Chef Magazine Thailand English Language by Chef Magazine

250 THAI BAHT (THB) | ISSUE TWO

DOES MICHELIN MATTER ANYMORE?

WHERE ARE ALL

THE WOMEN?

163/31,33,35 Moobaan Napalai Sanphawut Rd, Bangna Trad, Bangkok, Thailand 10260 T. +66(0)2-399-4558-9, M. +66(0)93-6262-456 email: info.tpngroup@gmail.com

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MAGAZINE

PUBLISHED BY Chef Media United Kingdom PUBLISHER Peter Marshall peter@chefmedia.co.uk Tel: 0044 0207 0971396 EDITOR Nan Tohchoodee nan@chefmedia.co.uk GENERAL MANAGER Matthew Telling matthew@chefmedia.co.uk WRITERS Nan Tohchoodee Andy Lynes Josh Simms Jean Smullen Emma Thomas DESIGNER Kristina Shcherba Copyright Chef Media United Kingdom Website www.chefthailandmagazine.com Chef Magazine is published in Thailand for the professional Chef. Published 6 times a year and available in both electronic and printed format. Please contact www.chefthailandmagazine.com for further details.

Welcome to the SECOND issue! Greetings from “The Land of Smiles”. With the successful first issue of Chefs Magazine Thailand out of the way, which we are grateful for the support of readers and participants, we are pleased to release the second issue. In this issue we have an in depth interview with one of the rising local culinary stars, Khun Rin or Rossarin Sripathum Chef de Cuisine of Celadon and Thai Chef of The Sukhothai Bangkok. She is the third Chef of Celedon in the restaurants 27 year history, she has assumed a legacy that has taken the restaurant to the pinnacle of Thai cuisine in the past. Her style of cuisine, preserving history and recipes is now driving the restaurant into the future. Women in the kitchen article includes interviews and thoughts with three acclaimed international chefs. Thailand is steeped in great chefs cooking great food and this is very much a credit to the driving force of women in many hotels and restaurant kitchens. With the Michelin Guide and San Pellegrino, this is reflected but still not on an equal footing. How is the imbalance balanced? Irishman Stuart Daily is a well-known figure in the golf industry especially in Thailand where he manages the acclaimed Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin. Previously he was Executive Chef with Hilton Hotel Company and he talks about how he has used his management techniques learnt in the kitchen and adapted them to a completely new environment of the golf industry. Mangoes are my favourite fruit and also one of the benefits of living in Thailand. Having grown up in Australia I loved eating the Bowen Mangoes and in Southern China they fell off the trees in the mornings and I ate them as part of my breakfast. We have another perspective of mangoes from the other side of the world from the West Indies island of Nevis. In the kitchen features Thermomix. Where would we be without it!!! There is a lot of debate around the world at the moment as to the relevance of the Michelin Guide. Many chefs are handing the stars back and there is also the competition from other guides. Is it still relevant? I know from my own experience, the new markets Michelin is entering into it is having a huge impact with business being driven into the restaurants and hotels. Many consultants have being hired and on the 14th November the latest Thai edition will be released. Ever wondered what it’s like to open a high end luxury hotel and the internal and external expectations that come with it. With firsthand experience ill guide you through the anticipate opening of Capella Bangkok and the excitement of creating a rooms and food and beverage experience that has to make an instant impact on the market. Exciting times ahead. There is a real culinary buzz around the city about the restaurants and chefs with new concepts and the continued emergence of local sustainable Thai ingredients. More and more local culinary stars are coming to the forefront which only breeds excitement. Also there are plenty of recipes that feature throughout the magazine. Culinary Regards, Antony Scholtmeyer

"At THAAN, our passion is to cook over the charcoal grill, the finest hand-selected local produce, sourced from the boutique farms of Korat, Surin, Surat Thani, and many others."

"This place won't remain a secret for long. This is a serious restaurant that knows how to cook beef. The aged beef is cooked to perfection." TRIP ADVISOR 20 May 2018 Auckland Central, New Zealand

KITCHEN EQUALITY INDUSTRY TOPIC

SCHOLTMEYER 26

STUART DALY FRONT OF HOUSE

TALK TO THE CHEF

ANTONY

GUIDES INDUSTRY TOPIC

ROSSARIN “RIN” SRIPATHUM

TALK TO THE CHEF

EVASON SCHOOL TRAINING

INGREDIENT

HONEY MANGO

RECIPE

MUSHROOMS STIR FRY WITH CASHEW 46

MANGO MANGO 58

SAUVIGNON BLANC FRONT OF HOUSE

60 5

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THE EDITORIAL BOARD CHEF THAILAND MAGAZINE

From left to right Antony Scholtmeyer, Pierre Andre Haus, Pisit Jinopong, Arnaud Dunand Sauthier, Laurent Ganguillet, Thitid Tassanakajohn, Greg Meadows ANTONY SCHOLTMEYER Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Anthony has worked his way up from his first apprenticeship in his father’s restaurant at only sixteen years of age and has continued this journey as a Chef ever since. He has just taken up the role of Executive Chef at Capella Bangkok, a pre-opening luxury hotel on the Chao Praya river. Antony was previously the Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine at Okura Prestige where he received One Michelin Star for Elements restaurant where he conceived and implemented the concept of French Cuisine with Japanese influences.

overseas such as the Myanmar, Singapore, Hong Kong, PRC Macau and Maldives Island.

an early age my decision to become a pastry chef and my curiosity and love for travel pushed me to join the hotel world!

His various positions have included Executive sous chef, Chef de Cuisine and now Executive chef of Anantara Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai. His culinary experiences are not only in daily operation but also taking part in Bangkok Chef Charities and guest chef for many luxury hotels in Europe and also part of Thai chef association.

Originally graduating as a patissier - confiseur - glacier and later as a baker in my home town of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, my first job took me to the Swiss mountain resort of Gstaad where cir-cumstances enabled me to join a hotel kitchen. After working a few years in the position of Pastry Chef at the world famous Gstaad Palace Hotel iand after a stint in the Channel Islands curiosity took me to Ryadh, Saudi Arabia. At the RyadhI began to understand the commitment and hard working ethic of chefs from Asia which encouraged me to join the newly opened Shangri-la Bangkok. 4 years later, my career took a decisive turn when I jumped on the opportunity to join The Sukhothai Bangkok as part of the pre-opening team. That was 27 years ago, the rest is history…

PIERRE ANDRE HAUS Chef Pierre-andré Hauss was previously at Grand Millennium Sukhumvit, Bangkok Thailand and Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, Thailand as Executive Chef and is now responsible for Western food production and food presentation for Thai airlines.

ARNAUD DUNAND SAUTHIER Chef Arnaud has over 15 years of experience in fine dining, and having worked with the most res-pected culinary extraordinaires worldwide, including Guy Martin; Marc Veyrat in L’Auberge de L’Eridan; and Emile Jung at Crocodile. He also spent three years at Maison Lameloise in Bour-gogne before venturing to Le Crillon in Paris under the leadership of Jean-Francois Piège. Now aged 35, Chef Arnaud is delighted to share his culinary passion with Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, In December 2017, Le Normandie was awarded 2 stars the inaugural edition of the prestigious Mi-chelin Guide for Bangkok, in addition to the annual inclusion in Les Grande Tables du Monde guide - the only listed French restaurant in Thailand.

PISIT JINOPONG Chef Pisit‘s much in demand culinary skills and creativity, both Asian and Western, comes from his 26 years of experience at five luxury star hotels and resorts around Thailand and

LAURENT GANGUILLET My thoughts as an eight year old kid given a box of pastries on an hospital bed "this is so good, I have to learn how it is done", as well as my Mom's delightful baking, catalysed at

Prior to this Antony was Executive Chef at The Sukhothai Bangkok as well as InterContinental Hotels in China and Penha Longa Hotel just outside of Lisbon, Portugal, a Ritz Carlton managed hotel.

THITID TASSANAKAJOHN Growing up surrounded by delicious home-cooked meals, have contributed largely to his passion in cooking. Upon the completion of his Economics degree from Chulalongkorn University, he took off to USA to pursuit his dream at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA). The top-score graduate continued to receive an MBA in Hospitality from Johnson & Wales University. During his time in New York, Thitid worked at several Michelin-

starred restaurants, including Eleven Madison Park, The Modern and Jean Georges. Not only does he have a passion for food, but his enthusiasm in wine also led him to become a Certified Sommelier (CS) from the respect Court of Master Sommelier. His experiences and vision have driven him to elevate Thai cuisine and give it a stand among world’s leading cuisines. Now the rising young chef is running one of the most exciting kitchens in Bangkok, Le Du (14 in Asia’50 Best Restaurants 2018 and 7 in Top Table2018), as well as always as reliable comfort Thai food at Baan. GREG MEADOWS South African born he began his career at the Savoy in London before moving onto The Beau Ri-vage in Lusanne and after a time at the Grosvenor House in London Greg was presented with the opportunity to move to Bangkok to work at the fabled Oriental Hotel under the supervision of the legendary Kurt Wachtveitl Later he moved onto Antigua and then Hongkong to manage the St James’s Club in Antigua and Hongkong Club in Hongkong. After opening the Conrad in Hongkong he joined The Sukhothai as GM and afterwards opened Conrad in Thailand before re-joining the Sukhothai in Bangkok Greg hopes that throughout his career that he has managed to inspire people to be passionate about hotel keeping and he believes in mentorship and is fortunate to have had many mentors to contribute to his success Now teaching students all over the world about hotel management in todays ever changing world drawing on his life experiences.

NAN TOHCH My passion for food and cooking stem from helping out in the kitchen of my Chinese grandmother and my Northern Thai mother, combine with living between Philadelphia and New York for almost 10 years and got to experiences so many amazing foods and cultures. For me, food transcend all of our differences and become a medium that has brought us all together. The history, the technique, the ingredients, everything about food sparks my curiosities and creativity. Having worked in lifestyle publication for 6 years, I am now very honored to be contributing for Chef Magazine Thailand as a Columnist/Editor. I’m very inspired by all the talented chefs and producers who has created amazing works and looking forward to learn more about the culinary world going forward!

Greg and his partners have also launched SilverForce Hospitality, a hospitality solutions company www.silverforcehospitality.com

T. +66 2090 2808

Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan, Khlong

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Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Email: admission@culineur.net 9

INDUSTRY TOPIC

KITCHEN EQUALITY Words: Jo Lamari

THE INVISIBLE CHEFS

WHERE ARE ALL

THE WOMEN?

“

FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, I’VE BEEN ASKED ‘WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A FEMALE CHEF?’ TO WHICH I REPLY, “I’M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BECAUSE I’VE NEVER BEEN A MALE CHEF." Clare Smyth

This year’s San Pellegrino World’s Top 50 featured the usual dearth of stellar female chefs, from three last year to five (or only two if you discount the restaurants with male co-chefs) – Central by Pia Leon and Virgilio Martinez, Arzak by Elena and Juan Mari Arzak, Hisa Franko by Ana Ros, Cosme by Daniela Soto-Innes and Enrique Olvera and Nahm by Pim Techamuanvivit. Yet, despite holding Michelin stars, these women are, at best, given accolades such as ‘world’s best female chef’. Of 172 UK restaurants with a Michelin star, only ten have a female head chef…and, since the launch of the Michelin Guide, only 20 female chefs have received two or three stars. But why is there such scant recognition of the women at the top of the culinary ladder? French-born, San Francisco-based Dominique Crenn [the first female US chef to gain two Michelin stars, in 2012] was named ‘world’s best female chef’ in 2016 and says: “There’s a huge imbalance that is not shifting quickly enough.” In Crenn’s eyes, that extra word – female – was unnecessary and irrelevant. "They say this to give females a voice, but we have a voice. We're already here. We've been here.” Clare Smyth concurs: “For the last 10 years, I’ve been asked ‘What is it like to be a female chef?’ to which I reply, “I’m not sure what you mean because I’ve never been a male chef.” Despite around half of all catering students being women, only 4.7% of chefs in 12

the United States are female; 20% in the United Kingdom. One reason could be that women are kept under the radar with only a handful of ‘visible’ role models. Other popular theories are that working in a professional kitchen isn’t conducive to raising a family; or that kitchens are intimidating and unwelcoming, run by testosterone-fuelled male egos that prefer to keep things that way. Another explanation lies in the fact that backers of restaurants favour men over women. But it’s not all bleak. Journalist Maria Canabal is the force behind the annual Parabere Forum, working to make the voice of women in the industry better heard. She says: “We believe that there are three ingredients to empower women: training, mentorship and role models.” One guiding light is Mette Solberg, now head chef at Noma 2 where René Redzepi actively pursues a 50:50 gender ratio. He says: “We’ve even considered only opening for lunch to make our working conditions more supportive of combining restaurant and family life. With more women, we feel a tangible change in the dynamics of the kitchen, a better spirit.” Angela Hartnett supports this climate of positive change and claims the industry is improving conditions all the time: she has three female head chefs in her five restaurants and believes hospitality is not isolated in its gender-imbalanced staffing. “I find it bizarre that it always comes up, as I don’t think catering is the only industry where there are fewer women.”

WE ASKED THREE LEADING FEMALE CHEFS FOR THEIR VIEWS. →

ANNE-SOPHIE PIC LA DAME DE PIC, FOUR SEASONS HOTEL TEN TRINITY SQUARE, LONDON

Last year, Anne-Sophie Pic launched her first London restaurant. She is only the fourth woman ever to win three Michelin stars [for Maison Pic, in SW France].

Anne-Sophie works using her intuition and emotion – traits often associated more with women than men. So does this inform her success as a female chef in a maledominated world? “I am always wondering about whether my style of cooking is particularly ‘female’. If using emotion and intuition is a feminine trait, then yes, in some way this makes my culinary identity unique. I am looking for aromatic complexity and powerful flavours but I received no formal training as a chef so at first my approach was based on intuition.

the kitchen and understand the skills that they bring.

“Although it’s a competitive industry whether you are male or female, women do have to fight harder to be recognised – it took a long time to be recognised by my peers in the industry. In addition, the balance between professional and personal life may be more difficult to find for women, especially when they have children, due to the hours we work as chefs so many people decide that it is not compatible with raising a family.

“I believe in the strength of having a balanced team. Men and women bring different skills and I am proud to have a fairly even split in my restaurants (approx 49% female to 51% male). I’ve noticed that women bring more emotion and sensitivity to the kitchen and I think this comes across in their cooking. They also bring quietness and precision.

The traditional all-male macho kitchen has been seen as off-putting to women too, but Anne-Sophie feels that this is changing. “When I was starting out, I didn't feel welcome in the kitchen. But men are now much more accepting of women in 14

“Women have to make certain sacrifices to succeed. It can be a question of family but also of the environment they grew up in or the places they have worked. I am lucky to have grown up and worked in a family restaurant environment – I had my own personal challenges and had to gain the respect of a lot of chefs who had worked for my father for many years.

“If I had to give a young female chef advice, I would tell her to believe in herself, follow her dreams and intuition and keep her feminine identity! One thing that would help is for mentoring to show young women that it is possible to succeed and that kitchens are not run in a stereotypical way any more.”

AMANDA COHEN DIRT CANDY, NEW YORK

A Canadian living and cooking in New York for more than 20 years, Amanda runs award-winning Dirt Candy. She describes it as “a lab where I push vegetables further than they’ve gone before.”

“The lack of women at the top is a vicious circle. It starts with how little press and awards are given to female chefs, which makes them worse bets for highend investors, which means they usually run smaller restaurants, which don’t get press, awards and so on. Women are second-class citizens in the restaurant world. Until the playing field is financially level, there will never be safe places, because we will never be able to control our own futures. The odds are against us getting the award that drives business into our dining rooms. We are statistically less likely to get the review that makes all the difference.” It’s often said that women choose not to work in professional kitchens if they want to have a family life. Amanda acknowledges that “restaurants need to deal with maternity leave if we want people to a) keep having babies, and b) keep having jobs,” but rejects the idea that a male kitchen is anathema to women. “In terms of, do they give you an Edible Arrangement when you show up in the kitchen? No, but that’s just chefs — we’re all misanthropes with too much aggression and testosterone.

Amanda believes that hard work reaps rewards. “Of course we have to work harder than men, but if you want to be a good chef, you have to work harder than other chefs, male or female. My advice for all chefs is to get a job on the busiest, toughest line you can find. Stay there for a year. That’s the way you get rock-solid technique.” At Dirt Candy, most of Amanda’s staff are female, both front and back of house. “It’s been that way for ten years so has more to do with me and less to do with a current headline. In terms of women feeling empowered to apply for jobs in the kitchen, no, I find it just as hard to find young, good chefs as ever. “Spend at least a year at every job, unless it’s physically abusive or gruesomely sexist. No matter what you think, it takes a year to really learn the skills at a job, get good at them, and truly absorb them. It may sound like a long time, but it’s not. It may sound hard, and it is. But that’ll be the foundation that lets you cut through this profession like a hot knife.” 17

BONGKOCH “BEE” SATONGUN PASTE BANGKOK THAI CUISINE, BANGKOK

“While it’s true that some kitchens are unwelcoming towards women, at Paste we don’t have tolerance for flagrant aggression, gender-based or otherwise. When we associate with other chefs, we are always the most interested in those who have also worked hard on providing a supportive work environment, while maintaining high standards of service, technique and creativity. Our staff is 60% female – but, male or female, every member has their job because of skill, proven loyalty, willingness to learn and work ethic. Thailand may often be seen as a male-dominated culture, but Bee says that in Asia women are said to possess a more refined palate, a clearer sense of taste and perhaps of smell. “There are not many Thai fine dining chefs at present – it’s a fairly new concept – but there is quite a movement to try and bring the female energy back into Thai cuisine. Our intention is to support talented young chefs the best we can, whether male, female, transgender or other. It might seem like 18

a trite commitment, but I can assure you that it is not. “If the environment in your workplace is hostile, if it is slowly (or quickly) destroying your life and fostering unhealthy behaviours, then it doesn't matter what your gender is – it's simply not worth the sacrifice. Craft and consistency are all-important, but they are little good if your spirit is crushed.” “We are now seeing a lot of progression worldwide. The days of aggressive, screaming chefs hurling insults at their staff, driving them to tears and nervous breakdowns are finished. Competition and awareness have grown and there are more and more female chefs building and running successful restaurants. Digital media has helped to provide a platform and a voice, so attention can more easily be drawn to gross violations of conduct which might have been hidden away in the past. In the end, if you are the underdog, whether because of race, economic position, or gender, it does

push you to sharpen your focus to a fine point, to be more refined in your approach, and more aware of what really matters. Interestingly, Bee’s reaction to being voted Asia’s best female chef is different from that of some of her sisters in the West. “I choose not to focus on the label or title but instead what we can do to raise the perception and appreciation of Thai food. I was not expecting this award at all so it came as a tremendous shock. But I’m very happy with the exposure it gives Thai cuisine, my home country and female chefs around the world. I understand some people’s reaction that “Best Female Chef” should just be “Best Chef”. But the fact is, in our part of the world, things move slowly, and changes comes more slowly than the west. Each step forward is a step forward and we are very very excited about the future of Paste, of Thai cuisine, and about the young men and women who will be our next artists and leaders and poets – and chefs.” · Chef

Bangkok-born Bee ran one of Australia’s top Thai restaurants with her chef husband Jason Bailey, before returning home to open Paste in 2012, with its deeply layered Thai cuisine. In 2018, she was voted Asia’s best female chef.

TALK TO THE CHEF

ROSSARIN “RIN” SRIPATHUM Words: Nan Tohchoodee

TALES FROM THE PALACE 20

CHEF RIN WANTS TO PRESERVE THE TRADITIONAL THAI CULTURE OF COOKING. →

"As a woman, I think our mood affects the taste of food and we truly put our heart and soul into cooking.”

Even though there are many restaurants all over the world serving Thai cuisine, “Chao Wang” or royal Thai cuisine is still a rarity. This is not only because some ingredients are hard to come by, but also because the technical aspects of cooking require preciseness and patience from the chef. “Chao Wang cuisine originated back at the same time as Bangkok was established as the capital city of Thailand, and it became more popular during the reign of King Rama V, when many of the Chao Wang recipes that are still open to this day were created,” said Chef Rossarin “Rin” Sripathum, of Celadon restaurant at the Sukhothai Hotel. “During that time, 80-percent of the royal kitchen was female and most of them had been practicing the particular techniques require by Chao Wang cuisine all of their lives.” Having worked in the restaurant business for 35 years, Chef Rin didn’t find a passion for Thai cooking right away as she started off cooking Western cuisine for hotel banquets. “Back then, I was the only woman in the kitchen, which was somewhat frustrating yet challenging at the same time. It made me want to be even better and find my niche. I had an opportunity to train with this old lady, aunty Pajongjitr, who had worked in the palace before and I thought to myself, this is it. I want to preserve the traditional Thai culture of cooking,” she said. “In Thailand we have a proverb saying, ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,’ which I think is true. As a woman, I think our mood affects the taste of food and we truly put our heart and soul into cooking. There’s something about female sensibility and our sense of nurturing that is reflected in our cooking and I think that is an advantage of being a woman in the kitchen.” What differentiates Chao Wang cuisine from other categories of Thai food is the precise rules one must follow at every step of cooking, from finding the specific ingredients down to plating. At Celadon, Chef Rin carefully curates all ingredients from the restaurant’s herb garden and OTOP producers which she has visited herself. “For example, one of the essential ingredients in Thai cooking is kapi, or fermented shrimp paste. I only use paste from Klongkon district in Samut Songkhram province because it is made from 100-percent krill and doesn’t have any additives. They are using traditional methods that seem harder and harder to find these days,” she said. 22

Some ingredients Chef Rin uses in her Chao Wang recipes also have medicinal benefits, such as malabar spinach. “To me, being a chef is also about being responsible in what you’re making for other people. If you’re mindful about what you’re putting on the table, then food can be healing too like my Gaeng Liang Pak Plung (fermented mixed vegetable soup with malabar spinach), in which the malabar spinach can help to purify the blood and gently detox the body,” she said. Chao Wang dishes are also about a balance of flavours, unlike other types of Thai cuisine that might be dominated by salty or sweet flavours. “A great Chao Wang dish must have a balance of all flavours, if one flavour is more dominant than the other, then it’s not a Chao Wang dish.” Presentation is also a heart of Chao Wang cuisine. The meal is usually served in “Sam Rub” style, or as a set with precise plating, and it always presents the chef’s vegetable and fruit carving skills. Chef Rin’s version of Bua Loi (glutinous pumpkin and taro balls served with sweet and salty egg and coconut milk), served in a whole peeled young coconut, is a great demonstration of her elevated attention to presentation. “With this dish, I only use young coconut from Sampran district in Nakhon Pathom province, as it is more fatty. I also use the coconut to make coconut milk in this dish myself, just like the old days in the palace.”

“To me, being a chef is also about being responsible in what you’re making for other people. If you’re mindful about what you’re putting on the table, then food can be healing too"

Even though Chao Wang cuisine is complicated to master, Chef Rin sees a bright future for its traditions--but only if young chefs are prepared to show patience. “I think chefs should make an effort to preserve Chao Wang because diners do really appreciate the stories behind each dish, and the hard work that goes into the cooking,” she said. From her experiences participating in a pop-up in Hong Kong recently, Chef Rin says there is still great

interest in traditional Thai tastes from audiences abroad, too. “Hong Kong is a great place for chefs of any type to showcase their vision because it is such an open-minded place full of foodies. Locals have to be clued-in because you eat out most of the time and there’s no street food like Thailand. It’s so different there because they have strict rules and regulations about food, so if chef wants to serve food there you have to be able to meet their

standards. It was a great learning experience for me as the kitchen was excellent, and their team are all such hard workers.” There are also lessons from abroad that Thai chefs can apply to their own cuisine. “If more Thai chefs develop the grit to learn from doing the same tasks over and over again, I think we all can come together to preserve these rare recipes for the future generation of chefs to come.” · Chef 25

INDUSTRY TOPIC

GUIDES Words: Dave Greenwood

DOES MICHELIN MATTER ANYMORE? "THE MICHELIN GUIDE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR AN ASTONISHING 118 YEARS. BUT, HAS IT RUN ITS COURSE?"

The Michelin Guide launched the 2019 edition for the UK this month, but it’s not been the best year for the guide. With chefs giving stars back and politely requesting inspectors don’t enter their premises, it begs the question: does Michelin matter for chefs or consumers anymore? Before we get to that rather big question, here’s a quick run through of what’s been going on. →

A RECENT GUIDE TO THE GUIDE Last September, Le Suquet restaurant in southern France was the first restaurant in history to have itself removed from the Michelin Guide. It had held an incredible three Michelin stars for 18 years, but chef Sebastien Bras said enough is enough, and requested to be removed. He found the pressure of retaining stars was too great and held him and his team back from serving the food they really wanted to. More recently, The Checkers in the UK, also handed back their one star, which it’s held since 2011. Their reasoning was to “put family first” after “years juggling the kids with working split shifts and late hours”. And then there’s Marco Pierre White – the original rock star chef who continues to own the news. The enigmatic chef told an Asian lifestyle website “I don’t need Michelin and they don’t need me”. He’s stated that the Michelin Guide does not have permission to visit and inspect his new Singapore restaurant, The English House.

WHY ARE CHEFS TURNING THEIR BACKS? So, it’s been a tumultuous year for the Guide, which for so long has been considered the pinnacle of restaurant reviews worldwide. It’s famed for high standards, incredible expectations and brutal honesty. And therein lies the problem. Getting a star is still an exciting achievement for any restaurant and head chef. But retaining it becomes as big a part of the job as pleasing customers. An inspection can happen at any time, meaning all-year round, a restaurant has to tick the many boxes that Michelin is looking out for. Not knowing when a restaurant could be reviewed makes trying out something new an even more terrifying ordeal. What if the inspectors arrive on the day a new menu is introduced, and it’s just not quite right? The star’s gone. So, it’s best to just stick with what you do.

DOES THE GUIDE TAKE EVERYTHING INTO ACCOUNT? The judging criteria used by inspectors is a mystery to most. In a recent tweet, Michelin said that it’s the food on the plate that’s judged, which is why street food vendors have an equal chance of winning a star. In a way, this is great news. The food is what matters most and great food deserves praise, wherever it’s from and however it’s served. But, speak to any chef and you can be sure that it’s not all they care about. Food is experiential, more so than ever. The décor, the feel, the atmosphere, the restaurant as a whole, they all play into the dining experience, not just the food. If the Guide is purely critiquing the food, is that really enough? Because food today is much more than just what’s on the plate, however pretty the plate may be.

THE COST OF CREATIVITY Chefs are inherently creative individuals. They want to cook and create the perfect menu that represents them, their tastes and their culture. Holding back a creative person is like locking a cheetah in a cage. It doesn’t want to be there, it’s not going to be happy, and the moment it gets out, you know it’s going to run. The constant pressure of inspection causes even longer hours and even greater expectations in an industry that’s already full of long hours and great expectations. And these hours and expectations often occur at the detriment of profit, with margins often said to be lower at Michelin-focussed restaurants. But, is that why chefs and consumers are turning their backs on the Guide? Or is it because the world of reviews has changed?

REVIEWS BEYOND THE GUIDE The Michelin Guide has been around for an astonishing 118 years. But today, there’s a world of reviews beyond the guide. Bloggers, journalists, TV critics and review aggregator websites such as TripAdvisor have

changed the face of reviewing. The Guide sits at the top, but for the average customer, why would they listen to a Guide that’s criteria for success is a secret, when they could just see genuine peer-reviews? Restaurant A has a star, but the last 20 people that visited had a dreadful experience. Meanwhile, Restaurant B is star-less, but has page after page of flawless reviews. Where would you eat tomorrow? We live in a society where everyone is now a critic, and everyone has a platform to share comments, pictures and reviews. This happens every day, not just once a year, making the Guide essentially behind the times as soon as it’s released.

WHO IS THE GUIDE REALLY FOR? This begs the question, who is the Guide really for? Is it for chefs or for consumers? Consumers undoubtedly want to enjoy the best cuisine and cooking possible and the idea of eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant still has a great appeal. It has pulling power, but it’s no longer the only factor a consumer looks at. For chefs, winning a star is still one of the highest culinary accolades out there. It can change a career in a heartbeat. But, as we’ve seen, retaining a star is often a step too far for many creative chefs. It limits them and stifles creativity; two things that a lot of chefs won’t enjoy very much. At the end of the day, the Michelin Guide isn’t perfect. But, it still matters a great deal to chefs and consumers alike. As Adam Coghlan, Eater London Editor, puts it: “Like driving a car on a treadmill, Michelin appear to be moving forward all the time, but really, they’re standing still. The thing is — they’re still driving the car.” One thing’s for sure. We’ll still be watching to see updated lists, because today it still is the pinnacle. The question is, how long will that last? And will we see any restaurants ask for their star to be removed in the same week the Guide’s released? · Chef 29

TALK TO THE CHEF

ANTONY SCHOLTMEYER Words: Nan Tohchoodee

BUILDING FROM Building a hotel from the ground up is no easy task, from the actual construction to the brand development to the F&B concept. Antony Scholtmeyer has plenty of experience in the field, having spent more than 20 years in the hotel business, including the past 7 years in Bangkok. Here, among his accolades is helping to elevate Elements, the French-Japanese restaurant at the Okura Prestige, to Michelin-star status in the debut Bangkok guide. “Receiving the star was both a blessing and a curse, because even though it gave the restaurant tremendous exposure, it also caused the team to really worry all the time about making mistakes,” he said. “I told them that all of the awards and recognition is great, but 30

you also need to have fun with your work. As long as you’re consistent then there’s nothing to worry about.” Antony’s new venture, Capella Hotel, is set to open in the first quarter of 2019. “Even though the kitchen design and everything is set in stone, there are still tons of details I need to figure out, from sorting out every single piece of kitchen equipment to chinaware, which sometimes can be overlooked in the restaurant creating process,” he said. “When diners eat, they only see a plate, utensils, glasses and cups, so these are very important elements that help to make their

GROUND ZERO visit even more special. You also have to think about different time of the day. The mood and service need to be unique for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” With Capella, the mood is very sophisticated and exclusive. “Our target audience is independent travellers who are willing to spend money for a unique experience. We don’t have a lot of rooms in the hotel so we don’t cater to large groups or tours, we want to keep the experience, including the dining experience, very exclusive.” The hotel is currently working with Mauro Colagreco, the executive chef at Mirazur

restaurant, a 2-Michelin-star restaurant in Menton, France, for their specialty restaurant. Antony is also building on his past experiences to shape Capella’s F&B concept. “My personal style of cooking is a combination of French and Japanese techniques, highlighting a lot of fresh ingredients. I want to bring that to Capella as well by trying to create everything in-house. The small size of the hotel actually allows us to do that; for example, we can do our own cold-pressed juices instead of buying from the same distributor of other hotels. Being able to make more things ourselves also means we can offer a more customized experience for our clients. Let’s say if someone doesn’t eat pork, we can make them 31

“You only get one chance to open the hotel, so the more details you can work out before the initial opening, the better position you’re in.” a really nice chicken sausage for breakfast. Our breakfast style is not going to be buffet style at all; it will be more of an a-la-carte menu highlighting inhouse ingredients.” There is also a sustainable angle to Capella’s F&B concept. “We want to encourage sustainable living as part of the hotel’s ethos as well,”. Bangkok already has too much plastic on the streets so we’re trying to do as much as we can to help the environment,” Even though everything seems to be going smoothly, he is well aware that there is little room for error when it comes to launching a hotel and restaurant. “You 32

only get one chance to open the hotel, so the more details you can work out before the initial opening, the better position you’re in,” One challenge he is currently facing is dealing with suppliers. “We want most things to be organic and locally sourced as much as possible, so it is sometimes difficult to find suppliers who are willing to work with us.” While some restaurateurs complain that it’s difficult to hire the right staff, Antony explained that his years spent in Bangkok have helped him greatly with being able to find the right person for the right job. “Being here for 7 years has made it easy for me to find great connections, I actually got to hire my first and second

choice to work at Capella,” he said. “Sometimes I also let my Thai employees take part in the hiring process, because people always want to work with people they like, so you’ll definitely get the right people into your team.” Antony is also looking forward to still be cooking at Capella. “Because we’re a small operation, I still get to cook which I’m really excited about,” he said “There was one point during my time as an executive chef that I considered going back into the line again, but I’m really lucky that I will still have a hands-on approach in the kitchen at Capella.” he said with a smile. · Chef

EXPERIENCE - TASTE - EXPERIMENT You want to add vegan options to your menu? See how to integrate lactosefree, gluten free dishes ? Get ready to offer a plant-based set menu? Come to Blue Lotus to uncover the endless possibilities of plant-based cuisine. Learn new techniques, try vegan ingredients, taste plant-based alternatives, experiment new recipes and play with food styling during our hands-on week long cooking courses led by experienced plant-based chef instructors in world class kitchens.

SPECIAL PACKAGE: TWO WEEKS OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING WITH ACCOMMODATION AT THE RESORT! Ideal for students, professional cooks and chefs looking to expand their plantbased portfolio, combine our Green Thai Cuisine and the advanced Chef's Training courses and get 10%, an additional workshop and one extra night at the resort for free (Saturday between the 2 weeks of the class). Experiment with Southeast Asia techniques and flavours, explore contemporary plant-based cuisine and develop your own vegan options to add to your plant-based tasting menu!

Contact Kuhn Nawini at info@bluelotushuahin.com for further information. Our web page bluelotushuahin.com and Instagram @bluelotushuahin

THERMOMIX IN THE KITCHEN

Words: Nan Tohchoodee

MIXING IT UP

WITH THERMOMIX

“We saw a gap in the market for a tool that can give chefs time to be creative, to have less worry about the cooking so they can spend more time developing new ideas for their restaurant.” →

Minimalist seems to be the buzzword of the moment, whether it’s using the same ingredients over and over again in a dish or plating with as little design as possible. But looking in a commercial kitchen, one may wonder how we can let go of the chaos and go back to simplicity; is non-cluttered kitchen space and fooled-proof performance in a team too much to ask for? If you’re looking to hire a new cook, let it be the Thermomix, a versatile kitchen tool that can solve many of your culinary woes. Inspired by the cooking culture of France and Spain with technology from Germany, this humble cook combines the functions of a food scale, food processor, blender, mixer, slow cooker, steamer and more. This robot kitchen assistant is well-known worldwide and is gaining popularity in Thailand through its use by Michelin star-studded chefs such as chef Arnauld DunandSauthier at Le Normandie and chef Thomas and Mathias Sühring at Sühring, along other leading 36

names such as chef Joost Bijster at SO Sofitel and chef Ian Kittichai at Issaya Siamese Club. “We saw a gap in the market for a tool that can give chefs time to be creative, to have less worry about the cooking so they can spend more time developing new ideas for their restaurant,” said Taya Joungtrakul, founder of Novamix Thailand, the sole distributor of Thermomix. Some of the more time-consuming and sometimes daunting tasks for chefs such as cooking sauces and creating different textures can be done within half the regular time

using Thermomix. “The machine is unique from other kitchen appliances because it has 12 different functions that can help with time saving because of its state-of-the-art cooking technology such as the blade speed of 10,700 rpm or the sensor that can heat up to 120 degrees Celsius and VAROMA steaming. So you can chop, cook and do everything in between with just one machine,” Taya said. This machine can also help to save costs while running a commercial kitchen, as it helps to minimize waste and is fool-proof when it comes to

fixed recipes. “Thermomix can help maximize your ingredients because nothing goes to waste as you can put the whole, raw ingredient into the machine,” she said. Their latest model, the TM5, also comes with a brain of its own. Using a touchscreen, chefs can pull up saved recipes, calculate nutritional value, look for alternative ingredients and more. It also comes with a unique feature, the Cook-key, which lets chefs connect to more than 20,000 recipes online which they can explore and tweak as their own. Home cooks can even plan their weekly meals and grocery list through this unique function.

If you’re interested in testing out the Thermomix, please contact +66(0) 2 381 1425-6 for Novamix Thailand

Curious about the future of cooking? Taya and her team is ready to help you unleash the beast. “At Thermomix, it’s also about community as well. We don’t want to just sell you the machine, we want you to be able to use it to the max capability. We host regular cooking classes and cooking demos at the showroom so you’re more than welcome to stop by at any time!” · Chef

42/5 Soi Phatsana 2, Phra Khanong Nuea, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Email: info@novamixthailand.com 37

FRONT OF HOUSE

STUART DALY Words: Nan Tohchoodee

LIFE AFTER CHEFFING

“Before I started GLS Asia with my business partner, I actually didn’t know anything about golfing at all. Actually, I was quite terrible at it,” Stuart Daly, manager of Hua Hin’s Banyan Golf Club, laughed. “But now that I’m in a management role, I know my club in and out.” After working in restaurants and 5-star hotels for more than 20 years, Stuart hung up his apron and started his own company, GLS Asia, which offers consulting and management service for golf clubs all over the world. “We started the company in order to bring a hospitality mindset to the world of golf. There was a huge gap in the market for that because in a typical golf club setting 40

back in the day, you’re usually forgotten after you leave the course. We wanted to introduce a softer side to it. We want customers to experience coming to the golf club as if they’re going on a vacation to a 5-star hotel. From the initial point of first contact like a phone call or email until their arrival, during their stay and even when they leave, we want to make our clients feel welcome everywhere,” he said. “In order to make a great golf course, or anything really, you need identity. That will differentiate you from everyone else and make you stand out from the rest of the competitors, and that’s what GLS is all about.”

Of course, there were some challenges Stuart had to overcome, going into a management role from being a chef. “First I had to really understand the language of golf; there’s actually a lot more going on than just trying to swing a ball into a hole. For example, you have to understand about landscaping and grass to create a great course,” he said. “We actually use 3 different type of grasses at Banyan Golf Club so you have to know how to treat them properly and understand how they can make a difference to a player. When I went to a conference about just that for the first time, I was fascinated and overwhelmed a bit.”

Much like chefs, seasoned golfers are also an opinionated lot. “They are quite specific about some things, like caddies,” Stuart laughed. “We have a small team of caddies, so we train the girls really well. Some of our members when they come back to the club request to have the same caddie again from their last visit. It feels really great to see clients write a review and praise a specific caddie or someone at our restaurant. To me, that means we’ve been a success in creating a personalized experience for them. To make a great club, it’s also about the staff as well as the place, because if people are happy, they’ll come back, so we always strive for that,” Stuart added. His chef years also come in handy when managing the team. “If you think about it, I was already managing people in the kitchen, so I applied that skill in my line of work now. In the end it’s also about hiring the right people at the right time too, a department we’ve been very lucky in. Some staff members have been with us from the start,” Stuart said. One thing he did need to brush up on, though, was his front-of-house skills “At one of my old jobs, I worked in the kitchen for years and only actually saw the dining room maybe once or twice! But here at the club, I want to create a long-term relationship with all of our members and clients so I try to be around and meet as many of them as possible.” Stuart also thanks his chef days for teaching him a little bit of everything. “It was really important for me as a chef to know how to do everything, and that’s my teaching philosophy for our staff too. I believe that to be a great leader you have to know a little bit of everything so you can have a hands-on approach to mentoring your team,” he said. After all more than a decade in Hua Hin, Stuart is still in love with the coastal town. “I call this place my home. I think there’s still a ton of potential for F&B and hospitality businesses to grow in Hua Hin. I think if we could see more boutique hotels and a restaurant scene here that would be great.” · Chef

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EVASON SCHOOL TRAINING

Words: Nan Tohchoodee

Christophe Berg and Chef Khun Keng

THE POWER OF

PLANTS

With the increasing prevalence of health issues such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer, the public are now more aware of their health than ever; giving rise to alternative diets and wellness-centric businesses.

“In Asia, plant-based cuisine is becoming more popular than ever in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, South Korea and Thailand.”

Christophe Berg,

Director of Education at Blue Lotus, Asia’s first learning center for plant-based cuisine. “Chefs nowadays can’t ignore the importance of being able to give more options to diners, whether it is health-driven or not, and Blue Lotus acts like a playground for chef to explore the world of plantbased cuisine,” said Christophe Berg. Hidden amongst the lush tropical forests of the Evason Resort in the tranquil district of Pranburi, Hua Hin, Blue Lotus is somewhere chefs and small business owner can focus on their craft without any distractions. “When you go to a cooking school in the city, there are so many logistical things you have to figure out such as where to stay, how to get there and many more things, but because we’re situated in a resort, chefs can really focus on just improving their skills and then rest afterwards,” Christophe said. Whether it’s cooking classes devoted to vegetables from their own garden or raw cuisine, Blue Lotus lets students find their own niche without being limited to any specific cuisine. “It’s not only professional chefs who come and learn new skills, we also 44

welcome aspiring talents along with small business owners who are looking to start their own venture in the plant-based and wellness F&B sector.” For professional and aspiring chefs, Blue Lotus offers a week-long intensive Chef’s Training Course that teaches the essentials of plant-based cooking from scratch. Topics range from the health benefits of plant-based cooking and how to make alternative ingredients such as non-dairy “mylk” all the way up to creating concepts for restaurants through one-onone mentorship with experienced chef instructors. Those who are short on time can join the Weekend Intensive Course where you spend the weekend learning how to cook easy plant-based meals that you can make at home or adapt into your own chef’s creations. Evason Resort also offers wellness-centric facilities covering a variety of sports, spa, yoga and meditation as part of their initiative to promote a healthier lifestyle. “I believe that wellness is

becoming a really strong movement as far as global trends go,” said Alan Thomas, Managing Director at Evason Resort. “But we’re thing about long-term sustainability when it comes to our wellness concept. We want to offer a holistic lifestyle for all guests, not just those participating in the Blue Lotus classes. For example, our breakfast buffet offers vegan and gluten-free options. We try to promote wellness in a way that is easily relatable to others and not just preaching about the benefits of living consciously.” Christophe strongly believes that plant-based cuisine has a lot of room to grow in Asia. “I’m seeing more and more plant-based restaurants opening up in Asia. I would really love to see people perceive plant-based cuisine just like other popular cuisines, for example Japanese cuisine, where you can find it everywhere and it’s just become part of people’s regular lifestyle,” he said. “We’re hoping that Blue Lotus can help to create awareness about cooking with plant-based ingredients, in the professional chef’s world as well as among regular clients.” · Chef

RECIPE

MUSHROOMS STIR FRY WITH CASHEW BY BLUE LOTUS

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

1 Tbsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 cup king oyster mushrooms, diced 2 big dried chilis, cut 1cm 1⁄2 cup cashew, roasted 1⁄2 cup yellow onions, cut in big chunk 2 green onions, cut 5cm 1 Tbsp soy sauce 2 big red yellow chillies, sliced 1 tsp coconut syrup 1⁄4 tsp white pepper, ground 1⁄2 tsp toast sesame oil 1⁄2 Tbsp potato flour 3 Tbsp water

1. Heat the oil in a pan-fry over medium heat, add garlic and stir- fry until fragrant.

2. Add mushrooms, dried chillies. Stir- fry about 2 minutes. Add cashews, onions, soy sauce, sliced chilis, coconut syrup, white pepper and toasted sesame oil. 3. Mix potato flour and water and put 2 Tbsp in a pan. Stir-fry about 1 minute. Serve.

Stir Frying Stir frying is a Chinese cooking technique in which ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred in a wok. The technique has spread into other parts of Asia including Thailand. Stir frying is supposedly an healthy way of cooking which involves a moderate amount of oil. This cooking technique is similar to the Western technique of sautéing. First the wok is heated to a high temperature, then a small amount of cooking oil is added ("hot wok, cold oil"), followed by dry seasonings such as ginger, garlic, scallions, or shallots. The seasonings are tossed with a spatula until they are fragrant, then other ingredients are added, beginning with the ones taking the longest to cook. When the vegetables are nearly cooked, combinations of soy sauce, vinegar, salt, or sugar may be added, along with thickeners such as cornstarch, water chestnut flour, or arrowroot.

HONEY INGREDIENT

Words: Mike Martin

TO BEE OR NOT TO BE That is the question that should concern us all

BEE FACTUAL Honey is the only foodstuff that does not decay Honey is health positive, working to soothe coughs, overcome sleeplessness, boosts energy, reduces allergy symptoms and can be used to treat skin infections. It takes 60,000 bees, collectively flying 55,000 miles and visiting 2 million flowers, to gather enough nectar to make one pound of honey.

Imagine a fruit salad of apricot, kiwifruit, tangerine, mango, peach, and strawberry, with a few chopped almonds and walnuts on top.

This apocalyptic quote is attributed to Albert Einstein. It has all the potency and succinctness of the great scientist’s mind. However, there is no evidence of when, where or even if he said it.

sunflowers that are turned into oil, as well as cocoa beans, coffee and tea. Crops grown as fodder for livestock need bees. And it’s not just food crops that rely on bee pollination: cotton does as well.

So while Armageddon on an (empty) plate may not be in store, bee extinction would have catastrophic consequences for us. The fate of the bee is as existential as that asked by Shakespeare’s Hamlet in his “to be or not to be” soliloquy.

Put a monetary price on it, and annual global crop pollination by bees is estimated at approaching $200 billion.

Now imagine an empty plate. And imagine it empty for all time. Because if the current decline in bee populations world-wide continues that becomes a grim possibility. Were the great pollinators to become extinct then the bountiful bee would take with it more than just honey: it would end the ability grow the contents of our fruit salad, and much more besides. “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.” 50

An estimated one third of global food production is dependent on pollination. While not the only pollinators – birds, bats and other insects help – bees are the busiest, and honey bees the busiest of all. More than 400 types of plant need bees and other insects to pollinate them, including most fruits and vegetables, many nuts, and plants such as

In truth, the bee’s role as the “flywheel” in the food chain, and wider environment, is priceless. The bee’s more holistic role is as a bellweather of the wider health of the environment; that bell is tolling alarmingly both for bees and perhaps for us too. If bees are in trouble, much else is as well. Bees illustrate the “joined-upness” of the natural world, having co-evolved with flowering plants over

millions of years. The bees need the flowers for food, while the flower needs the bee to reproduce. Nectar and pollen from flowering plants are bees’ only food source. Honey bees are disappearing globally at an alarming and unsustainable rate due to pesticides, parasites, habitat loss and global warming.

However, with nearly 100 crops moderately to highly dependent on bees and other pollinators, it would be diversity that would suffer. From almonds to apples and on through the alphabet of foods, variety would suffer.

And what about us? It is easy to feel helpless in the face of such of such potential enormity, but there are things we can do. The apple, first fruit mentioned in the Old Testament, no longer in existence? No wonder West Country cider makers are playing their part in encouraging bees in their orchards.

In the United States, colony collapse disorder wiped out a third of all honey bee colonies when it first struck in 2007, and the dismal trend continues. In the UK, honey bee winter losses have been as high as 30 percent in recent years. Nearly one in 10 of Europe's wild bee species face extinction. Globally, a quarter of the world’s 250 bumble bee species are at risk.

Prices would skyrocket before some foods simply vanished. Whole industries – apple, coffee, chocolate – would collapse. Tomorrow’s celebrity chef would be somebody capable of concocting something interesting out of modest ingredients. For most, diet would become bland and boring. Without cotton, clothing would become more expensive. Morphine, extracted from poppies, could disappear. For humans, it would not be an extinction-level event, except perhaps in their quality of life.

Habitat loss is a major issue due to farming practice and urbanisation. In the UK, 97 percent of wild flower meadows have vanished since 1947.

Governments around the world are grappling with the problem. Former President Obama introduced a Pollinator Protection Plan.

If bees face a potential doomsday scenario, does it mean that humankind will follow? Probably not, but quality of life will take a battering and some areas of an already overpopulated world will surely struggle.

But government is a long way away while bees are close by, or at least we want them to be. So what can we do as individuals and what is being done at a regional level?

The honey bee has rightly occupied a special place in the development of human life. The Egyptian pharaohs took jars of honey with them to the afterlife and the bee was the royal insignia of the Merovingian kings (some 300 small golden bees were founded stitched to the cloak of Childeric I when his grave was unearthed). It’s no different now. Few fail to thrill at the sound of the first bee of summer.

Many abundant food sources – wheat, corn – are pollinated by the wind and would remain secure.

The private sector is working hard as well to defend and encourage our bees.

In answer to Hamlet’s immortal words: we need bee in order to be. · Chef

If you have a garden, give over part of it to wild flowers. Lobby the local council to transform some of that neat lawnland into wild flower zones. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Ukraine has a reputation for top-drawer bee-keeping, for it is a country still bedecked with countless fields of wild flowers.

MANGO INGREDIENT

Words: Namai Bishop

MANGO HERE MANGO THERE As part of the activities during the Food Festival, I attended the Mango tasting held in a nearby mango farm. Here I had the opportunity to be talked through by farmer and mango expert Banky (every resident has their own nickname on the island!) on the 200+ varietals that grown on Nevis alone!

and a hint of cinnamon notes (the flavour perhaps imparted from plant based pesticides such as meme oil, basil, cinnamon and mint interpolated between the mango orchard). The was my favourite and I ate it with relish, just pierced at its pinnacle and, as I was told, “sucked like a nipple”!

Instructed that the correct way to eat a mango is to “get dirty” I dived right in and tasted over 20 varietals, with florid names such as the Sardine (referring to its saline characteristics) the Rosie Cheek (with its blush toned skin), Brazier Syrup for its lush sweetness to more graphically visual names such as the pointed “Chin” variety, “Pig Mango” and suggestively names “Dog’s Tool”!

Other varietals better lend themselves to use in curries. Of these, the fibrous varietals work bets, such as the “Cornmeal”, with thick chunks of this starchy, musty varietal added to thicken coconut milk curries, adding a pleasing texture, similar to using a green plantain or yaca, as well lending a light touch of acidity to offset the sweetness of the sauce.

The sumptuous tree-ripened “Graham” mangoes, typically with little to no fiber makes them popular for simply slicing and eaten raw, and the prized custard like “Grafted Julie”, with its floral aroma and succulent taste of caramelised pineapple

But the greatest tip I leaned about Mangos in Nevis: “Pick ‘em young and ripen at home: here you compete with the monkeys, the donkeys for the best - so get in there first!! 53

Belonging to the cashew family, Mangoes are native to South Asia, with the Indian mango becoming the most widely cultivated fruit globally. The national fruit of India (that alone produces almost half of the world's mangoes) China and Thailand are the next largest producers, with the fruit playing a strong part in popular national dishes of the latter. Yet the prolific commercial cultivation of the mango around the globe has meant this fruit is now extensively used in a great variety of national dishes and vastly varied cooking techniques, each culture adding its own unique flavours and cooking methods to its preparation. The mango’s crowd-pleasing sweet taste as well its prolific varietals and culinary versatility has meant the mango takes a leading role in cuisines and cultures around the world and earned it the international monkier King of Fruits.

THE KING OF FRUIT

The fruit can well absorb spice, withstanding heating, charring and freezing without compromising its vibrant favour making it versatile for use as a starter, main course or dessert and perfect accompaniment to a range of favours from fresh saline, smoky, salty, savoury and intensely sweet.

Varieties & Culinary Techniques With hundreds of varieties of mango, it is one of the most varied as well as versatile fruits in cooking. They naturally lend themselves to cooking (often the fibrous varietal) whilst others are better suited to desserts, salads and for pickling (indeed, in 18th century, the word "mango" became a verb meaning "to pickle"). The fruit can well absorb spice, withstanding heating, charring and freezing without compromising its vibrant favour making it versatile for use as a starter, main course or dessert and perfect accompaniment to a range of favours from fresh saline, smoky, salty, savoury and intensely sweet.

Aromatic Ambrosia Each mango has a different colour, aroma, texture and flavour with natural Tree ripening allowing the mango to develop to its fullest, sweet tropical ambrosia with textural smoothness and softness. Mature mangos at the peak of their ripeness are most often used in pulps, made into jams, jellies, used in desserts such as muramba (a sweet, grated mango delicacy), but are are also used in curries or dahl preparations, similar to a palm sugar substitute, lending a nuanced sweetness taste, texture and richness. Mangos are also used prolifically in drinks, such as Mango Lassi, a popular creamy concoction enjoyed throughout South Asia, prepared by mixing ripe mangoes or mango pulp with buttermilk and sugar or Indian Aamrasis, most often consumed with chapatis or pooris.

Some like it Tart Yet not all cooks wait for mangos to ripen: they can be eaten and used in dishes at various stages of growth, most commonly the tart young green mango. Green mango refers to the stage of a fruit’s ripeness, not necessarily the skin color. The green mango is crisp, crunchy and mildly sour in taste and most often used in chutneys, athanu, salads, slaws and pickles, such as Andhra Aavakaaya: a pickle made from a pulpy and sour raw mango, mixed with chili powder, fenugreek seeds, 56

mustard powder, salt, and groundnut oil - or simply enjoyed eaten raw with salt, chili, or even soy sauce!

Caribbean Craze In the Caribbean too, mangos are one of the defining ingredients of the local tropical cuisine, along with other tropical fruits such as papaya, guava, pineapple, banana, tamarind, sour orange and passion fruit. However, the mango reigns supreme and has been incorporated into many local dishes such as rich curries and spicy salsas. Easily cultivated in the Caribbean’s warm tropical climate a vast range grow in different islands with mango hybrid varietals popping up and to seemingly island hop by themselves! The mango has naturalized itself to almost every island and is particularly widespread in Nevis where I visited recently for the Mango and Food Festivals.

The Nevis Mango and Food Festival This annual event is an entire weekend totally dedicated to cooking with mango with recipes creatively devised by a host of International and local chefs alike. The culinary challenge: every course of every meal they cook throughout or demonstrate must include mangos!

Chef Training The Nevis Mango and Food Festival is all about celebrating this unusually abundant island’s natural produce, but also helping staff rub shoulders with international Top Chefs who inspired local culinary teams with new skills, techniques and flavours. A once in a lifetime opportunity afforded to local Chefs

The Nevis Mango and Food Festival is all about celebrating this unusually abundant island’s natural produce, but also helping staff rub shoulders with international Top Chefs who inspired local culinary teams with new skills, techniques and flavours.

to use these connections as a stepping stone in their own career to move up within the industry and as a prominent GM on the island said: “It’s a good day when I hear any of my F&B staff say ‘I’m leaving’ because I know they are moving on to new and challenging opportunities!”

Top Chef’s Mango Recipes Rising to the mango menu culinary challenge this year was headline Chef, the UK’s Iron Chef Judy Joo. The host of Cooking Channel’s ‘Korean Food Made Simple’ and restauranteur in London (her Jinjuu Mayfair outpost was featured in Masterchef) as well as Hong Kong, Joo is a Culinary Ambassador for Korean cuisine. Giving up a successful career in finance, she went from the trading floor to trading recipes! Having developed recipes for Saveur magazine, researching food traditions and writing, Joo went on to work at Maze, Claridge’s, Petros and Boxwood Café eventually winning UK’s Iron Chef and moving on to develop her own contemporary take on traditional Korean cuisine. At the food festival Joo demonstrated how the robust flavours of Korean food marry well with fruits. Along with the Culinary Team at the Four Seasons Resort Nevis, Joo cooked up a variety of dishes at a walk around canapés tasting. Small but flavour packed plates included batteries and fried Korean Chicken Lollipops served with a sticky mango relish, Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps with a mango Kimchi and native Lobster rolls, their creamy sauce balanced with with a tangy sour mango salsa. Meanwhile Chef Garrett of the Four Seasons kitchen cooked up an Chicken mango-marinated satay given a fiery kick with a hot Asian Habanero mango dip. At the opening ceremony of the Nevis festival Chef Joo praised the mango as a tenderising aid to transform tough proteins to fork-tender. The Chef explained that mangos form part of fruit family such as papaya, kiwi and Asian pears, containing enzymes that breaks down protein, thus tenderising the meat and also adding a

deep caramelised flavour. Chef Joo also used the mango as a marinade; her other dishes included ripe mango pulp added to sauces, along with Asian flavours of Fish sauce, local scotch bonnet hot sauce, honey, soya, sesame oil, garlic, salt pepper. Also cooking was New York based award winning Celebrity Chef Seamus Mullen (James Beard Foundation award finalist for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef NYC plus Time Out’s “Chef of the Year”) and top Caribbean Chef Michael Harrison from Barbados. Chef Mullen presented an epic mango inspired dinner - his modern style in attractive contrast to the historic Plantation style hotel, Nisbet Plantation (named after the wife of Admiral Nelson who lived in the island). Chef Mullen’s upbringing on an organic farm in Vermont, and his well publicised recovery from a crippling disease of seemingly incurable rheumatoid arthritis, healed with self ‘medicated’ diet, makes him a renowned Chef leading the conversation on food, health and wellness and an authority on healthy eating via his cookbooks “Hero Food” and “Real Food Heals: Eat to Feel Younger + Stronger Everyday” as well as consulting for wellness centres plus regular prestigious international speaking engagements. Mullen spoke of the health benefits of the mango, including Prebiotic qualities that feed good gut bacteria plus the fruits’ resistant starches meaning it provides high energy without causing spikes that effect blood sugar. Having trained in Spain with his own Spanish themed highly successful restaurants in NYC, Mullen created a mango ceviche, blending mango with locally farmed tomato to give a Carribean unctuous sweet flavour to the refreshing acidic the of the tomato. Using a mandolin to get wafer thin slivers of Julienned threads he also used green mango in his starter of ceviche, instead of lemon and lime. In his main course, his Caribbean coffee rubbed pork was served with a smooth mango coulis given a savoury depth of flavour, with his signature healthful touch, this time using turmeric, and perfectly complimenting the mango flesh’s rich golden hue. · Chef 57

MANGO MANGO RECIPE

BY JACOPO BRUNI PASTRY CHEF AT EDITION HOTELS

CHOCOLATE SHELL 500 gr Zephyr white chocolate 500 gr Cocoa Butte Micryo Melt and mix together. Use at 40c for coating the mousse.

MANGO SAUCE 500gr mango puree Boiron 40gr caster sugar 4gr agar agar Mix sugar and agar agar, add to the mango and boil. Leave to set in the fridge. Once cool blitz and and pass through a sieve.

MANGO CARDAMOM MOUSSE 700gr mango puree Boiron

60gr light brown sugar 2 vanilla pod 2gr black cardamom powder 6 gelatin leaves gold 800gr whipping cream Warm 200gr of puree with the vanilla and cardamom, then add the soaked gelatin. Pass through a fine chinoise and add to the fruit puree Fold semi whipped cream. Pipe onto the silicomart Zen mould.

CONFIT PASSION INSERT 350gr passion fruit puree Boiron 50gr water 50gr sugar 5gr pectine NH 5gr camomilla powder mix sugar and pectine.

Add all the ingredients together and cook it for 5 minutes. Pour into mould and freeze.

ECLAT D’OR BASE 200gr zephyr caramel chocolate 200gr feullantine 200gr hazelnut praline

1000gr coconut puree Boiron 100gr lime puree Boiron Make the sorbet base with the first five ingredients at 85c, cool down and add the lime puree. Leave to mature the mixture overnight.

METHOD

Melt the chocolate and add the remaining ingredients. Roll between silicon paper to 3mm and cut with silicomart Zen cutter.

1. Make the insert first and freeze it in insert shape silicon mould.

COCONUT LIME SORBET

2. Make the mousse pipe in zen mould and add in the middle the frozen insert, close with the base and freeze again.

380water 65gr dextrose 130gr caster sugar 130gr maltodextrin 6 super neutrose

3. When it is set un-mould the mousse and dip into white chablone and spray it with temper coloured cacao butter. 4. For plating we spread the mango gel with a palet knife, place the mousse and add a quenelle of sorbet.

FRONT OF HOUSE

SAUVIGNON BLANC Words: Jean Smullen

SAUVIGNON BLANC THE GRAPE WITH THE GREATEST “ROCK STAR” CREDENTIALS THESE DAYS, MUST SURELY BE SAUVIGNON BLANC. IT SEEMS THERE IS A GLOBAL INDUSTRY DEDICATED SOLEY TO ITS PROMOTION. IT EVEN HAS ITS OWN DAY, MAY 4TH, (WHICH MAY RUN INTO A CONFLICT WITH A FEW STAR WARS FANS), BUT AS THE DATE ROTATES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, I DON’T THINK THEY WILL BE TOO UPSET IF THE WINE WORLD ALSO USES IT TO CELEBRATE THE 9TH ANNUAL SAUVIGNON BLANC DAY.

A ROCK STAR OF A GRAPE In 2016 I attended the first ever International Sauvignon Blanc Celebration in Blenheim, the main town of the Marlborough region in New Zealand. 300 delegates from 18 countries listened as some of the world’s most renowned wine writers and educators talked about the grape’s influence globally. The three day event involved tasting over 400 wines and debating the regional characteristics expressed in Sauvignon Blanc wines. It featured Sauvignon Blanc from eight different countries including New Zealand, Italy, France, Chile, South Africa, Australia, America and Austria. That year I also judged a tasting competition dedicated soley to Sauvignon Blanc in the Spanish wine region of Rueda. No other grape seems to garner the support of the wine trade quite like Sauvignon, no other grape gathers so much derision either. Sauvignon Blanc is sometimes dismissed by sectors of the trade, yet ever Somm worth his or her salt, knows that a range of Sauvignon Blanc styles should appear on any decent wine list, simply because the customer likes to drink it. Oz Clarke summed this up at Sauvignon 2016, talking about New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc he described it as “the wine, wine snobs can’t bear”.. Why? Because this is the wine that a generation of fans seek out for its ripe distinct flavours and aromas. The best Sauvignon Blanc does not have to be expensive or complex it entertains with its attitude. The home of Sauvignon Blanc is the Loire Valley. Sauvignon Blanc has a distinctive aroma, The smell of the so-called thiol character of Sauvignon is reminiscent of passion fruit, gooseberry and grapefruit. The characteristic odor is followed by a rich flavor with a pronounced finish. Sauvignon Blanc is New Zealand’s most widely planted grape variety. The Marlborough region was first planted 142 years ago, yet it is only a mere 30 years since Cloudy Bay put New Zealand on the global wine map in 1986. By the early 1990’s Sauvignon Blanc was firmly established as New Zealand’s flagship wine with international demand increasing every year. Today it accounts for 66% of New Zealand’s total wine production.

In 1973, as Marlborough’s first Sauvignon Blanc vines were being planted, no one could have the superstar status it would achieve. Pungently aromatic, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc assails the senses with red capsicum (bell peppers) and gooseberry characters, lush passionfruit and tropical fruit notes. Fresh cut grass, tomato stalk and lime flavours added to the mix give this wine style its enormous appeal. Sauvignon Blanc is capable of making wines with great diversity, complexity and in the right hands can be utterly magnificent. In 2012 at a competition in South Africa, I met two Sauvignon Blanc producers whose wine-making highlighted the grape’s enormous quality potential. Neither were South African by the way, both were there to judge at another wine competition. The first, Jean-Christophe Bourgeois from Henri Bourgeois a family company who makes some of the most sublime Sauvignon Blanc in village of Chavignol, in the Loire Valley, from grapes grown in both Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. The family also have a farm in New Zealand the organically farmed Clos Henri in Marlborough. The second producer was Bojan Kobal from Kobal Wines who makes exceptionally good Sauvignon Blanc in the Podravje wine region in lower Styria in Slovenia. (Štajerska). Both wines were tasted at an informal dinner in Cape Town, the Clos Henri was very old world in style, with mineral characters and clean pure citrus fruit. The Kobal Sauvignon Blanc, a lees aged Sauvignon Blanc, showed surprising richness, with a wonderful mineral edge. So back to the 2018 competition, the Kobal Slovakian Sauvignon is produced in the Haloze district of

SAUVIGNON BLANC DAY ON FRIDAY MAY 4TH 2018. This year New Zealand Winegrowers are offering trade from the UK and Ireland the chance to win a trip to Sauvignon 2019, the International Sauvignon Blanc Celebration, taking place in Marlborough, New Zealand from 28 – 30 January 2019. To be in to win participating trade outlets need to run a stand-out New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc promotion across at least two weeks in May 2018. The competition is open to any sector of the trade in the UK and Ireland who must list at least three New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. A panel of independent judges will be looking for innovative campaigns that educate consumers in a fresh new way. The winners will be chosen based on the creativity and effectiveness of their campaign, as well as an uplift in sales of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. New Zealand Winegrowers will assist with digital imagery, information and limited POS. If you would like to take part, contact Chris Stroud at cstroud@nzwine.com Tel: + 44 20 7973 8079 62

THE SIX REVELATION TROPHIES WERE AWARDED TO: 2018 Revelation Unoaked Sauvignon: Fournier Père et Fils, Grande Cuvée 2015, Pouilly-Fumé, France 2018 Revelation Oaked Sauvignon: Clos Henri Vineyard, Clos Henri Sauvignon blanc 2016, Marlborough, New Zealand

Lower Styria / Štajerska, which is a stretch of hills along the banks of the Drava River near Ptuj. Upper Styria is the same region on the Austrian side of the border who, this year, played host to the 9th edition of the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon in the pretty Austrian city of Graz the capital city of the Steiermark region (Styria),. Concours Mondial du Sauvignon has in recent years, grown to become a prominent white wine competition. The staging, this year, of the competition in Graz in Steiermark region (Styria), whose leading varietal is Sauvignon Blanc was therefore an obvious choice. The 9th Concours Mondial du Sauvignon took place in March 2018. A total 958 wines from 26 countries were judged blind by a panel of 70 international experts from 18 countries. The judges, journalists, buyers, winemakers and producers awarded a total 289 medals, including the Revelation trophies. The results included, 113 Gold Medals , awarded to producers from France, Austria, New Zealand, Germany, Slovakia, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, South Africa, Romania and the Czech Republic and 176 Silver medals whose recipients included Portugal, Serbia and Slovenia. It is also worth pointing out that one of the top prizes, the Revelation Trophy of which six were awarded, went to the Bourgeois family for their 2018 Revelation Oaked Sauvignon from Clos Henri Vineyard in Marlborough, New Zealand The delegates also enjoyed a well put together Wines of Austria programme which centred around the city of Graz and included visits to producers in the region.

STEIERMARK The Celts were the first to bring the vine to Steiermark (Styria), the region is divided into three sub-regions Weststeiermark (West Styria), Sudsteiermark (South Styria) and Vulkanland. 78% of the region (4,633 ha) is planted with white varietals. Sauvignon Blanc is the second most widely planted grape in the region. The

terroir here is perfect for Sauvignon; slate, volcanic and chalk soil give the region’s Sauvignon their charachteristic minerality. The cooler climate also results in a more restrained style of Sauvignon. We travelled to the South Styrian Sausal region, located in Austria’s highest winegrowing village, Kitzeck to visit Weingut Wohlmuth. South Styria is best know for its classy crisp aromatic wines, the vineyards here are some of the steepest in Europe. The Wohlmuth family have been producing their wines in Sausal since 1803. The wines are grown in extreme conditions, there is no irrigation here and the slopes have a 90% incline. Gerhard Wohlmut together with his son Gerhard Joseph, work in the vineyard. They work on a number of Grand Cru sites to produce wines with enormous ageing potential of great complexity. Their 2015 Sauvingon Blanc Ried Edelschuh, now sadly sold out, was made in one of the best vintages ever and the wine received a 94 point rating from Parker’s Wine Advocate. We tasted a tank sample of the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Ried Edelschuh, which is a single vineyard wine grow on a south facing vineyard, 500 metres above sea level. The vineyard which dates back to 1322 is one of the best single vineyards in the region. The vines are roughly 30-60 years old, the wines are made whole bunch using wild fermentation in new 500 litre oak casks, and usually spends up to 18 months on the lees. This wine was bone dry with ripe pure fruit and was quite outstanding. We also tasted the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh which was very mineral with tropical fruit, a steely acidity and a complex mineral character. The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc Ried Steinriegl is made from another single vineyard site, south west facing, 500 metres above sea level from 15-30 year old vines.

2018 Revelation Blend: Domaine Haut Marin, Amande 2 Colombard & Sauvignon 2017, IGP Côtes de Gascogne, France 2018 Revelation Organic Sauvignon: Domaine Baron, La Fût Nambule Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Touraine, France 2018 Dubourdieu Wine Trophy: Weingut Kodolitsch, Sauvignon Blanc Rosengarten Reserve 2015, Styria, Austria 2018 Revelation Sweet Sauvignon: Ewald Zweytick Wein, SB Sauvignon Blanc Trockenbeerenauslese 2015, Styria, Austria For more information about the Steiermark region in Austria contact: Wein Steiermark, Hamerlinggasse 3, 8010 Graz Tel: + 43 316 8050 1435 E: weinsteiermark@steirischerwein.at http://www.steirischerwein.at/ For more information about Kobal Wines Web site www.kobalwines.si facebook www.facebook.com/ kobalwines For more information about Henri Bourgeois wines https://www.henribourgeois.com/en/

This was a relatively small vintage, hit hard by frost and the wines are now only available in Magnum. This wine had a lovely subtle acidity, beautifully elegant, a very tight version of Sauvignon Blanc. Weinguth Wohlmuth wines are available in the UK through Ester Wines contact Adam Dugmore in London Tel 0044-20-3579-4622 E: adam@esterwines.co.uk www.esterwines.co.uk For more information about Concours Mondial du Sauvignon http://cmsauvignon.com/en/home-en/ · Chef 63

NEWS

SO SOFITEL CULINARY SHOWDOWN

On September 20th, some of the world’s best chefs gathered at Bangkok’s SO Sofitel to compete in a culinary showdown. This intense cooking competition was part of the hotel’s ‘So Amazing Chefs’ program, a ten-day event bringing together 21 chefs from around the world, who have a combined total of 14 Michelin stars. The event began in 2010 as a gathering of 12 chefs. Now, it’s grown into an extravagant showcase of international fine dining. This year, the impressive roster included chefs from nine different countries, some of whom were based in Thailand, while others flew in especially to take part. The chefs were separated into four teams and set to face off against each other. In groups of five, they had to use their collective expertise to create gastronomic delights for a panel of judges, as well as the audience of guests from the fine dining industry. To do this, they were given a time limit of just 75 minutes. To make matters more interesting, they were assigned some secret ‘special ingredients’, which were only unveiled seconds before the competition began. This year, those special ingredients were local seafood and banana blossom. The blue team, which consisted entirely of French chefs, came out confidently with patriotic cheers of “allez les blues!” However, the red team were also very sure of themselves. When asked how he thought his team would fare, Chef Sornnarin Thongkhaw commented that they were “definitely going to win”. The teams had to wow Thai iron chef Chumpol Jangprai, as well as the head chefs of two of Bangkok’s best restaurants; Chef Amerigo Sesti of J’aime, and Chef Oliver Limousin of L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. Joining them on the judges panel were some hard-hitters in Thailand’s fine dining and publishing scenes. As a countdown began to start the competition, a gong sounded and each team rushed to collect a box of fresh local catches and start cooking. While the chefs were battling it out, guests enjoyed a four-course menu designed by Thomas Smith, SO Sofitel’s Head Culinary Designer. They were also able to sample dishes from each team, so they could vote for a winner of the People’s Choice award of the night. 64

The blue team went above and beyond by creating several dishes. The first was a papaya salad with sea bass on a calamari cracker with dipping sauce, and the second was squid ink tempura prawns. They used the banana blossom in their pomelo salad, serving it with sea bass and avocado. While they exceeded the allotted time, it was clearly worth it, and their exquisite presentation far exceeded that of the other teams. The red team also produced a pomelo salad to accompany their fish. This was one of the only teams to have a Thai chef, and also the only team to finish on time. Their food was well-received by the judges, with one asking “if you’re Thai, how could you not love this dish?” The orange team offered a black seafood curry served in banana blossom, and paid homage to King Rama 9 by carving the Thai number 9 from mango as decoration. The green team used Nicolas Elalouf’s expertise as a master of dim sum to create some seafood dumplings. The filling was seafood paella, a product of the team’s Spanish chefs. Accompanying the dumplings were cuts of fish, delicately smoked with cherry wood chips. The People’s Choice award went to the red team, and the blue team’s elaborate cooking techniques and attention to detail won over the judges. This meant that two Thailand-based French chefs came out on top. The blue team’s Alexandre Demard is the executive chef of Oxygen Dining Room at Chiang Mai’s X2 Riverside Resort. There, the red team’s Nicolas Isnard is his consulting chef. On the night, each of them walked away with an award. Chef Magazine talked to them both. When asked if they had a specific strategy for the competition, Chef Demard joked “I wanted to kill him, and he wanted to kill me”. Then, he put his arm around Isnard. “We are brothers”, he smiled. “But we are both very competitive, and we both came here to win”. In the end, they did, and their competitiveness edge set them apart from the rest. Chef Isnard summed up their working relationship in one sentence. “We work together and we win together”, he said. · Chef