon Blanc as the most fashionable white wine variety, a big hint for the next fashionable grape variety is coming is Austria’s “Grüner Veltliner” (groo-ner-felt-lee-ner) which is like a racy cross of both varieties.www.winesfromaustria.com  

Wine companies realize the intensity of competition and many have resorted to gimmick marketing. One that worked was a wine-tasting on board a cruise ship, dubbed the ‘love boat party ’, on the Gironde River. It was organized by a group of young guns, 18 wine-makers from an association called Bordeaux Oxygene – these including the very prestigious Smith Haut Laffite and Malartic Lagravière. It was

an informal tasting with funky music, relaxed fun, and no hard sell - refreshing to be away from the hectic exhibition halls of Vinexpo and enjoying a gentle cruise along the quais at sunset over Bordeaux.

One message that came across at Vinexpo this year is the importance of marketing. France realises the New World has well and truly entered the competition so, in order to succeed, one needs to be creative and dynamic. This is in addition to traditional considerations of branding and appropriate translation of names and labels. Looking around Vinexpo, you can see every strategy being used. Some rely on promotional events, others on clear and distinct packaging. Still others offer hospitality to develop good will with customers.

Everyone is trying to attract people, spoil them, and hopefully ensure customer loyalty.

Apart from having a high quality product, successful exporters also offer value for money and provide follow-up once a sale is made. This means putting in place a competent internal infrastructure and distribution logistics – transport, delivery and storage. An example is the need for refrigeration, having a ‘cold trail’ for moving wine in countries such as India and China which have extremes of temperature. The Oberoi Resort Hotels Group, for example, now treats wine

the same way that it treats the distribution of its charcuterie and dairy products.

For new markets in Asia, quality is of course important, but is helps if the wine is ‘smooth’ to cater to the beginner ’s palate. In Asia, this points to education: understanding varieties, educating the palate and wine appreciation.

I look forward to attending Vinexpo Hong Kong in 2010. We’ll see which wines will crack the jackpot as an export winner!www.vinexpo.com

PERSONALITY

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THE DESIGNER

Bali is a world away from his former habitat in the Place Vêndome, the classiest square in Paris and them some. He would also not probably appear in Paris with a white towel draped around his waist and a pair of rubber thongs. But Pascal Morabito isn’t exactly a conformist. He is almost Picasso-like in his approach to life – art comes first – or perhaps love. And then the rest.

He is now an hotelier and has moved with his family to what is now the Morabito Art Villa, an old hotel he has rebuilt on Berawa Beach.

Morabito was born in Nice in 1945 to a family of goldsmiths. He is an architect by education but soon became a

designer, a créateur in French, which does not translate easily into English where we tend to compartmentalize designers into categories. Morabito has designed absolutely everything, mostly in the category of luxury goods: jewellery, gold and silver, china, crystal and glass, fine watches, mobile phones, perfumes, cosmetics, leather goods, writing instruments, fashion and fashion accessories. He has also been an interior (and exterior) designer for houses and hotels. As well as that, he is a painter, sculptor and artist of found objects.

Possibly his most famous design was his first: the captive diamond pendant in 1972 which attracted the attention of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

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PERSONALITY

THE BEACH

We arrive at his hotel to find him (in the towel) negotiating with some people from Sumba who have brought some statuary and some other antique objects.

“Yes, yes. No, No!” he says emphatically as he scans each piece. Some that made it into his collection that day included five antique swords, three or four keris, some small antique statues and more of those Jabba-the-Hutt-like heads from which he has made a whole stone garden.

His hotel philosophy is simple: “I want it to look beautiful, I want it quietly luxurious and I want to show people the fabulous artistic talent from all

over Indonesia. (On the entrance terrace, we have to walk past a collection of 50 masks and some shield-like ornaments that “I am going to make into whole decorative walls.”)

Add to that he and his wife Marie-Eve encourage art ist ic people to stay at the vi l la, which has been reduced from 22 to 14 rooms around a hectare of lawn and tropical landscaping, making i t almost a parkland that gives direct ly onto the beach.

To give it that extra bit of ‘artistic authenticity’ they have just had British artist Damien Hirst stay for three months.

“He loved it here. We gave him our own two-storey villa. He relaxed with his family; he worked a little and he loved getting to know Bali,” says Morabito. (Hirst is famous for his vivisected cows and sharks as art and for the auction this year when he made many millions selling auctioning off a collection of his own works at Christie’s).

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PERSONALITY

And he certainly wasn’t idle while he was in Bali. He left several sketches and a fabulous copy of his famous diamond-studded skull called For The Love of God, which sold for $100 million. This one, however, is made of rock salt and the Morabitos have preserved it in a glass case and keep it in what they now call the Damien Hirst Suite.

THE HOTEL

We walk through the gardens which have been relandscaped totally from the old and rather dowdy hotel. He has enlarged the rooms – acres of white wood, whitewashed old pieces and polished concrete on the floors. Everywhere are statues, artifacts and antique weaponry. Dramatic effects are often achieved by swathes of cotton draping and coloured lighting.

“It is a long story we are here,” explains Morabito in very good English. “A friend recommended the old hotel three years ago so we rented a villa, completely knocked it over and redid it! They said ‘you cannot change things like that’ and I said if you don’t like it we will change it back when we leave. Eventually, they agreed to sell us the property and, as you can see, it is still a work in progress.”

Latest is a huge suite above the lobby: “it will be called the Morabito Suite,” says Pascal. A huge indoor-outdoor area with two pools; one black, one white. In the grounds below is another development: a Javanese joglo that will become two bedrooms and a living area. Out in the gardens, there is the unique ‘tree spa’ with its continuation of the organic stones that contains water, often decorated with flower petals. He has other little touches of harmless egotism (Picasso again?)like the licence plates on all his cars: PM.

There is also the attractive white-washed dining pavilion that used to be the café – everywhere are nature photographs from Marie-Eve, who is a keen photographer.

They have also installed a huge subterranean kitchen which still has views of the lawns, mainly for weddings; next to it a new pastry kitchen with marble for rolling dough.

Morabito has even converted one building into a museum and already there is a substantial collection of antiques from Bali, Sumba, Java and Sumatra.

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PERSONALITY

Just across the way is his atelier. Here there is an electric drill and a grinder and scores of glass bottles containing more things Pascal has ‘collected.’ Beads, bones, stones, bits of ceramic and iron. He picks up a pair of old rusty keris blades and says “I will mount them together or put one with a piece of stone or glass or something. Whatever; it will be beautiful.”

It is here that you think of Picasso again. Pascal Morabito has the same short stature but solid build. And he points to several large photographs of him and Marie-Eve in various wedding costumes. (Picasso was also a passionate man.) “We get married again every year in a different place. We have done it in France, in Japan and this year we did it in Bali, complete with ceremonial costumes and a huge procession and party,” he says.

The Morabitos have been in Bali now two and a half years, having sold a dozen boutiques in Europe. But he still designs clothing and accessories on a franchise basis, along with a line of bathroom amenities.

“And I am very happy to say, I have just sent my first design for a sofa to a workshop in Bali where they will make it to my specifications.”

FUTURE

Ambitions? Morabito Art Villa is home at the moment to this French family. “We want to finish this place and then I am thinking I would like to do something similar, perhaps in India. We love Srinagar so if the political situation improves, we may look there,” he says.

With that, he picks up an old keris, simple and not very expensive. “But look at the colour of that scabbard! A beautiful Chinese lacquer red. How can they do that with natural dyes?” he queries. And questions are part of his existence. “That, and dreams,” he says. “I dream and it all comes true.”

A little ethereal, perhaps. But when you look around, this haven is right before your eyes. It is indeed, simple and beautiful. It makes you feel good and you begin thinking that, to complement the lotus eaters, we could do with a lot more appreciative and creative talent like his in Bali.

ICON CHEF

As his name suggests, Suradnya is from Bali. He comes from a village near Klungkung but his parents moved to Lombok many years ago and his father still lives in Mataram.

The outgoing and energetic Suradnya finished high school in Lombok and then moved to further his education in Sydney. “I cannot remember when I did not have a passion for food,” he says. “When I was a little boy, I remember my Mom taking me to the fish markets on the beach. We would buy the fish and she would say, OK, now you cook it!”

An unapologetic lover of the outdoors, he became a mountain trekking guide and was responsible for cooking out for guests out in the wild.

He moved to Sydney which, he remembers, in those days was a centre of culture, wine and food. He spent

two years working in restaurants before enrolling at Sydney University to study food, beverage and bar skills.

Another move took him finally to Canberra and the Canberra Institute of Technology where he furthered his studies as a chef – the courses were in classic western food with a French technique.

He joined the Park Hyatt Hotel in Canberra where he rose through the ranks and learned a whole lot more about commercial cookery along the way. “They were great days,” says Suradnya. “And I will always remember my time there. It was a time when the food they now call ‘modern Australian’ was coming into its own and I loved it because it was fresh, innovative, simple and, above all, full of flavour.”

“I will also cherish the memories of the Park Hyatt (where he took out an annual high achiever award) and its place as the

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premier hotel in Canberra. I was a leader of the team which cooked for many State visitors – including President George Bush Sr. and Queen Elizabeth.”

“After that, I left to work in a restaurant called Rocksalt, which also specialized in modern Oz food. And all this led naturally to opening my own restaurant which I called Element. I specialized in degustation menus, matched with fine wine. It was a fascinating, if a little gruelling, experience and it did pay off. Element was named Best New Restaurant in Canberra in 2005,” he says proudly. “Hard work but if you know Canberra, you will know it is very easy to get out of the city and I loved to go bushwalking to relax.”

“It was in Australia, where there is so much variety, I also learned to appreciate good wine.”

JAKARTA

“Restaurants sound glamorous,” says Suradnya. “But just ask anyone who has

owned one or even managed one and they will tell you it is more than a job – it is virtually 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And it is not just the cooking and making the customers happy; you then have the ordering, the staff situation and the bookkeeping – you never have a minute to yourself. So, after four and a half years, I decided to sell it. I also wanted to return to my own culture. And that is when the job as executive chef came up at the Alila.”

“I was also ready for a new challenge and this is it. Because of our mixed clientele, my menu has to include western food, Indonesian food and a lot of fusion as well. The Alila is a boutique hotel where most of the guests are business people so the food cannot be pretentious. And hotel guests would never be happy without pasta and a pizza,” he smiles.

“I am also enjoying getting to know the Jakarta again – talking to suppliers and growers; I try to use local wherever I can, although it is not possible with special ingredients like truffle oil or even cheese.”

“And I must say, Jakarta is a surprise after all this time. The restaurant scene is exploding and you now have such a large choice. So I am enjoying being an explorer. My passion is still food and, as any food lover will tell you, your palate will remember your best dining experience. Mine was at Tetsuya in Sydney, recently named as one of the best restaurants in the world.”

“I also remember some simple things – like the best fresh scrambled eggs with grated fresh white truffles I had for breakfast one morning on a glorious Sydney summer day.”

“I think I will enjoy coming home after all this time. I still love the outdoors –a bit difficult in Jakarta but I look forward to going home to Lombok and a barbecue on the beach. And life would be complete if you could enjoy a glass of wine here – hopefully the powers that be will take care of that soon.”

From top left:Grilled scallops and prawns topped with salmon roe, served with a mini salad with a tangy chill, ginger, coriander and peanut dressing

Grilled salmon fillet with steamed asparagus and light lemon butter sauce, topped with a tomato, coriander and onion salsa

Home made (to the chef’s own recipe) lemon tart with vanilla ice cream (also made in house)

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GALLERY

PARK LANE TURNS 11Hard to believe that the Park Lane Hotel will be 11 years old in August. Big celebrations are planned in all its venues. Notably in the famous Stix, there will be a gala gathering on the 26th, with live entertainment by the comedy band called Second Born.

In RIVA, you can enjoy the girolles wild mushroom special, along with home-made terrine de campagne a la façon de ma Grand Mère and their renowned bouillabaisse.

And during the whole month of Ramadhan, Café One will present its international Buka Puasa Buffet, also with live Middle Eastern music.

For the full program:

MAYA TREESIn case you missed the Italian conference, trees are good for us.

And this further information from the Maya Resort in Ubud where they have a program of replanting trees, thanks largely to their beautiful location on a mountain by a river.

Their research shows that two mature trees can produce enough oxygen for four people. The cooling effect of a young healthy true is equal to 10-room-sized air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.

Trees absorb water and store some of it, reducing water run-off and the possibility of flooding.

Trees provide living space and food sources for wildlife as well as having many other benefits to the environment.

So, with all this in mind Maya invite their guests to plant their own tree down on their riverside walk, with your name and a message. You can choose from many native plants, among them coffee, clove, jackfruit and coconut.

Should be more of it everywhere...

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TEXAS STYLEFour Seasons Jakarta certainly listens to customer feedback. In this case, the customers were super-hungry oil workers, mostly from Sumatra and Kalimantan whose idea of a fun weekend is to spend two days eating in Jakarta.

And what they wanted was meat and three veg.

However, staff at the hotel’s Steak House restaurant began to receive complaints that the portions were not big enough – hence the introduction of the Texas menu (because, as you know, everything in Texas is bigger…)

So you can now have the set menu of a huge plate of prawns, calamari, chicken wings and a salad; followed by a 23oz steak with your choice of potato and a mega-rich cheese cake for dessert.

Included in the price (a little over a million rupiah) is a jug of beer.

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LIVING WELL

PERSONALITY

You a re French, a re you not?

“Well, nobody ’s perfect!” he chuckles – in fine English. “Born in Pa ris, actually - and I spent the first 35 yea rs of my life there.”

“I started my career at La Tour d’Argent,” he recalls. “I became the sommelier and I was there for nine years and then it was on to my own thing. I was born into the hospitality industry; my grandfather had a beautiful old castle in the East of France which he converted to a hotel and that is where I grew up.”

“When I left Tour d’A rgent, I sta rted a wine company where I sold wine to all the sta r-rated restaurants in Pa ris. After that, I opened my first restaurant in the Place de la Bourse (the Stock Exchange) – a typical French brassérie. It was my first experience as an owner and it ended in disaster,” he says.

“We went bankrupt after three yea rs,” he laughs hea rtily now. “But it pushed me to sta rt again and we (with brother Christian, now also living in Bali) sta rted a new concept in Pa ris: Lord Sandwich (named after the British Ea rl who is said to have invented the bread snack, not wanting to be interrupted from playing ca rds while hungry) and we sold luxury sandwiches.”

“These became very successful and we opened many; in all the hot spots of Pa ris. I think there were 15 over two yea rs. A fa r cry from the refined luxury food of the Tour d’A rgent where I more or less grew up; let’s face it, it is still one of the top restaurants in the world.”

“Then I moved to New York to open a restaurant on the Upper East Side; it was French with a lot of influence from the South, a round the Mediterranean. It was called La Palette – mainly because I created a palette of wine tastings

of the 10 crus of Beaujolais. It was sort of a gimmick but it made us quite famous. I want to do it here in Indonesia but of course it is impossible to find the wines,” he laments.

“But now I love all food: brassérie style, country style, Asian. Actually my mother is from Alsace so we always had a fabulous things – like choucroute ga rni – at home.”

INDONESIAThe Indonesia of 16 years ago was a long way from New York, both in sophistication and distance. Vannequé’s move was (very) typically French.

“Love, actually,” he smiles.

“It is a beautiful story. I met the last Balinese princess while she was in New York sightseeing. I had an Indonesian friend who brought her to my restaurant. We immediately sta rted a

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PERSONALITY

romance; she was supposed to stay in New York for three days; she stayed two weeks. When she left, I phoned every day and then after a month, I decided I must go to this strange, unknown place called Bali. I was supposed to stay two weeks; I stayed 16 yea rs – and counting.”

“And I have had no regrets. Finally I found a place where I would like to live – and to die. Not yet, of course,” he laughs.

“I found my own happiness here. It was destined to happen, I think. The people, the lifestyle and, not least, because I have found some business success here in Bali.”

“I have become a Hindu. In fact, I am probably the only foreigner who has been to all the ceremonies, all the temples. Every month, we go to the prayer ceremonies, usually with my son (who is his child with Princess Dayu Sri) and we have seen

things you would never see as a tourist. Quite fascinating, colourful and very moving.”

But again, things have not always be en easy going.

“When I came here, Dayu Sri owned Kafe Warisan (she still does) and she asked me to take ca re of the place. It was my first experience here and I had it for several yea rs. I changed the original concept and called it Indochine but I could not find an Asian chef so it was me who was cooking and I had never cooked in my life. Bankrupt in six months!”

“So at that time we decided to let it to the two French guys who still have it (not closing, by the way, moving to a huge new space a round the corner in Kerobokan) and I thought it might be time to try something dif ferent so Dayu Sri said ‘I have a beautiful shop in the Sheraton Hotel and

A chequered career has led

him to Bali where he has been

a figure on the restaurant

and hotel scene for some

years. But life was not always

smooth sailing for the, well,

smooth Daniel Vannequé.

Viva Asia talks to him in

the comfort of his own

Living Room.

PERSONALITY

I don’t know what to do with it’ – so I sta rted to fill it with objets d’a rt, jewellery, antiques and slowly, I created a new concept and it was an immediate success.”

“So then, many hotels sta rted to call me and ask me to repeat the idea and, after a yea r, I had 10 shops a round Bali. And I was very happy because I proved to myself I could do something dif ferent to a restaurant.”

THE LIVING ROOM“The Living Room (the original) was a new concept for Bali. It was basically a joglo with tables in a ga rden, lots of candles and lots of romantic curtains which blew gently in the breeze,“ says Vannequé.

“Actually I got the idea when I was at the Four Seasons,” he admits. “It was a noodle house – with dishes from all a round Asia and I really fell in love with the concept and I thought I could bring the idea to this a rea (Petitenget) where I was living. So, that is how it came about. It was literally our living room, opened to the public, with our house attached behind.”

“The noodles were a disaster! So, slowly I changed the menu to my own concept of casual French food with an Asian influence, with an Indonesian section as well,” he says.

“I am not a designer and I never built anything in my life but everything here was my idea. I wanted romance, a little elegance, a nice ambience with total relaxation.”

“It was so romantic we had people proposing marriage almost every night. And finally we decided to do weddings there as well. Not the wedding of Brad Pitt,” he says, mentioning one of the myriad celebrities who have passed through the place. “He and Jennifer stayed at Begawan Giri for their honeymoon but they came many times to the Living Room for dinner.”

So why move, even if it is just across the street?

“Technical problem. My lease was up after five yea rs,“ says Vannequé. “And I managed to secure this a rea right opposite – 2.2 hecta res, double the size of the original.”

“I think it works as well as it does because people feel at home. Not only because of the atmosphere but the way we treat the guests.” (Vannequé is a ra re phenomenon in Indonesia: as a restaurateur, he is always at his restaurant). “I rega rd myself as sort of orchestra conductor who has to make every section (food, service,

experience) work. I greet every guest like they were coming to my house.” Even Mel Gibson, we ask? “Even better, he laughs. “No, I treated him the same way and that is probably why he was so happy. He stayed here in the ba r with me for four hours.”

Daniel Vannequé, the eternal romantic, is single at the moment. “My passion right now: beautiful ca rs. I have a magnificent Mercedes 500 Cabriolet (and a BMW motor bike.) My dream of course is a Ferra ri.”

“Actually, there a re eight Ferra ris owned by Balinese here. They all come on Fridays and, of course, I block all the pa rking so the lot is just full of these sleek and lovely ca rs. Amazing!”

“And I still dream: my current one is to create a new dining place. I want to import a three-sta r French chef to Bali and combine my knowledge with his knowledge to create a unique, three-sta r restaurant. I may not get the ca r but this will be the Ferra ri of restaurants.”

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380,000 WINE & FOOD PAIRINGS

GALLERY

Which pairs best with soft cheeses like brie and camembert: red or white wine? What about harder, more mature cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan? Which cheeses will please those who prefer a beer or cocktail to wine?

Now it’s fast and easy for you to find drink matches for 219 cheeses, plus thousands more pairings for appetizers, main courses and dessert in this comprehensive food and drink mobile application. Natalie MacLean, creator of Nat Decants, the wine web site at www.nataliemaclean.com, has teamed up with the software developer bitHeads to create an application that works on your iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Curve.

“Wine and cheese is a classic for entertaining: delicious and simple to prepare,” MacLean explains. “But we’re all busy, so we don’t have time to spend researching information online. We want to do a quick search while we browse in the liquor store or order from a restaurant menu.”

You just choose a match on your mobile device and then you can find the top drink picks either in your local liquor store or on the restaurant menu. Unlike MacLean’s popular pairing widget on her web site, this new tool doesn’t require a connection to the Internet and so can be used in remote locations.

The Nat Decants Drinks Matcher is only $2.99 and you can download it in two minutes from the online stores for iPhone or BlackBerry.

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GALLERY

The Prince’s Lodge at The Connaught represents the Foundation’s first commercial endeavour and is inspired by the 19th century Peacock Palace in the old city of Kabul.

It features a vaulted, double-height ceiling with antique oak beams and detailed oak panelling on the walls while the cabinetry is hand-carved solid walnut.

The cabinets conceal a bar and dressing table while secret doors in the intricate panelling open to reveal a study filled with art and architectural reference books. Original maps, photographs and oil paintings grace the walls, creating the atmosphere a private retreat rather than a hotel guest room.

KabulConnaught

Heartening to see something positive and beautiful emerging from Afghanistan.

London’s famous Mayfair hotel, the Connaught has just unveiled what they call The Prince’s Lodge.

It is part of a recent £70 million restoration by the designer Guy Oliver, in collaboration with The Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Afghanistan, formed in 2006 by the Prince of Wales to help restore the historic districts of Kabul, devastated by war. It now employs 350 people and restored some 40 buildings. Its students are also trained in traditional disciplines, including hand-carving, pottery, adobe architecture, jewellery and glass making.

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GALLERY

THE NEW MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS.

With the new E-Class, Mercedes-Benz is

presenting the pacemaker when it comes to

safety, comfort and environmental compatibility

in this market segment. With more than 20 new

or further technical developments, this saloon

further consolidates the leading position of

Mercedes-Benz in the luxury class. They include

trailblazing innovations for safe driving that are

available from no other manufacturer worldwide in

this combination. Examples include the standard

Attention Assist, Adaptive Main Beam Assist and

automatic emergency braking, which is activated

when there is acute danger of a collision.

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CHEF’S TALK

“I was born in New York and my Mom took

me to Los Angeles when I was four years

old. Thank God, she did,” laughs Michael

Shaheen.

“California is kind of its own entity.

Everybody kind of looks down on you but

we look right back at them and say: why

would you want to go live in Idaho?”

“My interest in food didn’t come from

our house. My friend next door had

grandparents who came from Italy and I

loved to hang out over there. Every Sunday

was just a feast of everything from pasta

to venison, which I loved,” he recalls.

“Then we ventured out into Chinatown

– no so much for the food but because

it was the only place where they would

serve us cocktails,” he reminisces. (You

have to be 21 to buy a drink in California).

And you had to order food in order to drink

so we got to love Chinese food as well,”

he says.

“I first thought about professional cooking

during the time I was commuting between

skiing at Lake Tahoe and working in San

Diego during the summer. One of my room-

mates said why don’t you become a chef? I

had already tried construction, landscaping

and working for the city of Lake Tahoe. And

I also thought there’s gotta be more than

going to work every day 9 to 5.”

Drop a f i lm star’s name and Michael Shaheen

has probably cooked for him, either in a

restaurant or in private. His CV includes some

of the most famous restaurants in California,

including Spago and Morton’s. Along the way

he has worked in San Diego and Santa Barbara

and was for a t ime, a private chef.

Bali seems a long (long) way from the glittering lights

of Hollywood but, he says, he has definitely found his

place in the world – that place as executive chef at

Breeze, the restaurant at The Samaya, the villa hotel

on the beach in Seminyak, the place that now boasts

the hottest zipcode in Asia: 80361.

BEVERLY

HILLS 80361

CHEF’S TALK

“So I landed a job in a restaurant called

The Fish Market in Del Mar and I went to

bartending school. And realised this was

my niche.”

“I worked all stations, including prep, oyster

bar, line cook and in the fish market. I learned

all about seafood from quality, receiving and

storage of fish and seafood to cutting and

properly cooking in a restaurant that served

only top quality fish and seafood. Hard work;

sometimes we served 1000 people a day.”

WOLFGANG THE GREAT“I met Wolfgang Puck and I was intrigued by

his operation and he offered me a job. But

at that point I was so intimidated I turned it

down,” says Shaheen. (Unbelievable as just

about everybody in America would kill to

work for Puck, so successful is his restaurant

empire). “A year later, I went to talk to him

again and he said if you can be here by two

o’clock tomorrow, the job’s yours.”

“The first time, I was there for three years,

and this included helping him produce

three of his famous Oscar parties.” His

were the parties where the stars gathered

after the televised ceremony.

There must be a reason why some

restaurants fail and others take off just about

as soon as they open their doors. So, what

does Shaheen think Puck’s secret is?

“Well, good food is a start. And I think it is

the freshness. Everything is fresh at Spago;

there is nothing processed; there is nothing

from a can, nothing frozen – if it was not

available we did something else. And it

is also his attitude,” adds Shaheen. “The

nicest guy in the world: I worked for him for

five years and never once saw him lose his

temper. Very rare for a chef. I did see Barbara

lose her temper a few times,” he chuckles,

referring to Puck’s wife who was a great

influence in designing the restaurants and

building up the now huge portfolio.

In 2000, Shaheen moved north to Santa

Barbara to transform a restaurant called

Eladio’s from a family/tourist style place into

a renowned 4-star fine dining destination that

was subsequently featured in many local food

and destination magazines.

“Santa Barbara has changed so much. There

are now lot of farmers there and they bring

their produce to the city and it is now also

surrounded by some great vineyards. It was

great because 70% of my food would be

from the farmers’ markets,” he says.

After four years at Eladio’s he became chef

de cuisine of the famous $500 million, 78

ocean front acre Bacara Resort and Spa,

also in Santa Barbara, overseeing three of

the seven kitchens.

Then he returned to the Puck empire at

Dodger Stadium and a 200 seat dining room

overlooking the field. “But I was allowed

to do my own menu, à la carte and I had a

sushi bar in the kitchen. It was great to get

back in with Wolf again because I really

missed him,” says Shaheen. And then it

was back to Glitterville.

MORTON’SFor a decade, Morton’s was one of the top

restaurants in Los Angeles and certainly

the most famous. It was the hangout of

the stars. It was opened by Peter Morton

of Hard Rock Cafe fame, in a joint venture

with Tina Sinatra.

“The busiest night of the week was

Monday. Industry night for the movie and

TV people,” says Shaheen.

“It was the hardest table to get in Los

Angeles. Marvin Davis had a table every

Monday night. So did Sidney Poitier,

Michael Caine, Roger Moore, David Geffen

– all the agents would come in. Many of

these people (Michael Caine and Roger

Moore) have their own restaurants so you

could be sure they sort of knew what they

were doing: the wine bills, for instance,

were phenomenal. No spending limit!”

“Very interesting because if you ever

drive by Morton’s, it does not even look

like a restaurant; it looks like a house

with bushes outside and shutters on the

windows. Then, when you walk into the

dining room, anybody who’s anybody in

Hollywood would be there.”

All this begs the question about the

owner ’s dad, a guy called Frank Sinatra.

Did he ever patronise the place?

“Oh, yeah. Frank used to come in all the

time,” smiles Shaheen. “Order a cocktail

and often, when he saw we were busy, he

used to answer the phone. He used to

hand it to me and say Chef, tell ‘em it’s

me; they don’t believe me!”

“Despite what you read, he is a great guy.

Hilarious. He and Barbara used to come

in all the time to eat when they weren’t in

Palm Springs.”

Having your own private chef is becoming

more common now as wealthy people want

to entertain at home and it was an interesting

fill-in career for Michael Shaheen.

“I have done it in a number of houses,

among them those of David Geffen (who

has Geffen Records, the biggest music

empire in Hollywood), Peter Morton and

the producer Aaron Spelling.”

Coconut panna cotta with citrus salad Blue Fin tuna, seared rare with somen noodle salad and kai lan coulis

Pomelo, avocad and crab salad

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“They all have their individual tastes,

so you could get a table where one is

vegetarian, one wants lamb or chicken

and somebody else would like scallops –

just like a commercial kitchen sometimes.

But the pay is phenomenal!”

“Some of them are very nice; you are sort

of part of the family. Others are not so

great. I was at Aaron Spelling’s House (the

late Spelling was a billionaire TV producer,

married to Candy and their daughter is

Tori). I remember you would pull up to the

gate and they would run your license to

see if you really who you say you were.

Check your trunk; escort you into a tiny

room off the kitchen where you could

change – all the while with a camera on

you. Very, very uncomfortable. And they

don’t sit down as a family for dinner. Aaron

wanted a puree of soup with some toast

and a piece of rare meat. Tori wanted a

couple of burgers for her and her friends.

I did that once and Mr. Spelling said could

you come back next week and I said ‘not

on your life.’”

ASIA“In 2004, I took off to spend the better

part of a year travelling in Asia by myself.

I wanted to study the food and culture

of China, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos,

Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore.

I even did some cooking courses in

Bangkok, Lao Prabhang and Hanoi.

“ I got back to California in September of

2005 but I didn’t really want to go back

to Santa Barbara or L.A. so took on a

role as consulting chef at a the Domaine

Restaurant Group and opened Red Pearl

Kitchen San Diego, where he was able

to utilize his new found techniques he

acquired in Asia.

“I actually never made it to Indonesia

on my Asia jaunt,” says Shaheen. When

I started at Red Pearl Kitchen, I thought

every day about how I missed Asia – just

the whole way of life, the cultures, the non-

materialistic attitude (he obviously doesn’t

include Singapore and Shanghai....). I just

missed eating with friends in Thailand,

Vietnam and Laos. I was so impressed by

how down-to-earth they were.”

“So I actually put myself on the Net, giving

my CV and saying I wanted to move to Asia.

Long story in between – but here I am at

Breeze at The Samaya in beautiful Bali.”

So, has be brought Spago and a touch of

Beverly Hills to Bali?

“Yes, I have brought the freshness;

everything is done from scratch. Basically,

I have freshened up Breeze; I modernised

it from what they were doing. I am buying

produce from the smaller farms; actually

asking farmers to grow things for me,”

says Shaheen.

“I am using quite a lot of local ingredients

now and the menu can be influenced

by the local harvest. I like to think I am

giving them a simple, seasonal, and

uncomplicated new twist.”

“And, yes, I have encountered the problems

with consistency. So you have to adapt: I

don’t list every single ingredient on the menu.

For example, today I have the tenderloin

with baby mountain potatoes, some roasted

mushrooms, grilled red onion and a little

blue cheese. But if you order tomorrow

night, it might have baby turnips and baby

golf-ball carrots instead – because they were

available fresh.”

“Fortunately, Ray Clark (GM of The Samaya)

gives me free rein to buy the top ingredients

so I don’t have to skimp. They don’t skimp

anywhere else on the property so it would not

make sense to do it with the food.”

“And I have a great team and I am learning

quickly about Indonesian food. I may not

know how to do it yet but I certainly can tell

them if it tastes good or not and now they

are very keen to modernise it. To thicken

sauces with a roux, for example.”

“I am getting around tasting it outside the

restaurant as well. I love Bumbu Bali in

Nusa Dua – truly authentic. The problem

I find is that a lot of the warungs have

westernised their food to keep the tourists

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CHEF’S TALK

“And the team is working so well. The

guys know what I expect and that I won’t

let it go out of the kitchen if it is not

right. So rather than me having to trash

a dish, they do it right first time. They are

so keen and they love to learn. And my

technique is modern, different to many

of the classic hotel chefs’ style,” he says

rather derisively. Politically correct. I don’t

want that.”

It seems hard to imagine someone who

has been used to cooking for great

names in famous restaurants to arrive in

Bali. (Although Bali is becoming a place

more and more famous people choose

for a holiday). He waves happily towards

the beach at Breeze and exclaims: “Great

place to come to work every day, huh?”

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happy. They tone it down; I actually had

a mie goreng last week that had tomato

paste and ketchup in it and I thought what

the hell is this?”

“And l love the duck restaurants. This

last weekend I had an extra day off and

I took the motorbike up to Lovina and ate

in little roadside places and had great

bebek betutu and then some babi guleng

in Bedugal. I loved it all.”

“But I am here to work and my ambition

is to continue the upward momentum at

Breeze. Business has been great recently

(knock on wood). An average night is over

100 covers so it’s a great vibe. When

you are turning over dishes, it is fresh

ingredients constantly and I like to think

my menus are creative and contribute to

the development and enhancement of

healthy, clean, seasonal cuisine.”

CHEF’S TALK

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THE PINK ORCHID Named after the one of the worlds most illustrious diamonds, the

Pink Orchid Cocktail was a special treat for guests staying at the Hyatt

Regency London - The Churchill, which once again was the official hotel

partner for this years Coutts London Jewellery Week.

The Churchill teamed up with cult jewellery designers and taste formers

Wright & Teague to create the ultimate package for jewellery lovers

worldwide. Included in the exclusive packages, which included a stay

at the hotel with breakfast in the Montagu Restaurant, was a Jewellery

Cocktail in The Churchill Bar. If you missed out this June then be sure

to keep an eye out early next year to see what fabulous packages The

Churchill will be putting together for next years event.

LIQUID ASSETS

WAIPARA HILLS REAPS AWARDS The winemaking team at Waipara Hills is doing anything but resting on its laurels, despite the brand having picked up more than 300 awards since its first vintage in 2001. Waipara Hills includes the Soul of the South, Southern Cross Selection and Equinox labels, which reflect the wines’ grounding in the intense, complex climate of the South Island.

In 2008 the stand-out honours for Waipara Hills included a sought-after Blue-Gold at the Sydney International Wine Competition (for the flagship 2007 Waipara Hills Equinox Waipara Pinot Gris); a Gold and Best in Class at the International Wine and Spirit Competition – UK (for the reserve-tier 2007 Waipara Hills Southern Cross Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc); and further awards at the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards, the New Zealand International Wine Competition, and the AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge, among others.

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LIQUID ASSETS

SAINT CLAIR RATED TOP NZ WINERYSaint Clair has consolidated its rising reputation as New Zealand’s premier winery by topping the list of the New Zealand wine producers in the list of the world’s best 100 wineries.

The prestigious list, compiled by the World Association Wine and Spirit Writers and Journalists, placed Saint Clair at an astonishing number 66 internationally, extraordinary status for the New Zealand winery. This remarkable ranking is especially impressive when you consider that no other New Zealand winery made a mention in the top 100.

Saint Clair has long been regarded as producing some of New Zealand’s finest wines and this latest recognition supports previous top International accolades including the trophy to Saint Clair/Matt Thomson for White Winemaker of the Year at the London International Wine Challenge, September 2008 and the coveted trophy for Best New Zealand Wine Producer of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2005.

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GOING GREEN IN NZMarlborough winery Seresin Estate’s commitment to the environment has been recognised in the Marlborough Environment awards.The winery has been chosen as the 2009 winner in the Winegrowers category and honored for its commitment to true sustainability. One of the first to embrace organics in the region, Seresin grapes have been progressively registered as organic by BioGro since 1997.

Various environmental initiatives at the estate include fifty percent of the Seresin tractor fleet been run on biodiesel, staff using bicycles for transport around the property where possible and the development of a horse-drawn sprayer to replace work done by tractors.

Estate viticulturalist Colin Ross, says the power of one horse can accomplish the same work an 80 horsepower tractor can do. “Using horses results in less compaction of the soils in the vineyard, we emit less carbon and the horses can live off our own homegrown fuels such as grass and oats. We are also providing a home for retired trotters who would otherwise be culled.”

THE YEARLINGSRymill Coonawarra recently celebrated the launch of its new range; The Yearling Sauvignon Blanc and The Yearling Shiraz. The Yearling Sauvignon Blanc demonstrates a balance, texture and complexity that makes good the promise of the floral, lightly spiced nose. A zesty finish leaves echoes of citrus and tropical fruits, reinforcing the reputation of Sauvignon Blanc as Coonawarra’s outstanding white variety. The Yearling Shiraz is a gallant one-year old, presenting a vibrant nose of ripe berry fruits rounded out by more complex undertones of spice and toffee. These flavours carry through on the palate, enhanced by a fulfilling mouth feel and soft, round tannins.

The Yearling Shiraz and The Yearling Sauvignon Blanc are wines of great substance and style, reflecting the family owned wineries deep commitment to producing world-class wine from the soil of the renowned Coonawarra district. The wines are produced exclusively from estate grown grapes, and signal a vote of confidence in the future of family-owned wine and of the Coonawarra wine region.

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GALLERY

ABC = SHIRAZWine snobs in Australia used to have this catch cry ‘ABC’ (Anything But Chardonnay) in favour of Sauvignon Blanc and other white varietals, despite some excellent chardies being produced in the country.

Well, even that is old hat now because Shiraz is again Australia’s quaff of choice, the first time this has happened in three years.

The Winemakers’ Federation of Australia reports that Shiraz now accounts for 23.6% of the total crush, compared with chardonnay’s 23.4% - admittedly keeping it as the nation’s most popular white wine.

Incidentally, they are also reporting 7% drop in overall wine production due to drought, heat and shortage of water last season.

PLASTIC NOT FANTASTIC?Despite the convenience and green leanings (most completely recyclable), plastic wine bottles may not be good for high quality whites and reds.

The study actually came from a plastic bottle manufacturer called Portavin and found the major hiccup is in long-term storage.

They found that wine stored in glass and plastic for a short time tasted similar, but that it began to deteriorate after eight months or so.

Apparently the bottles, made from polyethylene terephthalate, allow air in to oxidize the wine.

Verdict: drink the wine within a year. No problem here in Indonesia; it is difficult enough to find wine in a glass bottle!

NAMING RITESInteresting news from wine makers in the New World. The Old World is getting antsy about the names they have adopted. Well, they were in Europe first – although people were very cagey about not mentioning Shiraz, which is in Iran…

In Australia, for example, the European wine producers are insisting that the words sherry and Tokay can no longer be used.

Instead, Australian sherry will be known as ``apera’’ and Tokay will be ``topaque’’.

The old names, which come from towns and regions, mostly in France and Spain, will be abolished, thanks to a parliamentary treaty with the European Union.

All economic, of course: the Australians will now be allowed to market their apera, topaque and other fortified wines in Europe.

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DEAR LITTLE LAMBOnce the food of the peasant and the worker in Australia, the humble lamb cutlet has now become a luxury item.

Butchers in Sydney are now charging some AUD44 (about Rp.362,000)for a kilogram of the delicacy. A notable comparison is the cost of a rock lobster at the fish market, coming over the counter at just AUD37 for one kilogram.

Experts are saying the price hike is due to a low Australian dollar prompting a strong export demand.

The Australian Meat & Livestock Association also attributes an image change for lamb with racks and shanks now popular choices at even the swankiest of restaurants.

ROBUCHON IN BALIOne of the most famous names in French gastronomy has shown up on the radar in Bali. Not Joel Robuchon himself but his nephew, Sebastien Robuchon who now heads the kitchen at the Pantai Lima Estate in Pererenan.

This Robuchon specialises in Provençal cooking and “cuisine actuelle” – as well as contemporary Asian fusion.

He did actually apprentice with his uncle and continues to keep a close relationship with the dishes that have made the Robuchon name famous. He comes to Bali after a stint in Montreal.

At his first banquet at Pantai Lima, Robuchon presented “purée de pommes de terre”, the mashed potatoes that are his uncle’s signature dish, much to the delight of his Hong Kong guests, who pronounced them every bit as delicious as those on the menu at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon at The Landmark in Hong Kong.

Ingredients2 Mars bars (or possibly 3 of the new ones) 150ml double cream vanilla ice cream

Method Chop the Mars bars and melt the pieces in the cream. Pour hot over the vanilla ice cream. The sauce will be slightly chunky.

REMEMBER TO EAT CURRY!This news from Britain where it is reported that eating curry once or twice a week could help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.

The American researcher says the vital ingredient is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric, already so common in Indonesian food. In technical terms, curcumin appears to prevent the spread of amyloid protein plaques (the nasty things thought to cause dementia) in the brain. Professor Murali Doraiswamy, of Duke University in North Carolina, said there was evidence that people who eat a curry meal two or three times a week have a lower risk of dementia but stressed that eating a curry could not counter-balance the increased risk of dementia associated with a poor diet and lack of exercise. Professor Doraiswamy predicted it might be possible to develop a curry pill which had the same therapeutic effect. Sort of takes the fun out of it, huh?

GALLERY

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MARS GETTING SMALLERNot the planet but possibly this planet’s most sought-after candy bar. This sad news from Australia (where it is the country’s biggest selling snack) will soon be 11.6% smaller. (Not sure how exactly you measure 11% but they will find a way…)

Confectioner Mars Australia will reduce the bar from 60g to 53g and, not only Mars: some 90 other chocolate products will also be reduced in size, the manufacturer quoting ‘health’ as the major reason.

Mars Snackfood Australia GM Peter West says the move was “a direct response to Australia’s obesity debate and the company’s bars had too many calories.”

The other significant factor will not alter. Mars Bars will still cost the same – AUD1.70.

In the interests of the many who are not affected by obesity, VIVA ASIA gives you a little snack hint where size does not matter. Not the deep fried version from England but a delicious ice cream dessert – and from no less a culinary luminary than Antony Worrall Thompson.

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GALLERY

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For the past ten years the Campari Calendar has been a central part of the Campari annual campaign. Campari celebrated 2009 with the beautiful images of the Club Campari Calendar, captured through the celebrated lenses of Mario Testino with the sensational Jessica Alba as this year’s star. With only 9,999 copies printed the Calendar is a much sort after item and to give you a taste of what the Calendar offered this year here are the images from August & September.

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GALLERY

August

Summer vacation brings feelings of longing, to enjoy being in company and to celebrate while sipping a fresh cocktail. There’s a party at Club Campari; laughter, chatters and jokes resonate. No one can resist the club’s fascinating protagonist, dressed in a curve-hugging white outfit. She cunningly masks her gaze behind a pair of large sunglasses.

September

Black shorts and a semi-transparent long-sleeved T-shirt are perfect for an early morning aperitif. In the game of “now you see me, now you don’t” and “hide and go seek”, the dance of seduction continues, expressing a feline and subtle characteristic even her most simple movements, like raising her arms to tie her hair.

RESTAURANT

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PER SE

RESTAURANT

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Per Se, Chef Thomas

Keller’s renowned New York

City restaurant, has recently

introduced the Salon Menu,

featuring an assortment of a

la carte dishes designed to be

served in the restaurant’s Salon.

Created in response to guests’

desire for a shorter dining

experience, the Salon Menu

provides a new means to enjoy the

innovative cuisine and celebrated

service standards that have made

Per Se one of the city’s most

treasured establishments. Offering

guests the option to create their

own menu selections of anywhere

from one to eight dishes, as well

as dine without a reservation, the

Salon Menu offers seating on a

first-come first-serve basis with

menu prices ranging from $12-$46

per dish, including service.

All Salon guests are

invited to enjoy various

amuse bouche, breads or

mignardises offerings paired

to complement their savory

or sweet menu selections

respectively. The Salon Menu

changes daily, with each

dish created from the finest

ingredients as per Keller ’s

philosophy of creating

unique and innovative flavor

combinations with distinct

attention to detail. Conceived

as an extension to the main

dining room, Salon guests

can expect the same award

winning service and cuisine

the restaurant is known for,

with dishes served according

to the guests’ desired

cadence and palette. The

restaurant ’s full wine and

cocktail offerings are also

featured in both the Salon

and at Per Se’s bar, with full

sommelier service available.

In the main dining room, Per Se

continues to offer two prix fixe

tasting options which change

daily; a nine-course Chef ’s

Tasting Menu and a nine-

course Tasting of Seasonal

Vegetables. A five-course

menu is also available during

weekend lunch service, offered

Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Per Se opened in February 2004

in the Time Warner Center

at Columbus Circle and has

brought Keller’s distinctive

hands-on approach from Napa

Valley ’s The French Laundry to

New York City. The restaurant

reflects Chef Keller’s culinary

vision, which touches not

only his cuisine, but extends

to presentation, mood and

surroundings. With striking

views of Columbus Circle and

Central Park, the restaurant is

a rare blend of open space and

easy intimacy; discreet drama

and understated luxury.

Per Se has consistently

received top accolades from

the global culinary community

and was most recently named

the highest rated restaurant

in America at Restaurant

Magazine’s prestigious 2009

S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best

Restaurants Awards. Per Se

has also been honored with

Three Stars from the renowned

Michelin Guide to New York

City; placing Chef Keller as the

only American chef to hold this

ranking for multiple outposts;

with The French Laundry

receiving the same honor.

Chef Keller “The Salon Menu allows our

guests to experience a meal at Per Se

without committing to the time of a full

tasting menu; it’s a new opportunity

for us to introduce another fine dining

experience to New York, while still

capturing the essence of our restaurant.”

Images - Deborah Jones

DESIGN

Frangipani

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DESIGN

The name comes simply from the huge frangipani tree that sits right in front of the building. You are in the Bukit Bintang area, in a city quarter that is renowned for its eateries (both street and smart) and its shopping.

You walk inside to be confronted with a marvellous design feast, chief features being the black pool in the middle of the dining room and the perforated stainless steel walls and soar towards a skylight.

This understated but dramatic style comes from architect Zaini Zainul of ZDR and has just been updated by Quirk & Albakri.

Frangipani is presided over by quirky chef Chris Bauer, whom you wi l l surely meet on his

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night ly round of the tables that are scattered around a black indoor pool.

The food is contemporary French and very good with Bauer offering a seasonal menu, often with some unusual flavour elaborations.

Upstairs is the űber popular Frangipani Bar where KL’s beautiful people gather for champagne or colourful cocktails to the house music that is mercifully muted while you dine downstairs.

A must-see and experience on your stay in Malaysia.

FEATURE

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Coff ee is part of Indonesian life but as an industry, it needs to be streamlined. One of the people helping to that end is Joseph Tarquinio who climbs mountains to meet small farmers, ensures a quality Arabica product, proper roasting and, fi nally, export. He does all this from Quintino’s, a small space in Jakarta that is part roasting house, part tasting room and part warehouse.

CENTRAL PERK

FEATURE

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Forgive the mention of the café from Friends but it sort of puts it in a nutshell: Indonesia’s coffee industry needs organising from a central point – and that is, naturally, Jakarta – where it all began.

The Dutch brought coffee to the East Indies in 1696. The Javanese capital of Batavia then soon became the major supplier of coffee to Europe – hence the generic name for coffee for 300 years: Java.

“Until about 1900, Java virtually controlled the coffee trade. If you go down to old Kota, you will still see a street called Jalan Kopi and the coffee was shipped down from the hills and through the canals of Batavia, transferred to Tanjung Priok and straight to Holland.”

“Everything was going swimmingly until just after the turn of the 20th century when a low level fungus basically wiped out the crop. This prompted them to look for a plant that was stronger which they fittingly named Robusta because it resisted disease. And that became the coffee that everyone brewed,” says Tarquinio.

TODAY“Today Indonesian coffee is renowned for its full body and low acidity - and the flavour is good too. This comes from soil type, altitude, processing, roasting and aging. Only Indonesia’s larger islands have the altitude for Arabica: Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, Flores and Papua,” he says.

“Indonesia is the world’s fourth largest producer of coffee with exports of 300,000 tons. Of this, some 75,000 tons is Arabica, the best coffee there is. And 90% of this Arabica is grown by small farmers on land of a hectare or even less. Nobody here

appreciates how good their coffee is. Papua produces the best you can get but it is very difficult to source. You virtually have to walk the Kokoda Trail to get it.”

“Indonesia is absolutely a viable coffee producing nation. Things are naturally concentrated on Robusta but Arabica is getting a lot more attention these days,” says Quintino. “We now roast it here in Jakarta because it was not being done properly. And we have no compunction in labelling it ‘the world’s finest Arabica.”

“Quintino’s specialises in sourcing the very finest quality Arabica beans from all over the country. And now we roast it in a unique lighter style to highlight the natural flavours. And we strictly forbid any roasting or flavour enhancers,” says Tarquinio.

“Our signature blend, Sumatran Mellow, is a soft, full-bodied and easy drinking coffee that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.”

“I should mention our packaging. This has been a lot of very hard work but we have now developed a packet that is safe, airtight and attractive. And you should note the little flap at the top; that is the carbon dioxide valve that lets the CO² out but no air in. If we did not have this, the packages would explode when the gas expands.”

THE Q BAGS“These are not your basic teabag or sachet. They are meant to be a replacement for instant coffee, specially designed to sit on the side of the cup and you simply pour hot water over it and it naturally drips through. You can then throw it away as solid rubbish. Because, as you know, coffee grinds are the arch enemy of drains. Nothing clogs them quicker,” says Tarquinio.

“We sell in packs of 50. It is real coffee, no additives (no chocolate, no caramel, no flavourings: they are for some of the big chains to disguise bad coffee. It is not an espresso but it is a lovely cup of light aromatic coffee and perfect for the morning,” he says. “And perfect for the hotel room where even five-star places are still offering that filthy instant rubbish!”

KOPI LIMA“Pardon the Indonesian pun but this is our version of the ubiquitous kaki lima, the difference being you can get a great cup of coffee and a snack – a sandwich or a pastry, whatever.”

“It has lights, it is refrigerated; it is the portable espresso bar you find in Rome. You walk in , stand up or sit on a stool. We are gradually moving into office buildings and other public spaces around Jakarta.”

“Now we are fully set up, we are about to launch the Quintino’s brand in two big supermarket chains. Our other focus is export and we have people marketing now in all the big coffee countries: Italy, Spain, France, Australia (well, Melbourne anyway) and we are trying to educate them in the United States as well.”

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Joseph Tarquinio is obviously passionate about fine Arabica coffee but it has not always been his business. The son of Italian immigrants to Melbourne, he is an engineer by trade and first came to Asia to supervise large building projects.

“I always wanted to come back to Asia; I wanted some adventure in my life. So, that is why I went into coffee. It is a lot of work, a lot of risk but I am loving it. In fact, I am just back from Lake Toba; what a beautiful place and we chanced on a lovely coffee plantation we are now doing business with.”

FEATURE

Things must be working because the President himself asked Quintino’s to make the coffee for his state guests during the Independence State dinner this year.

“It is all about quality, quality, quality,” says Tarquinio. “And to improve that idea, we have formed the Indonesian Specialty Coffee Association to establish standards and to help small farmers – very much like the wine industry. Another exciting development is the coffee auction next year where people from all over the world will bid on coffee from Indonesia.”

LUWAK“I think we have the only genuine Luwak Coffee in the world,” says Joseph Tarquinio. “Everybody talks luwak but I bet about 99% that you see advertised is not genuine. And it is only Robusta; ours is 100% Arabica.”

“I have seen these luwak (civet cats which eat and pass the coffee beans) living in the forest beside our plantations and they are all Arabica trees only. Ours comes in sachets in a box of two – with a certificate and a number of origin from Jamba in Java.”

IMAM BAYALDI

3 eggplants, halved lengthwise1 large onion, finely chopped½ cup olive oil2 cloves garlic, finely chopped4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped1 bay leafPinch cinnamon3T chopped parsleyS&PLemon juice

Scoop eggplant flesh, chop and lightly salt. Lightly salt shells and leave upside down 30mins. Rinse and dry. Preheat oven to 180º. Sauté onions, garlic, add other ingredients. Rinse and dry eggplant flesh, sauté and add to onion mixture. Season and brush with olive oil. Pack into a baking dish and pour enough water with the juice of 1 lemon to barely cover. Bake 30-45 minutes until soft. Serve at room temperature.

EASY BEEF STROGANOFF

1kg beef125g butter1 small onion, chopped250g mushrooms, sliced300ml sour creamSalt & Black Pepper

Everybody is in a hurry nowadays. Whether it be for work,

children or just trying to get through the traffic of Jakarta. The

solution (especially on staff-night off) is dinner in one single

pot. It sounds rather mundane – but it need never be so – it

can be attractive, tasty, healthy and, yes, even glamorous.

Best of all, though, it is easy!

Here are some of the best from Viva Asia (and, don’t forget, many

of them can be made ahead and frozen until you need them).

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FOOD

Pound the beef and cut into strips. Sauté the onions in the butter until soft and golden. Add the beef and cook quickly over higher heat for about 2 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Sweat the mushrooms in the pan (covered) and season. Return the meat to the pan and when all is hot again, stir in the sour cream. Serve with a salad, plain rice or boiled potatoes.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

6 chicken breasts1 chopped onion2 celery ribs, chopped1 carrot, chopped1 red pepper, sliced thinly22g chopped mushrooms1 garlic clove, minced (more if you like)ThymeRosemary3 plum tomatoes, diced or 1 can Roma tomatoes½ cup white wine1 cup stock

Brown the chicken in oil and set aside. Sauté vegetables until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in herbs, tomatoes and simmer for three minutes. Thicken with 1tbsp flour. Add stock, stir and reduce heat. Add chicken until cooked. Uncover for last 15 minutes of cooking.

ONE POTDINNERS

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ROMANIAN CHICKEN(This may sound like a lot of garlic, but it all cooks off to a delicious nutty flavour).4 Chicken thighsOlive oilFlour10-20 cloves garlic1 cup cold water1-2 tbsp vinegar4-6 peeled tomatoes, choppedSalt &Pepper2 tbsp creamParsley

Cut chicken into large chunks and sauté in olive oil. Remove and stir in flour; add garlic, water and vinegar. Re-add the chicken pieces, tomatoes and season. Simmer 30 minutes. Just before serving, add cream and parsley. Serve with potatoes and your favourite greens.

DON DENG1 kg rump steak3 cloves garlic, crushed1 cup stock2 tbsp dark plum jam2 tbsp peanut butterButter for frying2 chopped onions1 tsp chilli sauce1 tbsp grated lemon rindChopped almondsLemon juicePlain flour

Sauté onions and garlic in butter until golden. Dredge meat in flour and add to pan; cook until colour changes. Add all other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes until tender. Serve with plain boiled rice.

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FOOD

SPICY BEEF STEW

1kg stewing beef, cubed 4 medium potatoes, large dice 4 medium carrots, large dice 1 medium onion - chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cans tomato soup 2 soup cans water 1 cup red whine 2 tbsp flour Salt & Pepper 1 tsp paprika Pinch each of oregano, basil, thyme, sage & marjoram (or two or three tsp ‘Italian herb mix’ 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 bay leaves

Dredge the meat in the flour, salt and pepper. Brown in butter and oil mixture on all sides. Remove and keep it warm. Sauté the onions, green pepper and garlic (about 2 mins) then add the flour and cook slowly for 3-4 minutes longer. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until smooth. Re-add the beef and bring to a slow boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer; cook slowly for about 1½ hours, until meat is tender. Skim any scum from the top and check to stir occasionally so it does not burn.

Adjust seasoning; thicken, if you like with a little cornstarch dissolved in water or a finely mashed potato. Serve with buttered noodles, green beans and crusty bread

Roll beef cubes in flour, salt, paprika and pepper. Place in Crockpot (electric slow cooker) and combine with remaining ingredients.Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Remove bay leaves before serving.

HUNGARIAN GOULASH

750g beef (chuck or round) 1/4 cup olive oil Butter for frying 1/2 cup flour Salt & black pepper2 onions, sliced thinly 1 clove garlic, chopped fine 1 green pepper, diced 2 tbsp. flour

1/4 cup Hungarian paprika 1 bay leaf, small like the size of a quarter 2 tsp marjoram 1 cup dry white wine 2 tsp. sugar 1 litre hot beef stock 2 tbsp. tomato paste

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CUBAN CHICKEN AND YELLOW RICE

2 tbsp olive oil4 boned chicken thighs Salt & Pepper3 ½ cups hot water1 garlic clove, minced300g rice (cooked with saffron)500g frozen green peas2 roasted bell peppers, sliced

Brown chicken in oil, remove and season.Pour water into casserole, add garlic and bring to a boil. Add rice and lay chicken on top. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.Spoon peas on top, then add red peppers. Cover and cook just until peas are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Season and serve.

TUNA BAKE

1x425 g can tunabutter3 tbsp flour1¾ cups milk¼ cup dry sherry1 tsp French mustardsalt and pinch of cayennepinch nutmeg6 med sized mushrooms¼ cup chopped shallots2 tbsp chopped parsley½ cup fine dry breadcrumbsgrated tasty cheese

Stir flour into melted butter and slowly add the milk and stir until boiling. Stir in sherry, mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg, simmer 1 minute. Gently fry the mushrooms and shallots. Stir in tuna and parsley, spoon into a small shallow ovenproof dish. Spoon sauce over. Top with crumbs and a good sprinkling of cheese, then bake in moderate oven about 20 minutes or until top is golden brown.

FOOD

BEEF CASSEROLE WITH ORANGE AND WALNUTS1 kg good beef, trimmed and cubed3 tbsp oil1 tbsp butter10 shallots, peeled125 ml white wine60 ml orange juice250 ml rich beef stock1 orange, thick slices, then quartered1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped50 g walnuts, toastedbeurre manie (2 T flour and butter creamed together)

Heat butter and oil in heavy based pan and brown meat on all sides. Add shallots and sauté until lightly browned. Place meat and onions in casserole and add wine, orange juice, beef stock, orange pieces, rosemary and season. Place in 180º oven and cook about 1½ -2 hours, until tender. Stir in the beurre manie and bring to boil to thicken. Sprinkle with walnuts and garnish with orange zest.

MACARONI CHEESE(Anybody who has been to public schools will know this dish – and probably shudder at the memory... But this version is a taste treat)

8 tbsp butter6 slices white bread, crusts removed, cut into 3cm pieces5-½ cups milk½ cup all purpose flour½ tsp nutmegSalt & Pepper to tastePinch cayenne4 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar2 cups grated Gruyere or 1¼ cups Pecorino Romano1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked and rinsed under cold water

Heat oven to 190º. Butter a large flat casserole dish. Place the bread in a bowl and toss with melted butter. Set aside. Heat the milk over medium heat Melt rest of butter in a skillet, stir in flour and slowly stir in milk until it thickens. Remove pan from heat and stir in spices plus 3 cups cheddar and 1½ cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino. Set aside and stir in macaroni. Pour mixture into buttered casserole and sprinkle with remaining cheese(s). Top with bread and bake until brown on top, about 30 minutes.

(And this one with tomato):

SIMPLE MACARONI CHEESE

225g macaroni, cooked al dente1 ½ cups shredded tasty cheese2 cups milk3 tomatoes4 tbsp buttersalt & black pepper

Place a layer of the cooked macaroni in a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese, salt and pepper. Dot with butter. Repeat layering until ingredients are used up. Pour over the milk. Place a layer of sliced tomatoes on top. Dot with more butter and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

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63

SPAINA Culinary Road Trip

You can eat it as a tapa, fore breakfast, in a bocadillo (sandwich), or for dinner with salad and a bit of jamon. Basically: anytime, anywhere.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil625g waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced1 medium onion, thinly sliced8 extra-large eggsKosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the potatoes and onion, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat

Mario Batali is a foodie legend in America. He has two Spanish restaurants in New York, six Italian ones, plus three more restaurants in Las Vegas and two in Los Angeles.

In his introduction, he says that he has fondest memories of childhood years in Spain (his father worked for Boeing) and “my truest roots in the world of food are still deep within the heart of Castile, where my family travelled simply but comfortably, with a constant eye on the best place for a tortilla Española (the famous potato omelette) or a pincho morune (a small skewer loaded with paprika marinated meat), We dined

if necessary so that the vegetables do not brown, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. 15-20 mins.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs with salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Add the potatoes to the eggs, then pour into the skillet, spreading the potatoes evenly in the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, just to set the bottom of the egg mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes or until almost set throughout. Carefully fl ip the tortilla over and cook for 5 minutes longer, until set. Flip onto a clean plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Serves 4-6 as a tapa or appetizer).

TORTILLA ESPANOLA

everywhere and anywhere.”

Since then, Batali has authored many books before this one, which was also being shot as a television food and travel show. The road trip takes us to every corner of Spain, including Mallorca.

Everybody is asking how Gwyneth Paltrow became involved. Simple, she and Batali were tablemates at a dinner in New York and she said she would love to participate. (She also spent time in Spain as a kid and speaks perfect Castilian). So, along with producer Charlie

Pinsky, Mark Bittman from The New York Times and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols, they hit the road.

The result is a wonderful book, full of insight into the produce, cooking, wine culture of Spain. There are also explanations of culinary things unique to Spain, wonderful snippets of history from each place. You will also share some funny stories and meet some great personalities. And the recipes are great, some take some time; others are dead easy. Here are a couple of classics.

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BY THE BOOK

BY THE BOOK

QUEIMADA

This is a traditional Galician punch made from potent orujo (a sort of grappa made from the leftovers (skin, branches and seeds) of the winemaking process)), sugar, lemon and coffee. (Try substituting a good Balinese arak for the orujo.)

4 cups orujo1/2 cup sugarpeel of 1 lemon, cut into strips1/4 cup coffee beans

Put all the ingredients in an earthenware bowl. Using a long match, set the orujo on fi re and stir for about 10 minutes until the fl ames die down. Serve in small clay cups.

Says Mario: “This is one of the easiest ways to prepare mushrooms but it is also decadent and impressive. The Basque Country is known for its mushrooms and you fin this dish in pintxos bars all around the region.”

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil500g porcini or mixed wild mushrooms, cut into 1/8 inch slices1 garlic clove, minced4 large eggs2 tbsps fi nely chopped Italian parsleysalt and black pepper

Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes or until beginning to

MUSHROOMS WITH EGG YOLKS

soften. Add the garlic and cook for 3-5 minuted or until the mushrooms are nicely browned and softened. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Fry the eggs, sunny-side up, in the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large non-stick skillet until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Transfer to a cutting board and cut away the whites from the yolks (discard the whites).

Spoon the mushrooms onto four plates and sprinkle with the parsley, salt and pepper. Make a little space in the centre of each portion and nest the yolk into the mushrooms. As you eat, mix the yolk with the hot mushrooms to create a rich, silky sauce. (Serves 4)

Says Batali: “This may seem like a throwaway recipe but follow the ingredients list and steps exactly and you will wonder why you have all those celebrity chef cookbooks in your kitchen.”

1/4 cup olive oil500g stale bread, crusts removed andcut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)8 garlic cloves, fi nely minced1 tsp hot pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)Salt8 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or

SOPA DE AJO (Garlic Soup)

water6 poached eggs

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bread and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, pimentón and a good pinch of salt. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until very fragrant. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the bread is very soft. Taste and add salt if necessary. Lade the soup into six bowls, put a poached egg into each and serve.

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You can buy molasses at Bali Deli or specialty food stores – it is a concentrated syrup made from sugar but no sweet.

1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and cubedGrated zest of 1 lime3 tbsp molasses

Put the pineapple on a plate, sprinkle it with the zest and drizzle with the molasses.

PINEAPPLE WITH LIME & MOLASSES

Literally ‘bull’s tail’ but this is the Spanish version of sup buntut so you can substitute oxtail.

125g slab bacon, cut into small cubes850g oxtails, cut into 2-inch pieces1 large Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice3 carrots, diced3 stalks celery, thinly sliced5 sprigs thyme5 garlic cloves, crushed and peeledSalt & black pepper

1 cup dry white wine1x440g can whole peeled tomatoes1 bay leaf

Cook the bacon in large pot over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate. Add the oxtails to the fat remaining in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes, until well browned all over. Transfer the oxtails to a tray and add the onion, carrots, celery, thyme and garlic to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and cook for

about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are beginning to soften. Add the wine and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Return the oxtails and bacon to the pot, then add the tomatoes, breaking them up with your hands as you do so, along with their juices and the bay leaf.

Cover the pot, transfer to a 150º oven and cook for 1 hour. Add a bit of water to the pot if it seems dry, cover and cook another hour or until the meat is falling-apart tender. (Serves 6)

RABO DE TORO

Conversation jotted down when Mark Bittman was at the Alhambra with Gwyneth Paltrow who says she loves Mario’s cook books and also those from the River Café in London)

Mark: “I always say there are four stages of learning how to cook. The fi rst is you slavishly follow recipes; the second is you look through cookbooks, compare recipes, and pick one that makes sense to you; the third is you look at a bunch of recipes, then you walk away and cook something based on them but loosely; and the four is you don’t think about recipes at all, you just take the ingredients and start cooking. The fourth is really liberating. You just look in the refrigerator or market and start cooking.”

BAKED APPLES (From Oviedo)

6 crisp apples2 tbsp sugar1/2 cup cider

Core, but do not peel, the apples and put in a shallow baking tray. Sprinkle with the sugar and cider. Bake in a 190º oven for about 1 hour or until very soft. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold.

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BY THE BOOK

Salmon tartar with rösti

Salmon tartarIngredients based on 10 people:500g fresh salmon filet (skinned and boned)60 g chives2 tspn capersOlive oilSalt, freshly-ground pepper

Method:Cut the salmon into a fine dice. Chop the chives and mix with the salmon, add the capers, lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

RöstiIngredients based on 10 people:800 g pre boiled potatoes100 g onionsNutmegSalt, freshly-ground pepper

CHEFS CORNER

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CHILD’S PLAY

Salmon tartar with röstSalmon tartar

Method:Peel the potatoes and cut into fine long stripes add the finely chopped onions and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Then bake nice small “Rösti” in the multibaker* under the “roast & fried potatoes” process. Use the setting brown three and small.

Dill sauceIngredients based on 10 people300g crème fraicheFresh dillJuice of ½ lemonSalt, freshly-ground pepper

Method:Chopped the dill and mix with crème fraiche. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper

Ok so preparing a four course meal for 200 people is not really child’s play; even to the most experienced of chefs. However, for chefs who are fortunate enough to have a Rational SelfCooking Center in their kitchen; the cooking experience is certainly quicker, easier and less staff intensive.

Chefs in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, fast-food outlets, airline caterers, cruise ships, and food manufactures are putting the Rational SelfCooking Center to good use; whether it be preparing a boardroom lunch for 30 or a wedding party for a 1,000.

In this edition we feature the preparation and method for a four course dinner using the Rational SelfCooking Center .

Method:Clean the saddle of lamb and cut into roughly 90g portions. Chop the herbs and mix with the breadcrumbs and egg. Cover the meat with the mixture and brush with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, place on a roasting and baking tray*, and roast under the process:- pan fried meat using the core probe with setting - browning three and core temperature 48°C.

Sweet pepper and potato gratinIngredients based on 10 people:1000 g pre boiled potatoes500 ml single cream300 g red pepperGarlicSalt, freshly-ground pepper

Method:Peel potatoes and cut into slices. Dice the peppers and mix with the potato slices. Place in a granite enamelled container*. Season the cream with salt, pepper and chopped garlic and pour over the potatoes. Select the process “au gratin potatoes” and the setting – browning three. Load the gratin after preheating and place the core probe with help of the positioning aid in the gratin.

Classic Creme Brulée

Ingredients based on 10 people400g Sugar16 Egg yolks1 l Double cream2 Vanilla podsBrown sugar

Method:Boil the cream, sugar and vanilla pod together and let cool. Beat the egg yolks and then add to the mix. Divide equally in 10 portion forms, on a granite enamelled container*, and cook with the “Egg custard” process with the setting “quick” and “large”. After cooking, cool completely before sprinkling with brown sugar and caramelising them with a burner or under the grill.

* accessories from Rational

Asian prawns on mango carpaccio

Ingredients based on 10 people:20 prawns3 ripe mangos4 limesSesame oilKetjap asinKetjap manisGingerGarlicFresh Coriander

Method:Clean the prawns, then marinate them in the ketjap asin, ketjap manis, ginger, sesame oil and a little lime juice. Peel the mangos and remove the stone. Cut the mango in very thin slices and arrange on the plates. Grill the prawns on a roasting and baking tray* with the process “fish – finger food” browning two for two minutes. Arrange on the plates and decorate with some fresh coriander

Saddle of lamb with a herb crust and a sweet pepper and potato gratin

Saddle of lambIngredients based on 10 people:1800 g saddle of lamb, bonedRosemary, thyme, breadcrumbsOlive oil 1 eggSalt, freshly-ground pepper

CHEFS CORNER

71

Asian prawns on mango carpaccio

Classic Creme Brulée

Saddle of lamb with a herb crust and a sweet pepper and potato gratin

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Millie Chan Sales Director, Asia Pacific

Rational international AG Mobile: +65 9770 9820Email: m.chan@rational-international.com

ICON CHEFGALLERYDo

Formerly one of the hotel’s ‘imperial villas,’ a complete renovation has made the new Jivana Villa into a grand, self-contained house that has all the privacy that implies, along with all the services offered by the 5-star hotel.

‘Jivana’ is Sanskrit for ‘life or existence’ – and the hotel is hoping this will mean much more: a life of luxury, privacy and pampering as part of a holiday or business trip.

The new villa has own private access driveway and when you arrive, you are met by the marble inlaid entrance walkway that takes you over a pond and into the cool foyer. There is an atmosphere of serenity as your eye catches the elegant chandeliers, cream-coloured sofas, a grand piano, the full-length windows with diaphanous drapes that give on to the terraces and pool areas – and even the aquaria filled with vivid tropical fish.

An intricate stairway leads you to the upper storey of the villa where there are two large bedrooms (master suite and guest bedroom) and terraces that give you a wonderful view of the InterContinental’s gardens, the white-sand beach and Jimbaran Bay beyond.

There is a separate dining room that faces the pool and an ornamental water-wall that will seat 10 guests in comfort. (Naturally, it has its own kitchen and wine cellar).

InterContinental Bali Launches Jivana Villa

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GALLERY

Outdoors, there is a beautiful tropical garden (again completely private) and a very large pool which contours all around the villa and its terraces.

If you want to go to the beach, incidentally, private chairs are set up with a large umbrella, well away from other guests at the resort.

There is a balé (for relaxing or massage), a Jacuzzi and Jivana’s showpiece Windsong Pavilion. You can reach this directly from the upper floor or by a stairway from the pool level. It has breezy ocean views and you can use it for a romantic dinner or simply a relaxed lounging area.

Naturally, there is complete security (for VIP guests) and complete butler, chef and general staff service. The hotel also offers Club InterContinental immigration and customs services at the airport, limousine transfers and there is also a helipad.

And when you tire (an unlikely eventuality) of all this luxurious privacy, it is a short walk to the main resort area with its boutiques, 24-hour gym, spa, Club Lounge and fine restaurants.

w w w. b a l i . i n t e r c o n t i n e n t a l . c o m

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TRAVEL

We thought we would take a break from our Mixology

section in this edition of Viva Asia Travel & Food. The

Mixology section has generated tremendous feedback,

both for the cocktail recipes and also the stunning

photography. In this edition we take a food & beverage

photo tour with images from a selection of Langham Hotels

that we are sure will whet your appetite for travel.

Breakfast in Bed

The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa, Pasadena1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue,Pasadena, United States

www.pasadena.langhamhotels.com

TRAVEL

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The Langham, MelbourneOne Soutgate Avenue, Southbank,Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

www.melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au

Melba Sweets Display

78

TRAVEL

Saturday Chocolate Bar

The Langham, Boston250 Franklin Street,Boston, United States

www.boston.langhamhotels.com

TRAVEL

79

The Langham, London1C Portland Place, Regent Street,London, United Kingdom

www.london.langhamhotels.co.uk

Cocktail at ArtisanBuffet

of Royal Kamuela Villas Nusa Dua

WHERE IN THE WORLD ?

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Moet Hennessy Asia Pacific Indonesia Representative OfficeSentra Mulia Building suite 708Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav X-6. No. 8Jakarta 12940Phone: +62 21 5279228

In each edition of Viva Asia we feature a photograph from a hospitality establishment somewhere in the world. Take a close look at the artists rendering above and then answer the question below.

The much anticipated re-opening of one of Jakarta’s favourite hotels is only a matter of weeks away. The hotel will have 272 spacious and wonderfully appointed rooms and suites, and an inspiring range of dining experiences from Asian cuisine to European dining. The question is “If you had just finished a glass of Hennessy in the MO Bar and were heading back to your guest room pictured above; which Jakarta landmark hotel would you be staying in?”