6 minute read
QUARANTINE QUEEN
By Randy Johnson
Advertisement
Guangzhou opened its 5,000room international health center in late September, making it one of the largest dedicated quarantine facilities in the world. The rooms at the station appear to have all the makings of a standard hotel room as well as a suite of intelligent service facilities, according to GRT Radio. The guest rooms have a modern, simplistic design and are available in three sizes: 18-square-meter, 27-square-meter and 36-square-meter rooms. The health station has streamlined the check-in process, with guests able to pick their room type and handle fees and registration while on the coach bus to the station. To enter the rooms, guests can scan a QR code to avoid the use of room keys. Each room has a health monitoring system that helps track the guest’s body temperature, nucleic acid test results and overall physical conditions. Perhaps concerning to some, the system can also conduct video conversations between staff and guests, along with an intercom service for communication purposes. As opposed to some quarantine hotels, the health center rooms are adequately ventilated and have a dedicated kitchen for preparing meals – no waimai in this facility! Located in Guangzhou’s Baiyun District, the site covers 250,000 square meters – one-third the size of the Forbidden City. The station is a 25- minute drive from Baiyun International Airport, which sees a high number of overseas travelers.
ROLLER COASTER
Ticket Frenzy
The highly anticipated Universal Beijing Resort started its trial opening at the beginning of September. In mid-September, first-day ticket sales opened for the general public, leading to a ticket purchasing frenzy that crashed the ticketing system multiple times. Tickets are available on Universal’s official app and website, along with apps such as Ctrip and Alibaba’s Fliggy – all of which crashed due to high traffic volume. The resort officially opened to the public on September 20 – right before China’s National Week Holiday. Last month, Hong Kong opened quarantine-free travel to Chinese mainland travelers, a change imposed following COVID-19 outbreaks on the mainland. In a news conference, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the number of daily travelers from the mainland or Macao is capped at 2,000. Hong Kong halted quarantine-free travel in early August after the COVID-19 outbreak in Nanjing – imposing mandatory quarantine of seven or 14 days depending on vaccination status. While it’s now easier to visit Hong Kong, anyone trying to enter the Chinese mainland will still need to quarantine for at least 14 days. According to the Associated Press, tourist numbers in Hong Kong dropped by as much as 99% in 2020 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
MILE HIGH Welcome to Hong Kong
HOSPITALITY HIGHLIGHT Alila Yangshuo Hotel
Yangshuo has plenty of well-designed dwellings to shack up in over a long weekend. Surrounded by mountainous landscapes, the Alila Yangshuo Hotel is a converted 1960s sugar mill that makes for a badass contemporary rural retreat. According to The Spaces, the industrial building was refitted by Vector Architects, based in Beijing. One of the highlights of the boutique hotel is the elevated swimming pool, putting guests in the thick of Guangxi’s refreshing natural scenery.
Eastern and Western Cuisines Collide at The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin
As a landmark hotel located in the heart of one of northern China’s powerhouse cities, The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin offers diners indulgences from China and beyond.
In February 2021, Edison Liu was named as Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin. Chef Edison has had experience working in luxury hotels across China and is adept at using Eastern flavors. However, his cuisine is by no means limited to eastern-style food.
In August 2021, the team was joined by Deivid Paiva as Executive Sous. Chef Deivid brings an international dimension to the culinary team, having worked in luxury hotels in Dubai, Bangkok and elsewhere.
That’s sat down with Chef Edison and Chef Deivid to discuss their professional backgrounds and their shared passion for food.
Tell us about your professional backgrounds and what you hope to bring to The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin.
Chef Deivid Paiva
I have been cooking professionally for 15 years now and it has been an amazing experience so far. Growing up in Portugal and Brazil, I have been always surrounded by food and ingredients. I had experience working for award-winning luxurious hospitality brands and Michelin restaurants all over the world. I am trained professionally in the culinary arts in the European traditions and methods. However, looking at the variety of ingredients and products that The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin has to offer, I am amazed and look forward to the endless possibilities of culinary delights that our restaurant can produce. The spiciness of the chilies, the smell of fermenting vegetables, the depth of flavor of traditional cured products from China are what excites me to be here today.
You are good at using Eastern flavors with Western presentation. Can you explain how your food is “borderless?”
Chef Edison Liu
What can customers expect when dining at The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin?
Chef Edison Liu
It is always a challenge to introduce new menus to our guests because it will always be a “hit or a miss.” You really do not know if the new dishes that you created will delight your guests. Taste is subjective – you might really like a particular dish but that does not mean that all your guests will also like it. So, it is a challenge for us to cater to all the preferences of our guests. For me, using European techniques and presentation in my cuisine has helped me elevate the Chinese cuisine to the next level.
What factors do you need to consider when you design a menu?
Chef Deivid Paiva
There are two quotes that I can share with you about my cooking philosophy. When I design a menu, I always keep these in mind. Here’s the first one: “When you respect every vegetable and every piece of meat that goes into your kitchen, even ingredients as underrated as a carrot, only then can you call yourself a true cook.” This is the guiding principle that I want to instill within my kitchen and within my culinary team. My cuisine is ingredient- and product-driven which means that I value the quality of every vegetable that I use and I always strive to maximize every part of that product in my cooking. The second one is this: “You are only as good as the last plate you sent to the dining room.”
Customers can expect a rich variety of cuisines and flavors. ZEST is a modern restaurant with an open kitchen concept. The international buffet includes Chinese, Japanese and Italian cuisine styles that are presented in an authentic yet creative style. Tian Tai Xuan is our stylish and contemporary restaurant, with four seasonal menus and a master chef from Tianjin and a chef from Singapore specialized in Cantonese cuisine. FLAIR Bar and Restaurant features a modern twist on South Asian cuisine with a pinch of influence from Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, China and Thailand as well as top-quality cocktails. And the Lobby Lounge is the perfect welcome to guests looking to enjoy a delightful afternoon tea co-branded with a luxury brand that brings a whole new experience to the guests.
