05 for starters
A Day Off with Chuck Hughes – in Hong Kong How does poutine, a dish made with French fries, rich gravy and cheese curds, followed by a classically Canadian maple pecan pie sound to you? If it makes your taste buds tingle, and you are an American Express cardmember, then join the latest installment of the Celebrity Chef Series with A Day Off with Chuck Hughes, jointly presented by American Express and the Asian Food Channel (AFC). The event includes a sit-down dinner and demonstration that will showcase Chef Hughes’ famous Québécois fare. Taking place Friday, 9 March at 7pm at Happy Valley Racecourse for $1095 + or at a special price of $876+ for American Express Platinum cardmembers. www.theafcstudio.com
Love sharks?
Spa-end it together
The Hong Kong Shark Foundation has launched a wedding competition in collaboration with Happy Hearts Love Sharks, a shark conservation group that encourages couples to hold shark fin free weddings. The competition, which contestants can win by vote this May, offers a whole range of prizes, but the winner receives a six-day stay in an eco-lodge in Fiji where they can dive every day. www.happyheartslovesharks.org/hk www.hksharkfoundation.org Spend your Valentine’s Day in the throws of luxury and pampering in the romantic setting of Chuan Spa. Lovebirds can enjoy two glasses of Champagne with fresh fruit along with their day of Jacuzzi, massage and facials. Sounds like a pretty great way to give a gift that you’ll get to enjoy too! www.chuanspa.com
Love over a cuppa twitter.com/foodiehk // february 2012
Never one to miss an occasion, Starbucks has released their V-day coffee thermos so you can drink up your love every morning. They also have the obligatory heart-shaped raspberry mousse cake if you want something sweet for your sweetie along with their cup of Joe. www.starbucks.com.hk
11
today
what i ate today
w h a t I a te
Chef Chuck Hughes
unique dishes. I’m really looking forward to talking to the locals and discovering what and where they like to eat, that’s how I always find the best food!” As well as from his television show, Chef Hughes became renowned when he took the title as the youngest Canadian chef to win Iron Chef America, beating the legendary Chef Bobby Flay with his delicious lobster recipes.
Breakfast
Snacks I always have a few coffees and at least three big bottles of sparkling water. I played hockey at noon so I had an apple and a protein bar to keep my energy up but sometimes I just have a big handful of almonds and some fruit.
This is my biggest meal of the day. I had some leftover mackerel from the night before and it’s a great oily, fatty fish. So I threw that in a salad bowl with arugula, spinach, tomatoes, fennel, olive oil and spicy peppers, which I always have in my fridge. Then I ate this bowl, big enough for a horse, to fill me up for the day. I have two restaurants so I usually travel between the two and I’m always tasting new dishes; today it was raw tuna with a little tahini, sesame paste, fish eggs, cilantro and it was a great, classic kind of dish.
Supper My girlfriend made me my favourite supper, chicken meatballs in a tomato sauce with spaghetti squash. No dessert today because I’m not allowed dessert during the week. If you asked me what I ate on a Saturday, it would be a whole different menu as it’s my cheat day and it would be filled with pancakes, chocolate chip cookies and sushi!" For more information on Chef Chuck Hughes check out: www. asianfoodchannel.com/chef/ chuck-hughes
www.facebook.com/foodiehk // february 2012
Celebrity Chef Chuck Hughes is looking forward to his first trip to Hong Kong for his tour " A Day Off with Chuck Hughes" brought to you by American Express and the Asian Food Channel, where he will be hosting a dinner with a cooking demonstration exclusively for American Express Platinum cardmembers. Chuck says, "I’ll be cooking with a lot of familiar Canadian ingredients like lobster and other seafood and I’m hoping to incorporate a lot of what I experience of the local fare in my recipes. Discovering new cuisine by travelling makes me a better chef. I can’t wait to meet the fans and people who really like to eat and discover some authentic and
"I started with a bowl of Irish steel cut oatmeal that’s almost like barley. It takes a long time to cook so I make it up the night before and then reheat it in the morning with a banana, some blueberries and a coffee. I always try to have a big breakfast because I know if I go straight to the restaurant, I won’t have a chance to eat.
Lunch