AIR_September'2011

Issue four | september

2011

g

the kin

Produced in International Media Production Zone

r n o on The afte d the te n o Elv is fr ic al jam g a m t s mo ’ in ro c k ‘n se ss ion y r to is h roll

this year’s model

best of puck

star performers

keeping it reel

How freja beha erichsen became fashion’s most sought-after muse

the celebs’ chef of choice on the realisation of his American dream

Isn’t it about time michelin brought their revered guide to Dubai?

Why Arabic filmmakers are keen to tell stories through their own voices

THE GOLDEN AGE HAS RETURNED Every moment has a richness and renaissance With splendour as endless as time Pamper your senses In a new era of hotel opulence and romance And the promise of exquisite indulgence On the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

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B5 The Art of Living

Jensen • F+M Fos • Eggersmann • Döttling • Lambert • Junckers • Schmalenbach • ad notam

Contents / Features

TwenTy eighT / arabic cinema revoluTion Jade Bremner heads behind the scenes at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival to talk to the talents involved.

ThirTy Two / freja beha erichsen How a Copenhagen teenager went from ordinary schoolgirl to the hottest supermodel on the catwalk.

ThirTy eighT / chef To The sTars From humble origins to serving presidents and pop stars, Wolfgang Puck, the world’s best chef, is London-bound...

fifTy / billion dollar jam The day Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis made music history in Memphis.

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Contents / regulars

FourTeen / radar We put an ear to the ground for the coolest new happenings and ways to spend your dollars.

Managing Director Victoria Thatcher Editorial Director John Thatcher Advertisement Director Chris Capstick chris@hotmediapublishing.com Group Editor Laura Binder laura@hotmediapublishing.com Group Deputy Editor Jade Bremner jade@hotmediapublishing.com Designers Adam Sneade Sarah Boland Production Manager Haneef Abdul Group Advertisement Manager Cat Steele cat@hotmediapublishing.com Advertisement Manager Sukaina Hussein sukaina@hotmediapublishing.com

Tel: 00971 4 364 2876 Fax: 00971 4 369 7494 Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from HOT Media Publishing is strictly prohibited. All prices mentioned are correct at time of press but may change. HOT Media Publishing does not accept liability for omissions or errors in AIR.

TwenTy Two / criTique Tune in to the latest film, theatre, tomes and arts – and see what the critics praised and slammed.

FiFTy Six / moToring John Simister gets to grips with the outstanding Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and its prized predecessor.

SixTy / gaSTronomy Sink your teeth into the ultimate cheese board or a great gastro debate: should Dubai have a Michelin Guide?

SixTy Five / golF Ever shared the fairway with a giraffe? Then you haven’t played our chosen course in South Africa.

SixTy Six / Travel Go wild for spectacular safari lodges, shop NYC for interiors or scale Mount Everest – it’s all here...

eighTy / whaT i know now Entrepreneur Sheeraz Hasan talks life lessons and Hollywood...

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gama aviation September 2011

Welcome onboard I’m delighted to welcome you to the Septemebr edition of AIR. I hope you’ll enjoy learning more about our global business aviation group and the services we provide as you browse through the pages.

Gama is one of the world’s largest business jet operators – we have nearly 80 business jets operating all around the globe. Established in the United Kingdom in 1983, we’ve grown to have bases throughout the Middle East, Europe and North & South America as well as operating licences issued by the UAE, UK, US and Bermudan Authorities. As well as providing aircraft management and charter services, the group also provides aircraft maintenance, avionics design and installation, aviation software, aircraft cleaning and leasing services to a wide range of clients.

Gama’s expansion in the Middle East continues to progress well, our regional fleet has grown significantly over the past twelve months with the arrival of a number of aircraft including the Bombardier Global XRS and the Challenger 850, the first of its type to be registered in the United Arab Emirates and the continued development of our regional footprint and services.

Business aviation remains one of the best tools available to corporations and individuals who want to make time for themselves and it’s been pleasing to see a resurgence in charter flights in 2011 – the world is travelling for business again and developing much needed revenue for the global economy.

Thank you for choosing Gama – welcome on board.

Dave Edwards Managing Director

Contact details: charter.mena@gamagroup.com www.gamagroup.com

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gama aviation news Gama aVIaTIon SeTS SaIl To raISe moneY For FlY2HelP

A team of enthusiastic sailors from Gama Aviation, the Farnborough, UK headquartered business aviation services company, set sail from Cowes on the Isle of Wight to compete in the recent 80th annual ‘Round the Island Race.’ Gama braved the elements to raise money for the company’s long-standing charity of choice, fly2help, one of the UK’s leading aviation charities dedicated to supporting families and individuals facing a wide range of trauma or tragedy.

Weather dominated the race as team Gama (made up of pilots, operations and engineering personnel), along with a record-breaking fleet of 1,900 yachts, faced winds of up to 28 knots to negotiate the famous 50-nautical mile circumnavigation of the Island. Reported to be one of the toughest races in the event’s history, the Coastguard received a number of calls for assistance, including ‘Man Overboard’ reports, capsizes, demastings and sail damage. After nine hours and 14 minutes, team Gama crossed the finish line in 527th place, feeling weary, but proud at both getting round the island safely and raising the sum of £2,800 for fly2help.

“I have always wanted to take part in this exciting event, which is one of the most prestigious English yachting races,” said Steve Wright, Group Chief Operating Officer at Gama Aviation. “Despite the extreme

conditions for even the most experienced sailor, it was fun and we were all pleased to get back in one piece.

Above all, we are thrilled to be able to support fly2help.

Thanks to our Skipper, Captain Bob Bell and to all our generous supporters who helped make the day a success.

Donations can still be made at Gama’s fundraising page www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/gama.

“We are honoured to be Gama Aviation’s chosen charity and the hard work, effort and enthusiasm they have given to raising funds has been fantastic. It is a remarkable achievement and this fundraising will help us to support more very brave and special families through the power and liberation of flight. We are truly grateful for their tremendous support.” said Mandy Pantall, PR and Marketing Manager at fly2help.

About Fly2Help Fly2help lifts the horizons of people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures through the medium of flight.

It supports those with life-limiting and chronic illnesses; families who have suffered some form of tragedy and those who are working to recover a sense of self-worth and need a life-boost. This includes those struggling to live with bereavement and disability, isolation or poverty and people who have suffered extreme neglect and abuse.

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500,000 Hours 200,000 Flights 28 Years

Gama Aviation Limited Business Aviation Centre Farnborough Airport Farnborough Hampshire GU14 6XA United Kingdom Tel: +44 1252 553000 Email: charter.eu@gamagroup.com Gama Aviation FZC Building 6EB Office 550 PO Box 54912 Dubai Airport Freezone Dubai United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 4 609 1688 Email: charter.mena@gamagroup.com Gama Aviation, Inc. Airport Business Center 611 Access Road Stratford

www.gamagroup.com

CT 06615

Business Aircraft Management, Charter,

United States

Maintenance, Design and Installation,

Tel: +1 800 468 1110

FBO Services, Valeting and Aviation Software.

Email: charter.usa@gamagroup.com

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gama aviation news Gama aVIaTIon endorSed WITH WYVern SaFeTY aPProVal acroSS all oF ITS reGIonS Gama Aviation, the international business aviation services company, headquartered at Farnborough Airport, UK, has achieved Wyvern approval across all of its affiliated operating bases – in Europe, the Americas and the Middle East, thus demonstrating a continued commitment to aviation safety. Wyvern’s globally recognised seal of aviation safety excellence; ‘The Wyvern Standard’ is the leading quality audit standard developed in conjunction with the most sophisticated and demanding corporate flight departments in the world.

As a Wyvern approved operator, Gama maintains strict safety programmes which Wyvern audits annually and monitors throughout the year. The rigorous on-site safety audit evaluated Gama against a set of enhanced safety criterion that far exceeds the regulatory requirements for air charter, flight operations and maintenance.

Dave Edwards, Gama’s Managing Director said, “Wyvern represents one of the most strict independent safety and quality standards in business aviation. That fact that Gama has now achieved that around the globe is an excellent reward for the hard work and effort that goes into our proactive safety culture. It’s a pleasing recognition from one of the leading audit organizations.”

Above from left to right: Thomas Miller, CEO Gama Charters USA Dave Edwards, MD Gama FZC Middle East Thomas Connelly, President, Gama Support Services USA Paul Cremer, Commercial Manager, Gama Aviation UK Brent Moldowan, Managing Director, Wyvern Fredrik Artursson, Sales Director, Wyvern Scott Ashton, Chief Commercial Officer, Gama Aviation Inc.

alISon PrIce on aIr marKS SUcceSSFUl FIrST Year reVolUTIonISInG aVIaTIon caTerInG Alison Price On Air, the London-based in-flight division of elite catering firm Alison Price, celebrated a successful first year of operations this May by attending EBACE and playing an integral part in an inaugural symposium established to support flight attendants. Daniel Hulme, Director of In-flight services for the expanding business, joined a new committee that focused on attendants’ requirements and how to support their important role. “It was an honour for us to represent business aviation catering services and demonstrates just how quickly we have become an established and respected business in this field,” says Hulme, who launched the APOA business.

The young, dynamic company has already built a portfolio of over 30 aviation clients including leading names such as Gama Aviation Ltd. Its success results from the focus on quality of ingredients and menu creation. “All our dishes are extremely considered,” comments Executive Chef Richard Cubbin: “We have to consider how the food travels, its longevity, how the different environments will affect its taste and texture, and the fact that our clients are often working while they fly so this will probably be their main meal of the day.”

Cubbin has created unique mouth watering menus featuring seasonal produce and with such attention to detail that even the cheeses are selected according to the time of year.

Complementing the quality ingredients is a revolutionary system created to ensure even the most novice of flight attendants can present cuisine like a five-star chef. Menus are thought of in terms of “moves”, ie how many times a server has to handle the food. The process is simple and is supported by flash cards illustrating how the dish should look.

Paul Milverton, Cabin Services Manager for Gama Aviation UK says, “when we first saw the system we were so impressed, we’d never seen food presented so easily by our flight attendants.

The quality of the dishes and the consistency of the product is one of the major factors passengers comment on about the inflight service. APOA have enabled us to provide food at a level we hadn’t seen before and it’s a real asset to our service.”

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RadaR

Riviera Chic If you fancy a slice of the French Riviera this month, make for Abu Dhabi instead: September 1 cues the opening of the Monte Carlo Beach Club Saadiyat’s white stone doors to an exclusive membership. Taking inspiration from Monaco’s first Monte Carlo Beach Club, the Abu Dhabi version wings its way across Saadiyat Beach, with members able to drink-in all the luxury synonymous with the original: lounge on sun-drenched cabanas, take soothing dips in pools, rejuvenate with a spa treatment and sate your appetite at one of four eateries, two of which are outposts of restaurants at the Monte Carlo club. Would-be members can register their interest at info@montecarlobeachclub.ae

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RadaR

How about holidaying in space?

You may feel as though you’ve done it all, but have you spent a week in space?

Thought not. Russian company Orbital Technologies is placing the flight of a lifetime in easy reach after releasing its otherworldly plans for overnight stays in a futuristic space station, from 2016. Why? “It’s the whole space experience,” says CEO Sergey Kostenko, who’ll be offering galactic trips for around half a million dollars per week. “If you want to see the Earth, if you want to see the stars, this is the right place to go.” Reaching the station will take two days via space ship – a triumph compared to current experiences (like Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic), which offer 30 to 40 minute orbital flights – with room for up to seven people who’ll spend nights sleeping vertically in one of four compartments. orbitaltechnologies.ru

› Cast your eyes over iPad’s latest creation, a $1.2 million customised Camael Diamond iPad made from one kilo of 18-carat gold and lavished in 300 carats of diamonds (with black diamonds in place of a standard home button and Apple logo). If diamonds don’t top your list of gems, swap them for rubies or emeralds instead and why not let Camael deck out your iPhone while you’re at it? camaeldiamonds.com - 16 -

Wall of Fame

> Inspired by classic cocktails, Piaget’s new range of eye-popping rings won’t fail to attract attention.

This Whisky on the Rocks version notice the 2 carved quartz acting as ice cubes - features 100 brilliant cut diamonds set upon a ring of 18-carat yellow gold. piaget.com

The lobby of Claridge’s in London will soon pay homage to the hotel’s most famous guests, in the form of illustrations etched by the hotel’s first Artist in Residence, David Downtown.

Famed for his Vogue illustrations, Downtown has already sketched the beautiful likes of Linda Evangelista and Dita Von Teese and though names are currently under wraps, the permanent exhibition is tipped to include fashion greats like Christian Louboutin, Diane von Furstenberg and Carolina Herrera. claridges.co.uk

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RadaR

By Royal appointment

If you’re looking for somewhere unique to entertain clients, how about acquiring a five-seat box at London’s famous Royal Albert Hall? Said to boast the best seats in the house, the box comes with an 865year lease – which should give you and generations to come plenty of time to enjoy world-class musicians of every ilk. You’ll also be buying a bit of history: it is the only box in the hall still sporting its original timber veneer and mirrored panels. Priced at $900,000 from Harrods Estates. harrodsestates.com

> Mont Blanc’s extravagant three-piece Ruby Set is available as a limited edition from the brand’s flagship boutique in The Dubai Mall. The fountain pen, cufflinks and watch are each fashioned from red gold and pierced with diamonds and rubies, with the watch alone harbouring over 360 jewels. Is there a bolder way to announce your presence at a meeting?

Carry off this look

Whichever part of the world you’re making for, you’ll look the part when carrying this fine leather holdall which expertly bridges the gap between formal and casual. It’s the standout item from British brand Hackett’s new season accessories and can pack in just about all you need for a short stopover. Perfect for the globetrotting gentleman. hackett.com

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> Sketches, blueprints and inspiring images of Louis Vuitton’s most memorable retail spaces have been committed to print and bound in limited edition gold, silver and copper fabric slipcases.

Flick through and you’ll find 300 never-beforeseen architect sketches and interviews with Peter Marino and Christian de Portzamparc. Published

by Rizzoli and Editions de La Martinière, $85-$130.

California Dreaming?

Scoop a unique Californian property – which hits the auction block on September 18 with a reserve price of $22million – and you’ll acquire 10,500 square feet, six bedrooms, nine-and-a-half bathrooms, a theatre, twolane lap pool, gym, library and aquarium – along with celebrity neighbours in the form of Tom Hanks, Sting and Barbara Streisand.

And if privacy is of chief concern (California’s beaches are public by law), you’ll be pleased to find 1,000 feet of private sands at the rear of the mansion. premiereestates.com

Own the wOrld’s mOst expensive car For its price tag of $3.4 million, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport Sang Noir offers a top speed of 415km/h, hits 100km/h in just 2.5 seconds and has looks to die for. It’s also exceptionally rare, with only a handful to be built and made available to buy. Best get yourself in the queue. bugatti.com - 19 -

The Main evenT Rugby WoRld Cup, New Zealand September 9-october 23 Ranked number one in the world and playing on home soil, it would be a brave man indeed who bets against New Zealand winning their second Webb Ellis trophy. They’ll also come into the tournament after racking up some resounding victories in a high-scoring TriNation’s campaign and, in Richie McCaw, have arguably the game’s best player/captain. Of course, strange things do occasionally occur in rugby – who’d have predicted England’s appearance in the 2007 final, only months after a hugely disappointing Six Nations campaign?

– but with South Africa only posting one win in 2011 at the time of writing (albeit through resting most of their big-name players in readiness for the World Cup) and Australia proving prone to the odd lapse in form (they were memorably humbled by Samoa) it’s hard to look beyond the All Blacks. Of the threat from the Northern Hemisphere teams, only the ever-mercurial French look capable of reaching the final and their Pool A fixture against the hosts promises to be immense.

Way To Blow Rubgy is a game bursting with tradition, and when the referee blows to signal the start of the tournament’s opening game, he’ll do so using the same whistle that’s been used to commence every Rugby World Cup to date.

The famous whistle dates to 1905 when it was used during the All Blacks’ tour of Britain and Ireland, while it was also used during the 1924 Olympic Games. Outside of Rugby World Cups the whistle stays on show at New Zealand’s national rugby museum, where it keeps pride of place alongside a single florin – the coin that has been tossed to decide who kicks off at every World Cup since the tournament’s inception.

4 100% The number of pre-match team dances that you’ll see performed. In addition to New Zealand’s famous haka, Tonga, Fiji and Samoa all perform routines.

45

The number of points scored by New Zealand’s Simon Culhane versus Japan in 1995, which remains a tournament record for an individual player.

12

The number of Romanian players suspended by their rugby federation for what they perceived to be a lack of commitment shown at the 1987 World Cup.

The odds of a French fan smuggling a live cockerel into the ground to cheer on the team.

$115,000 The amount of money each Australian player will earn as a bonus if they secure a record third World Cup.

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‘Witness from Baghdad 1’ by Halim Al Karim, 2010 Sovereign Asian Art Prize Finalist

The Art of Tax Planning The Sovereign Group is proud to be sponsoring The Sovereign Art Foundation for the 8th consecutive year – helping it to make the world a better and more artistic place.

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And to ensure they have more to give we offer a comprehensive family office service including wealth management, tax planning, asset protection, company and trust formation.

Contact us for an exploratory conversation.

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Critique

Film Bobby Fischer Against The World Dir. Liz Garbus A documentary biography about an eccentric genius who rose from his working class roots to become a master of chess during the Cold War. at best: ‘A fascinating, darkly humorous but ultimately disturbing portrait of troubled genius.’

Daily Express. at worst: ‘Chess! What is it good for? Perhaps a television documentary instead.’ Little White Lies.

Burke and Hare

Shaolin Dir. Benny Chan There’s civil unrest in China as warlords try and expand their power, resulting in martial arts chaos. Suffering ensues until Hao Jie makes a final stand against evil. at best: ‘An expansive, energetic, big-budget martial arts action film that encompasses combat, explosions and moments of introspection.’

The Age. at worst: ‘Evil warlords and nifty monks battle it out physically and spiritually in this epic and histrionic tale of how the nastiest of men can find enlightenment.’ Screenwize.

Dir. John Landis UK comic Simon Pegg stars in this dark comedy set in a 19th century Edinburgh that’s rife with murder and body-snatching and two Irish entrepreneurs find themselves entangled in its web. at best: ‘It goes for pace and parody rather than wit, abounding with Victorian clichés.’ This is London. at worst: ‘An inept black farce about two 19 century body snatchers that couldn’t be more lifeless if it was one of their victims.’ Total Film.

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Crime D’Amour Dir. Alain Corneau The woman at the head of a corporate multinational company uses her power to take advantage of her subordinate and lead her into a bizarre game of seduction. at best: ‘With actors as accomplished as Scott Thomas and Sagnier, the film could hardly be dull, and it isn’t. Sagnier’s performance is superb.’ Sydney Morning Herald. at worst: ‘...lacks the camera movements and swelling soundtrack to make this classic melodrama in the grand tradition. It’s more akin to TV soap opera.’ ABC Radio National.

CRISTALLO HOTEL SPA & GOLF

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Via Rinaldo Menardi 42 - 32043 Cortina d’Ampezzo (BL) Tel. +39.0436.881111 - Fax +39.0436.870110 - info@cristallo.it

Critique

Art

Through 40 artworks by the surrealist painter Frida Kahlo and classical muralist Diego Rivera, the Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, UK, offers a rare glimpse into the lives of this revolutionary husband and wife duo who “were intimately bound together by marriage, divorce and remarriage,” explains Richard Dorment of The Telegraph, “and by their shared devotion to Mexico, to making art and to the politics of liberation.”

In Dorment’s words, the show – displayed throughout three galleries – “makes no attempt to survey their careers.” He adds “even biographical detail is kept to a minimum, though Kahlo’s mesmerising portraits of the hideous, elephantine Rivera and his of her are so tender that they are all a visitor needs to know about their love for each other.” Charles Darwent from UK daily paper The Independent says that by viewing Kahlo’s work in a modern context we in fact view it through the wrong end of the historical telescope. “Inventing her backwards via contemporary artists whose work so strongly resembles hers. Her Chromophore, Auxochrome

(1944) – an encoded portrait of herself and a lover – might have been made

by Damien Hirst.” Darwent claims Kahlo has no doubt inspired later works: “without Kahlo’s Self-portrait with Bed (1937) there might have been no Louise Bourgeois, certainly no Tracey Emin. It was Kahlo who made the female psyche and sexuality possible subjects for art.” Viewing the tempestuous couple’s works side by side presents an opportunity to “weigh the partners in Mexico’s most famous art pairing against each other,” concludes Darwent.

Japan’s largest art event – the Yokohama Triennale – opened last month and includes Yoko Ono and Damien Hirst, among an impressive roster of 77 high-profile names. The event poignantly opened on August 6 (the same day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945) and, in light of the recent earthquakes, the show is aptly named Our Magic Hour: How Much of the World Can We Know? William Andrews from Toyko Art Beat comments on Yoko Ono’s star attraction at the show: “Telephone in Maze sees lots of amused gnashing

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of teeth and bumping of heads in order to navigate the glass walls and reach the phone inside, and maybe pick up and speak to the iconic artist herself.” Edan Corkill from the Japan Times has a deeper take on the display: “the telephone at the centre symbolises Ono’s belief that communication and reaching out to other people is what is needed most.”

Andrews accounts another notable piece named Anderer, by German sculptor Tobias Rehberger, known for his room-sized installations.

“Fifty-nine light bulbs hang from the ceiling, connected to a remote child’s room by the internet,” he explains. “When the light in the child’s room switches off, they turn on in the Museum. Switched back on over there, they will turn off here.”

However, other pieces at the show are not so striking. Atsushi Saga’s minimalist Still White – Corridor appears to simply confuses art-goers.

It “frankly baffled visitors,” he writes, yet goes on to commend the process saying; “the mirror effect is due to the artist’s craftsman-like, constant polishing of the painted surface.”

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Critique

Books

Set in Devon, Joanna Briscoe’s Gothic novel named You was released last month and weaves between past and present. Amanda Craig from The Independent explains that you shouldn’t judge this tome by its comparitively bland cover: “a dramatisation of the wild idealism of late adolescence, You is vivid, if somewhat over-familiar; but as a portrait of counter-cultural rural life at its most damaged and damaging, it’s hilarious, disturbing and more interesting than either its cover or its title might suggest.”

Briscoe’s narrative weaves through an emotional web of lust, lies, anger and regret across three generations along with their drudgery. “The Devon landscape becomes a character in its own right,” explains Craig, “tipping the novel away from comedy into something much more Gothic.” The Telegraph’s Jane Shilling writes on the maternal relationships which dominate Briscoe’s work. “The bonds between mothers and daughters across the generations haunt her novel You,” she comments. “If one peered too beadily beyond the enticing surface, one might find the structure of her novel a little weak, the substance a trifle thin. But why anatomise what is essentially a lovely, and successful, entertainment.”

Sapphire’s highly-anticipated new novel is now on the shelves. The Kid, a follow up to Push – upon which the Academy award-winning film Precious was based – elaborates on the life of the baby boy projected in the first novel. The tale begins with Abdul, now nine-years-old, losing his mother to AIDS. “The Kid is more than Push 2; we’re swimming in murkier ethical waters here,” says Dan López at Time Out New York. “Abdul’s overriding imperative is to rise above by any means necessary, but as is often the case in Sapphire’s work, we’re left marvelling at the staggering effort required for mere survival.” In it, we

observe a homeless Abdul placed in to a shocking and hostile foster home.

“It is an accomplished work of art, but it is a gruelling story, one whose depictions of brutality and desire may be too challenging for some readers,” writes Carolyn Kellogg from the LA Times. Danielle Evans, of the New York Times, similarly believes it’s not a read for the faint of heart. “The Kid is to punish those readers of Push who found even the faintest glimmer of hope in Precious’ journey, as if Sapphire were daring anyone to make this novel into a Hollywood story with lovely celebrities playing wellintentioned social workers and tough but tender teachers who impart the redeeming value of the written word.”

A lighter digest comes in the form of A Year in the Village of Eternity

by Tracy Lawson, which accounts the writer’s journey to the Italian village of Campodimele where, out of a total population of 671, 111 residents are between 75 and 98 years old and most villagers are expected to live until they are 95. Lawson spends a year here in an attempt to uncover the secrets of longevity. “This guide to how the healthy people of Campodimele live life is more than a good read, it’s an inspiration,” says Bel Mooney of the UK’s Daily Mail. “This is no more a travel book than a cookery book – even though the descriptions make you want to catch the next flight out there – and it is stuffed with simple recipes.” In fact, the author believes that food can serve as a preventative medicine to illness. “Lawson beckons us towards the land of tomatoes on the vine, where olive groves stud the hills, home-made pasta bubbles and the cooking aromas of garlic, basil and sweet tomatoes are singing on the breeze,” muses Mooney. The Scotsman’s Alice Wyllie concludes: “While Lawson may just have hit on one of the secrets to a long life, she’s certainly discovered the recipe for a good one.”

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Images: Silence! The Musical; Double Feature’s Edgar and Annabel.

TheaTre

Double Feature presents a novel idea at The National in London until September 10; a show of four edgy, new, hour-long plays by up-and-coming playwrights, two of which will be shown every night on alternate nights. Double Feature 1 includes Sam Holcroft’s Edgar and Annabel plus DC Moore’s The Swan, and Double Feature 2 includes Prassanna Puwanarajah’s Nightwatchman and Tom Basden’s There is a War. Brian Logan from The Guardian punches high with a four star review of Edgar and Annabel: “not just a drama of political resistance set in some parallel British dystopia, but also a cute send-up of theatre acting and writing,” he says. “The dialogue is coarse, tart and funny.”

Meanwhile, the setting of DC Moore’s The Swan – in a rundown public house – is fascinatingly bleak. “Moore’s play is grittier and more rooted in realism,” comments Griselda Murray Brown of the Financial Times. “The play pieces together the fractured past as a group of revellers might the morning after. Who knows what?

And is it better not to know? There are some cracking one-liners and nuanced performances,” she adds.

Prasanna Puwanarajah’s Nightwatchman opens with a monologue that merges cricket with the problem of ethnic upheaval in Sri Lanka. “It’s passionately delivered

by Stephanie Street, but the text is steeped in recondite references and packs in too many ideas,” claims Henry Hitchings of the Evening Standard. He adds that it fails to “sustain interest or sympathy despite its serious purpose and flashes of wit.” In the fourth and final play of the Double Feature roster, Basden explores savage war by representing opposing sides as the Blues and the Greys with a black comedic twist. But Natasha Tripney of The Stage is not convinced: “It’s a sprawling and often farcical account of a conflict between the Blues and the Greys, who are indistinguishable from one another except for the colour of their uniforms (and even then it’s not always

easy to tell them apart).” Tripney states that it’s not the absurdity of war that’s conveyed, rather the absurdity of the play. Calling it “noisy and cluttered” she continues “while this initially conveys the messiness and absurdity of war – something enhanced by Soutra Gilmour’s skewed set – both play and production seem to lose focus towards the end.”

Over in the Big Apple, Silence! The Musical – an unofficial comedic stage show based on Jonathan Demme’s 1991 horror Silence of the Lambs – has been extended until September 24 at Theatre 80, and, if Time Out New York’s David Cote’s view is anything to go by, it’s well worth a look. “Campy, cheerfully vulgar and mounted on the cheap, Silence! The Musical is ideal summer fare, not particularly nutritious but sweet, tangy and very, very tasty,” he writes. “There’s so much comedic talent to savor, you can enjoy Silence! on its own daffy merits. Harris perfectly nails Jodie Foster’s clenched, twangy-lisping Starling, whereas Barrett smartly avoids aping Anthony Hopkins.” But the high-brow critics over at the New York Times offer a parallel view. One such Charles Isherwood recalls a deadpan comedic performance from Jenn Harris, in the lead role of Clarice Starling. “It’s among the more subversively funny moments in this patchy evening, which feels stretched well past the point of inspiration at nearly two hours and a full two acts,” he states. David Rooney at The Hollywood Reporter tends to agree, claiming ‘the creative team have missed an opportunity to transform the silly, scrappy show into more than an extended Mad TV sketch with hit-and-miss gags.” He continues: “at close to two hours, the overlong two-act musical tends to milk jokes that should be throwaways.” A hit or miss affair.

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The Arab Cinema Revolution The third annual Doha Tribeca Film Festival takes place next month, and will continue on its path to bulldoze down clichés about the Arab world through touching films portraying real, regional stories. Jade Bremner goes behind the scenes to glean more from its creative talent...

F

orty thousand attendees, four world premieres and a star-studded guest list that includes the likes of Robert De Niro, Salma Hayak and Kevin Spacey – with a line up like this, it sounds more like Cannes than Doha. Yet the 2010 Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) – a joint venture between the Doha Film Institute (DFI) and New York’s US Tribeca Festival – brought exactly this to Qatar, along with a $400,000 prize purse for the very best of independent Arab films.

Falling on October 25-29 this year, the event will open with a premiere of the Arabian epic Black Gold, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. And it’s set to have the movie’s glamorous Hollywood cast in tow too, including Antonio Banderas and Freida Pinto. “It was shot in Doha and has an Arab tale,” explains Doha Film Institute’s Executive Director Amanda Palmer. “It’s going to be massive. It’s a truly cross cultural film; I can guarantee there won’t be a dry eye in the place.”

If you want to cast your eyes over a full line-up of events for this year’s show, you’ll have to wait til the end of the month for their release, but, one thing’s for certain – it will include a multitude of big industry names all of whom will partake in workshops, screenings and exhibitions. While schedule specifics seem wrapped up like a best kept secret, reticent Palmer does promise an explosive finale and, we’re told, one of the most exciting events in the festival’s Qatar history – yet to be announced.

What is for certain, however, is that its years to date have shown the DTFF to be a means through which perceptions of the Middle East can be altered using the medium of film. Palmer explains just how it is that the DTFF offers local Arabic people a chance to tell their stories: “People are looking towards

the Middle East and saying ‘we can’t rely solely on what the media is saying’. This is the opportunity to watch and listen to stories from the Arab world, told by Arab story tellers.

There is a lot of talent in the region and the amount of films being produced every year is increasing and will continue to increase.”

And it seems the festival goes some way in its efforts to break the mould. “DTFF could be one of the only mediums with which to get a window into the reality of the Arab world and the culture that lives in it,” says acclaimed Lebanese director Mahmoud Kaabour. His film, Grandma A Thousand Times, premiered at DTFF in 2010 and has since gone on to become the most successful Arab film of the year. “DTFF has a way of understanding all of these political and social events people have been hearing about on the news,” he adds.

Dispelling the country’s gender stereotypes; “I learned that 60 per cent of the participants [at DTFF] are women,” remarked Salma Hayak on the red carpet of last year’s event. Nyla Al Khaja, the UAE’s first female director, confirms the suggestion that DTFF offers alternative perspectives on Arabic cinema that go beyond Egypt – a country that immediately springs to many a mind when thinking of Arab film.

“Egyptian films are commercialised because they’ve had a head start, they started in 1923, and they produce for a mass audience,” she says.

“In the rest of the Arab world, though, films are about social, political or gender issues, they are about the struggle of the human spirit. The DTFF sends the message that there is a lot of Arab cinema that doesn’t follow stereotypes and educates people. People from all levels of the industry also get to meet here.”

First time director Mohammed Al Ibrahim, from Qatar, is one such example of how the

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festival can elevate a film career. Starting out as a festival volunteer, helping people make one-minute films, his involvement with the Doha Film Institute led to a meeting with Black Gold’s casting director Ahmed El Attar.

“He turned around and asked me to audition,” recalls Ibrahim. “I wasn’t really into the acting side of things but he said ‘try it out’. I did and I ended up winning the role.” After his attention returned to behind the scenes, he landed a position as a runner before further promotions presented themselves. “People started giving me more responsibility and toward the end of the shoot I became one of three assistant directors on Black Gold,” he says.

Success stories aside, without big budgets for special effects and the strong cultural restrictions on what is acceptable to show on the region’s screens, some would say that Arab cinema has little chance of competing with the saturated US market. But DFI Executive Director Palmer believes the Arab film industry can move beyond such restrictions. “Films should be watched in a cultural context,” comments Palmer. “Indian cinema will soon turn 100-years-old, and it’s fascinating how it has evolved within the set cultural norms.

‘...films are about social, political or gender issues, they are about the stuggle of the human spirit’

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Scene from Black Gold.

Doha Film Institute education team member at work.

Freida Pinto in Black Gold.

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I’m constantly amazed by how Arab film makers tell their stories and it involves real skill.”

Look at the Middle East’s TV industry, however, and a contradictory image presents itself – a medium that has seen little change in the past 30 years. “TV’s getting stale and boring in my opinion,” observes director Ibrahim. “It’s time for a revolution in TV and cinema. Young filmmakers need to make more of an impression to change the views of the audience. There needs to be more interesting subject matter and style.”

A challenge that DTFF and its innovative talent base appears only too happy to rise to. But will audiences latch on so willingly or continue to follow a more mainstream US market? “At the end, everything in life is a matter of taste, you can bring the horse to the water but you cannot make him drink,” says the Oscar nominated Arab-Israeli director of Ajami Scandar Copti.

“You can’t force someone to eat something they don’t like or that they’re too afraid to try, though we welcome everyone at the festival.”

While DTFF continues in its annual attempt to cause waves in a notoriously hard-topenetrate film industry, Khaja feels a solution does exist: “We need to start exporting our media instead of importing everything and at the moment it’s in very low concentration,” he says. “It really is a long term investment.”

See more from the world of Arab cinema firsthand at dohafilminstitute.com

‘DTFF could be one of the only mediums with which to get a window into the reality of the Arab world and the culture that lives in it’

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Director’s Cut Three of the region’s filmmakers on the Arabic celluloid you need to have seen...

nylA Al KhAjA, The uAe’s FiRsT FeMAle FilM DiReCToR

MAhMouD KAAbouR, DiReCToR oF GRAnDMA A ThousAnD TiMes

sCAnDAR CopTi, DiReCToR oF The oCsAR-noMinATeD AjAMi

Le Grande Voyage (2004)

The Message (1977)

Where do we go Now? (2011)

Dir: Ismael Ferroukhi

“The story of Islam done in Arabic and English 30 years ago, it’s an incredible film that sheds light on how Mohammed became prophet and how Islam became the fastest growing religion on the planet.”

Dir: Nadine Labaki

Grandma a Thousand Times (2010)

Outside the Law (2010)

“A few women are connected by a salon where they gather to give each other hope and support.

Many Arabic themes are found in the film and it breaks stereotypes.”

Dir: Mahmoud Kaabour

Dir: Rachid Bouchareb

“It features a feisty old Lebanese woman who is full of sass and character.

She represents an entire section of Arab culture becoming extinct.”

“A film that was nominated for an Oscar. It’s in Arabic and French and shows Algerian minorities in a poor neighbourhood.

A very touching film.”

Paradise Now (2005)

Microphone (2010)

Time That Remains (2009)

Dir: Hani Abu Assad

“I highly recommend this joyful half documentary introducing people to the underground music scene in Egypt. You’ll be surprised to see how much jazz heavy metal and hip hop comes out of the city.”

“A poignant, beautiful story that will uplift and inspire you. It’s a journey that puts a father and son’s relationship to the test as they discover differences and similarities.”

Caramel (2007) Dir: Nadine Labaki

“Nominated for an Oscar, this is filled with anguish, sadness and humour. It gives a background story to two suicide bombers and the psychology behind a complex situation.”

Dir: Hani Abu Assad

Dir: Ahmad Aballa

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“A film that’s less social, less political and more entertaining, it tells the story of a village which is disconnected from the world with only a bridge linking it to the other world.

Dir: Elia Suleiman

“This is something you never see: it’s about politics in the Middle East but the humour is different. You have to see it more than once to get all the layers of this beautiful story.”

Freja Beha erichsen

Spotted at the age of 15, the sinuous Copenhagen beauty is just about the most in-demand woman on the catwalk - her celebrated tattoos notwithstanding

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reja Beha Erichsen was walking with her mother, Lise, through Copenhagen when a taxi shuddered to a standstill. From it popped a keen-eyed catwalk scout.

He ran up to them and asked whether Freja would like to become a model.

“And,” says Erichsen, “he had only seen me from behind. Although obviously I was tall and skinny. My body hasn’t changed much since.”

Even if you don’t know who Erichsen is, odds on you will have seen her, and her vertically blessed, horizontally challenged frame, before.

One of fashion’s most in-demand models, she is plastered on buses and billboards across the world for H&M. In glossy fashion mags, Erichsen stares up at you from page after page – in the past few months her ad campaigns have included Chanel (Karl Lagerfeld hires her season in, season out), Louis Vuitton, Valentino and MaxMara. She’s appeared on four Vogue covers this year (in Brazil, Italy, Britain and France), and tends to be the first or last model (the most prestigious position on the catwalk) in a hefty proportion of the shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris.

Not this season though: apart from Chanel, Erichsen was absent from the fashion caravan. This, she says, was because she was booked to shoot something top-secret in Rome. Yet the Freja phenomenon nearly didn’t happen. For when that spotter – still her “mother agent” – ran up, Erichsen was, she says, “hesitant: I wasn’t sure that this was what I wanted to do”. Erichsen was 15 at the time.

She grew up just outside Copenhagen, shuttling between her parents after a civilised-sounding separation when she was one year old. “My mother is the director of the Stroke organisation in Denmark and my dad helps unemployed people with their rights. My elder brother is in his thirties now, and he grew up with my dad and I grew up with my mum. We

‘If you choose to let whatever happens happen, incredible things will come along’

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‘It’s important that when you do this sort of job you have a goal.

Mine is... about having a little farmhouse, a couple of horses, musical instruments’

you going to say I remind you of her? My mum said that too.”

The big fashion companies that shoot her for ads will often use the nefarious magic of post-production to make her tattoos disappear. Erichsen doesn’t fret. “This is a job where my look and my body are products. So I don’t mind if they retouch them away.” Soon enough, when the work starts to falter or she’s had her fill of it, Freja plans to disappear too. “Because I think it’s important that when you do this sort of job you have a goal. Mine is quite visual. It’s about having a little farmhouse, a couple of horses, musical instruments. I’ll grow organic fruit and vegetables and be self-sufficient.”

That tattoo I first noticed, ‘Float’, has an archetypal Freja philosophy – simultaneously hard-nosed and hippy – behind it. “It was about floating through life, not being too cautious.

If you choose to let whatever happens happen, incredible things will come along.” Like, for instance, an agent in a taxi with a life-changing view of your spectacularly skinny behind.

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Images: Getty / Gallo Images.

Text: Luke Leitch / Times Magazine / The Interview People

had every weekend together [with her brother]; one weekend with my mum, one with my dad.” She lived “near the forest. I was a tomboy. I played soccer with the boys.” By the time she was 12, she was a head taller than her peers.

Then that scout came along, and she paused. “But I thought, ‘You don’t know unless you give it a go.’ And,” she says with epic understatement, “it has gone rather well. By the time I was 17 I had booked some big jobs [exclusive appearances at the Prada and Miu Miu shows, the grandest entrée a new model can make to Milan] and they went smoothly. Then I did shows in Paris and a couple of campaigns – and that was the start.”

It is impossible to mistake Erichsen for anyone else. This is not just thanks to her powerful features or the wiry skinniness on which designers relish draping their creations. Nor is it due solely to the fact she is an adaptable cipher for whatever look they demand: from tomboy to soft and ultra-feminine. Because there is the untrifling matter of her tattoos. There are more than 15 of these etched on her multi-million pound body, and although they are unmissable on the catwalk – the first one I remember gawping at was ‘Float’, on her neck – they don’t put off her clients. “Some were done instinctively; some because things had happened and I wanted to remember, and some were random.

Like this pistol on my arm.” She pulls up her sleeve. “But ‘This too shall pass’, that was significant. It was about three or four years ago.” It followed the death of her grandmother, when Freja was 19. Erichsen says she loved her grandmother, and she knew that she did not have long to live. But it was also a vital time in her career, and there was work she felt she couldn’t pass up. So she didn’t. “I did get to go home to see her, but it was hard.”

She hasn’t read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but says, when I mention Stieg Larsson, “Were

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The restaurateur who feeds presidents, Premiership footballers and Oscar winners has finally been lured to London – by Elton John.

Lydia Slater gets a helping of Wolfgang Puck

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olfgang Puck is the international A-list’s favourite chef. Since he opened his iconic restaurant Spago on Sunset Strip in 1982, he has tempted the palates of everyone from Elizabeth Taylor and Sidney Poitier to John Travolta and Hugh Grant, not to mention every US president since Gerald Ford. The Cruises employ his culinary services for their private parties and are forever dining at his LA steakhouse Cut; he’s done a dinner party for Barack Obama, and is responsible for the catering at the annual Oscar night Governor’s Ball (last year, the greedy guests downed 1,000lb of wild salmon, 1,200 oysters and 15lb of edible gold dust, alongside 1,600 chicken and truffle pies).

Now Puck is bringing his inimitable brand of celebrity catnip to London. An American steakhouse, also called Cut, is opening this month at 45 Park Lane, a new boutique hotel owned by the Dorchester Collection, at the behest, it seems, of Sir Elton John.

“A lot of my customers felt London needed it,” Puck explains. “Elton told me that Cut was his favourite restaurant. And when I saw Michael Caine last week – he and his wife Shakira are old friends – he was so excited when I told him we were opening.”

We meet at The Dorchester where Puck is staying for a couple of days to oversee the progress of his new restaurant. I am surprised but relieved to see that although he is a constant presence on American TV, and admits to being 61, he appears free of Botox, facelifts, hair implants or other regulation Hollywood tweaking. He has also kept his Austrian accent more or less intact, though naturally he is trim and tanned with pearly white teeth and an immaculate grey suit.

Nobody knows how to pack in celebrities like Puck. So what’s his secret? “Everyone seems to love quality food that’s not too complicated. When it’s fussy, you can only go once in a while. For Jennifer Lopez’s wedding – the one before last – she wanted fried chicken and waffles and pork chops with onions.

She said, ‘that’s what I like, it’s what I grew up with.’

It’s not what you cook, it’s how you cook it. We buy the best ingredients and try not to screw them up.”

So Cut will focus on steaks, sides and sauces, plus fish, game and no doubt some very expensive truffleand caviar-based appetisers to allow guests to flex their platinum credit cards: his signature dish being pizza with smoked salmon and caviar. “True luxury for me is something really refined, but really simple.”

But of course the secret of Puck’s success is about much more than the food. Urbane and friendly, he puts one at ease immediately. “Most people are very nice, so it’s easy to hang around with them, but sometimes they are shy, too,” he says of his most famous clients. “I remember when David

Beckham started to come in with his wife. I said hello, because I love soccer, and one day I sat down and talked to them. Since then, they are so friendly, they call me up and invite me to football games.”

Puck is also tactful, an essential attribute when coping with fragile egos who all insist, for example, on being seated at the ‘best’ table. He denies that any such table exists – “though we usually put a celebrity at the side so they’re not at the first table at the entrance” – but at Spago, table three was reputedly the one to ask for. “It’s strange, that table thing. There are some people who are very fussy. I remember at Chinois, our restaurant in Santa Monica, we had a customer who always sat at the same table until she saw Elizabeth Taylor at another table. The next time she came, she wanted to sit where Taylor had been.” He clearly finds all this jockeying for territory a bit silly, recalling with approval how one of his regulars, the late Daniel Melnick, producer of Straw Dogs, would always opt for a table in socalled Siberia at the back of the restaurant. “One day, I went up to him and said, ‘Dan, wouldn’t you feel more comfortable if I gave you a nice table up front?’ He said, ‘No, wherever I sit is the most important table in the house so it doesn’t matter’.”

Puck has been in the business too long to be starstruck by the actors who throng his restaurants.

“When you live in LA, you get to know almost everyone in the movie industry,” he shrugs. “If I lived in Dallas, it would be sports stars.” It’s the politicians who get Puck reaching for his autograph book. “It sometimes happens when the President comes, but not always. That’s probably the biggest moment for us because there’s such a commotion.

They put in a special telephone line, bring in dogs and everyone has to leave.” So which president was most appreciative of his cuisine? “Clinton, I think,” he says, after some thought, “though Obama also likes good food. The Obamas go to my restaurant, The Source, in Washington. Michelle had her birthday there.”

Puck’s restaurant empire now encompasses four Spagos and two branches of Cut – London will be the third – along with more than 80 Wolfgang Puck Express outlets and a vast range of cookware and gourmet food. He is as rich and famous as any of his clientele, thanks to his TV shows (he’s even had the ultimate accolade of featuring as himself on The Simpsons).

In many ways, Puck is the living embodiment of the American dream: his background could scarcely be further from the glitzy world he now inhabits so comfortably. He was brought up near the small Austrian town of Klagenfurt. He never knew his biological father, who walked out on his mother Maria before he was born. Maria, a chef, subsequently

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‘We lived right next to a forest and my father would send me to pick a stick for him to hit me with.

Naturally I didn’t choose the biggest’

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Images: Corbis Images; 45 Park Lane hotel Text: Lydia Slater / ES Magazine / The Interview People

married Josef Puck, a boxer turned coal miner, with whom she had two daughters, now both teachers in Austria, and a son who works for his elder halfbrother. Money was tight: meat was a once-a-week treat; they had no phone or car; and the first time Puck went abroad was on a trip organised by Save the Children for underprivileged youngsters.

During summer breaks, young Wolfgang would spend time with his mother in the kitchen of the hotel where she worked, which is where he first learned to love cooking. “The pastry chef let me whip up egg whites, to see the mixture becoming bigger and bigger. I thought that was amazing.” Although Josef had adopted Wolfgang as his own son, he was a harsh, tyrannical parent. “He was very tough,” Puck recalls. “He used to drink a lot and he always told me I was good for nothing. Thank God he was away from home so much or probably I would have left when I was ten. He used to beat me all the time.

I can’t even think about it. We lived right next to a forest and my father would send me to pick a stick for him to hit me with. Naturally I didn’t choose the biggest, and I cracked it a few times so he would hit me twice and the whole thing would fly into pieces.”

Josef was even less impressed when Wolfgang announced that he wanted to be a chef. “He thought that was the worst thing. So I left home when I was 14.” He became an apprentice in a hotel restaurant in Villach, 50 miles away, where he was put in charge of peeling the vegetables. “About two months after I started, on a Sunday lunch, we ran out of potatoes.

At the time I was the one peeling the potatoes and boiling them to make mash, so it was my fault. The chef told me I was good for nothing and I’d better go home. I thought, “I’m going to kill myself first.”

Distraught, he contemplated suicide, standing on the parapet of a bridge for an hour wondering whether to throw himself off. “Finally, I thought, “I’m going to go back to the restaurant tomorrow and see what happens,” because the chef used to drink a lot and sometimes he forgot.” Assisted by the other apprentice, who wasn’t keen to take over the potato peeling, he worked in the cellar for ten days until the chef discovered him. ‘He said, “What are you doing here?” and I said, “I can’t go home.”

At the end of his apprenticeship, Puck got a job in a restaurant in Dijon, moving on to the Michelinstarred L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence, where he impressed his superiors by being unafraid of kitchen tantrums. “I was so used to the shouting because of my father that it didn’t bother me. At that time, people used to throw things at you in the kitchen. If you did something wrong, the chef kicked you in the butt.” From there, he moved to Monaco’s Hotel de Paris, and finally Maxim’s in

Paris, where, in the early 1970s, he cooked for Salvador Dali, the Chaplins, Kennedys, Catherine Deneuve and Aristotle Onassis (who liked his beef tenderloin with lots of fat left on, he recalls). In 1974, he emigrated to America, where he got a job in Indianapolis, at a French restaurant called La Tour. “It was a bit of a culture shock,’ he admits. “People liked their steaks well done. They couldn’t even eat with a knife and fork!” Initially, Puck refused to lower his Michelin-trained standards, but his food kept being sent back. Eventually, the Irish rotisseur showed him how to microwave the meat so it came out a uniform grey.

No wonder he fled to LA the moment he got his green card. As chef at Ma Maison, he began to rub shoulders with the rich and famous. “Orson Welles used to come to lunch every day and we talked about food,” he says. “Once I made him a grilled duck salad with sautéed mushrooms and he liked it so much he ordered another.

He told the owner, “If you ever let this guy go, I’ll leave with him.” During his time off, Puck played tennis with his customers Gene Kelly and Sidney Poitier. Then, in 1981, he opened the first Spago at a cost of $500,000, backed by students at his cookery classes (most of whom were lawyers during the day). “It was a very good investment for them,” he chuckles.

In 1984 he married interior designer Barbara Lazaro , who helped set up his business and designed several of his restaurants. They divorced in 2003, but Lazaro is still his business partner, although they don’t seem to get on.

“Sometimes there is a reason that divorce is so expensive - because it’s worth it,” he jokes. “But we have children together so we have to live with each other.” (They have two sons, Cameron, 21, and Byron, 16.) In 2007, he married the Ethiopian handbag designer Gelila Assefa, who he met when she was working at Spago; they also have two sons, Oliver, five, and Alexander, three.

Although Mrs Puck has the streamlined elegance of someone who exists on lettuce leaves, here’s hoping, for the sake of marital harmony, that she appreciates a good dinner. “I always say to her, “It’s crazy to spend money on shoes or diamonds or handbags when you could have truffles,”’ says Puck (a man who once spent £13,000 on just such a mushroom for Robert De Niro). “I could spend $5,000 on a truffle with my eyes shut, and a week later it’s gone. But I keep a little piece in my pocket, just for the smell. A simple pizza with white truffle is a perfect thing.” As well-heeled London gastronomes will shortly discover.

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the ristocrat Go playfully bold this Autumn in Vicomte A.

Left: Jacket in cashmere, shirt in Italian finest cotton, bow tie in wool, trousers in velvet, tweed bag in wool and cashmere, Italian handmade shoes in nubbuck.

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Left: Jacket in water resistant cotton fabric with tweed details, tie in wool.

Below: Tweed jacket in English wool, turtleneck sweater in

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cashmere, handmade belt in leather.

Right: Jacket and trousers in flanelle wool and cashmere, shirt in cotton cashmere, bow tie in wool.

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Left: (him) Tweed jacket in English wool, sweater in cashmere, bow tie in wool, trousers in velvet, tweed bag in wool and cashmere; (her) Cotton jersey polo with

shoulder patch in English tweed, shorts in velvet.

Above: Jacket in flanelle wool and cashmere, shirt in Italian finest cotton, tie in wool, trousers in velvet, tweed bag in wool and cashmere.

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The billion dollar jam

Ray Connolly recalls the most magical afternoon in rock ‘n’ roll history

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ne afternoon in December 1956, 21-year-old Elvis Presley was showing a new girlfriend around his home town, Memphis, Tennessee, when he spotted cars gathered outside a singlestorey building he knew well. It was 706 Union Avenue, home of Sun Records, from where he’d leapt to world fame in less than a year. So many cars could only mean one thing: a recording session must be taking place. It was time to look in on old friends.

At first Elvis chatted with studio owner Sam Phillips who, with his office manager and lover, Marion Keisker, had discovered Elvis before selling his contract just 12 months earlier to the giant RCA Records. In that year Elvis had had six million-selling hits, two No 1 albums and made his first film, Love Me Tender. Like a ‘golden boy’ going back to his old school, Elvis joined the musicians who were taking a break from recording. They included Carl Perkins, the writer of Blue Suede Shoes, a young unknown blond pianist called Jerry Lee Lewis and, a little

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‘Elvis and friends were leaving for posterity a masterclass in how the melding of styles had created their branch of rock ‘n’ roll’

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later, Johnny Cash. Making his way over to the piano, Elvis began to play and sing the Fats Domino hit Blueberry Hill.

The others, who must have been awed by his success, joined him with guitars and harmony, while Sam Phillips, never one to miss an opportunity, called the local newspaper suggesting they send a photographer to capture the moment. He also switched on the tape recorder. ‘I thought, man, just let’s record this,’ Phillips would later say. ‘This is probably an occasion and, who knows, we may never have these people together again.’

The result was a legendary jam session. Known as the Million Dollar Quartet, after Elvis’s girlfriend of the day joked that the four should become a quartet, it was a moment in rock ‘n’ roll history that I’d heard about for years before a bootleg album appeared in the Seventies. And here I must declare an interest because rock music, especially early Elvis, has been my passion, and partly my career. To this end I was able to visit Memphis several times and interview Elvis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and Sam Phillips.

Actually, the first bootleg album I heard of the Million Dollar Quartet was little more than a fragment. Only after the death of Elvis in 1977, when his Graceland home was scoured for any private recordings that might have a commercial value and three reels of tapes were unearthed, was the full session heard again – a treasured recording that formed the basis of the Broadway and West End show devoted to the moment.

Those original tapes reveal two hours of the young stars gathered around the piano chatting, singing and playing snatches of more than 40 songs. There’s a shared appreciation and singing of Chuck Berry’s latest release, then blues, spirituals, country ballads, several gospel hymns and Little Richard’s Rip It Up. ‘Well, it’s

Saturday night and I just got laid...’ sings Elvis, giggling as he makes the lyrics somewhat more earthy. They were fooling around but, though they didn’t know it, Elvis and friends were leaving for posterity a masterclass in how the melding of styles had created their branch of rock ‘n’ roll.

Dramatising that occasion as the basis of a show was an inspired idea. And it’s right that it should put Sam Phillips at the centre of everything. In 1950, the young radio engineer had invested his meagre savings in his own recording studio where people could make a record for themselves. He was the catalyst behind all his young stars’ careers – and much that followed over the following decades. “I would tell people they were welcome to come and try to do what they did best,’” Phillips told me in 1973, standing in the wreck of his old studio which, after he sold Sun Records in the Sixties, had been turned into a motorcycle repair shop. “But I didn’t want anyone trying to sound like Nat King Cole or something they weren’t.

I wanted their soul poured out on this damn floor.”

These days the grease and motorcycles are gone and the site has been revamped as a tourist hub. Back in the Fifties, however, it was a shabby place where grass grew between the paving stones outside. Phillips, who died in 2003, struggled to make a living by recording black blues artists and selling the tapes to record companies in Chicago. One day in 1953, Elvis, then 18, paid $4 to record a song, probably just to find out what he sounded like.

Phillips was out so Marion Keisker recorded him singing a ballad called My Happiness. “I’d noticed him outside with his guitar, too nervous to come in, and when he did come in he was shy,” she told me during one of my visits to Memphis. “Anyway, I recorded him and took down his name and address, and so that I’d remember what he looked like, I wrote “Timothy Sideburns” alongside

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his name. “I’d heard Sam say a hundred times that if he could only find a white singer who could sing with as much feeling as a black singer he’d make a million dollars, and I thought maybe Sam should hear him.”

Phillips told me a slightly different version of events, mainly that he had made that first recording, but his recognition of Elvis’s talent was what really mattered.

He said: “I gathered that Elvis lived in a very poor area and I saw in his eyes that same look of fear that was in the black man’s eyes, that he might be somewhere off bounds for the likes of him. I’ll never forget his look of amazement when he heard himself on record – amazement not only at the way he sounded, but also that someone should be treating him with such respect.”

Some months later Phillips put Elvis together with two local musicians. Before the evening was over, the boy had made his first record – That’s All Right, Mama.

“We didn’t do but three takes and we used the second,’ recalled Phillips. “I was so delighted, I said, “Y’all have come off fantastic tonight, because if this isn’t good enough, then Lord knows, I don’t know which direction to go in.” I knew we had something that wasn’t fish nor fowl, but that had tremendous excitement and abandon.”

Elvis had, of course, too much ‘excitement and abandon’ to stay. By 1956 he was gone, leaving Phillips to record other young men now attracted to Sun by Elvis’s success – names such as Johnny Cash, who immediately had a hit with I Walk The Line, and Carl Perkins, who wrote and sang Blue Suede Shoes. So when Elvis saw the cars and called in on Sun for that pre-Christmas jam, when the studio, as Marion Keisker once told me, “looked like nothing so much as a chicken coop nested in Cadillacs”, he already knew Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash.

Listening now to the fly-on-the-wall recording is extraordinary. At first Elvis, who would later be described by one of his friends as ‘the world’s worst pianist’, sits at

the piano until the cocky young Jerry Lee Lewis proceeds to give him a lesson in how it should be done. “The wrong man’s been sitting here at the piano,” Elvis says as Lewis takes over. “Well, I been wanting to tell you that all along. Scoot!” comes back Jerry Lee, never short of self-confidence. And off they go again, with Elvis maybe showing off a little bit, choosing most of the songs.

It was a moment when rock ‘n’ roll was fun, young and innocent, and when none of those present had any idea of where it would take them. As with any group of friends, there were probably little personal rivalries. It is said that Johnny Cash, who was always jealous of Elvis, went off to do some Christmas shopping after the photograph had been taken, although he later denied it. Whatever their feelings towards each other, these musicians were on top of the moment, talking about songs as only teenage boys and young men can. Soon we hear Elvis regretting that he’d missed out on recording Pat Boone’s million-seller Don’t Forbid Me because he wasn’t aware that a demo recording of it had been sent to him. “It was written for me and it was sent to me,” he admits, “and it stayed over at my house for ages, man. I never did even see it.” Then he raves about how he’d just been to Las Vegas and seen a performer he didn’t know, who he later learned was Jackie Wilson, doing an impression of him singing Don’t Be Cruel - and admitting that Wilson had done it “much better than that record of mine. I went back four nights straight, man. I was under the table when he got through singing.”

Elvis, a huge star, had become an instant admirer of another singer, with an enthusiasm that reminds me of conversations I had separately with both Bob Dylan and John Lennon after I’d interviewed Elvis and seen him on stage in 1969. Their questions to me were identical. What did he sing, they both wanted to know. Did he do the Sun stuff? Playing again the CD of those four young men in Memphis as they tried to remember the lyrics of favourite songs, not only is the racial and cultural background from which they sprang illustrated, but also the religious. That might surprise some, but church music, the way it was sung around Memphis, was always a rich seam in early rock ‘n’ roll harmonies and characters. It is said that Sam Phillips and Jerry Lee Lewis could argue for hours about religion, so that recording sessions would have to be cancelled.

In the case of Million Dollar Quartet it was four guys at the top of their professions and a brilliant record producer called Sam Phillips, who welded white working man’s guitar-led country music with the local rhythm and blues of black musicians. In doing so, he created a style of rock ‘n’ roll that has been copied and adapted ever since.

“I hate to get going in these jam sessions,” says Elvis as the singing ends and he bids farewell to his friends. “I’m always the last one to leave.” Sadly Sam Phillips was right in his prediction. A jam session like that, with those same musicians, never did get going again. If it had, one thing is for sure. Considering the wealth those guys generated, it would have been more like a Billion Dollar Quartet.

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Images: Corbis Text: Ray Connolly / Mail on Sunday / The Interview People

‘It was a moment when rock ‘n’ roll was fun, young and innocent, and when none of those present had any idea of where it would take them’

motoring

Back To The FuTure John Simister revives the thrills and skills of Fifties-style driving at the wheel of the MercedesBenz SLS AMG

T

he car you see here is a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, a model first seen two years ago. So why am I telling you about it only now?

Two reasons. Just recently I was able to test it to its considerable limits on the Goodwood motor circuit in England, which gave a more complete picture of its capabilities than my earlier, and brief, road drive in Wales. And last week I drove its 56-year-old inspiration, loved it and wanted an excuse to tell you about it.

So my head is full of very fast Mercedes-Benz coupés with gullwing doors. We’ve reached the stage in the march of civilisation, knowledge and technological maturity that progress is no longer inevitable, or even desirable. In some ways we have reached a plateau: the speed of our motor cars, for example. Once there was the urge to make cars ever faster, but now there is a limit (and I don’t mean a legal speed limit) beyond which it is pointless to go because we have nowhere to use the extra speed.

It was also once a given that new cars should always be quieter, smoother, and more

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motoring The Numbers Mercedes Benz SLS AMG

Price guide: $278,000 0-100km/h: 3.8secs Top speed: 317km/h Engine: AMG 6.3 litre V8 Power: 571hp Torque: 650Nm

comfortable than the previous ones, with more gadgets and more automation. But here, again, we have reached the limit, beyond which we are left with nothing to do, nothing to stimulate us, and the possibility that the driver no longer controls the car. And while some of us might think we want that, in reality we don’t.

This is why Mercedes-Benz has brought us the SLS. As car-lovers look wistfully in the rearview mirror at vehicles which had a personality, made a proper noise, took some skill to drive, and gave huge sensory rewards in return, Mercedes offers a car built with a nod to those values but incorporating modern standards of safety and cleanliness.

The 300SL ‘Gullwing’, made from 1954 to 1957, was startling in several ways. The upwardopening doors, obviously. The pace, reputed to exceed 160mph with the right gear ratios, made the 300SL the first ‘supercar’. The direct fuel injection, unique at the time. And a reputation for extreme trickiness if the driver decelerated or braked in a fast corner, a treachery no modern carmaker could allow. Over the years, the mystique of the Gullwing has loomed large in

motoring lore, and today the surviving examples are extremely valuable.

This is the car whose image was pinned on the SLS creators’ walls. The SLS, however, is not the first ultra-rapid Benz to tempt the rich and nod to the past. Back in 2003, Mercedes teamed with McLaren to create the SLR, named after a racing sports car most famous for its win in the 1955 Mille Miglia in the hands of Stirling Moss.

The supercharged SLR was extremely fast but, despite being made from carbonfibre, was heavy.

It also had numb steering and far too high a price tag – and was overall a disappointment.

The SLS is, in a way, Mercedes-Benz making amends and getting it right.

So the SLS, with obvious design references to the 300SL, has an aluminium body, a normallyaspirated 6.2-litre V8 engine of 571bhp and a price which is credible and about the same as an Aston Martin DBS. And it’s a proper, high-thrills, old-school, unreconstructed, hotrod sports GT whose engine bellows like an American stock-car racer’s and whose tail-end is ever ready to take part in a powerslide should the mood take you. Unlike its 1950s inspiration,

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though, the tail doesn’t have a mind of its own.

On the road, the SLS looks retro-magnificent with a modern twist, especially in one of the semi-matte finishes. Its steering is quick and super-sharp, the whole car feels writhingly alive and ready to eat up the next piece of road.

Just two things cloud the picture. The gearbox’s manual paddleshift mode (it’s fundamentally an automatic, but it uses clutches instead of the usual torque converter) can be frustratingly slow to respond. And at over two metres wide including mirrors, it’s just too broad.

There are times when the rear suspension seems too softly damped, too, causing the tail to bounce and heave on undulating roads. On the track, however, these snags recede. Here the SLS can let rip with monstrous rapidity. It’s good, raw fun and, crucially, you’re right at the centre of it.

You sense the SLS would make a good racing car, and there is indeed a competition version.

An all-electric SLS has been shown, and a roadster is imminent. The aforementioned reservations apart, it’s a great car. But the best part is that Mercedes-Benz saw fit to build it.

The making of a legend In 1952, Mercedes engineering chief Rudolf Uhlenhaut created a lightweight racing coupé with a chassis made of slender steel tubes and an engine borrowed from the 300 saloon. The resulting 300SL (pictured above) sparkled in competition, gaining wins at Le Mans among others. The tubes that made up the deep side sills forced the adoption of gullwing doors. US Mercedes importer Max Hoffman thought the company could sell roadgoing versions, and backed his hunch with an order for 1,000 cars. The road car was actually faster than the racing car because it used direct fuel injection devised for aircraft engines. Today, a good example of a “Gullwing” can go for around $900,000.

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Gastronomy

The Big Cheese Fromage has long dotted international dinner party menus.

Whether you savour it before, after or as part of your meal, the right choice can cue the most sophisticated dairy-fuelled conversation. Jones the Grocer’s expert Ana Cerqueira takes AIR’s Jade Bremner into the UAE’s largest cheese room to present her ultimate board...

shropshirE BluE organiC Country of origin: England Style: Blue Milk: Pasteurized cow’s milk

The orange tint comes from annatto, then it’s combined with milk and vegetable rennet and matured over 10 to 12 weeks creating a sharp and tangy, creamy taste.

Best eaten with chestnut chutney and wholemeal crackers.

CavE agEd ChEddar Country of origin: England Style: Hard Milk: Cow

This handmade block harks from Dorset where it matures for six to nine months in a dark cave. This unusual process creates its in-depth flavour, earthy characteristics, distinctive nutty flavour and moist texture.

Best eaten with a juicy apple or pears and a handful of nuts.

EpoissEs ChalanCEy aoC Country of origin: France Style: Washed rind Milk: Cow

TrufflE BriE Country of origin: France Style: Soft, white mould Milk: Cow

Cows graze for three months in the meadows of Burgundy before their milk is bathed in salt water and matured in a humid cellar. One month later, it’s washed with rain water two to three times weekly. The result? A knock-your-socksoff salty, yet creamy rich flavour.

Best eaten with yellow fruits such as peaches, mangoes and nectarines.

One of the most expensive cheeses on the block, this decadent brie’s centre is laced with black summer truffles. Its bloomy white crust becomes mottled as the cheese matures, transforming it from a chalky state to a rich and runny texture when ripe.

Best eaten with a slab of brown bread. A prime choice to follow a main meal of game.

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sMokEd norThuMBErland Country of origin: England Style: Semi hard Milk: Pasteurised cow’s milk

This recipe is said to date back to the monks from Brinkburn Priory, close to Seaton Burn where the cheese is made. It’s smoked slowly over oak chips for four days, creating a smooth, distinctive and creamy flavour.

Best eaten with smoked meats and a wedge of brown bread.

flEur du Marquis Country of origin: Corsica Style: Semi hard Milk: Sheep

Doused in flowers and mountain herbs this aromatic spring cheese is an utterly romantic bite. Its recipe dates back to the first millennium when the milk was drained from traditional baskets for three days then salted and covered.

Best eaten with savoury flavours like olives, tomatoes or peppers.

ChaBiChou du poiTou Country of origin: France Style: Soft Milk: Goat

CouloMMiEr Country of origin: France Style: Soft, white mould Milk: Cow

Complete with a bloomy white crust (which will mottle as the cheese ripens), Coulommier’s core transforms from a chalky consistency to a rich and runny texture that gives a moist and tart bite and mildly acidic aftertaste.

Best eaten at the start of a meal with a French salad, or slathering of honey at the end.

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One of France’s oldest cheeses, its thick skin covers a melt-in-the mouth tangy innard. It’s made by manually moulding the curd with a ladle before being left to drain for 24 hours.

Best eaten with a dense, wholemeal cracker.

Gastronomy

stars in the

making

The last decade has seen a multitude of Michelin-star chefs descend on the Dubai – which begs the question, is it time the city had its own Michelin Star Guide? Laura Binder puts the culinary conundrum to some of the emirate’s gastro greats.

T

en years ago one hot-headed Scotsman by the name of Gordon Ramsay opened a slick, fine-dining restaurant called Verre by Gordon Ramsay inside the Hilton Dubai Creek – a move that marked not only his first venture outside of the UK, but made him the first Michelin-star chef to open an eatery in the emirate. The path of the city as a fine dining destination was officially set.

Since then, an onslaught of gastronomic talent has followed suit: Pierre Gagnaire with the decadent Reflets; Gary Rhodes with Rhodes Mezzanine and Rhodes Twenty10; Nobuyuki Matsuhisa at the Atlantis, The Palm’s Nobu; Georgio Locatelli with Ronda Locatelli in the same hotel and, more recently, Yannick Alléno with STAY – the list goes on. And the influx shows no sign of abating: where did the world’s first Michelinstarred Indian chef Atul Kochhar head in a blaze of culinary glory? Dubai: he now heads up the hot plate at Zafran in Mirdif City Centre. Meanwhile, an outpost of London’s acclaimed Hakkasan is due to open its doors in Jumeirah Emirates Towers in November.

Of course, the aforementioned Michelin-star chefs rarely stay in residence permanently; rather leaving capable head chefs to cook on in their name. Proof of the talent pool comes in the form of Verre by Gordon Ramsay’s original chef, Angela Hartnett. A chef who left Dubai for London; a move that earned her not one but two Michelin stars – the first for her work in the kitchens of the Connaught Hotel and the second at Murano in Mayfair – a joint venture struck between Ramsay and Hartnett and now solely owned by the lady herself.

While the talent is undeniable, Michelin is yet to take the city’s fine dining establishments in to its approving

embrace. Rhodes Twenty10’s Chef Omar sites the speed at which such restaurants pop up in the city – much like the rest of Dubai’s fast-paced development – as the reason.

“The majority of culinary developments in the Middle East have happened very quickly and recently,” he says. “If you go back five years there were very few international chefs, 10 years ago there were virtually none. As a credit to the Dubai dining scene – and looking at the introduction of Michelin elsewhere in the world – you can be sure they will only introduce the concept within an industry that is developed to such a level and is fully prepared, so that any restaurant they feature is a true reflection of what they represent.” Gary Rhodes himself, though, is confident it will come: “I feel there’s no question about it. I’m looking forward with great hope that Michelin will introduce their prestigious guide to the Emirates soon,” he says.

When it comes to deciding factors on who scoops a mighty star, Michelin is crystal clear on its criteria: “We consider four factors,” a spokeswoman shared; “the quality of ingredients, the command of the cooking, personality of the chef and the consistency.” For Nick Alvis, head chef of Dubai’s original starry-eyed hope, Verre by Gordon Ramsay, such a guide may not yet be right for the city: “Honestly I am not yet sure that there are enough great restaurants providing consistently great food and service here in Dubai,” he says. “Although there are so many good places to go, I just do not think that we have hit a high enough standard compared to cities like London, Paris or New York. That is not to say that we won’t, but if you look at the highend dining history of these cities you can see that the standard of restaurants did not appear overnight it took, and still takes, many, many great chefs and restaurant teams to constantly strive

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1.

toward and maintain the highest quality of service.” Chef Mark Patten – Atlantis, The Palm’s Vice President of Culinary – agrees: “Firstly, for Michelin to even consider coming to the region I would say that the majority of the developments of new restaurants would need to be complete. Secondly, the region would have to have at least one or two restaurants that could be rated three-stars to one-Michelin star.” Like Rhodes, though, Patten feels it is a real possibility: “If we combine all of the restaurants in Abu Dhabi and Dubai – similar to the Hong Kong and Macau set up and guide – the chances of the Michelin Team coming to the region would be possible,” he says.

With opinion mixed but Dubai’s appetite for success as insatiable as ever, is Michelin itself a step closer to acknowledging the fine dining scene that has residents and visitors munching their way round the city? “Our guides have not, as yet, extended to any city in the Middle East,” a spokeswoman commented. “We are continually striving towards adding new guides to our collection. We are well aware of the many good restaurants in Dubai and shall most certainly consider its inclusion in the future.” Promising? Maybe. But while hope pervades in the city’s kitchens, skeptics take sustenance from the idea that, with eatery upon eatery being opened, chefs’ expansion in Dubai is in fact weakening their original star-lit status and demeaning their brand. Hakkasan is one such source of debate – a restaurant which kick started its pursuit for worldwide success in London where it was awarded a Michelin star for its Cantonese cuisine, bringing dishes like steamed mini New Zealand lobster wrapped in glass vermicelli to the table. Today, its Dubai branch will be one of two to open this year (the other in Mumbai), another exists in Miami and one more in

‘Although there are so many good places to go, I just do not think that we (Dubai) have hit a high enough standard compared to cities like London, Paris or New York’ – Nick Alvis

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Gastronomy Abu Dhabi. Plans are also in place for Hakkasans to open in LA, Las Vegas, New York, Paris and Shanghai as part of a multi-million pound project. But refer to it as a ‘chain’ and its CEO, Niall Howard, is sure to shudder – he was previously quoted as stating (with tongue in cheek) “We are much too snobby for [the term] ‘chain’.”

Added to this outlook is the idea of an accessibility to Michelin standards not seen anywhere else. For example, while most UAE restaurants take up residence within five-star hotels, Atul Kochhar’s Zafran finds its place in a shopping mall – only in Dubai. Whether this is a positive or a negative remains to be seen. Regardless, Michelin’s spokeswoman maintains that it all comes down to a matter of quality and not quantity. “What matters is the quality of each restaurant that is being opened,” she says. “Stars are given to one restaurant, and will not automatically be given to another restaurant of the same chef. The new location will also be tested again by our inspector before any decision to be taken.”

But with many Michelin star chefs leaving the city to tend to their homegrown eateries or other international outlets, is it possible to maintain Michelin star standards while out of the country – and so facilitating the need for a guide? “All good chefs are aware that all that’s ever remembered is the last meal their guests experienced, so consistent quality is without doubt the number one priority,” insists Rhodes. Verre by Gordon Ramsay’s Chef Alvis is one such man left behind at the hot plate in Ramsay’s absence, he says: “I believe that if you are brought up in kitchens or restaurants that have achieved Michelin star status, then yours will probably be a little higher than most as you’re pushed to achieve the best possible and more.” He adds, “to maintain these standards takes a great team and a real will to go that bit further for your guests.”

While – for the time being at least – magazine restaurant awards are the only barometer of success for Dubai’s restaurants, it seems all chefs can agree on one thing: a Michelin star is still the ultimate stamp of approval. “No question about it,” says Rhodes Twenty10’s Chef Omar, “a Michelin star is the ultimate status symbol. It has been awarded to legends of old to legends of today, including the Roux Brothers, Paul Bocuse, Alain Ducasse, Ferran Adria and Thomas Keller. These renowned chefs have revolutionised the culinary scene by using the very best produce to develop creative and innovative menus, and have also demonstrated the sheer consistency and quality standards that are needed.”

“It has always been the highest-rated and most credible symbol,” adds Atlantis’ Chef Patten. “For a chef to achieve a star, that is something to be very proud of.”

One man with no less than six stars to his name, Gary Rhodes, for one, feels positive on Dubai’s future: “I feel the whole culinary personality of this part of the world is changing, with the Emirates now slowly becoming the culinary central capital of the world.” Watch this space.

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Head chef Nick Alvis and executive chef Scott Price in Verre’s kitchen.

Nobu’s broiled black cod.

Nobu’s cheesecake.

Golf

At home on the golf course?

Buy one of these houses from Christie’s International Real Estate and you won’t have to leave it…

The LocaTion

The LocaTion

The LocaTion

Bermuda

Italy

Dominican Republic

The course

The course

The course

The Mid Ocean Club

Pevero Golf Club

Punta Espada Golf Course

The DeTaiLs Overlooking the second hole and the turquoise waters beyond it, this new build has eight bedrooms in its main house and four more in a guest wing.

It has also boasts two cottages in an outside area which includes a heated swimming pool with waterfall, slide and play jets, putting green and a spa.

The DeTaiLs Sloping towards the lush fairways at its foot, this beautiful Savin Couelledesigned villa has seven rooms and an al fresco pool and hot tub within its 3,000sqm grounds. It’s also just a short stroll from moorings, so you can take your yacht out to sea after a round early morning.

The DeTaiLs Open your curtains here and you’ll peer out to the sparkling Caribbean Sea and down to the seventh hole.

This four bedroom villa – plus maid’s quarters – comes fully furnished and decorated, with a pool and manicured gardens, so all you have to bring is your clubs.

Have you played Here yet?

Hans Merensky, South Africa

Adidas and Porsche Design have collaborated for this sleek shoe, which contours the foot to evenly distribute your weight and provides a lock-down grip in all directions. The result? The perfect base from which to hit your shots where intended. $410 from Harrods.

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No doubt you’d have hit water, sand and shrubbery in your time on the course, but have you ever hit a giraffe or passing rhino?

Thought not. However, play here and you could very well encounter such hazardous traps due to the course winding its way in and out the boundaries of Kruger National Park – and through the Valley of the Elephants. We’re not sure what the etiquette is if you hit an elephant off the tee, but we’re quite sure shouting fore isn’t going to suffice. hansmerensky.com

Travel

Out of Africa

Laura Binder uncovers the continent’s most spectacular safari lodges

The Manor at Samara, South Africa Few infinity pools afford the soul-shaking sight of the Karoo Mountains, nor descend into a waterhole where cheetahs sup beneath a morning sun. But at this most private of residences, one such pool bestows both, presenting an irresistible spot to relax day and night – trust us, it’s too good to resist. Seclusion-seekers will be in equal adoration of the property that precedes it; a privately-owned manor (complete with staff) where you can play man of the house while its owners are out of residence. Crafted by South African designer John Zwiegelaar, each room in the four-suite retreat takes a leaf out of Mother Nature’s book with its earthy palette and sublime natural textures. Spend winter nights snuggled by its log fire or warmer evenings in the open air, with a bush dinner for two beneath the stars… samara.co.za

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NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia Luxury here comes not in the form of gold-plated taps and plunge pools but an undisturbed nature reserve with a tapestry of native creatures and flora.

Explore wide open spaces in spicy hues; see the sun rise over jagged mountaintops; and drift through saffroncoloured sand dunes – all of which sits at the foot of your elevated, cottonstrewn bed. Those who crave luxury of the classic kind, however, should admire the Namib plains from a cloud-skimming hot air balloon ride – before putting feet to ground for a bubbly breakfast shaded by camel-thorn trees.

As delicious as it sounds. wolwedans-namibia.com

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Tanzania Clinging to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, there are few more unique lodgings in which to seek shelter after an obligatory safari than this, the largest volcanic crater known to man. Keep your eyes peeled for your new abode (each one designed to blend into the landscape) and you’ll spy a Flintstones-worthy façade carved entirely from river stone and hugged by lush, indigenous vines. The bizarre turns to beautiful the moment you set a boot-clad foot inside where stone passageways unearth prehistoric-style paintings and flare torches cast a warm glow over every crevice. Don’t stop until you reach your suite’s rockenclosed balcony – the best spot to behold your newfound place in the world: 600 metres above the crater’s floor where elephants, rhinos and lions roam the plains and lakes. Sensational… ngorongoro.com

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Travel

Royal Zambei Lodge, Zimbabwe If a visit to the mighty Victoria Falls is on your bucket list, this regal private residence is but a 4x4’s drive away. That’s if you can tear yourself away from the lodge’s wooden decks – decks that teeter over the Zambezi River banks for the essence of blissful solitude. Here, silence is broken only by a lion’s distant roar or a hippo’s (bizarrely charming) snort. Swap horizon-gazing for animal-spotting in Lower Zambezi National Park where humongous elephants and proud lions saunter by. But if you find your mind drifting back to Royal Zambei (with terracebased copper tubs and hammocks there’s few more calm-inducing spots) return to base and fly fish from an aluminum boat on its still, pink-tinged waters. royalzambeilodge.com

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The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille, Kenya Most mornings in Eyrie House (one of four staffed lodges peppered across 200,000 acres) induce a state of quiet admiration. After all, with views like this (left) finding an incentive to move is hard to grasp. To best survey the beautifully rugged surrounds before you, sprawl out on the suite’s faux fur rug, prop up in bed (as gigantic as it is round) or pad a few bare footsteps outside where toes will meet the mouth of a private rock bath.

And when your awestruck state does relent, spend lazy afternoons with croquet on manicured lawns; a sleep-inducing treatment at the sanctuary’s organic spa or follow a Maasai guide on an intrepid adventure – just pick your mode of transport: quad bike, camel, horse or safari car. ol-lentille.com

Singita Faru Faru Lodge, Tanzania Just because you’re on safari doesn’t mean you have to scrimp on style – and never was a truer sentiment realised than at Faru Faru Lodge, where glam touches spread like wildfire.

Stone and canvas marry inside for interiors fit for an African queen while, outside, a terracebased table is flanked by handcrafted chairs which cradle you inside trunk-like arms and soft light descends from a bird cage-esque chandelier. Here you can marvel the lodge’s location – perched on a slope-like pedestal, its terrace gives way to an infinity pool that flows into the bush beyond. Which means you can behold roaming creatures without leaving your lodge. Game viewing never looked better. singita.com

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Travel

Ulusaba, South Africa Adding ‘African lodge’ to his list of hotel credentials, Sir Richard Branson’s Ulusaba marks its territory on his personal stake of the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Descend on to its private air strip and emerge to honey-hued grass and blankets of broccolilike bush, not to mention jaw-droppingly good lodgings: the seven-suite Rock Lodge teeters on a granite kopje and each room gives a decorative nod to a local tribe. But Safari Lodge is the place to really surrender yourself to the wilderness; 11 tree house-style rooms protrude through a canopy of trees and can be reached by swaying rope bridges – with boisterous baboons scampering beneath. ulusaba.virgin.com

The Homestead, Phinda Lodge, South Africa It’s never been easier to feel at home sweet home (even in the middle of nowhere) than at The Homestead – a seriously spacious villa whose stone walls shroud the crème de la crème of creature comforts (and that’s before you’ve discovered your on-call private ranger, butler and in-house chef). Every element of the lodge rejoices in its surrounds: floor-to-ceiling windows let Africa seep in; bush-facing beds are primed for peering at passing wildlife; and a round table in the open air presents a memorable setting in which to devour gourmet fare. phinda.com

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Travel The It List

New York interior stores

Internationally-renowned interior designer Melissa Greenauer reveals the hottest spots in which to shop when in the Big Apple

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et aside the famous designer stores we all know and love and head off the tourist trail instead, where you’re sure to snag a stylish gem. Saturday’s in New York mean The Garage Market (25th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues). Unique designer items like vintage prints ready for framing, china crockery and antique furniture can all be perused here. But what makes it both unique, and a true market are the collectables gathered from the area’s great estates. There’s nowhere else like it.

Gents after a real showpiece should make for Union Square and browse Blatts Billiards (809 Broadway, blattbillards.com) – home to vintage and collectable billiard tables. This business has been family-owned and run since 1923 and you’ll find a wonderful collection of tables to match its longevity. Think traditional billiards (as well as snooker tables) carved from maple and rosewood and all displaying the most elegant, masculine forms. Its antiques are a real gentleman’s pick.

Stay put here in the Union Square area and you can browse everything from bedding, lighting, and dishware to furniture and carpets at ABC Home and ABC Carpet (888 Broadway, abchome.com). Don’t be put off by the chain sounding name. These stylish stores shroud several floors of global designer ware, bringing you around-theworld markets in one place. On the hunt for vintage goods?

You can source them here too.

If you prefer to shop with a professional, arrange an appointment with an interior designer like myself

(greenauer.com) and meet up at The D&D Building (979 Third Avenue, Manhattan). This is a real trade resource (home to over 120 showrooms and 3,000 leading manufacturers) that’s not otherwise open to the public. It’s a great place to work with a designer as you can see, touch and feel all of the lines you’re considering. The convenience of having all the resources in one area makes it fantastic if you want to complete a property in a short timeframe – what you can do in one week in NYC is amazing. Other similar designer resources also exist here on the East Side (try 200 Lexington Ave and The New York Design Centre) which design professionals can introduce you to during a Big Apple trip.

Head downtown and you’ll hit one of New York’s trendiest locations; SoHo. If you want to leave with a purchase today, visit OCHRE shop (462 Broome Street, between Mercer

Top: Ralph Pucci.

Right:Blatt’s Billiards’ table.

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Travel and Greene, ochrestore.com). which has pieces to sell off the floor. In fact, if you love to shop, you can spend an entire day just checking out SoHo which is packed with interior design stores and art galleries.

Dig out more rare finds in Matter (405 Broome Street, mattermatters.com). I recently purchased some very cool stone stools, fashioned from limestone for a recent project with a great outdoor space. They also represent a lot of small – but very up-and-coming – designers, ideal if you like to be one step ahead in the style stakes.

When it comes to art, you just have to head to Mott Street, Prince Street and Elizabeth Street. Be sure to step in to the Rebecca Hossack Gallery (262 Mott Street) – I’m currently considering some of their standout pieces myself for a client’s penthouse on the Upper West Side.

The Elizabeth Street Gallery (209 Elizabeth Street) is also an appealing space to stroll through and ponder its varied creations. Break for a bite while you’re here too; street cafés and restaurants are plentiful. Try Bond ST for sushi; Buco at 47 Bond Street, a delicious Italian old timer; neighbourhood spot Aqua Grill for a lively scene and inspired cooking; or French bistro Balthazar.

If you’re still on the hunt for art, head to Christie’s (20 Rockefeller Plaza) and Sotheby’s (East 72nd Street) auction houses and make your bid. For something less obvious, I recently bought a great piece of original art from the Peter Max Gallery in the Hamptons, a pop artist whose works just say ‘New York City’.

For architectural collectables, go to the meatpacking district – an area that’s now considered highly hot and trendy for interior design. Hudson Furniture (433 West 14th Street, hudsonfurniture.com) is one for woodlovers. Barlas Baylar, the owner and main designer, marries a tree’s natural form with ingrained wood for some truly unusual wood pieces – think coffee tables to beds and petrified wood stumps.

If you really can’t resist those designer stores I would recommend Sachin + Babi (13135 East 65th Street, sachinandbabin.com) for gorgeous home furnishings and beautiful bedding. Ralph Lauren Home Store (867 Madison Avenue) is a classic pit stop for items in Lauren’s signature, all-American style.

While Ann Sacks (37 East 18th Street, annsacks.com) is home to truly fabulous tile, stone and mosaic.

But Ralph Pucci International (44 West 18th Street, ralphpucci. com) is a real must-see showroom for unusual designer items and one-off pieces. You’ll find fine art, sculpture, furnishings, lighting, in a seriously cool space. It’s a true resource among designers – keep this one to yourself…

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Above: Hudson Furniture. Below: Ralph Pucci International

Travel

Tea on Top of The world

A six-day trek out of season is a great way to see Everest – even if it is bone-rattlingly cold, says Charlotte Williamson

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ast night I wore the following to bed: a vest, two pairs of socks, a pair of trousers, two long-sleeved tops, one jumper, one woolly hat and a down jacket hastily purchased in Kathmandu. It took half an hour to muster the courage to get up this morning. On the plus side, apart from my hiking boots I was already dressed (I am in no mood to take one of the lodge’s icy showers).

On the minus, warmth and style are distant memories.

I’m not sure why it hadn’t occurred to me before I set off, but January in the Everest region is bone-rattlingly cold – especially at night, and especially when you consider that the tea houses and lodges dotted along the

route to the world’s most famous peak aren’t on speaking terms with Western creature comforts. But travelling outside of the traditional trekking season is worth it.

When Everest loomed into view four hours later, there was not a single Gort-Tex-clad hiker in sight; just us, the yaks and a 360-degree panorama of the Himalayas. The early morning climb from the lodge was arduous, to say the least: on an uphill path snaking beside a fast-flowing river, our legs growing increasingly heavy with the altitude. As we stopped for breaks, gasping for breath, Sherpas would glide past us, the rattan baskets on their backs heaving with planks of wood and cast-iron cooking utensils.

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Travel

We eventually reached the plateau and found Thyangboche, a Tibetan monastery where the monks had accessorised their standard crimson robes with red puffa jackets; sensible, really, as they live at 12,000 feet. But the monastery, despite the beauty of its intricately painted interiors, isn’t the real pull. It is Everest. Sitting outside a tea house, we soaked it all up: the soaring, elegant peaks of Kwangde Ri, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest itself. With the sun shining, we agreed that this was tea with the best view in the world.

All had not been quite so peaceful four days earlier. Our travel company had described the Yeti Airways flight on a propeller plane to Lukla as “breathtaking”. It was certainly that – indeed, one of the members of our group of four (comprising me, a hardy Englishman and a couple who spend their weekends doing the kind of activities that involve wet-weather gear) had seen through the euphemism and had been fretting a good three months in advance. The flight lasts only 30 minutes, dipping between the mountains, but the crack in the window held together with sticky tape didn’t fill me with confidence; neither did the pilot using a piece of cardboard as a sunshield. And the landing strip? More of a diving board, really: extremely short with a sheer drop into the valley below.

After handing our rucksacks over to the Sherpas, who would stay with us throughout the trek (eating, drinking, even playing pool with us), Rajesh, our tour leader, called out “jam jam” and we were off. The landscape immediately felt very alien. In the spring, Nepal’s Everest Valley is awash with blooming rhododendrons.

Not so in winter, yet the bare trees against the backdrop of a cloudless blue sky, punctuated by vultures riding the thermals,

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Travel

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Images: Corbis Text: Charlotte Williamson / The Daily Telegraph / The Interview People

‘Finally I understood why Everest is so enticing; why people do the craziest things to get to the top’

provided a stark beauty all of its own. We spent much of our first day walking besides the Dudh Kosi, known as the ‘river of milk’ because glacier meltwater has turned it a lovely milky green colour. Crossing it on wobbly rope bridges required nerves of steel; the colourful prayer flags were a reassuring presence. By late afternoon we were at our first lodge in the tiny hamlet of Phakding, enjoying a cup of tea and a slice of sponge cake.

Ever since Hillary and Tenzing conquered Everest in 1953, walkers have flocked to this valley. Eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains are in Nepal, four of them in the Everest region. This trip is squarely aimed at those wanting to experience Everest without the strenuous walking involved in getting to Base Camp. It is shorter – a six-day trek as opposed to the two weeks it takes to reach Base Camp – with porters carrying everything but daypacks. Still, it’s not for the fainthearted. First is the matter of the ‘Khumbu cough’, so-called because despite there being snow on the mountains and, often, around us as we walked, the air in the Khumbu region is very dusty. A certain level of fitness is also crucial, to deal with the six to eight hours of climbing a day. Then there is the altitude. It is hard to know who it will hit – even superfit climbers can be struck down with the most crushing of headaches. Garlic soup, available at most tea houses, supposedly aids circulation. Your best bet, though, is to make like a Sherpa and walk with small, slow steps.

Because we were here out of season, supper on the first night was spent with a Sherpa family, friends of Rajesh’s.

In a well-stocked kitchen, warmed by a wood-burning stove, we chose from a seductively simple menu, something we’d be getting used to: ‘vegetables fried’, ‘potatoes fried’, or ‘rice fried’. Curried pickles, brought down from giant storage pots, spiced things up, as did the Everest beer.

We were soon glowing with food and warmth, and the delicious knowledge that there was nothing to do: no more sights, no activities, no television. When it gets dark in the Himalayas, it gets really dark, so by 8.30pm we were tucked up in bed. Which was just as well since we were to rise bright and early the next day, continuing our trek into the Sagarmatha National Park, a World Heritage Site stretching all the way to Everest. This was our first real ‘wow’ moment, especially when we crossed the bridge (another wobbly rope affair) to the other side of the valley and caught our first glimpse of Everest – a tiny triangle peeking through the trees and clouds.

For the next two days we kept on walking. We encountered a charging yak besides a perilous drop and experienced weather that changed in a matter of minutes from searing heat to freezing cold. Then on our fourth day we had that tea with the best view in the world. Finally I understood why Everest is so enticing; why people do the craziest things to get to the top. Soon we would be back in Kathmandu which, after the emptiness of Everest, would feel like the epicentre of the universe. A hot bath would be welcome, but the end of our simple life would not.

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Life Lessons What I KnoW noW

Sheeraz Hasan

Founder and CEO of Hollywood TV My family means the world to me and I always work close to home. Watching my daughters Yamuna and Ayesha grow up has been the most rewarding experience in my life. If you’re happy at home, you’ll be happy at work. Make sure tell your family and friends that you love them.

All power and inspiration comes from God. I have only gotten where I am today with my faith and devotion. Spirituality has helped me remain grounded when working under pressure and has made me remain thankful of each of my many achievements.

I’ve learned that a simple casual call to a friend or client can sometimes turn into the biggest opportunity. I try to build a sincere relationship with my contacts which results in a long-term friendship benefiting both parties personally and professionally.

Always be ready to pitch. I always keep my iPad, iPhone, and laptop loaded with my latest data and media for every one of my business ventures.

At all times I consider myself ready to close a deal with anyone. .

The road map to success is creating detailed goals with a step-by-step map of how you will get there. The more detailed your plan is, the faster and more effectively you will reach that goal.

I keep an elite team of partners, associates and media professionals around me at all times.

My team is like a family and I need to have a strong trusting relationship with each of my team members. Surround yourself with the right people that have the right positive energy, and the same passion that you have in your vision.

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