sttshbsju pppp

August 2018

robbreport.com.my

M A L AY S I A

PLUS

SWAN LAKE NEW NOMA AMAN VENICE WIND WALKERS

ISSUE 45. RM15.00

ADVENTURES IN GASTRONOMY

LIVING THE EPICUREAN LIFE WITHOUT COMPROMISE

CONTENTS

6

Robb Report

REGULARS

18 Letter from the Editor 20 Agenda 22 Portfolio 24 Frontrunners 28 Robb Collections 31 Auctions 32 Grand Openings 182 Robb Reader 186 The Last Word 26

27

72

36 Gourmet & Travel The twin pleasures of food and travel come together in our August compilation of exotic escapes and gastronomic excellence.

30

32 Cover photo ADRIAN WOODS

CONTENTS

8

Robb Report

106

Wheels 106 Swagger on the Go Mercedes-Benz’s AMG C 43 Coupe is the two-door fantasy for automotive enthusiasts to enjoy inside and out.

Time 116 Of Makers and Milestones The 1968 icon of Jaeger-LeCoultre is reintepreted half a century

later with a far more complete collection that recalls the idea of craftsmanship and utilitarianism.

enigmatic exhibition at the ArtScience Museum in Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands.

Art & Design

Money

122 Wind Walkers The parallels of ‘artificial life’ between watchmaking and Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests is on full display, at Jansen’s

130 Eye on the Sky In Miami, a residential skyscraper

by Zaha Hadid Architects thrills the cityscape like never before.

CONTENTS

10

Robb Report

160

Travel & Leisure 140 Palatial Perfection In the city of Venezia, the Aman experience regales you with baroque excess and contemporary chic.

148

158 Disconnect the Dots Back in Kuala Lumpur, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s Digital Wellness programme helps you recharge with a total disconnect from the rat race.

174

Savour 160 Bringing Tasty Back Summer Palace, at Island Shangri-La Hotel, Hong Kong, is a throwback to the popular cuisine of the 1990s, but presented with Michelin-starred savvy and style.

180

168

6—9 SEP 2018 BASEL

THE ULTIMATE CAR COLLECTORS SHOW

ARE CARS ART

12

MALAYSIA

Robb Report

Editorial

Editorial Director Kenneth Tan (k.tan@imv.com.sg) Editor-in-Chief Shamilee Vellu (s.vellu@imv.com.sg) Online Editor Sam Yen (s.yen@imv.com.sg) Associate Editor Keegan Dorai (k.dorai@imv.com.sg) Editor-At-Large, Watches and Jewellery Celine Yap (c.yap@imv.com.sg) Motoring & Technology Editor Daryl Lee (d.lee@imv.com.sg) Chief Sub-Editor Jacqueline Danam Editorial Assistant Allisa Noraini

Art

Group Creative Director IMV Shabir Mahmood (s.mahmood@imv.com.sg) Designer Le Thu Trang Designer Phuong Nguyen Designer Thao Truong Picture Editor Kenny Nguyen

Contributing Experts Savour Clement Lim Travel & Leisure Terry Lim Wheels Wolfgang Stegers Wines & Spirits Zephyr Tan

Production Group Production Manager Shahrul Hilal Rethashah

Contributors Charmaine Tai, Grace Ma, Jennifer Choo, Josh Sims, Marcus Yew, Mark Lean, Mavis Teo, Naomi Wan, Rebecca Morris, Renyi Lim, Sandra Ramani, Seraphina Woon, Terry Lim, Wei-Yu Wang

Production Design Concept Dmitry Barbanel Typefaces Alexey Chekulaev, Yuri Gordon, Eugeny Yukechev Prepress IMV Repro Printer Percetakan Zanders Sdn Bhd (205766A), No. 16, Jalan BK 1/11, Bandar Kinrara, 47180 Puchong Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

WORLD'S BEST-SELLING Sports Coupe (2015, 2016, 2017)

MALAYSIA

14

Robb Report

Advertising Sales and Marketing Director Regional Sales IMV Perlyn de Rouvray (p.derouvray@imv.com.sg) Malaysia Director of Sales Venis Loo (v.loo@imv.com.sg) Sales Manager Xana Lai (x.lai@imv.com.sg) Sales Manager Phoon Qian Yu (qy.phoon@imv.com.sg) Senior Marketing Executive Onnia Law (o.law@imv.com.sg) Singapore Marketing Director Singapore and Malaysia Natasha Damodaran (n.damodaran@imv.com.sg) Marketing Manager Renee Chea (r.chea@imv.com.sg) Sales & Marketing Assistant Allisa Noraini (a.noraini@imv.com.sg) For sales and marketing enquiries, please call +603 6211 4288

PR & Event and Marketing Consultants R.S.V.P.-Lifestyle Communications Agency, Singapore

Finance

Digital

Head of Finance Wei Chan Accountant Michelle Koh

Regional Head Steven Khu

President

Michael von Schlippe Published by Indochine Media Ventures Sdn Bhd B-7-13A, Gateway Kiaramas, No. 1, Jalan Desa Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: +603 6211 4288.

Robb Report MalaysiaŽ is a registered trademark of Robb Report Media, LLC. Š2018 Robb Report Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

Published under licence from Robb Report Media, LLC 11175 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA.

Ad Sales Representatives PUBLICITAS

Germany

China Libby Chen, managing director libby.chen@publicitas.com

London

Hong Kong Michele Li, general manager (sales) michele.li@publicitas.com

Philippe Girardot, managing director philippe.girardot@publicitas.com Emilie Errante, sales director, emilie. errante@publicitas.com

Switzerland

Fabrizio Tudisco, client services director fabrizio.tudisco@publicitas.com

OBERON MEDIA

Italy

Angelo Careddu Oberon Media

Viale Giulio Richard 1/b 20143 Milano Tel: +39 02 874 5 3 acareddu@oberonmedia.com

STUDIO-RIBOUD

France Magali Riboud (mriboud@studio-riboud.com) 130 rue de Courcelles 75017 Paris, France Tel: +33 142 563 336

Fax: +33 142 563 331

She’s a fan.

To find out why Karen Mok is a fan visit mandarinoriental.com ATLANTA • BANGKOK • BARCELONA • BODRUM • BOSTON • GENEVA • GUANGZHOU • HONG KONG • JAKARTA • KUALA LUMPUR • LAS VEGAS LONDON • MACAU • MARRAKECH • MIAMI • MILAN • MUNICH • NEW YORK • PARIS • PRAGUE • SANYA • SHANGHAI • SINGAPORE • TAIPEI • TOKYO • WASHINGTON D.C.

16

MALAYSIA

Robb Report

ROBB REPORT GLOBAL EVP, Managing Director David Arnold Editor in Chief Paul Croughton Senior Vice President, Live Media Cristina Cheever Vice President, Brand & Communications Elyse Heckman International Sales Director Daniel Borchert

PENSKE MEDIA CORPORATION Chairman and CEO Jay Penske Chief Operating Officer George Grobar Senior Vice President, Finance Ken DelAlcazar Managing Director, International Markets Debashish Ghosh Vice President, Global Partnerships & Licensing Kevin LaBonge Senior Director, Asia Gurjeet Chima Editorial & Brand Director, International Laura Ongaro Robb Report Malaysia is published monthly by Indochine Media Ventures Sdn Bhd, registration number 1103831-D. Permit number PP18627/10/2014 (034060). Indochine Media has taken every reasonable care to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of the information contained in this publication, but accepts no responsibility for the content of advertisements published, and no liability for mistake, misprint, omission, typographical error, loss or damage suffered as a result of relying wholly or in part on the content of advertising or editorial published herein. Indochine Media reserves the right to refuse any advertisement or advertorial for any reason. All artwork designed by Indochine Media or any part of this publication may not be reproduced in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by means – graphical, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording, taping, etc – without prior permission in writing from the Publishers.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

18

Robb Report

The Adventurous Epicurean

T

he late Anthony Bourdain once said: “I’ve long believed that good food, good eating, is all about risk. Whether we’re talking about unpasteurised Stilton, raw oysters or working for organised crime associates, food, for me, has always been an adventure.”

Therein lies this issue’s raison d’etre.

Among the curiosities we have deemed to be of interest are edible flowers, a 40-year-old sherryfinished single malt and Noma, which elevated the concept of fine cuisine to another plateau.

So much so that the four-time winner of the World’s Best Restaurant award disrupted itself, risking everything it had built for 14 years – including its Michelin stars – by reinventing New Nordic at its new site. Chef Rene Redzepi – who shut Noma down in February 2017 before unveiling the new iteration in mid-February this year – was quoted as saying that routine

may be comforting, but it was also a real killer to creativity.

And what of wanderlust? This issue takes you to the ancient Laotian capital that is Luang Prabang for Azerai – the second coming of hotelier extraordinaire Adrian Zecha. It then whisks you to Aman in Venice where history, culture and sophistication intersect. Four Seasons Tokyo welcomes the reader into an oasis of calm in a truly kinetic world capital, while the African continent offers magical trails to discover nature like never before.

Lastly, the traveller is returned home with the wondrous imagery of Trey Ratcliffe, intrepid photographer and darling of The Ritz-Carlton, for his immersive picture commentary of the places and locales in which he finds himself.

Kenneth Tan

Photo MACKENZIE STROH

20

AGENDA

Robb Report

EVENT GUIDE What’s worth doing this month.

By BRIAN OOI AND SASHA GONZALES

PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE 2018

21 to 26 Aug Car collectors from all over the world will gather at the famed 18th fairway of Pebble Golf Links in California to show off their automobiles, which will be judged for their style and technical merit, as well as their history, their originality and the accuracy of their preservation or restoration. www.pebblebeachconcours.net

BALTIMORE ART, ANTIQUE & JEWELRY SHOW

DUBROVNIK SUMMER FESTIVAL

30 Aug to 2 Sept The largest indoor antiques show in the US makes its annual return at the Baltimore Convention Center. From furniture, Asian antiquities, porcelain, textiles and glassware, the massive range of exhibitions is sure to be a treat for antique aficionados out there.

Now to 25 Aug Hailed as one of Croatia’s greatest cultural events, the old town of Dubrovnik is a sight to behold this August with daily theatre, music and dance performances from the country’s best, showcasing the picturesque city’s artistic and dramatic spirit.

www.baltimoresummershow.com

www.dubrovnik-festival.hr Pebble Beach photo STEVE BURTON

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW

2 to 6 Aug Darling Harbour plays host to one of Australia’s most significant marine events. From water sports hobbyists to superyacht enthusiasts, the event attacts more than three million visitors annually. Highlights include boat exhibitions, talks on boating advancements and fishing classes. www.sydneyboatshow.com.au

AGENDA

August - 2018

21

ART CALENDAR Robb Report Malaysia presents this month’s most aesthetically pleasing picks for your viewing pleasure.

By JACQUELINE DANAM

THE ENCHANTED GARDEN This year’s Summer Festival at Swarovski Kristallwelten includes this garden which seems to have come straight out of a fairy tale. Created by British artist Simon Costin, The Enchanted Garden is a colourful wonderland of flowers in full bloom. The unique backdrops offer lots of opportunities for creative selfies. Where: Swarovski Kristallwelten, Wattens, Austria When: Now–31 Aug Tickets: €19 (RM89)

MATTHEW BOURNE’S CINDERELLA Celebrated choreographer Matthew Bourne has reimagined this classic fairy tale as a war-time romance.

Set in London during the Second World War, Cinderella spends her magical night with Harry, a young RAF pilot. However, the horrors of the Blitz tears the couple apart. This production features a magnificent score

by Prokofiev. Where: Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Centre When: 7–12 Aug Tickets: From RMB99 (RM60)

UBUD VILLAGE JAZZ FESTIVAL

AGAINST THE DAY

Themed Freedom of Expression, the sixth edition of this music event sees local and international performers coming together for two nights of all that jazz. Musicians include Salamander Big Band and blind jazz pianist M Ade Irawan from Indonesia as well as Benny Green Trio from the US and fusion jazz band A-Fuzz from South Korea. Where: Agung Rai Museum of Art, Ubud When: 10 –11 Aug Tickets: From 500,000

Drawings by Chong Siew Ying, Gan Sze Hooi, Jalaini Abu Hassan, Kow Leong Kiang, Minstrel Kui and Nirmala Dutt are the focus of this exhibition, which aims to examine the ethos of present-day Malaysia.

Through their works, these artists offer their own insights into the changing social landscape – a particularly critical topic given the recent change in government. Where: Our ArtProjects, Kuala Lumpur

rupiah (RM140)

When: 3–25 Aug Tickets: Free Cinderella photo JOHAN PERSSON

PORTFOLIO

22

MICKEY GOES DUTCH One of the world’s favourite characters gets a birthday makeover.

By REBECCA MORRIS

M

ickey Mouse, Walt Disney’s timeless mascot, has done the unthinkable: he has aged. This year marks no less than his 90th birthday.

So, is this the time for the cheeky chappy to ditch the red trousers and oversized yellow shoes and opt for attire more suitable for his age? A grandpa-style cardigan and slippers, perhaps?

Not a bit of it. The nonagenarian mouse is celebrating his landmark anniversary with a designer makeover from celebrated Dutchman Marcel Wanders, who has provided a modern transformation that pays tribute to his celebrated native Delft pottery.

Invited by the pop sculpture company Leblon Delienne to carry out the commission, Wanders, known for his elaborate and diverse styles, reworked the character by handpainting him in his signature One Minute Delft Blue, a contemporary take on the Netherlands’ ancient Delft Blue technique.

The piece was completely handmade

in the brand’s atelier in Normandy, northern France.

Juliette de Blegiers, president of Leblon Delienne, says: “This abstract universe created by Wanders characterises his style: he paints the resin model of Mickey Mouse with his bare hands, in an expressionist way. With this, Marcel explores creativity in a tactile, craftsman-like fashion, whilst exploring his own imagination of an imaginary icon.”

The company believes that the Dutch heritage updated by Wanders’ contemporary take on its famous art, coupled with the legendary Disney character and the savoir faire of the Leblon Delienne atelier, combines universes and eras to produce a timeless work. Art it may be, but one can’t take a cartoon character completely seriously. There’s a scent of mischief in the final touch – the mouse sports a nose in a chrome gold finish.

The figure, sized 140cm, has been made in a limited edition of eight, priced at €25,000 (RM119,000) each. en.leblon-delienne.com ≠

Photos LEBLON DELIENNE

Robb Report

August - 2018

PORTFOLIO

23

24

FRONTRUNNERS

THE LATEST IN LUXURY

“I PREFER LIBERTY TO CHAINS OF DIAMONDS.” Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

Robb Report

FRONTRUNNERS

August – 2018

25

THE LATEST IN LUXURY

CHAIN REACTION Enchainements Libres by Hermes offers a fresh new spin on its most classical leitmotif, the anchor chain.

By CELINE YAP

I

n Enchainements Libres, Hermes revisits traditional chain-making art, adapting its beloved chaine d’ancre motif in a myriad of ways. Playing with sculptural possibilities, anamorphic compositions, changes in scale, and details on every level, this high jewellery collection balances convention with innovation. The pieces have been designed to embrace the human body, moving as it moves, articulating and flexing as if they too were alive.

Six lines complete the collection.

Adage Hermes treats the chain as a sculpture, highlighting the power of its simplicity; Hermes Fusion is an interplay of rose gold and titanium in spectacular dimensions; Hermes Voltige is a dizzying mise en abyme using miniature anchor chains to form a whole; Hermes Grand Jete works with challenging shapes

and materials in an audacious composition; Chaine d’ancre zoom is a nod to conventional rules of jewellery making where large central stones seize the eye; and Hermes Petite Jete is an ode to meticulous craftsmanship.

Evoking strength, but also f luidity and softness, Enchainements Libres is a tribute to the transformation of metal into jewellery, and of raw material into sensual adornment. www.hermes.com ≠

FRONTRUNNERS

26

Robb Report

THE LATEST IN LUXURY

Bay Watch

S

Let this GPS-defined fragrance from Haeckels spirit you away.

o precise are Haeckels’ fragrances that they can tell you exactly where and when they were conceived, right down to their geographical coordinates. Take Walpole Bay (£160, RM847) - or rather, GPS 23’ 34”N. Expect to be whisked away on an adventure, where you’re transported to the raw, natural beauty of the beach. Notes of fresh seaweed, seawater, clifftop grasses and white flowers provide an olfactory allusion to the uninhabited bay that sparked the idea for this perfume, with an intense green sweetness that floats atop a base of bitter, resinous musk. haeckels.co.uk

Love Me Tender

P

P Tendercool suggests it’s time to play with your food.

ut the spark back into dinnertime with Belgianrun, Bangkok-based furniture maker P Tendercool’s ping-pong-cum-dining table (US$29,000, RM116,700), which was originally created for the fifth edition of the Le Cabinet de Curiosites of Thomas Erber exhibition.

The table is made from reclaimed Thai colonial-era hardwood, while the accompanying chairs are formed from sand-cast brass and hand-stitched leather seats, which can be customised with a tattoo of your family crest. www.ptendercool.com

Knit Wit

W

Layer up with Luca Faloni’s luxurious hoodie.

hen the final summer heatwave has lifted, you’ll be glad to have Luca Faloni’s pure cashmere hoodie (£265, RM1,402) in your wardrobe, ready to ward off the oncoming chill of autumn. Available in camel beige, stone grey, navy blue and Dolomiti grey, this hooded sweater is crafted from the prestigious Cariaggi Fine Yarns Collection’s pure two-ply cashmere. Knitted in Italy, this fitted but comfortable hoodie oozes sports luxe with its effortlessly cool aesthetic and remains soft to the touch. www.lucafaloni.com

P Tendercool photo THANAPORN LABOUP

FRONTRUNNERS

August - 2018

27

THE LATEST IN LUXURY

Heart Throb

T

Feel your pulse, start the chronograph and count 30 heart beats. he coveted reference 2998 Omega Speedmaster (RM21,850) is back with a reissue, limited to 2,998 pieces. This one bears the signature Alpha hands and blackened indexes as well as a hallmark black bezel.

The usual tachymeter markings have given way to those of a pulsometer (that measures heart rate), one of the timing bezel options which was present in the original Speedmaster CK 2998 of 1959. www.omegawatches.com

Multi Protection

W

Clarins Men formulates a male-specific solution.

hen a world made harsh by pollution and UV rays is too much to bear, one may look to the new UV Plus SPF 50 (RM174) of Clarins Laboratories as a panacea.

The solution is oil-free in texture, water-resistant and doesn’t sting the eyes even with perspiration. What it does do is utilise organic quinoa extract to hydrate and stimulate natural moisture, with bison grass energising and soothing abrasions caused by shaving, thus leaving a matte finish. www.clarins.com

Oddly Infused

W

Feel slightly peculiar with Hendrick’s Gin.

orld Cucumber Day (14 June) may have come and gone, but Hendrick’s Gin (RM269 for 75cl) certainly made it one to remember by suggesting playful ways to elevate your gin and tonic. The brand’s obsession with cucumber results in ways in which one may garnish their drink; a bold wedge, classic slice, peculiar spears or unusual tongue. Of course, the recognisable rose petals, which stand out among the wafts of 11 botanicals found within the gin, offers an added dimension of olfactory sweetness. www.hendricksgin.com

Hendrick’s photo ETHAN CHOW

28

ROBB COLLECTIONS

Robb Report

ELEGANT LUXURIOUS STYLISH

“VODKA DOES NOT EASE BACK PAIN. BUT IT DOES GET YOUR MIND OFF IT.” Fuzzy Zoeller

August - 2018

ROBB COLLECTIONS ELEGANT LUXURIOUS STYLISH

INNOVATIVE SPIRITS Belvedere Single Estate Rye Series

By REBECCA MORRIS

T

erroir: the French word that encapsulates all the physical conditions that need to combine to produce perfect grapes for an excellent vintage of wine. But why just wine? The base ingredients for spirits are cultivated in the ground, too, and their successful harvest is equally dependent on the soil, climate and other growing conditions.

Now, Belvedere, the luxury Polish vodka brand, has refined that notion with a new Single Estate Rye Series featuring distinct vodkas from two of the seven farms it uses to grow its Polish Dankowskie diamond rye.

Named after their respective villages, Smogory Forest and Lake Bartezek, the vodkas have been crafted to bring out the personality of their respective terroirs.

Smogory Forest comes from a single small estate in western Poland and has notes of salted caramel, honey and white pepper, and a salty-sweet finish.

Lake Bartezek, from northern Poland’s Mazury lake district, where the growing rye spends more than 80 days under snow, is full and mellow, with notes of black pepper, toasted nuts and cream.

The vodkas are available at leading cocktail bars. www.belvederevodka.com/enint/SingleEstateRye â‰

29

ROBB COLLECTIONS

30

ELEGANT LUXURIOUS STYLISH

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH Biologique Recherche La Grande Creme

I

By REBECCA MORRIS

f Mother Nature were really that clever, we find ourselves wondering as we glare in the mirror at yet another new facial furrow, why does she insist on wrinkles?

Well, maybe she’s just testing us to find a solution to them. Skincare company Biologique Recherche has now identified a peptide (a compound of amino acids), EpigenActiv, that acts to renew skin cells.

Its discovery has led to La Grande Creme (S$995, RM2,963 for a 50ml bottle), which, says the French family company, is designed to improve the skin in six ways: regenerate

and repair the skin, reduce pigmentation, reduce lines and fill in wrinkles, firm and tone, have a lifting effect on sagging skin, and improve the quality of the skin barrier. The luxuriant cream includes a high concentration of active ingredients, many flora-based, for optimum effectiveness, and is made with raw ingredients to further add to the efficacy of the components.

La Grande Creme is decanted into a multi-faceted bottle custom-made by French artisanal glass- and crystal-makers. www.biologiquerecherche.com â‰

Robb Report

AUCTIONS

August - 2018

31

OFF THE BLOCK We keep you up to date with the hottest lots under the hammer.

By RENYI LIM

Untitled (Pumpkin Sculpture) by Yayoi Kusama

Auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong for HK$11.4 million (RM5.9 million). ne of the most loved and recognised images in contemporary art today, Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s ubiquitous pumpkin stands as her figurative motif. Her connection with the pumpkin motif can be traced back to a hallucinogenic episode during her childhood, which has driven her legendary career ever since. “They embody a base for the joy of living shared by all of humankind on earth. It is for the pumpkins that I keep on going,” she once explained. This unique urethane on FRP sculpture, which stands a metre tall and wide, is signed in English and dated 2007 on its rear side.

O

www.sothebys.com

Drei Pferde by Franz Marc

Auctioned by Christie’s in London for £15.4 million (RM81.6 million). xceeding its initial top estimate of £3.5 million, German expressionist painter Franz Marc’s 1912 masterpiece emerged as one of the highest-earning lots at Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale in June. Previously held in a family’s collection for over 60 years, Drei Pferde’s rhythmically curved and radiating forms make the work one of Marc’s finest expressions of his idealised vision of the world as an holistic, harmonious and ultimately, abstract spiritua l entit y.

E

www.christies.com

Flaque table by Jean Royere

Auctioned by Phillips in New York for US$591,000 (RM2.4 million). ne of the great artistes decorateurs of 1940s France, Jean Royere employed straw marquetry - a traditional technique meant to imitate wood veneer, which had been in use in Europe since the 17th century - to create the Flaque table’s freeform shape. This low table, named after the French word for ‘puddle’, was created in 1955 and echoes the biomorphic forms developed by designers during the 1930s, while adding supple lines and delicate star motifs. www.phillips.com

O

GRAND OPENINGS

32

Robb Report

IN FULL BLOOM

Matthew Williamson transforms Suite 67 at Belmond La Residencia, Mallorca into a seductive hothouse of botanical artwork.

By KENNETH TAN

T

here’s no better place in Mallorca to learn about flora and fauna than in Belmond La Residencia’s Suite 67 (from €2,250, RM11,955 per night), which opened in April. Designed and decorated by acclaimed British designer Matthew Williamson, the one-bed suite connects guests to the property’s natural surroundings through its unique detailing, such as walls adorned with botanical artworks and handdrawn paintings of native birds.

Guests of Suite 67 can look forward to a private garden and pool area inspired

This twin-manorhouse hotel is situated on Mallorca’s peaceful northwest coast.

by the glamour of 1950s Palm Springs and California. In the bedroom, a bed lacquered in Yves Klein electric blue stands out against Williamson’s signature Rosanna Trellis wallpaper, while the bathroom sports a vintage roll-top bath. Pairing a sense of rustic decadence with the property’s artistic spirit, Suite 67 is - as the designer puts it - “a one-of-a-kind space to escape, relax and indulge in for both the modern and traditional traveller”. Belmond La Residencia Son Canals s/n, 07179 Deia, Mallorca, Spain Tel: +34 971 63 9011 www.belmond.com ∆

Photos TOM MANNION, TYSON SADLO

August - 2018

PORTFOLIO

33

34

GRAND OPENINGS

WHERE THE ACTION IS Alila’s newest hotel overlooks Kuala Lumpur’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan district.

Robb Report

August - 2018

GRAND OPENINGS

A

Alila Bangsar is a modern urban retreat that fuses a haven of relaxation with a lively city vibe.

35

By CHARMAINE TAI

s luxury boutique hotel group Alila Hotels and Resorts continues its expansion into Asia, it recently raised expectations with the opening of its first hotel in Malaysia, which sits atop a building that stretches into the skies over Kuala Lumpur’s Bangsar district.

In contrast to the busy city vibe at street level, internationally celebrated designers Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu opted for a restful ambience above, based on cool, modern interiors that let in natural light and views across the skyline.

The hotel, on the highest levels of a mixed-use development known as The Establishment, features 143 guestrooms with an Alila Living Room on each guestroom floor overseen by a butler, where complimentary refreshments tempt guests in to network or relax.

On level 40, a pool bathed in natural light sits amid a tropical ambience with views over the cosmopolitan streets below. One floor above is a sky-level lobby and the Entier (meaning ‘whole’) restaurant, where chef Masashi Hirouchi, formerly of the two Michelinstarred L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, brings ‘nose to tail’ dining to the city by using every part of the animal or vegetable. Proof & Company, an award-winning group of Asia’s most celebrated drinks specialists, has overseen the hotel’s bars.

Sustainability is de rigueur these days and the hotel’s contributions include a number of paper-saving initiatives including an E-Zone for guests.

A team is available to customise guests’ leisure plans on themes that range from cultural learning to conscious living, active spirits, culinary arts and couple celebration. Alila Bangsar 58 Jalan Ang Seng Kuala Lumpur 50470, Malaysia Tel: +6012 228 1373 www.alilahotels.com ≠

36

Robb Report

“TRAVEL MAKES ONE MODEST. YOU SEE WHAT A TINY PLACE YOU OCCUPY IN THE WORLD.” Gustave Flaubert

37

August - 2018

Photo GETTY IMAGES

38

Robb Report

FLOWER FOOD Diners and drinkers are coming round to the use of edible blooms for their visual appeal, flavours and textures.

By JOSH SIMS

“W

e still see people picking the flower out of their drink as though it isn’t meant to be there,” chuckles Greg Almeida, the bartender at Scarfe’s Bar at Rosewood Hotel in London.

“But people are starting to understand that they can eat it - at least once they’ve been told they can.” Indeed, flowers have long been used as decoration on restaurant dishes, and latterly in cocktails.

“Edible flowers have a high impact,” says Almeida, who trained as a chef before moving into mixology. “They’re delicate, colourful, have interesting forms. But for many using them in food and drink, the important thing is that they bring distinctive flavours. Most chefs wouldn’t just use a flower because it’s pretty. The fact is that there are so many plants to experiment with, so it feels like a new field.”

It’s not, of course: flowers have been eaten

for centuries - crystallised, distilled, used to add sweetness to tarts before sugar became accessible, made into jams and, perhaps above all, used as a garnish.

The aesthetic appeal of flowers has been key to Asian cuisines in particular - crushed rose petals to create a pastry filling in Chinese cooking, for example, salt-pickled blossoms to cook with rice in Japanese cooking. Rose and orange blossoms are big in Middle Eastern cuisines. Saffron - the most expensive spice in the world - comes, of course, from the red stigmas of the crocus flower. Michelin cooking rediscovered flower food in the 1980s.

But now edible flowers have become part of the wider foodie movement towards eating whatever is seasonal - with the fashion for foraging also a factor - and found a new home on Michelin-starred plates.

At the Skye restaurant at The Park Lane Hong Kong, there’s a rooftop garden where herbs but also flowers are grown to be used in the dishes,

“Most chefs wouldn’t just use a flower because it’s pretty.”

Photos ADDIE CHINN, MIKE NORQUIST, NICK MUNCY, ANTOINETTE BRUNO, GREG FUNNELL

August - 2018

39

Doc No. 9 comprises seedlip garden, cucumber, green pea, lovage and avocado oil.

40

with the winter season given over to begonias, marigolds and nasturtium. Petals are used to add subtle sweetness to puddings or cut through acidity in savoury dishes.

Growing their own also avoids the problem facing chefs in humid climates, where edible flowers are typically imported at a risk of bruising the petals.

Since edible flowers can’t be washed before use, organic growers are also seeing new business in catering. That’s important too. If you’re cooking at home, don’t assume flowers from a nursery, florist or garden centre are safe to eat; and remember that, while many are bringing a new dimension

Robb Report

to dishes, not all flowers are edible - some, in fact, are poisonous.

THE DOC NO. 9 ‘MOCKTAIL’ At San Francisco’s Lord Stanley, chef Carrie Blease makes a peppery oil from the nasturtiums grown on the restaurant roof.

Much as health shakes have moved from having a fruit to a vegetable base, the Doc No. 9 alcohol-free cocktail - at Scarfe’s Bar, Rosewood Hotel, London - similarly brings together seedlip, cucumber, green pea, lovage and avocado oil, with edible bean flower used for decoration. Bean flowers come from the best-known legumes - the likes of alfalfa, broad beans and wisteria - but whose flowers are rarely seen where the plants are cultivated before they’re harvested. This means the

41

August - 2018

elderflower and nasturtium. Even flowers widely considered to be weeds - dandelions, for example - can be battered and eaten.

Dandelion has turned up on the menu of esteemed establishments the likes of Ristorante Tosca in Washington DC (toscadc. com), or in salads at New York’s Esca (escanyc.com).

CRYSTALLINE TREATS

flowers typically have to be found in the wild (or bought in), though clover - also an edible bean flower - tends to be hard to avoid. Other cocktails at the bar use elderflower, hibiscus, heather, viola and rose petals, as well as dried rose button.

TEMPURA The courgette flower, coated and fried in batter, has long been a staple dish. But the whole heads of other edible flowers are also coming in for the tempura treatment: the likes of garlic flower, chive blossom, squash blossom, okra flowers, ox eye daisies,

The menu at Lord Stanley is simple yet refined, with British and European influences.

Often mistaken for sugar craft - shaping and colouring pure sugar - crystallised flowers are exactly that: edible flower heads painted with egg white (as soon as possible after being cut), dusted with sugar and allowed to harden over 24 hours. The idea finds its origins in Victorian England, when granulated sugar first became widely available, but the process is now used among upscale bakers - as a garnish on cakes and specialists the likes of Meadowsweet Flowers (meado ws weet f lo wers. co.uk). Cornflowers, pansies, primulas lavender and pelargonium are among the favourites, while roses and lilies are generally too fleshy to hold their form.

FLORAL RUBS AND OILS While many chefs like to make the most of the visual appeal of flowers, some are content with maximising the flavour: chef Stefan Bower at San Antonio’s Battalion Restaurant (battalionsa.com) uses flower petals - notably

Other cocktails at the bar use elderflower, hibiscus, heather, viola and rose petals, as well as dried rose button.

42

Robb Report

The blooms are dried, then ground with cilantro, lime and orange. those of roses, hibiscus and anise flowers - to make a rub to use on meat and fish. The blooms are dried, then ground in a mortar and pestle with cilantro, lime and orange. Bowers also uses his rub sprinkled over salads or, when combined with sugar, as a dusting for baklava.

Flower petals can also be used to make peppery oils, as at San Francisco’s Lord Stanley (lordstanleysf.com): an 80:20 ratio of leaves to flowers is blanched in boiling water, shocked in ice, then blended with a neutral oil and strained. It’s ideal to cut back the richness of meat, especially Wagyu beef and pork rib.

GERANIUM ICE CREAM London’s Quo Vadis (quovadissoho.co.uk) may have won an international reputation for its floral displays as much as for its fine dining; in fact, it even has a floristry commission department charged with maintaining yearround displays. But head chef Jeremy Lee has taken inspiration to use edible flowers in a number of dishes, including a geranium-infused ice cream, the flower crushed and sprinkled over the ice cream but also being used to provide a delicate (rather than an overwhelming) sweetness. London’s German Gymnasium has produced an elderflower ice cream too.

BEER

From above: Quo Vadis is well known for its exquisite food and beautiful location; Zairyo sells its edible flowers in six-gram punnets.

With the boom in ever more niche craft beers, brewers are getting more experimental too - and that has included the use of flowers in the brewing process. Woods Beer Co (woodsbeer.com) and the Fort Point Beer Company (fortpointbeer.com) have collaborated on what it calls its Yampah-Kay-Yah! beer, brewed with redwood tips, yampah seeds and nasturtiums; Commons Brewery (commonsbrewery.com), Black Shirt Brewing Co (blackshirtbrewingco.com) and Indeed Brewing Co (indeedbrewing.com) (all from the US) have used lavender in various beers; Funkwerks Brewery (funkwerks.com) has used hibiscus; while Australia’s Moon Dog Craft Brewery (moondogbrewing.com. au) has used rose petals for its Puns and Roses.

EDIBLE FLOWERS FOR DELIVERY Such is the interest in edible flowers now that florists and horticultural companies are launching departments specifically for their delivery to restaurants and homes - notably because it remains hard to find brick-and-mortar stores selling edible flowers.

Open Taste (opentaste.sg) delivers a punnet of miscellaneous, Australian-grown edible flowers selected for flavour as well as colour and

43

August - 2018

shape - the next day around Singapore, the selection depending on time of year and harvest; likewise Zairyo (zairyo.com.sg) sources its edible flower selections in Japan.

Recommended flowers for general home cooking (when available) include nasturtiums, marigolds, borage, tagetes (a type of marigold), dianthus, stocks, violas, cornflowers and blackcurrant sage flowers. â‰

Quo Vadis is a restaurant and private members’ club in the heart of Soho.

44

Robb Report

MESSAGE IN A BARREL

The wild of Skye meets the warmth of Spain in the Talisker Bodega Series: 40-year-old, which Shamilee Vellu tastes in Andalucia before its global launch.

I

t’s long been said that opposites attract but a lasting, happy union depends on fundamental similarities. This perfectly describes Talisker’s recently launched Bodega Series, which showcases the effects of sherry cask finishes on the finest single malt whiskies.

Not one to do anything by half-measures, Talisker, based in the rugged Scottish Isle of Skye, has chosen to kickstart its series with a 40-year-old single malt scotch whisky – the 1978 vintage – one of its oldest and most valuable expressions to date.

Matured in refill American oak barrels, it’s been finished in 40-year-old Amontillado sherry casks from Jerez, Spain in a fascinating process that takes the brand forward by looking back into its colourful history for inspiration.

I’ve travelled to Jerez, Spain’s heart of sherry production and undeniably, the sunnier half of this seemingly unlikely coupling, to trace the origins of the partnership. Sherry casks were the dominant cask used in whisky production especially in the 1900s, and an archival deep dive at Talisker serendipitously unearthed

trading connections with Delgado Zuleta, one of the most esteemed – and oldest – sherry producers in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barrameda.

On first impression, the partners in this union may seem as different as chalk and cheese.

After all Skye, the northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, with its windswept, rain-drenched and craggy landscape, would seem to have little in common with the sunny Mediterranean city I now find myself in. The warm May sun bathes everything – from the glittering waterfall in the town square to the riotous profusion of fuschia bougainvillea blooms adorning Delgado Zuleta’s bodega entrance – with a golden glow, rendering every colour twice as vivid.

MADE BY THE SEA Different as they may initially seem, the omnipotent element in both sides of the tale is the sea. Donald Colville, Diageo’s global malts ambassador, says that the salty, briny taste you get from all coastal whiskies isn’t because of where they’re matured. Rather, the

45

August - 2018

“One batch might be ready after three months, or it could be a year.”

46

Robb Report

flavour “is all about the geographical location of where it’s made, and the salty briny atmosphere surrounding the distillery, which is absorbed and becomes part of the whisky production process”. It’s worth noting that you’re only 100km from the coast, wherever you are in Scotland.

Proximity to the ocean is key as well in sherry making. Sherry bodegas are traditionally built in a northeast to southwest axis to harness the cool, humid winds that blow in from the Atlantic Ocean.

Step inside Delgado Zuleta’s famed bodega, and you’ll instantly feel it’s considerably cooler, an effect of the sea breeze that constantly refreshes the cellar and becomes imbued in the very character of the precious liquids produced here.

Unlike your typical dark, musty wine cellar, sherry bodegas typically feature soaring, vaulted ceilings, with small windows placed high up to allow hot air to rise well above and escape, ensuring the environment remains cool and humid.

This is all in service of the flor, or layer of yeast, on top of the wine in the barrels, which requires a constant, stable and cool temperature, good ventilation and high humidity to do its sherry-making magic.

Delgado Zuleta is known primarily for its manzanillas, which comprise 90 per cent of their production. Manzanillas, along with

finos, have a briny, delicate acidity that pairs exceptionally well with seafood, a trait which we witness first hand at Aponiente, a threeMichelin starred restaurant in Cadiz which is dedicated entirely to fruits de mer.

Angel Leon – also known as the Chef of the Sea – helms the pass here – dreaming up algaeinfused broths and fish masquerading as chorizo, that pair just as beautifully with Talisker whisky.

Built in a former tide mill, there could be no better place to muse upon the touches of salinity that indelibly link Scotland and Spain.

GO WITH THE GRAIN Unlike regular wines, sherry is matured in barrels using the solera system, which involves fractional blending. Casks in a solera are arranged in groups called criaderas, where each group contains wine of a certain age. When wine is bottled from the oldest group, the casks are topped up with wine from a younger group.

Sherry producers seek neutral casks to avoid tannins and compounds that might influence the wine, and as such old casks are preferred.

“We never throw away barrels,” says Pelayo Garcaa Vergara, export director at Delgado Zuleta, who has been with the family-owned brand since 1999.

Instead, when a barrel is damaged, it’s

The 1978 vintage is one of Talisker’s oldest and most valuable expressions to date.

47

August - 2018

Delgado Zuleta in Sanlucar de Barrameda.

Facing page: Donald Colville.

Proximity to the ocean is key as well in sherry making. taken apart, with reusable staves repurposed into ‘new’ barrels. As such, barrels may contain wood that’s up to 200 years old.

“No two casks are the same,” says Vergara. “They are like family – they might look alike but each has their own personality”.

The barrels, along with the area’s signature chalky soil and seabreeze, are key ingredients in Delgado Zuleta’s Quo Vadis, Amontillado VORS, an award-winning 40-yearold sherry that represents the pinnacle of its sherry production.

Five elite casks that once held this precious liquid were chosen to finish the journey of the 40-yearold Talisker, a process that borders on alchemy.

“It’s ready when it’s ready,” says Colville, when pressed to indicate the time required for the final

maturation. “One batch might be ready after three months, or it could be a year,” he adds. Unlike long-term maturation, he says, short-term maturation is “all about a barrel’s previous contents.”

Prior to the main event, we prepare our palates by tasting our way through Talisker’s other stellar whiskies, including the 10 year-old, Talisker Port Ruighe, The Distillers Edition (a no-age statement, flavour-led blend) and the sublime, exceptionally balanced 18-year-old, which Colville likens to a “beautiful lady in a ball gown smoking a cigar”.

The Talisker Bodega Series 40-year-old comes presented in a beautiful screen-printed bottle housed in a handmade wood case, its linear design of arches a tribute to the ‘cathedral arches’ found in sherry bodegas. The famous sundial

of Sanlucar de Barrameda, where the Delgado Zuleta casks are housed, also features on the box.

On the nose, its aromas are beautifully rewarding, with rich raisin and peaty aromas that potently evoke the sherry influence. Its rare, sweet opulence and fruity smokiness instantly transports me to the bodega we stood in the day before, the depth of the rich amontillado casks evident in the great waves of fruit and sweetness that contrast with the traditional Talisker pepper. As it settles into a silky, smooth and soft elegance, Colville pronounces it perfect. Our murmurs of pleasure, interspersed with a satisfied silence, confirm his verdict.

Just 2,000 bottles are available worldwide at £2,750 (S$4,965), available from whisky specialists. www.thewhiskyexchange.com ≠

48

Robb Report

LIVING IN THE OPEN

Celebrated designer Bill Bensley showcases his third Shinta Mani resort in Cambodia, and this time, he owns it.

Photos KRISHNA ADITHYA PRAJOGO

49

August - 2018

Shinta Mani Angkor Bensley Collection features Bill Bensley’s signature black and white tiles and lush foliage, as well as other playful flourishes.

H

By CHARMAINE TAI

ow would a designer’s home look? Would it hint of their style and aesthetic found in buildings and places they’ve designed?

Or would it be nothing like we’ve imagined? Internationally renowned designer Bill Bensley gave me a peek into his home, in the form of Shinta Mani Angkor Bensley Collection in Siam Reap.

This is the third and most premium Shinta Mani resort in Siem Reap, and it’s no coincidence that all three have been designed

by Bensley. However, what sets this one apart is that Bensley owns this property, and has designed it to be a home he’ll live in while in the city.

Where you’d see bits of Bensley in other properties such as The Slate Phuket, JW Marriott Phu Quoc, Twin Peaks Singapore and Shinta Mani Shack, the newest Angkor property is where everything comes together and shines.

If you’re staying at Shinta Mani for the first time, take a walk around the other two properties and you’ll get a feel of the Bensley touch.

Both Shack and Angkor are located just across the road from each other.

Bensley Collection has taken over Shack’s lobby (a separate lobby has been created for the latter) and the two are connected via a sheltered walkway.

50

Robb Report

Bensley has cleverly incorporated rough blueprints of Angkor Wat throughout the resort.

SHINTA MANI ANGKOR BENSLEY COLLECTION Bensley Collection offers just 10 identical onebedroom villas, and each comes with its own private plunge pool. You’ll immediately spot Bensley’s classic, contemporary touches. Each pair of villas comes with unique entrances.

Undulating steps in one, a reflection pool in another. The monochromatic floor tiles are paved in a way that’ll pose a challenge for a drunken guest who’s trying to walk in a straight line. Then, there are majestic textured walls that stretch from the villa’s entrance to the end of the bedroom. Not quite sure what to make of it? The white ‘curtain’ folds are inspired by the movement of a king’s robe as he walks.

A small garden separates the bedroom from the bathroom. Here, you’ll find a large walk-in closet, twin sinks, a spacious sheltered outdoor shower, a granite tub and why, yet another garden. The aesthetic is pretty similar, white-panelled marble tiles with pale grey veining, black floor tiles, gold fittings and a warm golden hue throughout.

You’d notice that I’ve made no mention of the toilet. That’s because it’s located in the bedroom. I found the choice of location rather peculiar, but came to understand why. It would be slightly disorienting in one’s sleepy haze to pass through two glass

Each suite comes with a large walkin closet.

Facing page: custom-designed furniture and handcrafted fittings.

doors and a garden just to get to the bathroom.

The eagle-eyed will also notice that Bensley has cleverly incorporated rough blueprints of Angkor Wat throughout the resort, such as on the main door of the villa and in the turquoise pool. Even the gates that take you from lobby to villa are designed to look and feel like the outer walls of the temple. Just remember to step through the main ‘gate’; on Angkor’s temple grounds, the larger gate was for the king, while the smaller ones on the side were for his servants.

Room, bathroom and pool aside, my favourite part of the villa is the sheltered patio on the second storey of the villa, where mist irrigation systems keep potted plants watered and residents cool throughout. The daybeds are equally inviting, and if mosquito nets were available, I’d have opted to ‘camp’ outdoors for a night.

A tiny gripe of mine is that the pantry is located outside the villa, right by the entrance to the room. Although it’s sheltered from above, puddles still form when it rains, making it a hassle (and slightly hazardous) should you like to enjoy another drink. And while I don’t mind sleeping to the melodies of crickets and frogs at night, what I do mind is having cockroaches, mosquitos and lizards for company while I shower. For this level of indulgence, I’d expect to be the only occupant in the villa.

51

August - 2018

AT YOUR SERVICE But what really sets Bensley Collection apart from the other two properties? Features and amenities aside, you’ll have a personal butler at your service round the clock. I certainly enjoyed the company of my butler, Nophon. The affable 26-year-old not only introduced me to the ins and outs of Siem Reap, but also pointed out local hangouts and even his high school.

He also recounted his meeting with Bensley, and how he had the honour of driving Bensley around on the back of his motorcycle. Nophon shares the same enthusiasm as I do for food, pointing out his favourites as we dined at local restaurant Pou one evening.

If I had a checklist, Nophon would have been what made my stay at Bensley Collection special.

Guests at Bensley Collection are welcome to head to Kroya at Angkor for its international breakfast buffet

spread, but I recommend sticking to in-villa dining. The menu selection is larger and includes options such as a local mushroom crepe, steak and eggs, and a charcuterie platter.

Place your order (or orders) with your butler the night before, tell him what time you’d like to eat and he’ll see to the rest. The upside of invilla dining? Enjoying breakfast at ease, even if it means not changing out of your bathrobe. And having it by the pool, at the patio or even in the bedroom. The downside? You’ll have to dial for the concierge every time you want more juice.

HEADING OUT So you’ve visited Angkor Wat. What next? I quite enjoyed the cooking lesson organised by Shinta Mani.

I visited the local market with the chef to learn about the different ingredients and cooking methods before heading back to Kroya to get my hands dirty (so to speak).

I learnt to make Amok (a local dish comprising fish cooked in coconut milk), a spicy beef soup and local desserts.

I thought I had done a pretty decent job, but learnt that I’ve a long

Unknown to many, there’s a local brewery just a five-minute walk away. way to go, judging by the nervous laughter of the chef when I asked if I could be his apprentice.

Unknown to many, there’s a local brewery just a five-minute walk away. Siem Reap Brewpub — owned by Singaporean Neo Say Wee — offers more than six ales and a variety of dishes to go along with them. It opens until late, so schedule it as your last stop before you call it a night.

Phare, The Cambodian Circus is not to be missed too. Think of it as a local Cirque Du Soleil, complete

52

Robb Report

businessman, Sokoun Chanpreda, who is determined to invest in the future of his country.

The fruit of Sokoun’s labour can be seen throughout Shinta Mani properties. Most staff are graduates of the programme and Nophon is one of them.

He shared anecdotes of the recent genocide, having heard stories from his elders. His family survived because the Khmer Rouge had use for his grandfather’s carpentry skills.

Take a look around outside the Shinta Mani compound and you’ll realise that Cambodia is still grappling with the aftermath of

Join The Shinta Mani Foundation — supported by all Shinta Mani properties — and take part in community work. with an ever-changing storyline.

The performers are graduates of Phare Ponleu Selpak, a local school in Battambang city that offers visual and performing arts courses.

I caught Same Same, But Different, where locals shed light on the differences between foreigners and locals through skits and acrobatics.

My favourite scene was when they depicted tourists sitting in bars proclaiming how much they “loved local culture”. Those who are easily offended or are afraid to laugh at themselves should stay away. I, however, had a ball of a time and, judging by the thunderous

applause in the big top when the show concluded, so did the rest of the audience.

You can also join The Shinta Mani Foundation — supported by all Shinta Mani properties — and take part in community work, such as the building of wells in villages. The Foundation also offers other forms of assistance through microfinancing, education, health and dental check-ups and its Hospitality Training School that provides locals with skills soughtafter in the tourism industry.

Don’t dismiss it as another ‘white man’s initiative’ though; the Foundation was founded by local

the atrocity that happened just 30 years ago.

You know you’ve discovered a gem of a hotel when you find it hard to tear yourself away.

Bensley Collection has done just that. There’s a certain soul to this property and I’m waiting with anticipation for Shinta Mani Wild — a glamping property located in Cardamom National Park — to open this November.

Like Bensley Collection, Bensley is designer-cum-coowner and I expect no less than a property that feels familiar, yet different all the same. www.shintamani.com ≠

53

August - 2018

You know you’ve discovered a gem of a hotel when you find it hard to tear yourself away.

54

Robb Report

STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE

Singapore’s fine-dining scene is changing, hopefully for the better.

By NAOMI WAN

W

ith the closure of a few high profile top-notch restaurants including the Michelin-starred Joel Robuchon and Restaurant Andre, the well-loved Hashida Sushi, and the wildly popular Osteria Mozza at Marina Bay Sands,

many diners are wondering where Singapore’s food scene is headed.

We ask several top chef-owners and restaurateurs what they think of the state of our fine-dining landscape. With unpredictable challenges and erratic food trends, will these restaurants survive and stay relevant?

55

August - 2018

Loh Lik Peng

Prolific restaurateur, hotelier and founder of Unlisted Collections.

The group owns restaurants such as Cheek by Jowl, Burnt Ends and Esquina.

“I think the fine-dining scene here is at an inflection point.

We have had a few big names closing this year and the loss of Restaurant Andre and the Joel Robuchon restaurants is not a good sign, but at the same time we have other big names opening in Singapore soon, so perhaps this is more a healthy change in some concepts rather than a sign of a deeper rot. I think time will tell but it’s certainly proving that the fine-dining scene here is tough.

“How does one survive in this industry?

You have to be prepared to slog it out.

Customers here are fickle and demanding and getting world-class talent is always tough. I think surviving and thriving in Singapore is the same as anywhere else. You need to be excellent on a consistent basis.

That is difficult any place you operate in. I don’t think Singapore is any different from the other places we operate in, in that regard.

“I’m an optimist so I say, yes, the dining scene is still looking bright. We will need to innovate and continue to invest, but I do think there is no going back. Singapore’s scene can only continue to grow and get even better and more competitive.”

56

Robb Report

Willin Low

Chef-owner of Wild Rocket and a soon-toopen restaurant in Niseko, Japan

The recent scenario of several fine-dining restaurants shutting within months of each other could either be just an unhappy coincidence, market adjustments of supply/demand or a sign of something more ominous, like the economy not doing well.

“I think that our population isn’t big enough to sustain a large finedining scene (restaurants where per cover spend is S$200 per person and above). Even if the volume of overseas visitors to Singapore remains healthy, the number who will dine at fine-dining restaurants belong to a smaller category. This is especially so because the operating cost in such a restaurant here is high.

Once there’s an oversupply of these restaurants or the economy isn’t doing well, we will see an adjustment to the scene. If the economy is good, the dining scene will thrive and

overseas talents will want to set up a restaurant here, adding to the diversity. Companies will continue to have good entertainment budgets. “ There will always be a demand for very high-end dining, however I think one way of controlling food and manpower costs –which I see quite a few good restaurants in Japan doing – is to have one tasting menu or a limited menu that changes regularly.

This way, wastage can be managed better, instead of having a large a la carte menu where you have to not only spend more money buying different ingredients, but also need more manpower to prep the mise en place and execute it.”

Emmanuel Stroobant Chef-owner of Saint Pierre

“The fine-dining scene is ever evolving. Back in the day, there was a clear distinction between street food, cafes and fine dining, but now there are so many shades of grey in between with the evolution of bistronomy and traditionally fine dining establishments moving to a more Photos VERNON LEOW, NICHOLAS EE, MARC TAN

casual setting. The dictionary definition of fine dining is fine food served in a formal setting with formal service and to us, that philosophy still holds true. On the whole, we think fine dining is often misunderstood as ‘somewhere with tablecloths’. But it’s more than that.

It extends to the ritual of the table, exceptional service, attention to detail and a formal ambience, all of which builds a fine dining experience. As we see it, the finedining scene is Singapore is very much present and relevant and there are wonderful spaces that still maintain the ideals and experiences that come with it.

“What lies ahead? I believe things will continue to get more competitive. With mobile technology, clients are less engaged at the dinner table. More often than not, one diner is outside taking a call, reading an urgent email or responding to a text. True traditional fine dining will become more challenging to achieve in the future and clients are not willing to invest three hours for a meal. “ To survive in this unpredictable industry, we have to think out of the box. We have been in this market for 18 years and the key is a balance between creativity and profitability. It is about providing value for money delivering that exceptional dining experience with no compromise on quality at a price point that is fair for what is being offered.”

57

August - 2018

Sam Aisbett

Chef-owner of one-Michelin-starred Whitegrass at Chijmes

“I think the fine-dining scene here is really strong. The At Whitegrass, Aisbett serves up modern Australian cuisine with Asian touches, such as red braised Challans duck, eggplant cream, kanten noodles and water chestnut.

number of fine-dining restaurants in such a small city is quite incredible - it makes for good competition! To survive in this tough industry, however, you need to keep evolving and stay relevant. There are so many good restaurants opening constantly; you cannot afford to be left behind or you’ll be forgotten. Also vital is the support of the local community, which we’ve been very fortunate to have.

“Singapore can be regarded as one of the food capitals of the world. The food and beverage scene has the potential to just get better and better. Having said that, the one major hurdle we face here in Singapore which will continue to have a major effect on the industry is the huge staffing issue, which all restaurants in Singapore are facing.

“For the industry to get better and stronger, we all need to help and support each other when times are tough. With the support of the local community, local media and fellow chefs/ restaurateurs, Singapore can continue to evolve as a fine dining destination.” ≠

58

Robb Report

A WORLD OF FLAVOURS A new chef serves intriguing new twists to old classics.

L

earning of a new chef at a top eatery is the cue for the island’s foodies to rush to their diaries to clear a space for an early reservation. This time the destination is The St Regis’s Brasserie Les Saveurs, which has appointed Kenny Chung as its new chef de cuisine.

Chung returns to his first culinary love, French cuisine (he trained in Nice and oversaw the opening of Le Givray in Burgundy, France), to produce a menu of classic French flavours with influences from the East, his native Mauritius and all the travelling

By REBECCA MORRIS

he’s done in between. For seafood lovers, he has created a signature entree of Japanese sea urchin and Alaskan crab (S$48) designed to bring out their full flavours. Panseared Hokkaido scallops (S$38) is a colourful appetiser including

minted green-pea mousseline, purple cauliflower and squidink tuile. Duck leg confit (S$48), with purple cabbage stew, potato mousseline and fava bean, has a classic orange sauce.

Three-course set lunches and dinners tempt with options such as homemade smoked salmon or jambon de Bayon, followed by duck leg confit or slow-braised beef cheek, plus vegetarian options and dessert. Choose a la carte, The St Regis Business Lunch at S$55++ or Gastronomic Dinner at S$73, which both include tea or coffee. www.stregissingapore.com ≠

59

August - 2018

A LIFE WELL LIVED This luxury hotel is paving the road to wellness with a blend of spa treatments, fitness activities and healthy dining options.

By CHARMAINE TAI

L

ike it or not, fitness has become a way of life. Good hotels offer new spa treatments, but great ones introduce initiatives in a way that won’t make you feel like you’re pressured to choose the ‘healthy’ option. JW Marriott Singapore South Beach, for instance, offers a variety of healthier choices throughout its dining establishments. It’s as fresh as it gets at Beach Road Kitchen, where diners can pluck greens straight from the soil at the vertical salad bar.

At Akira Back, the chef can replace tuna with king oyster mushrooms on your pizza. And at Madame Fan at The NCO Club, you can order a variety of vegetarian options without compromising on taste or quality. The in-room dining menu also offers an extensive selection for vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten-free diet.

Healthy living also means exercising. If you’d prefer not to sweat it out with strangers, you’ll be glad to know that the fitness Photo OWEN RAGGETT

centre is open 24/7, so you can pop in any time of day (or night). Two sizeable lap pools also offer visitors a welcome respite from Singapore‘s humid climes. What comes after the workout? A spa treatment at Spa by JW of course. While the art of total rejuvenation shouldn’t be rushed, those pressed for time can ask for 12- or 25-minute express massages.

Is it possible to enjoy a guilt-free weekend at JW Marriott Singapore South Beach? Quite possibly so. www.marriott.com ≠

60

Robb Report

ASIA’S NEW CULINARY CAPITAL With the launch of its inaugural Michelin Guide, the capital of Taiwan gets due recognition for the finesse of its chefs and the quality of its produce.

By MAVIS TEO

61

August - 2018

T

his March, Taipei became the eighth major Asian city to welcome The Michelin Guide. To world-acclaimed chefs and other gourmet travellers, it was high time Taipei got its place in the international gastronomic world. While its street food is well-known, the breadth of Taipei’s diverse food scene has flown under the radar for too long.

Taipei’s street food scene is as colourful as Bangkok’s. When Chiang Kai-shek left China for Taiwan after the civil war between Kuomintang and the Communists, he brought with him the best chefs from China’s provinces. In modern-day Taipei, the streets are chock-a-block with delectable dishes from Sichuan and Shanghai, such as fiery Sichuanese fish and exquisitely folded Shanghainese xiaolongbao. The Japanese cuisine in Taipei is the best I have tasted outside Japan.

Besides a 50-year influence from the Japanese during their occupation that ended with World War II, Taiwan is blessed with access to nature’s bounty –

Above, from left: butterfish, crown daisy and mullet roe at Shoun RyuGin; the decor at Sushi Ryu is traditionally Japanese, with solid wood countertops imported from Canada.

Facing page: fruit corn, Taiwan miso and taiken at Raw.

it is surrounded by waters rich in marine life, has fertile lands and mountains of which 30 per cent is arable, and a diversity of microclimates.

Twenty restaurants were awarded one to three stars in the Guide. Out of these, four serve modern cuisine with a French twist and Taiwanese cultural references using local ingredients. It wouldn’t be wrong to attribute Taipei’s international culinary status to its young chefs – some Taiwan-born, some imports. At a time when farm-to-table dining is trendy, chef Andre Chiang (who recently shuttered his eponymous restaurant in Singapore), opened Raw (www.raw.com.tw) in his birth country. Most of the ingredients used in Raw are grown and sourced in Taiwan, some of it coming from Chiang’s farm in southern Taiwan. Taiwanese Alain Huang, who heads the kitchen, dishes out a seasonal menu of eight courses every three months. There are a few evergreen elements though, like the Beef Tongue cracker. For the locals, it reminds them of their

The streets are chock-a-block with delectable dishes.

Sushi Ryu photo PERAY HSIAO

62

Robb Report

childhood – the beef tongue cracker is a sweet crispy cookie nicknamed for its shape. For non-locals, it’s just very moreish. Here, the snack is given a savoury twist with thin shavings of tender ox tongue topped with egg confit and caramelised onion.

Five of the starred restaurants are Japanese.

At Sushi Ryu, I experienced the exacting skills of chef Yong Long Yang who is well-known for his precision in balancing tastes, textures and temp erat u res such that you get a full experience of the fresh ingredients he flies in from Tokyo every morning. In a small porcelain bowl, he mixed squid and uni together with a rich dashi, an exquisite blend of umami and sweet that was gone too soon. During a lunch of at least 12 courses, chef Yang entertained me with his crew’s finesse in a repertoire of cooking methods – be it knife skills in yielding the best bites for sashimi, curing, grilling or frying.

It’s hardly surprising that the restaurant was awarded one star less than six months after opening.

While the dining experience is very memorable, chef Yang’s style contrasts with that of Ryohei Hieda, chef de cuisine of Shoun Ryugin (www. nihonryori-ryugin.com.tw), the twostarred Taiwanese outpost of the threestarred Nihonryori Ryugin in Tokyo.

Instead of importing mostly from Japan,

Hieda tries to keep a 90 per cent ratio of Taiwanese produce in his creations – ingredients he finds while hiking in the Taiwanese countryside and visiting small producers.

In a dish of butterfish in consomme, I couldn’t detect the slightest fishiness – this is the hallmark of a Japanese master chef as an in-depth knowledge of how to cut the fish is required. The fish is creamy and sweet, juxtaposed by the salty umami taste of the mullet roe slivers he serves with it.

A n impressive gastronomic representation of the different regional groups that migrated to Taiwan can be found in the other two-starred restaurant – The Guest House (www.sheratongrandtaipei.com) at Sheraton Grand Taipei. Head chef Ju Wei Lin tickles the nostalgic taste buds of older patrons with a menu of over 200 dishes from Sichuan, Hunan and Zhejiang. A must try is the doubleboiled chicken soup, made with Chinese ham and dried scallop. Drinking the rich soup laced with the natural sweetness of chicken is such an uplifting experience that it would not be an overstatement to call it an elixir.

Three of the Chinese restaurants in the Guide are Cantonese, all helmed by chefs from Hong Kong. One of them, Ya Ge (www.mandarinoriental.com) at Mandarin Oriental, Taipei, is helmed by chef Tse Wan, a Hong Konger with 50 years of culinary experience. A dish of local mud crab with flesh the consistency

Hieda tries to keep a 90 per cent ratio of Taiwanese produce in his creations.

From above: wok-fried mud crab with lemongrass and pepper at Ya Ge; crispy roast baby duck at Le Palais.

Facing page: the menu at The Guest House is largely Hunan and Sichuan in origin, but with a Taiwanese twist.

63

August - 2018

of the freshest Sri Lankan crab is cooked simply with indigenous black pepper from Wulai and lemongrass to complement its sweet flavour.

Le Palais (www.palaisdechinehotel.com), the only three-starred restaurant in the Guide, is also Cantonese. Located in the Palais de Chine hotel (decorated in French chinoiserie style as suggested by the name but with dark mood lighting) and helmed by two chefs – Matt Chan from Macau and Ken Chen who moved from Hong Kong more than 30 years ago – the restaurant is well known for its Cantonese-style crispy baby duck (do order in advance). The meat is succulent while the skin is wafer-thin and lightly perfumed with Chinese spices and sauces. Sometimes, the litmus test of a chef’s cooking skills is how well they do the simple

stuff. The char siew hits the sweet spot with the right balance of sweet, salty, fatty and just the right amount of char.

Although Shang Palace (www.shangri-la.com) only won a Plate, I feel it’s in the running for a star in the next Guide and therefore worthy of mention.

Although executive chef Chan Kwok Wah (the protege of chef Mok Kit Keung at Singapore’s Shangri-La) only arrived at Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel at the end of last year, he has already established a following among diners. The light crunch of the paper-thin chicken skin in his crispy fried chicken wing stuffed with glutinous rice and the way it crumbles into the comfortingly rich sticky rice upon my first bite still lingers in my mind. ≠

64

Robb Report

SOUTHEAST ASIA ON A PLATE

Call on a local foodie to help you discover Asia’s most iconic cities, one dish at a time.

By GRACE MA AND CHARMAINE TAI

H

aving a meal while on holiday no longer means simply popping into a nearby restaurant for a bite. Quite simply, gone are the days where one eats for sustenance, but lives to eat.

Discerning travellers are increasingly looking out for tours that offer a local touch, one that allows them to not just enjoy a meal, but also brings them on a historical and cultural journey through the country’s culinary scene. Hidden gems in alleyways that are indistinguishable one from the next but are thronged by locals bring an added dimension of excitement, mystery and surprise to an otherwise conventional meal.

You don’t necessarily need to have a stomach for adventure, but bring along an open mind and you’ll be

led by locals, many of whom are AirBnb hosts themselves.

Discover food stalls in the last Malay enclave in Kuala Lumpur, purchasing the market’s freshest produce in Bali and picking up fruit-carving skills from the chef-owner of a farm-totable restaurant in Bangkok.

Group sizes are usually small, from four people for a cooking class to eight for a bar crawl or street food jaunt. www.airbnb.com guaranteed a memorable trip. The following companies offer everyday experiences conducted by locals, for the holidaymaker whose intent is to become a global citizen, palate first.

AIRBNB No longer just a marketplace for short-term lodging, the company has a dedicated page that offers an extensive range of food experiences Photo DHITA BEECHEY

GOURMET ON TOUR Whetting oenophile and foodies’ taste buds since 2000, Gourmet On Tour provides over 80 culinary journeys, wine tours and tasting adventures across Europe, Asia and South America. Group sizes are intimate, with a maximum number of 10 guests each time, ensuring each has the opportunity to get up

65

August - 2018

close and personal with artisanal producers. Try your hand at squid fishing, and share a vegetarian meal with monks in a monastery.

Accommodation options vary from romantic houseboats to quaint boutique hotels that leave you with a lingering sense of the region’s spirit and beauty. gourmetontour.com

GOOD INDONESIAN FOOD As its name suggests, the company specialises in food tours in the country, mainly in Bali, Jakarta and Yogyakarta.

While day trips are available, multiday tours take you around destinations that teach you the differences in cuisine depending on the place you’re in.

For example, Javanese cuisine is said to be on the sweeter side as compared to Balinese cuisine. If you’ve time to spare, embark on the six-day Taste Of The Archipelago tour that’ll take you to all three locations. www.goodindonesianfood.com

NOSHTREKKER Get off the streets and into the suites with Noshtrekker’s lively hosts who invite guests into their homes and kitchens for story-telling moments around the dining table.

Whether you’re an avid cook or professional chef, expect a fascinating experience peppered with art, history, nature and culture. In Singapore, author,

Noshtrekker discovers delicious, memorable dining experiences that connect you with fascinating people, while Gourmet On Tour (facing page) creates one-of-akind experiences for food lovers who want to see the world a little differently.

playwright and environmentalist Indra Rani dishes up Jaffna cuisine and Malayan-inspired cocktails in her sprawling tropical-resort abode with lush courtyards and 17th-century art collections.

having a meal of chicken rice in an HDB flat with an architect and sharing a meal prepared by refugees in Malaysia. www.eatwith.com

www.noshtrekker.com

BonAppetour prides itself as a community marketplace connecting travellers with local home chefs around the world.

More unusual experiences include taking on the persona of a Chinese immigrant and running around Chinatown to discover food treasures, or if you prefer something less exhausting, learning how to make Peranakan desserts and laksa from a trueblue Nyonya chef with recipes passed on from her grandmother. www.bonappetour.com ≠

EATWITH Pick a city, select an experience and voila, you’re on your way to connecting with other travellers passionate about encountering locals who are enthusiastic about sharing their backyard cuisine with guests. Meals are often preceded with market visits and navigations through narrow alleyways, rice fields as well as farms and villages.

History lessons are sometimes included in experiences, such as

BONAPPETOUR

66

Robb Report

THE SPY WOULD LOVE THIS

Indeed he would. After all, 007 Elements showcases all the best moments of the British agent’s thrillingly dangerous career.

A

By JOSH SIMS

tourist site that’s at the top of a snow-capped Austrian mountain, accessible only by cable car, might not sound like a recipe for profitability.

But then, when it comes with the name Bond, James Bond, attached, perhaps it’s a different story. At least, that’s Jakob Falkner’s belief.

Falkner’s the CEO of Bergbahnen Solden, one of Europe’s biggest cable car manufacturers/operators, who was approached by Eon Productions, maker of the Bond movies, when it wanted to shoot some scenes for 2015’s Spectre (specifically those in and around the ‘klinik’). It went so

well, it got Falkner thinking - what if the mountain-top structure could be extended and converted into what would be the most exotic of permanent Bond exhibitions? “The filming was a big thing for us here in Solden,” says Falkner. “But I wondered what would happen after the film? The idea of doing an installation seemed a way of bringing together a great movie brand and a spectacular location.

I’m a big Bond fan. I could see the potential.”

But could Eon? Falkner persuaded the producers to get on board, even getting Bond art director Neal Callow to develop the concept for the interior of a new, striking building designed by Johann Obermoser.

Photo BERGBAHNEN SOLDEN

67

August - 2018

And, as Falkner promises, 007 Elements, as the multimedia experience is called, is special. Yes, there are Spectre props, but there’s also a chance for visitors to - among other things inspired by the film in this 1,300sqm extravaganza - ‘x-ray’ their arm, interact with an explosive watch and use robots to scan a Jaguar C-X75. Then there are plenty of posters, music and clips from the other 23 Bond movies.

Of course, the most Bondian thing about 007 Elements is the location itself: the dramatic architecture, the cable car, the snow - “which always works in Bond films as a counter to all

Located 3,050m above sea level, the 1,300sqm building is arranged over two levels on the summit of Gaislachkogl Mountain in Solden.

those tropical settings,” Falkner suggests.

“You have to assume Eon get approached to do exhibitions and the like all the time, but it was clear they’d only do something if it was really different.” As for whether it will get enough visitors, Falkner is confident. “Millions of people come to the Tyrol every year - it’s a very touristic part of the Alps. Plenty of those will make a day trip of it, and, of course, true Bond fans will just come especially.”

Let’s just hope that, when they do, they don’t try to travel on top of the cable car while fighting a man with metal teeth.

007elements.soelden.com ≠

Visitors can interact with an explosive watch and use robots to scan a Jaguar C-X75.

68

Robb Report

A ROYAL CONNECTION

A former noble residence has been turned by hotelier Adrian Zecha into the wonderful The Villa Luang Prabang.

Photos RICHARD SE

69

August - 2018

By SAM YEN

I

t is remarkable how much atmosphere is packed into the small town of Luang Prabang. Occupying a spit of land along Laos’ stretch of the Mekong and surrounded by lush hills, the former royal capital is an impressive potpourri of beautiful preserved Laotian temples, noble residences and fine examples of French colonial architecture.

Beyond the Royal Palace, the town’s royal connection is particularly important for me on

The interiors are finished with carefully selected furnishings, art and antiques with a design focus on French colonialism.

this trip, since I am staying at the former Viceroy family residence of Prince Boun Khong. Now rechristened as The Villa Luang Prabang, the inimitable hotelier Adrian Zecha has turned the house into a graceful four-bedroom private villa (from US$1,000, S$1,362 per night). The villa is, in fact, still owned by Prince Boun Khong’s daughter, who lives just next door, on a street in the heart of the royal enclave.

A blend of Lao and French

The villa is, in fact, still owned by Prince Boun Khong’s daughter.

70

Robb Report

architecture, The Villa has character in spades. There are no signs to announce its presence – backpackers, in fact, often mistake it as a museum – so being here feels like a privilege, complete with a live-in butler and cook. Furnished All rooms have king-sized four-poster beds and ensuite bathrooms with twin vanities and shower.

in the same style of discreet luxury that defines Zecha’s Aman and Azerai properties, the four rooms (split in twos across the upper and lower floors) are a praise of space.

Deliciously soft four-poster beds beckon, while free-standing bath tubs in each en-suite are a constant temptation. The teak floors do creak at times, but that somehow adds to the charm of the place.

Air-conditioners cool the space

down during sweltering hot Luang Prabang summers (where the 18m private pool comes in handy), while in winter, windows can be flung open to welcome in the cool mountain breeze.

Coffee and tea arrives with a simple request from the butler, who will also cycle out to town to pick up food on request. I follow him out at times, exploring a town that is barely a 20-minute walk end-toend. At dawn, these streets will be thronged with people offering alms to Buddhist monks (The Villa does its ceremony away from the crowds), and in the evening, locals and tourists spill out into the streets. It is on one of these walks that I discovered Manda de Laos’ delightful fine-dining interpretation of Lao cuisine, as well as the expat hangout 525 Cocktails and Tapas. And there is much more to find. The roads in Luang Prabang are full of discovery – quaint artisan boutiques and charming coffee houses – but just like our butler, I find that eventually my feet keep leading me back to The Villa, now more of a home than a house. www.thevillaluangprabang.com ≠

There are no signs to announce its presence, so being here feels like a privilege.

August - 2018

71

72

Robb Report

FIRING UP NEW IDEAS Does success in the restaurant industry mean setting up your own business or being in charge of a brand’s expansions globally? It could be both, as seen in the career paths of these chefs.

By SERAPHINA WOON

P

rofessional cooking is a nomadic career. It’s no mystery that chefs traverse vast geographical boundaries, bringing with them their dreams, cultures and stories from many different lands. But this migration is not just limited to world travel; chefs are known to flit between different establishments, cultivating their craft and paying their dues until the much-coveted opportunity to start their own restaurant comes about.

After all, head chefs don’t stick around in one place forever. Most aspire to put their name on the title deed of their own business.

Which begs the question, what does it take to make the leap from chef to restaurateur?

And is that really the be-all and end-all for a chef’s journey?

Head chefs don’t stick around in one place forever.

Photos EDMOND HO, MARC TAN

73

August - 2018

CALLING IT A DAY

W

hen Andre Chiang, chef-owner of the now defunct Restaurant Andre, pulled a vanishing act from the Singaporean dining scene, many were left slack-jawed at his call to willingly step down and his request to be stripped of his Michelin stars.

He left behind a thank-you note explaining that he had attained his own brand of culinary nirvana, and therefore felt the need to retire from the competitive industry. It’s not a common occurrence to have a chef leave of his own volition at the pinnacle of his career, and his move offered an interesting insight into the philosophical approach of a great chef.

While Chiang’s tale may be more radical than others, the journey of a chef-owner is undoubtedly a potentially rocky one, peppered with many issues - financial uncertainty, partnership perils and operational stresses - that offer up more than enough complex mathematics to fit into a single formula. Yet, it is clearly a gamble that is worth the risk for many.

Taiwan-born Andre Chiang was named the 2018 recipient of the Diners Club Lifetime Achievement Award for Asia.

74

J

Robb Report

FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNER

ulien Royer, chef and co-owner of twoMichelin-starred restaurant, Odette, left the prestigious Jaan (now run by Royer’s protege Kirk Westaway) as its head chef when he was pursued by The Lo and Behold Group’s managing partner, Wee Teng Wen. As business partners, the duo has created one of the most exciting iterations of French finedining in Singapore in recent times.

When asked about his leap of faith from chef to business owner, Royer answers: “I don’t think I was completely ready to open my own restaurant, but I was lucky enough to meet someone like my business partner, Teng, who gave me a unique opportunity to start something from scratch. It’s challenging but also very exciting to be able to shape every part of the guest experience within my own restaurant.”

“It’s challenging (and) exciting to be able to shape every part of the guest experience within my own restaurant.”

Julien Royer’s first venture into the kitchen under the legendary Michel Bras in Laguiole instilled in him a respect for the integrity of each ingredient.

75

August - 2018

R

CARVING A NAME FOR YOURSELF

unning a restaurant is a balancing act that is perfected only by years of studied calibration. It is also a process that Gabriel Fratini, chef and owner of Domvs by Gabriel Fratini at Sheraton Towers Singapore, knows all too well.

The Italian virtuoso has had a vast amount of experience in the chef-owner category, having set up nine restaurants on his own, and at least six more for others. “Opening a restaurant is always a challenge. You are taking on at least three or four jobs as an owner and you are no longer just concerned about the food. But most chefs do it because they want to have the freedom to cook and create whatever dishes they feel like without feeling restricted.”

A titan of Italian cuisine in Singapore since he arrived in the late 1980s, Fratini first found employment as the head chef of Domvs before going on to conceive a string of his own restaurants. Having taken over ownership of Domvs (and renaming it to include his name) when he returned to

Gabriel Fratini has cooked for heads of state, royalty, famous personalities and professional athletes.

Singapore in 2013, the spirited chef is about to make another bold career move soon.

He is ending his lease for Domvs

by Gabriel Fratini and launching his upcoming restaurant, Solo, Gabriel Fratini, on Amoy Street next month. In many ways, his new concept is a reflection of his desire to run the ship with complete independence. “I’ve always wanted to create a restaurant completely by myself; where I cook and serve customers without any staff. While I’ve only retained the name from that idea, I will be hiring very few staff for Solo,” Fratini shares.

Given that he cherishes his solitary style so much, it seems almost inconceivable that Fratini would ever go back to working for someone else. “Let’s put it this way - if I had to, of course I would. When faced with starvation, one would eat the leaves off a tree,” he says with a laugh. “But it is difficult for me to go back to work for someone else now, especially when I’ve had so many years of experience.”

“When faced with starvation, one would eat the leaves off a tree.”

76

O

Robb Report

GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN

n the other end of the spectrum, there are chefs who have found that entrepreneurship is not the only finale to a notable career.

Whilst ownership accords chefs with certain levels of freedom and pride, it also ensures that there will be an increased number of duties that may take time away from the essence of what most chefs love to do to create and cook.

Rang Mahal’s corporate chef, Milind Sovani, has traversed the gamut of the food industry. From spearheading concepts, to running a banqueting business and setting up two of his own restaurants, Sovani has tried and tested different

Milind Sovani’s first stint in Singapore was with Rang Mahal between 2002 and 2005.

equations in varying capacities.

He first moved to Singapore from India to set up the now-defunct Vansh, a sister restaurant of Rang Mahal that showcased Indian food in a wildly different, sophisticated light. He then ran the oneMichelin-starred Song of India, before coming full circle and returning to the Hind Group (that owns the Rang Mahal restaurants), and is now overseeing the group’s global expansion.

Having retired both his restaurants in India to take on this role in Singapore, it was a decision that took almost a year and a half to execute. But in Sovani’s case, it

Rang Mahal’s corporate chef, Milind Sovani, has traversed the gamut of the food industry. was a successful call that he made to be able to focus on his craft. “I had enjoyed being an owner of two restaurants for six years, but I wasn’t doing what I loved to do anymore. There was very little culinary innovation and a lot of administrative work,” explains Sovani. “Personally, I don’t like to be out of the kitchen — I’m addicted to being in operations. So I made a decision to get out and get back to what I loved doing most.” ≠

77

August - 2018

“I don’t like to be out of the kitchen – I’m addicted to being in operations.”

78

Robb Report

Noma’s Vegetable Season runs from 26 June to 15 September.

Photos DITTE ISAGER, JASON LOUCAS, CHRIS TONNESEN

79

August - 2018

TIME WELL SPENT

From chef Rene Redzepi’s Noma 2.0 to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, here’s a must-have map for a journey to Copenhagen.

By SANDRA RAMANI

T

hat sound you hear? It’s a world of foodies frantically hitting refresh on their keyboards, waiting for the next round of reservations to come online for Noma 2.0 (noma.dk). Opened in February, one year after the closure of the Michelin two-starred original, chef-owner Rene Redzepi’s latest temple to New Nordic cuisine is inspiring curious diners to book a flight to Copenhagen (assuming they can snag one of the just 40 seats available for lunch and dinner, four days a week).

And when they get there, they’ll find a city where the passion for food runs deep — and where all

Rene Redzepi at Noma 2.0.

the global culinary attention has engendered a creative spirit that’s grown beyond the dining table.

Set in a former graffiticovered naval-mine depot, re-envisioned with Scandinavian simplicity by starchitect Bjarke Ingels, Noma 2.0 is spread over 11 buildings, each with a specific purpose, from butchering to fermentation. At its core are three greenhouses and a 195sqm garden — a must for a restaurant where the menus will rotate over three ‘seasons’: Seafood, with a focus on Scandinavian products; Vegetable, with goodies foraged from the urban garden; and Meat and Forest, a tribute to all things wild.

Noma 2.0 is spread over 11 buildings, each with a specific purpose.

80

Robb Report

Q&A: RASMUS PALSGARD Copenhagen’s eminent food journalist – and the youngest member of the Danish Food Critics – knows his way around

(balderdash.dk) and Duck and Cover (duckandcoverbar.dk) are also experts at avant-garde cocktails.

Nordic cuisine and then some. Here,

W h a t ’s

the former MasterChef Denmark star

neighbourhood for a culinary

your

favourite

shares his shortlist for Copenhagen’s

exploration?

best dining, drinking and more.

of well-established families and a

We hear a lot about Copenhagen’s culinary rise – but what to drink? The culinary scene has definitely inspired other areas to rethink what they do, and the cocktail scene

Norrebro is full

multicultural mix of bars, cafes and restaurants. I recommend dinner at the Michelin one-star Thai restaurant Kiin Kiin (kiin.dk), followed by a beer at Brus (tapperietbrus.dk).

is a good example. Before Noma, there was no such

And for a delicious souvenir to bring back home?

thing as a Nordic cocktail movement, but today, aquavit

Head to Tor vehallerne (tor vehallernekbh .dk), our

– previously seen as a second-rate spirit – has found

central food market, and you’ll find everything from

its way back to the cocktail bar, and more and more

native oysters to local cheeses, natural wine and

bartenders have started foraging herbs, roots and fruit

handmade chocolate.

to create new flavour profiles. Today it is not enough to

Where would you go for your last meal? Sollerod

swap whisky with aquavit in a whisky sour – they want

Kro (soelleroed-kro.dk), located north of the city near

to start a new language.

Dyrehaven park, might be my favourite restaurant in

What’s your go-to bar for a Nordic cocktail? Ruby

the world. Set in an old inn from 1677, it has one

(rby.dk) has an amazing ambience and menu, and the

Michelin star – which I think is two stars too little –

bartenders make every guest feel at home. Balderdash

for its ambience, hospitality and spectacular cuisine.

“Before Noma, nobody talked about Danish gastronomy.”

When it first opened in 2003, Noma was considered revolutionary for this focus on fresh Nordic ingredients. “Before Noma, nobody talked about Danish gastronomy,” says Pelle Oby Andersen, founder and director of the Food Organisation of Denmark, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Nordic and Danish gastronomy, nature and agriculture. “Fine dining was very much French-

81

August - 2018

influenced and there was more status in a carrot bought in a Paris market than one growing in a field outside your restaurant.”

But today, Copenhagen’s culinary landscape is all about the hyper-local and super-fresh, even at the casual and home-cook level — which may be Redzepi’s true legacy. “Almost all supermarkets in Denmark now have a local food section and we’ve become one of the top countries in the world for organic food sales per capita,” Andersen notes.

Indeed, the Noma effect can be felt throughout Copenhagen, including at a host of new finedining restaurants that are taking farm-to-table to the next level.

At Amass (amassrestaurant.com), American expat Matt Orlando — a

This broth of wax, pollen and seasonal flowers is part of Noma 2.0’s Vegetable Season menu.

“Denmark is a farming country.” former Noma head chef as well as a veteran of Per Se, Le Bernardin and Fat Duck — crafts dishes designed to showcase the 80-plus types of vegetables, berries, herbs and flowers grown in his vast sustainable garden.

Former Noma sous chef Christian Puglisi oversees several restaurants in town — including Relae (www.restaurant-relae.dk), one of the few organic-certified restaurants with a Michelin star — as well as Farm of Ideas, an organic farm and educational centre just outside the city.

And over in the famed Tivoli Gardens, chef Mette Dahlgaard’s Gemyse (nimb.dk) is replacing standard amusement-park fare (no hot dogs or nachos here) with creative veggie-forward plates stocked with wild herbs and edible flowers from local farms and the on-site garden. “Denmark is a farming country, so we’ve always had the products,” says Dahlgaard.

“Only now, we’re using them in ways that are new and inspiring.”

82

Of course, there’s plenty more homegrown pride to go around: Copenhagen’s culinary profile is just the beginning of a new citywide scene — one where mixologists are shaking up Nordic flavours in a glass, new hotels are bringing fresh energy to classic Scandinavian living, and designers are eschewing traditional minimalism with an independent streak.

Read on for the latest and greatest in this Danish capital on the rise.

Robb Report

Between 90 and 100 per cent of the food and beverages served at Amass are organic.

83

August - 2018

WORTH A DAY TRIP No, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (louisiana.dk) isn’t in Baton Rouge or New Orleans. Surprisingly, the contemporary centre is set in the seaside village of Humle-baek, roughly 40km north of Copenhagen.

It borrows its name from the residents who once called the institution home. The historic villa in which part of the museum resides was built in 1855 by the Danish officer Alexander Brun, who throughout his lifetime married three women — all named Louise. Historic in name only, the Louisiana is a true modern-art mecca, with a collection that spans movements and continents, from a two-floor gallery devoted to the works of Alberto Giacometti to a sculpture garden filled with large-scale pieces by Alexander

Calder and Richard Serra, among others. Still, the museum couldn’t be more Danish in its approach to art, utilising its ‘sauna principle’ to divide exhibitions into ‘hot’ (showcasing wellknown artists) and ‘cold’ (introducing guests to new and less accessible works).

UNIQUE CRAFTS

Whipped Zander Roe, Garden Herbs, Toasted Seeds – one of the items on the spring menu at Amass.

Of course Denmark is a hotbed for classic Scandinavian style — but for fashion and design that’s truly unique, take a tour of Copenhagen’s modern-day artisans.

In a small shop in the centre of town, Cold Heggem (coldheggem.com) creates exquisite handmade eyeglasses in unusual materials like wood and horn. At Herrernes Magasin’s (davidk.dk) Norregade shop, browse tailored menswear in vibrant colours and unusual

THE NOMA GENERATION Chefs from all over the world have come to Copenhagen to cut their teeth in Rene Redzepi’s acclaimed kitchen.

More than a few of them have made the Danish city their home. The result: a Noma family tree that branches out into some unexpected places – and cuisines.

GERANIUM

Kristian Andersen to open this

KODBYENS FISKEBAR

Former Noma sous chef Soren

minimalist spot for caffeine and

Noma’s former sommelier, Anders

Ledet works his magic at Denmark’s

croissants. ander sen maillard.dk

Selmer, pairs beautifully prepared

sole Michelin three-star restaurant,

PMY

seafood dishes with terroir-driven

where the dishes highlight the

Noma alums Emilio Macias (from

connection between the urban

Mexico) and Karlos Ponte (from

and the natural. geranium.dk

Venezuela) joined forces with

Following her stint as a pastry chef

Peruvian chef Diego Munoz to

at Noma, Mexican-American Rosio

open PMY, an acronym for papa

Sanchez returned to her roots

Another alum of Noma, renowned

(potato), maiz (corn) and yuca –

to create two taquerias serving

pastry chef Milton Abel teamed

signature ingredients from each of

authentic flavours with gourmet

up with local coffee master Hans

their countries. restaurant-pmy.com

flair. hijadesanchez.dk

ANDERSEN AND MAILLARD

wines. fiskebaren.dk

HIJA DE SANCHEZ

84

Robb Report

foodies need somewhere to stay in between meals, right?)

Last year, the arrival of two new boutiques added some edge to the overnight offerings: Hotel Sanders (hotelsanders.com) is a theatrical ode to Scandinavian style created by the Danish ballet dancer Alexander Kolpin, while Nobis Hotel Copenhagen (nobishotel. dk) has transformed the historic Royal Danish Conservatory of Music into a contemporary downtown getaway.

Royal Copenhagen offers visitors the chance to customise their tableware at the brand’s flagship store.

FOUR MORE FOR CULTURE GLYPTOTEKET

Antiquities, impressionists and modern art – plus a lovely winter garden. glyptoteket.com

DEN FRIE CENTRE OF CONTEMPORARY ART

One of Denmark’s oldest venues for contemporary art. denfrie.dk

DESIGN MUSEUM DENMARK

Home to an inspiring world of Danish fashion, furnishings and design. designmuseum.dk

ARKEN MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

A waterfront masterpiece with works by Damien Hirst, Ai Weiwei and more. arken.dk

From above: handmade eyeglasses by Cold Heggem; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

combinations while sipping a tap beer. Saks Potts (sakspotts.com) is also skipping the traditional clean lines of Scandi fashion in favour of colourful furs and flashy prints.

And even the historic handcraftedporcelain house Royal Copenhagen (royalcopenhagen.com) is joining the anything-goes aesthetic, offering visitors the chance to customise their tableware at the brand’s flagship store on Stroget Street.

EAT, SLEEP, REPEAT Copenhagen’s kitchens aren’t the only hot spots in town. The city’s hotel scene is sizzling, too.

(After all, those pilgrimaging

Still, it would be a shame to miss out on a classic stay in this historic city of neoclassical landmarks and 17th-century mansions. My top pick is the grande dame Hotel d’Angleterre (dangleterre .com), known for its discreet service, Michelin-starred restaurant and suites with balconies overlooking the colourful Nyhavn district. And perfectly balancing old and new is

85

August - 2018

Nimb (nimb.dk), a circa-1909 palace turned hotel that last year debuted 21 new suites, each with a collection of clubby bespoke furnishings and an expansive terrace.

Best of all, Nimb books tables at Noma 2.0 several months in advance, so a stay at the hotel might just be your best shot at scoring a coveted reservation. â‰

Guests at Hotel Sanders can enjoy their food in the kitchen, under the stars at the rooftop conservatory, in front of a fireplace on the outdoor terrace or in their room.

Nimb books tables at Noma 2.0 several months in advance.

86

Robb Report

Klein’s Camp offers twice-daily game drives, night drives, bush walks and Masai community visits.

Photos DOOKPHOTO

87

August - 2018

A BETTER SAFARI

Luxury outfitter andBeyond offers spectacular new ways to experience Africa’s wildlife – and protect it.

By SHAMILEE VELLU

“H

e’s going to go for it. He’s going for it!” I’m on the edge of my seat, completely entranced, as are the other five members of my group. Metres away from our jeep, a young lion motionlessly crouching in the tawny grass explodes into action, sprinting toward an impala which

has wandered too close. “He’s inexperienced – he’s going to spoil it,” says our guide, Massek Kipiko, as the impala careens away in a panic.

Sure enough, despite several nailbiting moments where it seemed a hair’s breadth from the lion’s jaws, the impala ultimately manages to dash away to safety.

At this point, I suddenly remember to breathe.

88

This is just one of many highlights in the captivating saga that unfolds daily in the Masai Mara before those who are lucky – and patient – enough to observe it. The

Robb Report

Bateleur Camp has nine tented suites with indoor showers, outdoor verandas (and wi-fi).

look for modern tastes, while maintaining its much-beloved Out of Africa inspiration. While all areas have been refreshed, it’s easy to imagine Karen Blixen sitting

Bateleur Camp occupies a prime location at the foot of the scenic Oloololo Escarpment. best place to do this is in the private concession of andBeyond’s Bateleur Camp, which occupies a prime location at the foot of the scenic Oloololo Escarpment at the rim of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya’s iconic Masai Mara Reserve.

The camp relaunched in April, following a complete rebuild 20 years after it first opened. The original designer, Fox Browne Creative, returned to update its

amongst the African artifacts in Bateleur’s living area, or dipping a silver spoon into an English trifle in the camp’s restaurant, which comes replete with fine crystalware, porcelain teacups and brass dessert trolleys. The designers also engaged local artisans to add a native touch wherever possible, such as in the beaded warrior sticks which feature as door handles in guests’ rooms.

The latter – which have doubled

89

August - 2018

Romantic and totally private, Bateleur reflects the ambience of Kenyan safaris of the 1920s and 1930s.

in size – offer glamping of the highest order. Each tented room features high, vaulted ceilings and comes accented with vintage silver accessories, antique map-lined walls, aged trunks, and perfectly buffed leather armchairs to sink into (with a brandy-filled glass, of course). Also noteworthy are the newly installed bathtubs topped with glass ceilings, which allow you to indulgently soak and stargaze at the same time.

You don’t have to get into a jeep to view wildlife: repositioned (electric) fences allow you to view an ever-changing assortment of creatures from daybeds on private verandas, or best of all – even from

the comfort of your bed. Need an early morning wakeup call for your game drive?

New butler hatches enable you to wake gently (without interruption) with a piping hot cup of fine Kenyan coffee and cookies.

As tempting and comfortable as it is to take five in your room, you’re in Kenya to see the big five, and Bateleur truly delivers. In fact, your first game drive starts as your plane approaches the camp’s private airstrip, taking you over

90

Robb Report

Guides are versatile amalgams of driver, guide, host, chef and mixologist.

Klein’s Camp.

Inset: Bateleur Camp.

flat plains dotted with elephant, zebra and lion. While it boasts an astounding concentration of animals all year round, the number peaks from July to October during the Great Wildebeest Migration, which involves the movement of 1.5 million wildebeest, 40,000 zebra, 18,000 eland and 200,000 Thompson’s gazelle.

Helping you navigate the area’s incredible terrain and wildlife are Bateleur’s virtuoso guides, most of whom are drawn from local Masai

tribes. We’ve been lucky enough to be paired with Massek, a compact and wiry veteran guide who knows the bush like the proverbial back of his hand and can predict animal behaviour with a psychic accuracy.

One afternoon, we encounter a group of female elephants and their calves, nosing around an area lions have just passed through. They execute – as if on cue – each of Massek’s predictions, with the lead female snuffling the area, then giving a warning trumpet, upon which the three calves run nervously to the middle

91

August - 2018

of the group for protection.Our guide is also well-versed in the local flora, presenting us with ‘bush tissue’, a paper-thin, velvety soft leaf that locals use in their daily ablutions.

We also sample an elephant pepper leaf that’s surprisingly spicy – and beloved by pachyderms as a digestive aid. Massek possesses the famed cheeky humour of the Masai: at one point he perches our mobile phones on a giant, dried pile of elephant dung to horrified squeals from the jeep.

Guides are versatile amalgams of driver, guide, host, chef and mixologist. Massek intuitively knows just when to stop for a break, patiently answers all our questions, whips up a delicious full English breakfast in the bush, and serves endless glasses of that quintessential

safari drink – gin and tonic – with a glint in his eye as he asks: “One finger, or two or three?”

Each day, we drive out into Bateleur’s private concession, where the usual rules of the Serengeti don’t apply. As this is privately owned land, we can drive off-road, do bush walks and stay out past 7pm, when most vehicles are required to return Klein’s 10 cottages, along with the centrally located bar, all offer uninterrupted views of the surrounding plains.

to camp. It also means we needn’t share the splendors of the African veld with other visitors. It allows us to track a large group of lions as dusk falls, as they try their luck with a cape buffalo herd that’s slowly making its way to the river. Massek explains that while cape buffalo are formidable, they become vulnerable as they pass through the chokepoint of the gulley to reach the river, during which the lions will try to pick off a calf. The lions are already in position along the gulley, with as many as 20 ochre crouching shapes growing hazy in the fading light.

The buffalo approach but become spooked upon spotting one of the predators, veering the herd away from the river. Thwarted, the lions pad away but the day isn’t a complete loss. Massek edges our jeep amidst

Each day, we drive out into Bateleur’s private concession, where the usual rules of the Serengeti don’t apply.

92

Robb Report

camp’s bar, which offers elevated views as far as the eye can see of rolling grassland, wooded hillsides and forested river banks. So beautiful is the area that the King of Saudi Arabia, who is a keen photographer, maintains a private lodge here.

Guests stay in stone lodges that are equipped with the requisite crystal decanters of whisky but don’t have phones – instead you are invited to blow the supplied whistle or holler if you require assistance. Rooms are exposed to their surroundings, meaning they are accessible to wildlife, but visitors needn’t worry as guards armed with spears accompany

Surprises of other kinds also await Klein’s guests, who are greeted with rousing song upon arrival. the lounging herd as the twilight gives way to an inky sky splashed with what seems like an infinite number of stars. We sit quietly, listening to Massek point out constellations, surrounded by resting lions visible in the red light of our jeep’s night-time spotlight. Crickets trill, nightjars start their churring song and an unknown creature chitters in the brush close by. It’s an experience I will never forget.

guests to and from their rooms at night. The varied tweets, chirps and occasional distant roar prove an intoxicating soundtrack. Early one morning I open my door, startling an impala that swiftly bounds away. Surprises of other kinds also await Klein’s guests, who are greeted with rousing song upon arrival. Other amusements include unexpected ice cream stops and a sumptuous barbecue dinner in the bush.

FROM KENYA TO TANZANIA

FOLLOW THE RAIN

Bespoke game drives are also on offer at Klein’s Camp, an andBeyond property on the edge of Kuka Hills on the Tanzanian side of the border. It’s situated on the only concession that borders on both the Serengeti and the Masai Mara national parks, and offers spectacular game spotting and views. The most breathtaking is undeniably the one from the

Our visit in April coincides with the rainy season, when most people stay away. “Agencies don’t like to send clients here during the rainy season. They think it’s rainy all the time, but it doesn’t. It’s actually my favourite time of the year, because it’s so lush and green, and you don’t have to share it with a lot of people,” says Grant Telfer, our guide at Klein’s Camp. Post-

Klein’s offers guests the spirit of wild Africa – wooded hillsides, rolling grasslands and forested river banks, all teeming with rich wildlife.

93

August - 2018

rain, the valleys burst into life. The emeraldtoned grass, which is dotted with a variety of wildflowers, draws a variety of herbivores, which in turn attract predators. We see African elephants (including a 30-strong group), hyena, ostrich, topi, hartebeest, rock hyrax and vervet monkeys. We come across two young male lions on the hunt, jackals trailing in their wake, hoping for an easy meal. Later the duo kills a porcupine, leaving a mess of quills.

PROTECTING THE FUTURE Ensuring the animal population remains diverse and abundant has proven a challenge for Tanzania, which has lost more elephants to poaching than any other African nation.

Corrupt government officials, poverty and

plentiful wildlife to pick off have all exacerbated the situation.

“The animals have to be worth more alive than dead,” says Telfer.

Nelson Mandela memorably observed that ultimately “conservation is about people”, an approach that has borne out in andBeyond’s work with the Africa Foundation (africafoundation. org). An independent non-profit, the Foundation focuses on empowering local communities, allowing them to benefit from conservation and tourism. To this end, it has helped to build small businesses, clinics, schools and essential facilities such

Klein’s Camp game drives typically involve a welcome stop (or two) for lunch or cocktails in the bush.

94

Mnemba Island is known for its coral atoll, which supports a variety of reef fish and other marine life.

andBeyond launched its Oceans without Borders project in July.

Robb Report

95

August - 2018

as water pumps and toilets. Local communities are actively involved in each project’s selection, development and subsequent running once the foundation is no longer involved. We visit a solar-powered dental clinic as well as a secondary school being supplemented with dormitory accommmodation, which protect students from potentially hazardous encounters with wildlife during their long walks home.

ISLAND GETAWAY andBeyond has extended its conservation projects as far as Zanzibar, launching its Oceans without Borders project in July. “Our oceans are facing unprecedented threats,” states andBeyond’s CEO Joss Kent, pointing to ongoing threats from global climate change, over-fishing, pollution and other pressures from expanding human populations. Through

Be among just 24 guests at this romantic, private hideaway, where 10 beachside bandas overlook the Mnemba atoll.

research, educating consumers all over the world, conservation initiatives and collaborating with communities and governments, Oceans without Borders aims to protect vital marine ecosystems.

The initiative involves andBeyond’s three island properties, including Mnemba Island off Zanzibar, where many guests choose to unwind post-safari. Fringed by alabaster white sand beaches and cerulean waters, the private island brings guests close to nature of a quite different sort from Bateleur and Klein’s. Here, you’ll see miniature deer in the vegetation, fist-sized crabs scuttling about in your villa’s shower, and if you’re lucky, the green turtles that nest on the island each year. With andBeyond’s help, guests should be able to witness their tiny progeny’s wobbly journey to the sea for many years to come. www.andbeyond.com ≠

96

Robb Report

A NEW BUZZ

Good riddance, muchmaligned mocktails. The world’s best bars are serving up alcohol-free drinks that are inventive, good-looking and just plain delicious.

I

By SUDI PIGOTT

raise my champagne flute to make a toast.

My drink is vibrant, floral with honey and stone fruit, lightly effervescent. Made in Buckinghamshire, UK, it’s a kombucha honey jun – a fermented tea (or botanical fizz) that’s certainly intoxicating, though not in the usual sense. It’s just one of many libations available at Hakkasan Mayfair, where I’m tasting the results of two years of worldwide research and development with Christine Parkinson, its international head of wine. We’re working our way through the restaurant’s Orchard List, a radical and eclectic collection of soft drinks. They don’t have a drop of alcohol in them, but all have notable complexity, depth and character and are made with ingredients of impeccable provenance.

This is next-generation thinking: recalibrating drinking in a culture where most people are drinking significantly less or choose to abstain completely. It is estimated that in Photos LOUISE HAGGER, JASON BAILEY

97

August - 2018

As with oak-aged wines, the wood adds character and complexity.

London, one in three millennials (shock!) are choosing not to drink alcohol.

The watchwords are creativity, variety and flavour. Twenty-eight soft drinks make up Hakkasan’s inaugural Orchard List. These range from house-made juice infusions to cold brew tea and fermented tea, or kombucha, (so popular, it is already estimated to be worth £1.8 billion (S$3.2 billion) in the US). There are also drinking vinegars and tree waters. A revered Austrian Riesling wine producer, Fred Loimer, has produced a traubensaft sparkling rose, which is described as being “fruity, lively with notes of guava, rosehip, zest” and served in a Riedel glass as would befit a fine wine. “These are not second-tier alternatives,” asserts Parkinson, who has worked with artisan producers to create a Japanese Akashi Tai ‘cider’ described as “quirky with yuzu, fruit and bubblegum”.

Most cutting-edge is Mai Shin, a new category of drink created by infusing a secret combination of specially imported Japanese ingredients with intricate aromas and multidimensional flavour nuances. The Orchard List is available only in the UK, where a steady five per cent of customers are avidly experimenting. Later in the year, the alcoholfree list will be introduced to Asia and Middle East restaurants in the Hakkasan group.

Such drinks reflect our palates’ shift to sharper, cleaner, more savoury and acidic tastes. They partner Asian-influenced dishes extremely well (the acidity of fermented drinks pairs beautifully with fatty dishes such as

Later in the year, Hakkasan’s alcohol-free list will be introduced to Asia.

98

Robb Report

crispy duck salad). They also enhance hypermodern neo-bistro menus with their emphasis on ancient techniques of fermentation, pickling, open-fire cooking and masses of umami. As ever, history has fuelled modern drinking practices. Shrubs, the 17-century term for drinking vinegars (fruits macerated in sugar before adding vinegar) with artisan credibility are now de rigueur at every fashionforward cocktail bar from Bangkok’s Iron Fairies to Gazelle in London’s Mayfair.

Robbie Bargh, bar creator and founder of Gorgeous Group whose recent projects have included Fitz at The Principal, Bloomsbury London, confirms that sophisticated sober drinks are highly sought after by his clientele.

His customers want premium drinks that have the wow factor and the same kind of ritual, theatre and care in their making and serving so that they feel they’re being equally looked after by the bartender.

At the recent World’s 50 Best Restaurants party in Bilbao, I sipped on a no-groni cocktail

The Orchard List features nine drink categories with varying flavour profiles which explore and push conventional boundaries.

Shrubs, the 17th-century term for drinking vinegars, are now de rigueur at every fashion-forward cocktail bar. shaken to order, presented with aplomb in a highball and made with Seedlip Spice 94 infused with allspice, cardamom, bark and citrus peel distillates. “It is what to drink when you’re not drinking,” says Ben Branson. A former design and advertising guru, nondrinker Branson is the tattooed and bearded owner of Seedlip, the world’s first distilled nonalcoholic spirit. He admits that the phenomenal demand for Seedlip has been “nothing short of surreal”.

Seedlip is inspired by The Art of Distillation, a book written in 1651 detailing apothecaries’ distilled non-alcoholic herb remedies now reimagined to meet modern needs.

Launched two years ago, sugar-, artificial flavour- and calorie-free Seedlip is already available in 15 cities worldwide and at more than 150 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Enthusiastic drinkers should also check out Branson’s Garden 108, featuring soft green herbs, pea and grass distillates.

99

August - 2018

Each alcohol-free pour has been designed to complement the Scandinavia-meetsJapan kaiseki menu.

The concept of crafting soft drinks to match a tasting menu was trailblazed almost a decade ago by Rene Redzepi at his original, ground-breaking Noma, where I remember my son enjoying a ‘juice flight’ of carefully designed blends like cucumber and whey, apple and pine shoot, sorrel, and nasturtium. Now, alongside the distinctive juices, Henrietta Lovell of The Rare Tea Company has created flights of infused teas.

Tannins in the tea help create a richer mouthfeel and this stimulates the palate, meaning the teas drink especially well with a meal.

Across Australia and the US, there’s a seismic shift as non-alcoholic pairings are offered at increasingly more high-end restaurants, including Melbourne’s Atticus and three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York City.

Most progressive is Sweden’s first threeMichelin-starred restaurant Frantzen in Stockholm, where each alcohol-free pour has been designed not only to complement the rarefied Scandinavia-meets-Japan kaiseki menu, but also to mirror the complex structures of each of the exceptional wine pairings. Their array of infusions, distillations and elixirs are tantalising – so much so that staying sober never looked quite so attractive. ≠

Vesca Negroni is named after the Latin for the key ingredient, which is the wild (or woodland) strawberry. The drink is available at Fitz’s Bar at The Principal London.

100

Robb Report

TAKING LIBERTIES

The making of fine coffee is no longer restricted to a barista in a cafe.

101

August - 2018

By JOSH SIMS

“W

e’re seeing a time when almost every aspect of c o f fe e production bar the growing will be accessible to the coffee anorak,” says David Stanborough, head of retail for Jura. “There are people who are just that passionate about the process - they want compact roasters at home, for example. And it’s possible that the next step for automatic machines at home will

found on some coffees). For those who can’t wait, bluetooth/smart connection technology even allows you to use an app to remotely order your home machine to start working on your cappuccino. “And it won’t be long before you’ll be able to ask Alexa to make your coffee,” Stanborough adds.

It’s not good news for baristas perhaps - indeed, the oft-claimed notion that a good coffee requires a ‘human touch’ seems increasingly defunct in the face of machine sophistication and

Lab-sized roasters at affordable prices will give more people access to the tools of the trade. be to have an in-built roaster.” Jura makes automated coffee machines; one of its latest models even comes with dual hoppers so you can create your own blends. Most advances in domestic coffee-making tech are, he says, through tweaks to established parts: much as car manufacturers bring in gradual improvements to their engines. But new ideas do come along: Jura has patented pulse extraction, for instance, by which water is pulsed through coffee grounds in order to produce a thicker ‘crema’ (the milky head

From above: David Stanborough; the Z8 from Jura uses a special preparation method to combine the coffee with hot water during the extraction process, resulting in full-bodied, deliciously light specialities.

Photos SIMON JACOBS

consistency - but at the professional end, coffee-making looks to be getting ever more scientific. The use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, for instance, has been mooted to provide an objective description of the compounds present in coffee and their quantities; research is underway to find out how roasting a brew affects specific aroma compounds. Labsized roasters at affordable prices will give more people access to the tools of the trade.

Even if such advances don’t

102

Robb Report

find their way into most people’s kitchens, they are likely to have a considerable impact on the coffee you buy.

So-called nano-roasters independent shops roasting perhaps 20kg to 100kg of coffee a week - are likely to be followed by what UK roasting champion

Matthew Robley-Siemonsma dubs ‘atomic roasters’ making tiny, oneoff batches sold via online retail or subscription. Slot roasting - hiring the equipment of a bigger roaster is already with us.

The lower entry barrier to equipment will make feasible the production of batches of coffee so

small that just a few cups of their extra special coffee might, for their specific flavour, never be repeated.

“It’s like the micro brewing of gins and vodkas,” suggests Konrad Brits, founder of Falcon Coffees, which sources coffee from 21 countries for 500 roasters around the world, backed by a strong social impact agenda. “It’s part of that shift away from mass production products in favour of treating yourself with a much higher quality coffee. The fact is that, in some markets, supermarkets have used coffee as a loss-leader and many of us have forgotten what great coffee can really taste like.”

Does Brits see us taking a more DIY approach at home?

He argues that technology has a greater opportunity to improve coffee production at the base of the pyramid - by helping small farmers with, for example, mobile money, electronic bills of lading, even weather insurance.

“I think roasting your own beans would be a novelty,” he says. “But you could see people getting into that on the weekends - regarding making a coffee as a craft to be learned much as one develops a skill in cooking.” ≠

“Many of us have forgotten what great coffee can really taste like.”

103

August - 2018

COFFEE TECH The decision regarding which

at home should look at the Ottoman

final cup as short as possible best

tech you need to improve your

Chemex Water Tower, which allows

retains flavour. Roasting your own

domestic coffee-making all depends

coffee lovers to use the same back-

beans necessitates grinding too -

on how involved you want to be.

to-basics methodology while helping

commercial-standard grinders the

If convenience and consistency are

out by maintaining temperature,

likes of Lyn Weber Workshop’s

what you’re after, the Jura Z8 is

water flow, infusion time and the

EG-1 is an 80mm electric flat burr

fully automated from grind to final

many other variables that make

grinder that is sufficiently stylish to

cup, with the user able to set coffee

Chemex a speciality experience.

leave out in your kitchen.

strength, coffee and milk volume,

If you’re considering more

Those looking to the next step

amount of crema, temperature,

involvement, a number of roasters

for coffee - according to industry

and then save their preferences.

are now available on the market.

watchers - might also want to

The machine will tell the user if

Traditional drum roasters can be

invest in a Bkon Brewer. This

one of its many sensors detects a

slow and messy, but the so-called

single-serve device uses patented

job that needs doing - changing the

Power Roaster uses f luid bed

‘reverse atmospheric infusion’ that

water filter, emptying the grounds

roasting - heat delivered more

blends forced extraction and an

container - but is otherwise much

evenly solely through the convection

immersion brewing process to

less irritating than most baristas.

of hot air - to roast 120g of green

infuse coffee with other flavours,

It’s cer tainly easier than the

beans in six minutes; just enough

the likes of orange, peppermint or

fashionable Chemex method of

when ground for a few cups, in line

lavender, for example. Yes, some

brewing coffee, devised in 1941;

with the maker’s insistence that

say that the future of coffee lies in

anyone who has struggled with this

keeping the time between roast and

flavoured coffees.

104

SPECIAL FEATURE

Robb Report

CONVERSATION STARTER Connection, character and craftsmanship define the latest luxury hotel gracing Kuala Lumpur’s skyline.

SPECIAL FEATURE

August - 2018

E

105

very new product launch is a team effort of diverse skills and experience. When the project is on the scale of an ultra-opulent hotel, the

mission is nothing less than to create the most luxurious urban retreat, where architecture and landscaping blend seamlessly with interior design and craftsmanship, gourmet cuisine, stateof-the-art technology and discreet service. That’s some undertaking. Yet the new Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, which opened last month adjacent to the famed Twin Towers,

The Four Seasons, Kuala Lumpur’s new nexus of style and sophistication.

pewter and a view overlooking the KLCC park) is passionate about providing cuisine based on traditional dishes, while head bartender Ashish Sharma rocks up a mean cocktail at

has pulled together some of the world’s

by a grounding in Malay culture. This mix

Bar Trigona. Craftsmanship abounds

leading talents in the industry with the

is also reflected in the six dining outlets,

in the Decadent cafe and the artisanal

character to create a new benchmark

overseen by US executive chef Junious

chocolates, pastries and ice cream

for hospitality in the capital.

Dickerson, who serves sustainable

flavours, which pay homage to their

Heading the team is Belgian

food produced by local farmers. Hong

Malaysian roots.

hospitality veteran, general manager

Kong chef Jimmy Wong, who heads

The Four Season’s service

Tom Roelens, whose aim for the hotel

the Cantonese restaurant, Yun House,

is legendary and staff reflect the

is “a Four Seasons Malaysian experience

(with a decor incorporating Malaysian

vibrancy of a buzzing new hotel with

focused on our service”. He says the 65-storey hotel with its light-strewn interiors enjoys the best location in the city and is ideal for cultivating both

Guests can look forward to a comfortable stay in one of the 209 guestrooms and suites (above) as well as innovative cocktails at Bar Trigona.

Facing page: Yun House.

meticulous attention to detail, from its private transportation, indulgent spa and concierge services to a personal shopper at Shoppes at Four Seasons

human connections and, with direct

Place. For longer stays, the property

access to the KLCC shopping centre

also includes 27 serviced one- and

and its own luxury shopping mall, also

two-bedroom apartments. Everything

physical connections to the capital’s

is in place for Four Seasons Hotel

increasing sophistication.

Kuala Lumpur to provide the coolest,

The hotel has been planned as both

classiest accommodation in town. Book

a resting and gathering place for the local

a stay now to enjoy 15 per cent off

elite and international jet-setters, with

the room rate and other great perks.

all the buzz of modern city life balanced

www.fourseasons.com/kualalumpur

106

WHEELS

SWAGGER ON THE GO

The impressive Mercedes-Benz AMG C 43 Coupe offers a jubilant dynamics with its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6.

By KEEGAN DORAI Photos FAIZ RIDZWAN

Robb Report

August - 2018

S

WHEELS

The sporting ethos extends into the cabin.

tuttgart’s two-door coupes are a good deal scarcer on the road when compared with their four-door brethren and the Mercedes-AMG C 43 Coupe (RM548,888) is no exception.

Heightening that exclusivity is Selenite Grey, a separate colour option that ditches the metallic lacquer for a sexier veneer of matte.

Its strong shoulder contours, muscular arches and steeply raked silhouette strikes a captivating pose. At the back, the car gains a pair of slender tail lamps, a design touch unique only to the firm’s coupes. Final touches include a set of 19-inch two-tone AMG alloys, an AMG-badged diamond grille, gloss black front splitters and a rear boot lid spoiler.

Under its sleek front bonnet is a charactermatching 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 362bhp and 520Nm; figures that enable it to clock 4.7 seconds in a century sprint. Paired

to an all-wheel drive powertrain with Sport+ in check, it takes on serpentine roads with stratospheric dynamism. Its sharp steering feedback corresponds well with its instinctiveshifting nine-speed autobox, tout chassis and adaptive suspension setup.

The sporting ethos extends into the cabin with the use of red seatbelts, red stitching on leathered trims and piano black deco for the centre stack. Its interior ergonomics, too, are well thought-out. Thanks to the supple driver’s seat, driving on country roads, this time in Comfort mode, is buttery smooth with the suspension absorbing the surface imperfections – a sensation which returns you to Mercedes-Benz’s roots in luxury motoring. www.mercedes-benz.com.my ∆

107

108

FOCM CHARITY DRIVE

GIVING BACK

A drive up north by FOCM offers an example of the transformational effect of altruism.

1

Photos MOMENZ CREATION

Robb Report

FOCM CHARITY DRIVE

August - 2018

109

1) The prancing horses arrive for dinner along Penang’s historical enclave of Weld Quay. 2) All smiles for the camera. 3) Kenneth Teh of FOCM’s board of directors, presents a school bag to one of the 500 children. 4) FOCM members enjoying dinner at Chin’s Stylish Chinese Cuisine. 5) Getting to know the beneficiaries. 6) At The Macalister Mansion, the only Malaysian property in the Design Hotels’ network.

2

4 5 3

6

By KENNETH TAN

A

recent drive up north by an estimated 30 members of the Ferrari Owners’ Club Malaysia (FOCM), together with their partners, was undertaken with a noble cause. A pre-drive appeal had raised over RM75,000, which went towards new school supplies for 500 under-privileged children.

The beneficiaries, identified by the heads of 11 primary schools as being most in need, gathered at the Penang Exhibition & Convention Centre to receive their items.

The weekend also saw FOCM members enjoying the sights, scents and tastes of Penang, with durian feasts, dinner at Chin’s Stylish Cuisine, wine tastings at The

Edison George Town and, of course, partaking in the famed street food.

An evening at The Macalister Mansion – the only member of the Design Hotel network in Malaysia – offered members a chance to enjoy a range of Cuban cigars paired with some outstanding vintages from both Old and New World vineyards. ≠

TIME

110

HAVE TIME WILL TRAVEL They all tell the time but not all travel watches are made equal.

By CELINE YAP

T

ravel timers are watches that allow you to monitor the time accurately as you move across the time zones.

Our planet rotates eastwards at a rate of 15 degrees per hour and as we all know the world is a round sphere and not anything else – looking at you flat earthers –

this means that it can be divided neatly into 24 different time zones. This is the standard measurement of time used worldwide and was established on 1 October 1884 at the Meridian Conference in Washington DC. Representatives from over 20 nations met at this world event which was held to determine

Robb Report

TIME

August - 2018

111

a prime meridian for international use.

Greenwich, England, was ultimately selected as the common zero of longitude and the rest as they say is watchmaking history.

WORLD TIMERS Now that there is some form of universality in terms of organising time around the world, the role of timekeeping may be expanded to serve a greater audience. In 1931, independent Swiss watchmaker Louis Cottier made a mechanism that became the precedent for most if not all world timers today. The system combines a chapter ring on which names of the 24 principal cities are printed with an inner ring with numbers one to 24. Both are geared to the hour hand and advances as it does. Local time is read off the hour and minute hands, while home time is synchronised with the city that’s positioned at 12 o’clock.

Patek Philippe was one of the earliest adopters of Cottier’s creation. Since the first world timer released in 1953, it’s made numerous variations of this complication, with Worldtimer Ref 5230G being the most updated reference today.

Chopard LUC Time Traveler One is one of the few world timers featuring Singapore in the cities ring.

In either stainless steel or 18-carat rose gold, the world timer chapter can be adjusted using the crown at two o’clock, while a skeletonised arrowhand provides simple date readings.

The world timer mechanism is put to good use by Chopard, Patek Philippe and Breguet (facing page). as well as this year’s Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Polaris Geographic WT (below) .

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s newly refreshed Polaris line also has a world timer in its midst, the Polaris Geographic WT. This 2018 boutique edition has been updated with new aesthetics including applied hour numerals and markers plus a grainy dial texture that adds a touch of class to a sporty timepiece.

The Breguet Classique Hora Mundi is an exceptional example of the world timer where functionality and elegance have been perfectly balanced. Rather than displaying all the 24 cities and time zones, only the selected longitude will be shown through two apertures, along with the phases of the moon. The rest of the dial is occupied by a world map beautifully crafted in a combination of different traditional metiers d’arts.

A little late to the world timer game but here nonetheless is IWC with the Pilot’s Watch Worldtimer. Complete

Greenwich, England, was ultimately selected as the common zero of longitude and the rest as they say is watchmaking history.

TIME

112

Robb Report

By the 1950s, people were travelling farther and more frequently. with a triple date display and clear indications of the International Date Line, this watch upholds aviation tradition by using UTC instead of GMT. What’s the difference?

UTC, which stands for Universal Time Coordinated, is a time standard while GMT, which stands for Greenwich Mean Time, is a time zone.

T

The capricious Slim d’Hermes GMT (above) and Glashutte Original’s Senator Cosmopolite, which offers maximum legibility with Saxon precision.

GMT WATCHES

hat Greenwich was selected as the point of prime meridian was a matter of convenience for much of the world. By the late 19th century, key economies such as the US had already been using Greenwich as the default prime meridian. In addition, the majority of sea charts used around the world Photo NEFTALI NOTARIO

were based on Greenwich, given its long and sophisticated maritime history. So to the chagrin of the French, who were insisting on a more neutral location, this little English town became the centre of the world.

In horological terms, GMT refers also to a category of watches that provided a second time zone reading on a 24-hour scale. A simplified version of the world timer, it does not display all 24 time zones simultaneously, but rather, only home time and local time. The most quintessential format, although it isn’t the only format, of the GMT complication is where in addition to the hour and minute hand, the watch has a third hand that’s clearly distinguished and independently controlled.

TIME

August - 2018

By the 1950s, people were travelling farther and more frequently. The world as they say was getting smaller. Correspondingly, the need for watches that straddled different time zones became increasingly real. Rolex was the company that made the world’s first GMT watch. Released in 1955, the GMTMaster Ref 6542 with its distinctive redand-blue rotating bezel was intended for the pilots of Pan-Am Airlines. A stalwart in the luxury watch world, it has received consistent updates over the past few years including a bi-colour Cerachrom bezel, a Jubilee bracelet and further improvements to the movement.

But there are other ways to display the second time zone. Greubel Forsey’s GMT Earth, for instance, one-ups the classic format

by offering three time zones and a 24-degree inclined tourbillon. A large off-centred dial offers local time and a smaller one with a red hand displays the second time zone. Finally, a three-dimensional globe synchronised with a 24-hour chapter ring displays the third.

Exquisitely hand-finished, this stunning piece is beautiful from any angle.

As the GMT complication arose out of practicality, some brands do prefer to let form follow function. Unsurprisingly, German manufacture Glashutte Original is one such brand. The Senator Cosmopolite offers maximum bang for buck by displaying everything clearly and neatly. Practically a world timer and GMT watch hybrid, it gives you home time, local time, day/night at home,

Greubel Forsey’s GMT Earth offers three time zones and a 24-degree inclined tourbillon.

Greubel Forsey’s GMT Earth.

113

TIME

114

local am/pm, daylight savings time, standard time, the signature Panorama date, power reserve, and a small seconds indication.

Yet when left to the good hands of a brand such as Hermes, even practical complications like the GMT become poetic. Slim d’Hermes GMT eschews the common format by replacing the centrally-mounted GMT hand with a GMT sub-dial that appears to be in complete disarray. Of course it’s merely a playful touch by its imaginative designers who love to put a unique spin on anything traditional. Without a 24-hour indication, however, it would be more accurately described as a dual time complication.

I

DUAL TIME WATCHES

ndeed, GMT and dual time are two terms often used interchangeably even though strictly speaking they are not identical in meaning. The key difference between GMT and dual time is the presence of a 24-hour scale in the former, while a 12-hour scale plus an am/pm or day/night indicator would suffice with the latter. Extremely appealing to professional pilots and those who appreciate aviation timepieces, GMT watches also have a

more technical character. The dual time watch on the other hand thanks to its more pared down aesthetic has a more civilian nature, servicing itinerant lifestyles and people who have an interest in another part of the world.

The modern dual time watch is extremely easy to operate, usually adjustable at the touch of a button or through the crown. Devoid of the 24-hour scale, it is often very elegant in appearance and makes for an ideal business traveller timepiece. Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Dual Time perfectly combines the timeless aesthetics of the Royal Oak with the usefulness of a second time zone function.

Read home time easily off the sub-dial at six o’clock where you’ll also find the day/night display. And for good measure, Audemars Piguet threw in an analogue date and power reserve indicator, all of which are gracefully arranged around the grand tapisserie dial.

With a collection named the Overseas, it would be strange if Vacheron Constantin

Robb Report

August - 2018

115

Saxonia Dual Time (left) and Overseas Dual Time.

Facing page: Royal Oak Dual Time.

The modern dual time watch is extremely easy to operate, usually adjustable at the touch of a button or through the crown. didn’t have a traveller’s version of this watch, and thankfully it does. The Overseas Dual Time epitomises sporting elegance by offering haute horlogerie finishing in an athletic package. Thanks to the new quickchange strap system, you can swap out the leather strap for a metal bracelet anywhere and anytime you want.

A Lange & Sohne is synonymous with classic timelessness and its Saxonia Dual Time upholds that image with perfect finesse. Largely monochromatic, only the dual time function has been rendered in blued steel, offering greater legibility and adding a touch of class. Two push buttons on the side of the case allow you to very conveniently adjust the second time zone

forwards or backwards. Similarly, the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref 5524R displays the second time zone with a skeletonised hand controlled by two screwdown push pieces on the case side. But it also has a unique day/night indicator for home and local time not typically seen in other dual time watches.

An anomaly in Patek Philippe’s wheelhouse at its international debut in 2015, it has become one of the most sought after contemporary models today, reaffirming the everlasting appeal of timepieces made

by Patek Philippe. But no matter what style or model you desire, one thing is for sure: Travelling in style is never complete without a travel timer. ¬

116

TIME

OF MAKERS AND MILESTONES Inspired by the 1968 Memovox Polaris, JaegerLeCoultre unveils the most comprehensive Polaris collection to date, as a half-a-century tribute.

Robb Report

August - 2018

TIME

117

By KENNETH TAN

F

or a watchmaking brand like Jaeger-LeCoultre, so steeped in history, and the bedrock for many other watchmakers who relied on its movements, it seems altogether natural that its archives make for fascinating study.

A fact which emerged recently is that although the Memovox Polaris debuted back in 1968, Jaeger-LeCoultre never made more than 2,500 Polaris in the entire 50-year span up till 2018.

However, the idea of the Polaris, and of how it addressed the need of its current zeitgeist, was convincing enough to result in this year’s reintroduction of the sleeper hit from 1968. This time around, the

The automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 956 is a special in-house movement that is a direct descendent of the 1968 watch’s Calibre 825.

or tuxedo. Or perhaps, to transition from active afternoons to languorous evenings. In a phrase: sporty elegance.

Hence, the Polaris spirit finds itself occupying a bridge of vintage and contemporary. This spirit is physically manifested on the dial with three concentric circles, displaying graining on the outer circle meeting a sunray finish centre. These design elements hark back to the Memovox Polaris as does the historical black dial which is returns for the 2018 iteration, as well as an introductory version in ocean blue.

Another recurring design cue is of its Super LumiNova in a vintage vanilla on a couple of models, an homage to a similar-coloured Tritium found on

The idea behind this year’s approach is largely based on the idea of relevance. watchmaker unveils a much more extensive and complete collection. The idea behind this year’s approach is largely based on the idea of relevance.

The timepiece was conceived in terms of its application in add ressi ng men of today; those who require a piece reflecting the versatility of various wear – be it a suit, jeans

the precursor. This year’s collection is built on a 41mm steel Polaris Automatic (RM30,000 with matching bracelet) with two crowns for time adjustment and an inner rotating bezel.

A choice of steel or gold are the options for the slightly larger Polaris Chronograph in its 42mm case (RM38,900 for steel with calf leather and RM94,500 for

118

TIME

Robb Report

the gold). The Polaris Date in its 42mm steel case (RM30,400 with rubber strap) incorporates another vintage feature – a raised crystal to evoke the glass box of the earlier Polaris and timepieces of its era.

Global nomads will find the artful Polaris Chronograph World Time to be most useful, with an additional crown for rotating the city discs within a 44mm titanium case (RM56,600 with alligator leather).

Finally, the most coveted piece in this collection release is surely the 1,000-piece limited Polaris Memovox (RM49,500) with its three-crown design in 42mm steel. This tribute to the timepiece which started it all possesses the same alarm function of the 1968 model. Residing within the new Memovox’s case is the calibre 956, equipped with a striking mechanism - a worthy descendant to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s highly regarded alarm watch movements. www.jaeger-lecoultre.com ≠

The JaegerLeCoultre Polaris Date watch in steel is equipped with a calendar and the retro vanille-hued Super Luminova.

The most coveted piece in this collection release is surely the 1,000-piece limited Polaris Memovox.

August - 2018

Polaris Geographic WT is limited to 250 pieces and is exclusively available at Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques.

TIME

119

120

Playing with the contrasts of colours — white for the case and blue for its edges — and light, with the outlines of its edges glowing in the dark, Hautlence pays tribute to the iconic style of Tron.

TIME

Robb Report

TIME

August – 2018

121

SPACE-AGE HOROLOGY Hautlence’s 2018 release incorporates a strong dose of sci-fi in one of its most brazen timepieces.

W

hile many watchmakers constantly borrow ideas from the automotive and aerospace industry in the case of carbon fibre, titanium and even polymers, none have made a timepiece’s case out of white and blue HLLightColor, save for Hautlence. Its 2018 ode to futurism – the Vortex Gamma Tron (SFr170,000, RM690,000) – relies on ceramic nanotube particles which are tinted, instead of merely coated with an application of colour.

The reason for its name is simple. The ability to integrate phosphorescence into the nanotube particles confer a sublime, ethereal glow to the case. The blued lines of its edges glow in the dark together with the brand’s Moebius symbol which turns upon itself every hour. The glow recalls the outlines of

By KENNETH TAN

In addition to the six 3D sapphire crystals, the case is made from a composite material imported from the aerospace industry.

characters from Steven Lisberger’s Tron, with the luminous lines representing circuitry.

On the Vortex Gamma Tron, the interplay of light is further enhanced with a nifty construction of six 3D sapphire crystals which cover the dial. This clever use of sapphire maximises illumination on the calibre HL2.0’s inner workings.

Self-winding and doublebarrelled for 40 hours reserve, the calibre powers the 12 articulated links of the jumping hours and of its minutes. Finishing is then applied in various forms; satinbrushed, hand-drawn, hand-bevelled, ruthenium coating and mirror polishing.

Naturally, Hautlence’s mastery over HLLightColor also means that potential owners, should they fancy, are able to create custom-made pieces in colours of their choice. www.hautlence.com ≠

The blued lines of its edges glow in the dark together with the brand’s Moebius symbol which turns upon itself every hour.

ART & DESIGN

122

WIND WALKERS

Audemars Piguet brings Theo Jansen’s enigmatic Strandbeests to Singapore.

S

By WEI-YU WANG

trange creatures have been sighted near the vicinity of Marina Bay in Singapore.

Reports suggest there are 13 of them, skeletal behemoths up to several times larger than a person. Witnesses say that they may be still for hours at a

time but may suddenly burst into movement. If any members of the public come across these creatures, they are invited to look, touch and experience them.

They are made from thousands of pieces of PVC pipe, sometimes with additions such as plastic

Robb Report

August - 2018

ART & DESIGN

123

The Strandbeest Plaudens Vela can walk in the wind at low speeds and avoid tumbling over in high winds.

Photos MEDIA FORCE

ART & DESIGN

124

bottles or sticky tape. They hail from Holland — specifically, the beachfront workshop of 70-year-old artist, scientist and inventor Theo Jansen, who has been creating these Strandbeests since 1990. His wind-powered k i net ic sc u lpt u res have since become an international sensation, their lifelike movements capturing the imagination. Aside from his numerous gallery and museum appearances, Jansen’s 2007 TED Talk has hit over four million views and he has even guest-starred on The Simpsons.

In their first expedition to Southeast Asia, they were brought to ArtScience Museum at Marina

The exhibition by Theo Jansen (above) concludes with a commissioned installation, Backyard Lab (below), by Singapore-based artist Isabelle Desjeux.

Robb Report

each generation, Jansen continues to refine and experiment, guiding their evolution.

To Ja nsen, the Strandbeests are very much alive. He created them, he has to take care of them and teach them, and eventually they go extinct.

It is difficult to disagree with that sentiment when one sees them in person. In the confines of a museum gallery, they don’t have their native ocean winds to help them move and must be manually assisted. But when they do, their locomotion is irregular and rippling. Their many-legged steps are imprecise and somewhat ginger, as if they are afraid of falling over. Some will find them uncanny.

They were brought to ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, thanks to a sponsorship by Audemars Piguet.

Bay Sands and will show from now till end of September, thanks to a sponsorship by Audemars Piguet. Wind Walkers: Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests is a concise retrospective of Jansen’s body of work and the Strandbeests’ increasingly complex forms.

Jansen spends up to six months painstakingly assembling each creature by hand, coaxing the plastic into analogies of bone, muscle and nerve, before letting them loose on the beach. With

An eclectic mix of idealist visionary and technical sensibility, Jansen is just the sort of personality that has of late been associated with Audemars Piguet.

The Swiss watchmaker has a force in the contemporary art world in recent years. Jansen first worked with the maison in 2014, producing a show for Art Basel Miami 2014.

“We’ve been in touch with him since that project,” says Michael Friedman, historian at Audemars Piguet.

August - 2018

“The sustaining of these relationships is what life is about.”

Since his visit to the watchmaker’s manufacture in Le Brassus, Jansen has carried a renewed appreciation for horology.

In fact, he sees some similarity between watches and his own work.

“A watch was alive for the people in those days,” he says, referring to several centuries ago.

“People were not used to things moving by themselves. That was the first image of artificial life, you could say.”

ART & DESIGN

Presented in four sections, the exhibition brings together 13 largescale Strandbeests.

What’s next for the Strandbeests? Had he the millions of years that evolution is usually

125

accorded, Jansen reckons he could eventually make them selfreplicate. In a sense, though, they already have. Since Jansen has published the details of his work, fans from around the world have been creating their own versions of the Strandbeests.

“They don’t survive very well on beaches, but they survive in bedrooms all around the world,” Jansen says with a wry smile.

“You could say they are already reproducing behind my back!” www.marinabaysands.com ≠

126

The 150-minute production (with an intermission) will be led by soloists Jonathan Barton, Natasha Wilson and Uyu Hiromoto together with ballerinas from the UK and all over Europe.

ART & DESIGN

Robb Report

August - 2018

ART & DESIGN

DANCING IN THE SPOTLIGHT An upcoming ballet performance of Swan Lake at Resorts World Genting offers a terrific opportunity for dance enthusiasts and Malaysian audiences to experience poetry in motion.

By RENYI LIM Photos RYAN JAMES DAVIE

127

128

ART & DESIGN

S

wirling white tutus, dazzling pas de deux, swans dancing beside a moonlit lake, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s stirring music and an entrancing love story - there are a multitude of reasons why Swan Lake is one of the world’s most beloved ballets.

From 24 to 26 August and 31 August to 2 September, the first full-length production of Swan Lake in Malaysia will be staged at Resorts World Genting, featuring a full professional cast from the UK. Organised by The Dance Company in collaboration with Ballet West International Touring Company, each performance will feature a stellar cast of professional dancers including medallists and

Robb Report

International and one of the driving forces behind the collaboration. “It signifies that Malaysians are now more culturally aware and mature enough to accept ballet as an art form. This production aims to place Malaysia on the international dance map by kick-starting an industry for ballet, creating an identity through dance and creating jobs.”

When asked about the demands of bringing a ballet of this size and complexity to Malaysia, Kwan explains: “Everything has been challenging, from the flooring to the stage set-up, technical support, coordinating flights and sorting out logistics for an entourage of 44. But we want to make sure that we’re able to deliver a remarkable performance with the same level

World-renowned ballet master Jonathan Barton will take the lead role of Prince Siegfried. finalists from international ballet competitions such as Prix de Lausanne. World-renowned ballet master Jonathan Barton will take the lead role of Prince Siegfried, who falls in love with the swan princess Odette and vows to lift the curse placed upon her by the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart.

“The staging of Swan Lake by Ballet West is a great acknowledgement of Malaysia‘s capability to host an international event as such,” says Audrey Kwan, president of Dance Artistry

Swan Lake is a permanent fixture in the repertoire of all ballet companies and is revered as the most popular ballet in the world.

of quality as the UK’s standards.

We want Malaysian audiences to have the same experience as the audiences in our sold-out performances across UK, Europe and China.

“They’ll be able to understand that watching Ballet West is more than valuable - it’s live, real and engaging.” Tickets are available on Resorts World Genting’s website, with prices for the performance at Getting International Showroom starting at RM388. www.rwgenting.com ¬

August - 2018

“This production aims to place Malaysia on the international dance map.”

ART & DESIGN

129

130

MONEY

AN EYE ON THE SKY Zaha Hadid Architects’ residential skyscraper in Miami sports a sky lounge with unbeatable views, a sculptural sun and swim terrace, and a helipad.

By RENYI LIM

Robb Report

August - 2018

MONEY

131

I

n a city like Miami where residents are no stranger to dazzling real estate gems oozing luxury, it’s hardly an easy task to create a development that raises the bar for opulent living. But that’s exactly what Zaha Hadid Architects has done with One Thousand Museum Residences. The towering luxury development, which stands at over 60 storeys high on 1000 Biscayne Boulevard, is home to more than 83 half- and full-floor residences, duplex townhomes and two penthouses. Prices start from US$5.65 million (RM22.7 million) for a half-floor residence through One Sotheby’s International, while a duplex townhouse residence starts from US$12.5 million. A full-floor residence, meanwhile, begins at US$19.6 million.

True to form for the Pritzker Prize Award-winning architectural firm, One Thousand Museum

One Thousand Museum is just minutes from South Beach and the Brickell financial district.

132

MONEY

Robb Report

Every residence has been designed according to an east-to-west flow-through floor plan. will feature a distinctive exoskeleton that brings contemporary art into each resident’s personal sphere. Sculptural extensions of the tower’s architecture create areas of light and shadow that shift around the Sun & Swim terrace’s organically shaped pools as each day progresses - a charming sight to observe from the property’s two indoor-outdoor wellness and spa levels.

Of course, as far as views go, every residence has been designed according to an east-to-west flow-through floor plan that makes the most of the sensational panorama of Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and Miami’s skyline. Residents will also get to enjoy oversized terraces, custom European kitchens

by Gatto Cucine, Gaggenau appliances, custom-designed closets and walk-in closets

by Poliform, and a state-of-the-art Crestron home automation system. There’s even a bank-quality vault in the building containing safe deposit boxes for every residence. Over

Residents will enjoy breathtaking Biscayne Bay and Atlantic Ocean views as well as dynamic views of the Miami skyline.

the 2,787sqm of recreational space, which includes a double-height aquatic centre with an indoor pool and a dramatic Sky Lounge for private events, olfactive branding company 12.29 has created an enticing custom scent for all interior amenity spaces. And while One Thousand Museum sits directly in front of Museum Park, its piece de resistance - a private rooftop helipad - minimises the need to confront Miami’s notorious traffic, which is the 10th-worst on the planet according to a study by global analysis firm INRIX. With the development expected to be completed in late 2018 or early 2019, this will be the only heliport on a private residential tower on the east coast of the US. Available on demand at any time of the day or night, the helipad will enable residents to access nearby islands, private and commercial airports and private yachts with ease without ever having to leave the building, providing an unrivalled level of privacy. www.1000museum.com ∆

August – 2018

MONEY

133

134

MONEY

Robb Report

FIGURE OF 8 KSK Land teams up with British design company Yoo and interior designer Kelly Hoppen for the RM5.4 billion 8 Conlay’s recently launched Tower B.

By MARK LEAN

8 Conlay will be Kempinski’s first property in Malaysia.

Facing page: the interiors of Yoo8 Serviced by Kempinski.

MONEY

August - 2018

S

he might be diminutive in size, but Joanne Kua’s ideas and ambition are big and bold. As group CEO and executive director of KSK Group, she brings together some of the biggest international names to 8 Conlay. It is the company’s first property development project, built over 1,599 hectares of prime commercial land, with a gross development value of RM5.4 billion. It targets a 2020 completion date and will feature two towers of branded residences called Yoo8 Serviced by Kempinski and an additional hotel tower, also managed by Kempinski.

Kua contends that 8 Conlay is not a traditional building. “We are designing for the future and wanted to create something unique

that will not fade over time. We wanted to create a building with architecture that is liveable,” she says. The architecture, the work of KL’s RSP Architects, frames the development.

135

With this in mind, 8 Conlay’s towers engage the cityscape and are connected with two sky bridges on the 26th and the 44th floors, aptly named Water Lounge and Green Refuge. These outdoor spaces are the work of Kobkongsanti of Bangkokbased Trop Landscape.

In Kuala Lumpur, Kua feels that it has become increasingly difficult to find green spaces where communities can flourish.

As a solution, for 8 Conlay’s exterior, she envisions a tropical environment for the sky bridges.

Yoo8 Serviced by Kempinksi features branded luxury residences ranging from 65sqm to 122sqm. Kua has brought together two gamechanging companies. “Yoo injects youth and sleekness,” she says, while Kempinski Hotels is about

“We wanted to create something unique that will not fade over time.”

MONEY

136

Robb Report

The interiors of the 498 units in the 57-floor Tower B also hold their own. “the underlying level of service and sense of luxury that never changes.

It commands itself.”

The interiors of the 498 units in the 57-floor Tower B also hold their own. Kua’s considerable powers of persuasion led to the collaboration with Yoo and talented UK-based South African-born interior designer Kelly Hoppen who redefined the rules of her industry with her 1997 book East to West: Global Design for Contemporary Interiors. Hoppen and her team are working on 49 projects around the world, and through these endeavours she “takes people out from what was previously considered the norm”.

At Yoo8 Serviced by

Kempinski, the designer reveals two stunning interior creations: Spring and Urban. These designs project, from the vision board, Hoppen’s talent and intuition along with her precise management of a grid system to “analyse space, delineate vistas, impose structure and establish order”.

Kua sees the logic in this. “To many people, design is about the feel and the look of a space or object; it’s about decoration,” she contends. A good designer, however, can “define everything you do in that space the moment you walk through the front door”.

“8 Conlay is about taking care of everything else so you have time to create your own stories,” says Kua.

The green-focused Spring concept spaces make the most of neutral materials, weathered surfaces and unbleached fabrics.

There is a sense of comfort and ease.

Foldable doors extend the living room to incorporate the balcony.

Then, there are the thoughtful little touches. “There are shoe cabinets and the powder rooms, so when you have guests they don’t enter your personal space,” she continues.

John Hitchcox, Yoo’s founder and chairman, believes that Yoo8 Serviced by Kempinski is also about the power of placemaking, a concept he brought to global consciousness and perfected with the Manhattan Loft Company that transformed London’s property market with the

MONEY

August – 2018

introduction of homes in large post-industrial buildings.

“Placemaking is a way we bring areas forward. It’s about watching people designing their own homes, creating new hubs, a world where people share similar aspirations,” explains Hitchcox.

With any project that Yoo undertakes, he and his creative partners, including Steve Leung and Kelly Hoppen, “take a view of the demographic and create

According to Joanne Kua, “Yoo8 is designed to offer unmatched luxury lifestyle experiences”.

137

communities, create beauty and a timeless sense of luxury”.

From a design standpoint, Yoo’s projects, including Yoo8 Serviced by Kempinski, are about emphasising the quality, and the passion that went into the creation of the space. Hoppen adds: “With my interiors for Yoo8, the bathtubs are made from tactile material that warms to one’s touch. The bathrooms are the showpieces.” www.8conlay.com ∆

138

AN EVENING OF CONNOISSEURSHIP

WELCOME HOME A constellation of fine automobiles, Scotch and fragrances blooms within the swish universe of AIRA Residence in Damansara Heights.

1

By KENNETH TAN Photos ALL IS AMAZING

Robb Report

August - 2018

AN EVENING OF CONNOISSEURSHIP

139

1) AIRA Residence sits on one of the last parcels of prime real estate in the posh neighbourhood of Damansara Heights. 2) Amouage’s range of phenomenal scents welcomed guests. 3) A tasting of The Macallan’s Reflexion.

4) Sooriar Sivanasan, Maserati’s head of sales in Malaysia.

5) Admiring the Levante S, which is capable of a 264km/hr top speed.

6) Brian Newman.

2

4

4

5

3

I

n the leafy residential enclave of Damansara Heights, one finds the AIRA Residence development, conceived by a design trio of stars, namely Piet Boon, Franklin Po and Alen Nikolovski.

Its artistic show gallery, fashioned for worldly, discerning individuals, became the perfect venue for Robb Report Malaysia to host an assemblage of its readers and guests

6 to an evening of connoisseurship.

Upon arrival, guests were greeted by the twin automotive fascinations of a Maserati Ghibli S (RM678,800) and Maserati Levante S (RM744,800).

Inside the serene, beautiful show gallery space, guests were

Its artistic show gallery is fashioned for worldly, discerning individuals.

whisked on a voyage of discovery by luxury perfumer Amouage. For the evening, Amouage rolled out its Library Collection, showcasing the aromatic breadth of its 10 olfactory volumes from Opus I to Opus X (all priced at RM1,240). Guests were then warmly welcomed by Brian Newman, director of property for Selangor Properties, before partaking in a fabulous tasting of The Macallan Reflexion. ≠

140

TRAVEL & LEISURE

PALATIAL PERFECTION

Aman Venice is nothing short of magnificent.

Photos DANIEL HERENDI, BARBARA ZANON

Robb Report

141

August - 2018

By JENNIFER CHOO

The 103sqm Alcova Tiepolo Suite includes a separate handpainted Chinese sitting room.

B

eauty is everywhere in Venice. The storied floating city – with its ornate architecture, maze-like streets and history-steeped bridges – is nothing short of a romantic dream. But when the Aman group opened its fifth Mediterranean property here, it would not be unfair to say that the group opened a new chapter of opulent beauty in the Venetian hospitality industry.

The hotel is located in one of eight palazzi monumentali in Venice, built in about 1560 and significant enough to feature in a painting by Paolo Veronese (which hangs in Dresden’s Gemaldegalerie) and to have been drawn by JMW Turner (in Tate Britain). The great 18thcentury painter Tiepolo once lived here and his ornate frescoes adorn the walls and ceilings of many of the rooms. In the 19th century, the Papadopoli family turned adjoining buildings into two gardens that are among the city’s rarest private green spaces.

Wandering through the hotel will yield spaces filled with museumquality treasures; the property’s exquisite Murano chandeliers were installed by the Papadopoli brothers and one may browse their library, which has walls of 300-year-old Cordoba leather and

TRAVEL & LEISURE

142

One almost feels like a guest in a particularly grand home.

From top: Alcova Tiepolo Suite; Dario Ossola (left) with sous chef Dario Boschetti.

Facing page: the book collection at The Library includes antique and modern tomes.

admire the 500-year-old concert grand piano in the principal salon. Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston Architects, a long-time Aman collaborator, made subtle additions to the interior which complement rather than compete, allowing neutral Rubelli silks and understated B&B Italia furniture to be discreet players against a backdrop of splendour.

One almost feels like a guest in a particularly grand home and abetting this is the extremely limited number of rooms available, 24 in all, each an individually orchestrated symphony of luxury.

The ultimate is the Alcova Tiepolo

Suite where you’ll be paying in excess of RM18,000 a night, a small price to pay to be able to gaze at the sublime frescoed ceilings while drifting off to slumber.

Meals are as superlative as the environment especially with the recently launched Arva paying tribute to Italy’s rich culinary heritage.

Brought to life by executive chef Dario Ossola, with signature dishes by creative consultant Davide Oldani, each dish celebrates the shared enjoyment of uncomplicated f lavours in a welcoming and convivial atmosphere. www.aman.com ≠

Robb Report

August - 2018

TRAVEL & LEISURE

143

144

TRAVEL & LEISURE

A QUIET PLACE The Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi is surprisingly intimate, in the best possible ways.

By TERRY LIM

Robb Report

TRAVEL & LEISURE

August - 2018

F

ifty-seven rooms. That’s a surprisingly small number of rooms for a Four Seasons. That alone should clue one in that this Four Seasons experience will be quite different, yet identical where it matters most. Housed within the gleaming glass facade of Pacific Century Place, the word that best describes Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi is intimate. It eschews the expected trappings of conspicuous luxury – no grand staircases or vast chandeliers – for an understated

experience that speaks to the best qualities of Japan and the brand.

Understated, but certainly not undersold.

And definitely not understaffed. Guests will be met at the nearby train or bus station, or greeted by a smart doorman if arriving on wheels. One is whisked through checkin and deposited in one’s room in a matter of minutes. The efficiency, even for Japan, is startling; this is a hotel that has distilled the recipe for luxury hospitality to the perfect essentials.

This is a hotel that has distilled the recipe for luxury hospitality to the perfect essentials.

145

146

TRAVEL & LEISURE

Take the rooms. Wrapped in a cloak of warm wood and elegant textures, the rooms (from ¥54,900, RM2,005 per night) are quietly impressive.

Quiet being the operative word; floor-to-ceiling windows reveal the bustling expanse of the Chiyoda and Chuo districts, but none of that din penetrates the Four Seasons bubble thanks to effective triple-glazing. There are Japanese touches if you look closely, in the linen motifs and welcome snacks of mochi, but the rooms are designed in the spirit of Japanese culture, rather than direct emulation. Especially impressive is the expansive bathroom, equipped with a deep soaking bathtub that is perfect for an indulgent dip after a day of exploring Tokyo.

Michelin three-starred chef Hiroshi Nakamichi supervises the cuisine served at Motif.

Photos MICHAEL WEBER

Robb Report

There is no swimming pool, but there is a 24-hour spa complete with a traditional onsen-style stone bath. The choice of a single restaurant – French-focused Motif on the seventh floor – isn’t limiting but advocating; why not venture out to the fresh seafood at Tsukiji or the bustling eateries in Tokyo Station?

By design, this is a hotel that encourages you to go out and discover Tokyo, providing a plush sanctuary upon return. Awe at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi comes in the form of service, atmosphere and personal intimacy, where encounters with other guests and staff are rare and brief. In a city of over nine million, that’s a grand achievement. www.fourseasons.com ≠

WHAT MAKES THE GOOD LIFE…GREAT! SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE TWO ISSUES FREE. GET THE GLOBAL LUXURY RESOURCE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOORSTEP OR ON YOUR IPAD EVERY MONTH.

November July 2017 2018

May 2018 robbreport.com.my robbreport.com.my

robbreport.com.my

ENTER THE DRAGON

June 2018

M A L AY S I A

LET THERE FUTURE LIGHT FORWARD M A L A Y S I A BE

REFINEMENT BYOF 35+ STORIES LUXURY TOUCHED MICHELIN-STARRED

BY INVENTION LUME IN MILAN

MACAU’S MICHELINSTARRED JADE DRAGON

PREVIEW robbreport.com.my ROBB REPORT MALAYSIA A CENTURY ULTIMATE DRIVES

M A L AY S I A

OF STYLE

CARTIER’S PANTHERE AND THE PLUSSECRETS OF EGERTON HOUSE ETERNAL ELEGANCE AZERAI CAN THO

JOHN LOBB BY REQUEST HEVENINGHAM HALL CONCOURS

issue 36. RM15.90

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE ST PETERSBURG TO MOSCOW

issue 44. RM15.00

issue 42. RM15.00

VI

A

Beyond the R Asea ISING

A GLINSPIRED A SS BY

THE BEST OF EVERYTHING ON THE WATER

PLUS

ROJA DOVE

INNOVATION

OUR TOAST TO AMANKORA RATHBONE SQUARE THE WORLD’S BEST LAMBORGHINI URUS OF THE BEST

EW

F ROM T H

HOLIDAY 50 HOT + LIST: AM BALI SIEM AREAP ZIN LANGKAWI G TI

HONG KONG

M E P I E C E F RO M B A S

HYT WATCHES BREAKS THE MOULD WITH NANOTECHNOLOGY

RR-MAL-000-MAY-COVER.indd 1

4/25/18 10:15 AM

RR-MAL-000-JULY-COVER.indd 1 RR-MAL-000-NOV-COVER.indd 1

RR-MAL-000-JUNE-COVER.indd 1

O ET

L OR SELW

D

P

20

18

issue 43. RM15.00

7/23/18 4:28 PM

7/23/18 4:31 PM 11/16/17 11:18 AM

Subscribe to the print version of Robb Report Malaysia for one year at just RM150 (usual price RM180). Or subscribe to the digital edition on Magzter (for Android and iOS) or iTunes for US$3.99 per issue or US$39.90 for one year with two issues free.

PAYMENT OPTIONS ONLINE (BY CREDIT/DEBIT CARD OR PAYPAL) Visit robbrepor t.com.my/print-subscription for local or international deliver y.

BY CHEQUE Please cross your cheque and make it payable to Indochine Media Ventures Sdn Bhd. Write your full name, contact number and deliver y address on the back of the cheque and mail it to Robb Repor t Malaysia, B -7-13A , Gateway Kiaramas, No. 1 Jalan Desa Kiara, 50480 Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

1) Subscriptions are non-tr ansfer able. 2) Subscriptions are non-refundable from time of payment. 3) Your subscription will star t from the nex t month of publication. 4) The promotional subscription price of RM150 per year is valid for deliver y addresses within Malaysia . 5) Please contac t our mar keting team at rr my @imv.com.sg if you have any enquiries or feedback .

148

TRAVEL & LEISURE

LOFT IN SPACE Sleek, sophisticated and serene, The Upper House is still at the top of its game.

By JENNIFER CHOO Photos MICHAEL WEBER

Robb Report

TRAVEL & LEISURE

August - 2018

I

n the highly competitive hospitality industry, the shelf life of a hotel is limited, but some hotels are so special, they transcend hype and trends. Even as it comes up to its 10th year, Hong Kong’s The Upper House is easily still one of the most sought-after hotels in the city.

What sets this hotel, which sits 49 floors above Pacific Place in Admiralty, apart? For starters, there’s that spectacular view of

Victoria Harbour and the iconic neon skyline to the mountainous west. It’s complemented by the effortless elegance of its design, a tour de force by Hong Kong’s design wunderkind Andre Fu who combines Asian and Western inspirations in a subtle but gorgeous play on geometry, texture and materials.

Contemporary yet timeless, Fu’s public spaces manage to be understated and impressive, an effect reinforced by site-

149

150

TRAVEL & LEISURE

Robb Report

The 117 rooms are worthy of The Upper House’s lofty ideals. specific and nature-inspired artwork which number over 400 in all. From renowned British designer Thomas Heatherwick’s Bedonia stone doorway facade and entrance, to Japanese artist Hirotoshi Sawada’s impressive stainless steel wall sculpture Rise in the 38th-floor Atrium, the thoughtful curation provides a reverential museumlike experience. Rather than the coldness associated with museums, however, the pervasive mood is one of quiet contemplation – something Fu wanted to establish as the hotel’s raison d’etre is to offer an ‘upward journey’ as a retreat above the bustling city.

Indeed, the 117 rooms are worthy of The Upper House’s lofty ideals. Standard rooms are 68sqm (a luxury in a city where 46sqm apartments are common), while the two penthouse suites (RM18,000+ a night) are a staggering 182sqm each.

Fu’s colour and material palette continue seamlessly here – soothing neutrals punctuated by deftly deployed accent jewel tones, while natural bamboo and luxe limestone add refined touches.

The window seats are cushioned so you can get as up close and personal with the view as physically possible, while the massive bathrooms (all glassed and voyeuristically two-way in the evenings) are absolutely decadent. The Upper House recently teamed up with British wellness brand Bamford to offer a collection of in-room amenities using the finest natural and organic botanical ingredients – all the better to enjoy them in the dreamy bathroom.

At level 49, guests may wine and dine at Cafe Gray Deluxe or while the time away by the fireplace in the library. The

From above: the beautiful rooms will take your breath away; the Sky Lounge, located on the 49th floor, is a library, informal business centre and lounge combined.

August - 2018

TRAVEL & LEISURE

signature views are very much in evidence here whether dining at the private booths or gazing towards the hills through the floorto-ceiling windows. It also says something about the quality of the food (European-inspired, Asianinflected) and the coolness factor of the outlets when the famously finicky locals flock to both bar and restaurant. And who can blame them when chef Grey Kunz regularly introduces menus which make the best use of only the freshest ingredients,

striving for locally grown, organic and seasonal produce wherever possible. While Fu and Swire Group experts have set the stage for an unforgettable stay, the unquantifiable factor which has created and sustained a loyal following of repeat guests is the flawless service.

From the paperless in-room checkin to the personalised and intuitive level of service, guests quickly realise that they have found a home to which they can return to, time and again. www.upperhouse.com â‰

151

152

TRAVEL & LEISURE

Robb Report

August - 2018

TRAVEL & LEISURE

153

BEYOND THE LENS Expounding on his 80 Stays Around the World partnership with The Ritz-Carlton, travel photographer Trey Ratcliff gives Robb Report Malaysia a peek at Kuala Lumpur through his camera lens.

By RENYI LIM

154

“K

uala Lumpur has a special place in my heart, because it’s where I got started with my photography,” Trey Ratcliff explains as we sit in The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur’s Lobby Lounge. “I’d travelled here for other work and thought the city was so interesting - it was almost like slipping through a veil into a parallel universe where things were a little bit different.

So I thought, ‘I should really get a camera’ and I took my first photo of the sun setting behind KL Tower.

“It was a horrible photo and it made me think: ‘How can my photo be so terrible when Kuala Lumpur is so beautiful?’ It set me on a mission to start processing my photographs and that’s why I love Kuala Lumpur so much: it reminds me of how I got my start.”

Several years later - this time with

TRAVEL & LEISURE

Where the ancient rivers of Gombak and Klang intersect in Kuala Lumpur lies the stunningly renovated Ritz-Carlton.

He often hosts free photo walks for aspiring photographers in the cities he visits. a worldwide fan base of 168,000 followers on Instagram - it’s safe to say that Ratcliff’s photography skills are above and beyond what they once were.

In fact, he’s built up such a formidable reputation as a travel photographer that he’s established a partnership with The RitzCarlton called 80 Stays Around The World, which continues to take

Robb Report

him to nearly every corner of the globe. What started off in 2015 as a US-based tour around cities with a Ritz-Carlton hotel has expanded to Europe and now Asia, with Ratcliff snapping his way through Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Japan and of course, Malaysia. “The RitzCarlton’s hotels are all in amazing locations, but the one consistent aspect is the service level,” he notes.

“There’s always this empathy, where they get real enjoyment out of making you happy and I think it’s something we share.”

As a way of inspiring art, creativity and presence, he often hosts free photo walks for aspiring photographers in the cities he visits, encouraging them to capture the unexpected encounters and unfamiliar beauty of their surroundings. This particular visit to Kuala Lumpur, however, is solely dedicated to exploring

August - 2018

TRAVEL & LEISURE

sites like Chinatown, Batu Caves, As-Salam Mosque, the Istana Negara, and the Petronas Twin Towers. Through his lens, Kuala Lumpur takes on a glittering and slightly magical edge to it - a quality that Ratcliff insists comes from purely from pleasure, rather

than an excess of technical fiddling. “Photography tends to attract very smart, tech-y people who can get a little too into the analysis. But that only takes you so far. What people really want to do is to create art something meaningful - so I try to give people practical advice and

155

156

Trey Ratcliff climbed seven storeys up to take this shot on a hot and humid night.

TRAVEL & LEISURE

Robb Report

August - 2018

TRAVEL & LEISURE

“It’s a popular fallacy that if you’re taking photos, you cannot enjoy the moment.”

157

tell them, ‘Don’t take yourself too seriously.’

It’s a popular fallacy that if you’re taking photos, you cannot enjoy the moment. For example, we’re going to KL Tower tonight to catch the sunset. Just show up with a good attitude, and life tends to take care of itself.” www.ritzcarlton.com ≠

TRAVEL & LEISURE

158

Robb Report

DISCONNECT THE DOTS

Enrolling yourself in Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur’s Digital Wellness programme may be the kindest - and healthiest - treat you give yourself this year.

By RENYI LIM

T

he first thing you do upon waking up is to check for social media updates, closely followed by emails.

You get antsy without your phone - in fact, some might say you’re permanently tethered to it.

It’s time for an intervention courtesy of Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, which offers a halfday Digital Wellness programme (RM780 per person) which encourages you to disconnect and unplug yourself from today’s technological matrix.

Just after dawn, you’ll check your phone in at The Spa as part of the hotel’s

Claudia Gallo is a Costa Rican yoga teacher who is now based in Kuala Lumpur.

complimentary Digital Silence service – before you head to the poolside for a one-hour sunrise yoga class. Your instructor, the charming Claudia Gallo, will put you through your paces at the pool deck, stretching tired wrist muscles and giving you plenty of exercises to soothe the inevitable lower back pain that seems to accompany every desk job.

Afterwards, you’ll spend an hour or so in The Spa’s relaxation room, rediscovering ways to occupy yourself without your phone - through colouring, origami, sketching and other mindfulness activities suggested by the Digital Wellness

Head to the poolside for a one-hour sunrise yoga class.

August - 2018

TRAVEL & LEISURE

goodie basket at your side.

Should you still find yourself uncomfortable in a tech-free environment, distraction comes in the form of a soothing Digital Wellness Escape treatment, where your massage therapist eases the stress of ‘text-neck’ and repetitive movements with firm, targeted strokes.

The spa offers guests complete relaxation.

Complete the programme with a healthy spa cuisine lunch at Aqua Restaurant & Bar to nourish your body and bolster it against the stresses of modern-day life, and then - once you’re ready to reconnect - retrieve your phone. You’ll probably emerge wondering why you ever needed it at all. www.mandarinoriental.com ≠

159

160

SAVOUR

Chef Leung Yu King has been a part of the Michelin-starred Summer Palace team at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong since its opening in 1991.

BRINGING TASTY BACK Chef Leung Yu King revives the maximalist flavours of the 1990s at Summer Palace, one of Hong Kong’s Cantonese cuisine bastions.

Photos LAWRENCE YU

Robb Report

SAVOUR

August - 2018

161

By MARK LEAN

T

he one-Michelin-starred Summer Palace at Island Shangri-La Hotel, Hong Kong has consistently been one of the city’s top tables to host business associates or friends and family. Its enduring appeal may be attributed to the staff, many of whom have been with the hotel for decades and the delicate crowd-pleasing renditions of Cantonese cuisine. Executive Chinese chef Leung Yu King ensures that the latter is always prepared with flair and precision.

Leung says his parents were avid cooks, so his taste buds developed early on. “My father used to make snake soup, which was something I enjoyed growing up,” he recalls. It was the soup, a delicacy during winter months, along with lotus root cooked with cow stomach that Leung remembers fondly.

At Summer Palace, he is responsible for culinary creations that diners consistently return to taste. The restaurant’s dim sum menu changes every two months, while the a la carte menu is updated twice a year.

Clockwise from top left: steamed fresh crab claw with wintermelon in egg white; deepfried crispy shrimp rolls wrapped in rice-flour sheets; a private room at Summer Palace.

Leung says his parents were avid cooks, so his taste buds developed early on.

SAVOUR

162

Robb Report

“I like to visit the markets near my home, Fan Ling and Taipo markets.”

Leung enjoys cooking according to the seasons, trying out new dishes at home, before the big reveal at Summer Palace. His go-to markets for quality produce in Hong Kong? “I like to visit the markets near my home, Fan Ling and Taipo markets.

For the freshest fish, Aberdeen market is the best,” he says.

Hong Kong’s restaura nt scene according to him is always changing. He notices that there is presently a trend

From above: stir-fried fresh lobster; stewed pork brisket.

towards a more retro-influenced menu. Dishes that were popular in the 1990s are coming back into fashion in a big way.

He lists Summer Palace’s greatest hits dishes such as the beef ribs in champagne sauce; milk egg white with scallops and crab roe; and honey-glazed ham with deep-fried bread as a couple of such examples. The only difference, however, compared to the heady 1990s, the “presentation is more

August July - 2018 - 2018

SAVOUR

RR 163

Diners are getting bored with Chinese cuisine presented in a Western-style. modern”. But “the cooking style is the same”, says Leung.

Other elements that contrast with the past include the working styles of younger chefs.

“They are more headstrong compared to in the past. They want their own way, but when that doesn’t work, the ones that stay

eventually pick up the skills of the trade,” Leung explains.

He also notices that diners are getting bored with Chinese cuisine presented in a Western-style.

“There is definitely a move back to more traditional ways of doing things,” he suggests.

His legions of fans at Summer Palace would agree wholeheartedly. www.shangrila.com ≠

Summer Palace.

Inset: chilled sago cream with fresh mango juice and pomelo.

164

BP POLO AND ROYAL SALUTE

Robb Report

TAKING THE FIELD BP Polo and Royal Salute serve an entertaining day of polo.

Photos MARCUS WONG

1

August - 2018

BP POLO AND ROYAL SALUTE

165

3

2

4

1) Royal Salute’s 21-Year-Old Scotch, launched in 1953 on the day of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. 2) A pacey game gets underway. 3) Legends behind the icon that is Royal Salute. 4) Momentos to commemorate the day. 5) From left: Goh Liu Ying, Dato’ Chevy Beh, HE Manuel Balaguer Salas, Benedict Yong of Royal Salute and Jane Teoh. 6) Group shot.

5

A

6

By KENNETH TAN

balmy afternoon in Ipoh saw the teams of BP Polo face off against an Argentinean quartet which comprised professional and nonprofessional players. The latter included Patricio Furlong, managing director of financial institutions for Lloyds Bank in Asia-Pacific.

Meanwhile, BP Polo was an all-family affair comprising Dato’ Beh Chun Chuan, the founder and chairman of

BP Healthcare Group, and his children, Dato’ Chevy, Joevy, Lovy and Garvy.

Watching from the stands was His Excellency Manuel Balaguer Salas and his wife, joined by an audience of 150-plus invited guests who cheered the teams over six chukkas. Their high spirits were aided by the delicious drams of Royal Salute, a blend of whiskies aged to a minimum of 21 years, with its name

BP Polo was an all-family affair comprising Dato’ Beh Chun Chuan and his children.

166

BP POLO AND ROYAL SALUTE

1

Robb Report

2

1) Supermodel Hartini Yasin, popularly known as Tinie, takes centre stage. 2) Selina Yeop Jr (third from left), one of the three co-founders of Romyda_KL, with models wearing the label’s latest collection. 3) Antony Lee, AIG Malaysia’s CEO. 4) Emmanuel Nivet, CEO of AXA Affin General Insurance.

The Romyda_KL fashion label showcased its spring collection.

3 drawn from the traditional 21-gun salute accorded to the monarch of England. The match ended in favour of BP Polo, which made up for its loss to the Argentinean team the day before with a comprehensive 6-5 scoreline.

The post-match dinner at Garvy’s French Dining restaurant offered a gastronomic interlude of the Michelin variety. Taking the helm in the kitchen was guest chef Marion Monier of La Caillebotte a Saintes – a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. Monier’s creations for the night highlighted his approach to cooking, one which he says “takes in every produce and impulse

4 and is then made with my own feelings”. Throughout the night, and alongside plenty of Royal Salute Scotch, Monier trotted out hit after hit, with mango salsa over a fresh chunk of fish, seared foie gras atop a bed of roasted vegetables, hearty seafood bisque and a flavourful rendition of Wagyu.

Guests were also treated to a fashion show featuring top Malaysian model Tinie and a supporting cast showcasing the Romyda_KL fashion label, specifically its spring collection for London and the Middle East. ≠

August - 2018

BP POLO AND ROYAL SALUTE

167

1

2

3

4

5

The post-match dinner at Garvy’s French Dining restaurant offered a gastronomic interlude of the Michelin variety.

1) Tiffany Choong (left) of Bulan Lifestyle and actress Sue Tan. 2) Radio and television host Serena Choong (left) with daughter Chloe and Miss Universe Malaysia 2018 Jane Teoh. 3) Dato’ Beh Chun Chuan and Datin Poh Lay See. 4) Chef Monier of La Caillebotte a Saintes – a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant hard at work. 5) The seared foie gras as an indulgent starter. 6) Royal Salute 21 Year Old’s fruity and oaky aromas and smoked honey palate was paired with the Frenchthemed dinner menu.

6

168

SAVOUR

BATH AND BEYOND

Robb Report

Dan Moon, the head chef of The Gainsborough Bath Spa, showcases his painstaking prep work during a special appearance at The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur’s guest chef dinner series.

Photos MARCUS WONG/ MV PERSPECTIVE

SAVOUR

August - 2018

T

169

By KENNETH TAN

he Library of The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur is becoming one of the city’s hottest dining rooms for its exciting guest chef dinner series. A recent tie-up with The Gainsborough Bath Spa – a sister property under YTL Hotels’ ownership – offered KLites the chance to appreciate the mastery of chef Dan Moon.

Moon, who earned three AA Rosettes, the Caterer’s Acorn Awards and the first Von Essen Chef of the Year accolades, is a West Country-born culinary force who previously cooked in the kitchens of UK establishments such as Hunstrete House and Homewood Park Hotel. His tenure at The Gainsborough Bath Spa sees him crafting dishes in a quintessentially British ambience.

That British experience was what Moon sought to transmit during a fourday extravaganza in Kuala Lumpur, through a six-course dinner paired

The four-day promotion saw chef Dan Moon craft stunning dishes from the freshest produce.

with wines (RM500 nett). The key, as he contends, is in the preparation; with two full days dedicated to mise en place before the festivities. A plum sauce, to accompany the roasted duck breast, needed careful attention across four hours spent in chopping, pureeing and stirring. “The stirring is crucial to maintain the tart and sugar in the sauce, and it’s most important to drop the levels really, really slowly like a jam. Do it too fast and it catches and burns because of the sugars,” Moon recounts.

For this particular dinner, a chicken liver parfait opened proceedings, resplendent with orange sorbet, chicory and almond granola accents. Next came a caramelised onion veloute with quail egg, wild mushrooms, truffle and hazelnuts. “Most of these dishes I actually do back home,” Moon says. However, Kuala Lumpur’s geographical proximity to regional ingredients offered him a chance to indulge his

That British experience was what Moon sought to transmit.

SAVOUR

170

proclivity for Asian flavours. Yuzu caviar on a smoked salmon ballotine and sesame seeds on the aforementioned roasted duck breast were but two instances of Moon’s ingenious use of eclectic, savoury touches. “Back home, I heighten the umami with lots of kelp and seaweed,” Moon says.

His classically British theme was then rounded off with a goat’s curd, garnished

Goat’s curd prepared with lavroche, toasted walnuts and pickled apple.

with toasted walnuts and a pickled apple. For Moon, his idea of British food is one which also segues into modern techniques and, naturally, amazing ingredients.

“The fruit here is just great,” he says of Malaysia, pointing out at his dark chocolate ganache dessert, adroitly plated with banana ice cream, peanut butter mousse and salted caramel popcorn .www.ritzcarlton.com ≠

Robb Report

August - 2018

SAVOUR

171

THE BOLD PACK The Macallan serves a fresh visual identity, while keeping its liquid contents enduringly admired and appreciated.

T

By MARK LEAN

he Macallan’s range of Sherry Oak 12, Double Cask 12 and Triple Cask Matured 12 reveals its new inspiring packaging and bottle design, destined to add an extra frisson of glamour to nights spent behind club velvet ropes. The new bottle features a broad and imposing countenance with a masculine chevron incorporated into the bottle towards the neck. Glen Gribbon, marketing director at The Macallan, explains that the raison d‘etre for the redesign was “to do justice to the extraordinary whisky inside the bottle which, of course, is what we at The Macallan and every whisky fan worldwide really cares about”. www.themacallan.com ≠

172

SAVOUR

The opulent fruit and spice of XO cut through the strong, gamey flavours of the duck magret.

Robb Report

SAVOUR

August - 2018

173

HOUSE OF QUINTESSENCE Remy Martin’s exclusive luncheon to showcase its cognac range is capped by the sublime Carte Blanche Merpins Cellar special edition.

By WEI-YU WANG

“C

ognac is one of the trendiest spirits,” says Thierry A r nold , br a nd ambassador for Remy Martin. “Two-thirds of our cognac drinkers are below 45.”

It is also getting more common for cognac to be taken during the meal, as opposed to as a digestif. To that end, Arnold hosted an exclusive luncheon at The Brasserie, The St Regis Kuala Lumpur, to showcase the versatility of the Remy Martin cognac range.

Each course was accompanied by a different spirit that revealed its possibilities.

The lobster ceviche and its calamansi, grapefruit and pomegranate vinaigrette were offset by the VSOP’s fresh fruit flavours. The toasty notes found in the Club were a fine counterpoint to the oiliness of the smoked sea trout.

The opulent fruit and spice of XO cut through the strong, gamey flavours of the duck magret.

But the afternoon’s guests were all

At The St Regis Kuala Lumpur, Remy Martin cognacs were paired against a palatal backdrop of smoked sea trout, duck magret and chocolate desserts.

Photos ALLSAMAZING

eagerly awaiting the dessert, for that is when something truly special was revealed: the Remy Martin Carte Blanche Merpins Cellar Edition by Baptiste Loiseau (RM1,999). Cellar master Loiseau was given free reign to create any cognac he wished, with but one directive: to reveal the quintessence of Remy Martin. He chose a single exceptional vat from the Merpins cellar, with an eaux de vie blend of at least 27 years old. The final yield is limited to 9,650 bottles worldwide; once exhausted, never to be reproduced.

The reasons for his choice are apparent at first sip. This Carte Blanche displays a richness and deep complexity rarely found in a cognac, yet never yields its refined elegance. A light spiciness of cinnamon and cloves gives way to a remarkably long and rounded finish.

It leaves no doubt in the drinker’s mind that this is a rare treasure from the house of Remy Martin. www.remymartin.com ≠

174

SAVOUR

Hennessy Paradis Imperial is a contemporary creation by Yann Fillioux.

Photos SEAN WONG

Robb Report

SAVOUR

August - 2018

IN PURSUIT OF PERFECTION Chef Darren Chin captures the essence of Hennessy Paradis Imperial in an exercise of precision, sophistication, and exceptional skill.

F

By RENYI LIM

ew cognacs are more selective than Hennessy Paradis Imperial - under the watchful eye of master blender Yann Fillioux, only 10 out of every 10,000 eaux die vie are granted the rare privilege of joining this intricate and elegantly crafted blend. With this in mind, it seemed more than fitting when the brilliant chef Darren Chin of DC Restaurant was tasked with creating a dining experience that ref lected Hennessy Paradis Imperial in all its glory as the pinnacle of cognac craftsmanship.

“As a continuation of our relationship with Moet Hennessy Diageo Malaysia, the theme this year is the encapsulation of perfection,” the founder and

head dhef of DC Restaurant explained.

“That aspect of their philosophy really sums up our kind of cuisine and the way we do things in our restaurant as well, and the whole idea of pairing such an amazing cognac with gastronomy is so specific. It’s about the principles and the mental state behind how such a precise combination can be created.”

The result of this explorative collaboration was a culinary showcase that more than held its own as a tasting journey capable of illuminating Hennessy Paradis Imperial’s three philosophical pillars: the Art of Selection, Point of Elegance and Relentless Quest for Perfection. Available for dinner from 26 June until 31 July and priced at RM998

“The theme this year is the encapsulation of perfection.”

175

176

SAVOUR

Robb Report

French white asparagus - a speciality of the season - arrived flavoured with Hollandaise sauce and a touch of mandarin. per person, the menu opened with a glass of Dom Perignon 2009 and DC Restaurant’s moreish mini tartlets, which came filled with sea urchin and salmon roe.

French white asparagus - a speciality of the season - arrived flavoured with Hollandaise sauce and a touch of mandarin, alongside a glass of Cloudy Bay Tekoko Sauvignon Blanc, followed by a live Hokkaido sea urchin topped with truffled eggs and vegetal emulsion. Green asparagus from Hokkaido - a favourite ingredient of chef Darren’s for its resilient flavour profile, particularly in relation to being paired with cognac - came with a gratin of

Hennessy Paradis Imperial shares distinctive qualities with the six-course menu: both build on years of expertise, yet are driven by an unquenchable thirst for novelty.

Sabah bamboo lobster and sliced summer truffles.

Diners then enjoyed his Homage to M Paul (the celebrated French chef and master of haute cuisine, Paul Bocuse, who passed away at the beginning of 2018), which consisted of market-fresh fish covered ingeniously in potato scales. A choice of mains - Magret de Canard duck with Larb spice and blood orange jus or Kyushu Japanese wagyu rump with strigoli pasta and braised leeks was partnered with a rich Cheval des Andes.

Dessert brought a choice of fragrant Gariguette strawberries with macerated rhubarb, an In

August July - 2018 - 2018

SAVOUR

177 RR

Depth black sesame meringue filled with cheesecake ice cream and mulled blueberries, or a blissinducing selection of cheeses from DC Restaurant’s trolley. And of course, the long-awaited digestif - a glass of Hennessy Paradis Imperial, with its opulent aroma of currants, honey, jasmine, and the subtlest touch of smoke and spice - left a lasting impression of what perfection really tastes like. www.restaurant-dc.com â‰

The ingredients were carefully selected at their seasonal peak, where craftsmanship and attention to detail created a culinary journey worthy of Hennessy Paradis Imperial.

178

SAVOUR

Robb Report

DESIGNED TO IMPRESS Johor Bahru’s most exciting entertainment joint heats up the scene with luxury spirits, unique shows and a peacock.

G

By KENNETH TAN

oing to the club becomes high entertainment at Pagoni in Johor Bahru. The three-storey building is home to a fantastical array of attractions, including a peacock and peahen, and cheongsam-clad receptionists welcoming guests at the entrance.

Pagoni’s proprietor Ben Yeoh, a 13-year veteran of the entertainment scene in Johor Bahru, had sought to

August - 2018

upgrade his previous outlet Aruku to something wildly dramatic.

“I wanted to have a space which would offer plenty of entertainment value, big shows and a sense of destination for our clients,” Yeoh says.

For this, he travelled the region seeking inspiration. He returned home bursting with new ideas, including one of laser-cut copper furniture and peacocks.

When Pagoni officially debuted in January – Pagoni means peacock in Greek – the 2,787sqm space showcased those copper dreams by the tonnes.

Its swanky atmosphere, burnished by reflective surfaces and peacock hues, is furnished with bespoke laser-cut tables and stools.

Hand-painted walls on the walkway and at the sake bar complement the deep timbre of the Chengal wood floors.

Together, the first-f loor lounge and second-floor bar can accommodate up to 800 partygoers.

SAVOUR

Ben Yeoh promises unique mind-blowing experiences for all the senses with exhilarating themed nights and performances by international acts.

179

drinks menu runs the gamut of fine wines, brandies, whiskies and white spirits with particular highlights such as Martell’s top-of-the-line L’Or cognac, Royal Salute 21 Years and the tantalisingly crisp PerrierJouet Belle Epoque.

A revolving roster of shows brings the venue to life. Russian aerialists and Ukranian acrobats feature on the show list as do Taiwanese dancers, Spanish contact jugglers, magicians and Korean dancers.

Just recently, the Asia’s Got Talent 2017 winner, the Sacred Riana illusionist act, made its first Malaysia appearance here.

For Yeoh, these international acts – which alternate with live bands and deejays on weekends – usually show first in Pagoni, as their first landfall in Malaysia.

“It is important for us to maintain that idea of exclusivity,” Yeoh says. “We are doing so many things for the first time and we have to get it exactly right.”

The Asia’s Got Talent 2017 winner, the Sacred Riana illusionist act, made its first Malaysia appearance here.

Private VIP areas cater for up to 25 people, with PR managers available for private celebrations and parties.

Five karaoke rooms include one for up to 100 people, with an 80-inch screen and a snooker table.

A refreshing citrus scent in the jet-

black washrooms is designed to revitalise the inebriated.

Its small plates menu boasts specialities such as the popular unagi don with foie gras, Osetra caviar, grilled abalone, Alaskan king crab and lobsters, while the Photos WESLEY KHOO

This also extends to the aforementioned peacock and peahen couple, which live in a temperatureoptimised enclosure,with regular visits by zookeepers paying regular visits to check on their health . www.flyingpagoni.com ≠

180

SAVOUR

THE QUICK FIX Marble 8’s updated lunch menu ensures you won’t have to sacrifice taste for speed when your schedule only allows for a quick bite.

By RENYI LIM

Photos TING YANG SHAN

Robb Report

August - 2018

A

lthough it would be wonderful if the working day revolved around a lengthy lunch hour, the movers and shakers of the world might agree that’s not quite the case. Thanks to Marble 8’s lunch menu, gourmands who find themselves pressed for time can sail through for a Grab & Bite lunch (available daily, from RM56) with a view. The steakhouse’s tempting polenta fries with truffle butter comes with chicken financier and sour beetroot pesto, while the steak sandwich - comprising grass-fed Australian tenderloin served rose-pink on ciabatta - and crispy

SAVOUR

The renowned 56th-floor steakhouse extends its warm charm to gourmands seeking a satisfying lunch.

The Elite Gourmand Lunch is available from Sunday to Friday.

181

fries may well be the best in town.

Those who fancy a slightly more extended dining experience should opt for the Elite Gourmand Lunch (available from Sunday to Friday, with a choice of three courses at RM78 or four courses at RM118).

It comprises a range of appetisers, pastas and main courses - plus a dessert of the day.

Standout dishes include the burrata cheese with asparagus shavings and roasted Japanese momotaro tomatoes, the pappardelle with mushrooms and capsicum salsa, and the grilled black Angus fillet with cannellini beans. www.marble-8.com ≠

182

ROBB READER

Robb Report

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES David Keel says that being half Asian has helped him discover that each place he visits has its own charm and personality.

Facing page: HYT H0.

Photos MARCUS WONG/MV PERSPECTIVE, ALEX STEPHEN TEUSCHER

ROBB READER

August - 2018

183

A 15-year career in the timepiece market has helped David Keel, HYT Watches’ managing director for Asia Pacific, see the world through unique lenses.

By KENNETH TAN

D

avid Keel, HYT Watches’ managing director for Asia Pacific, entered the watchmaking industry in 2004 as an aftersales coordinator with Vacheron Constantin shuttling between Switzerland and Tokyo. His years in sales and, particularly, the Asian experience, has enabled Keel to understand the full breadth of what it means to be in the business of watchmaking.

My career began with Vacheron Constantin before I started with sales in Audemars Piguet. While working with small companies such as Villemont and Wyler, I went through the experience of setting up everything, from educating clients to generating sales.

I’ve managed to adapt those lessons to an Asian context, particularly, in understanding how different cultures perceive the same brands differently. Sometimes, history and tradition are important considerations as well in order to fully understand local mindsets.

I would say that the sum total of my experience has made me wellrounded; working with big groups such as Richemont, a mainstream

independent watchmaker such as Audemars Piguet, a largely feminine brand in Bedat & Co, and finally to the high-end independent brands such as MCT and HYT. The most important lesson for the industry is the need for constant

innovation. I’ve always liked HYT for its groundbreaking technology.

So when I was offered the chance to lead the Asian market as MD, I didn’t have to think twice. I see myself as a special adviser to my clients’ needs, to never let them down and also to feel their emotions and passion for the timepieces.

Timepiece connoisseurs always expect a lot from brands. For HYT which displays such new technology, clients are already anticipating the next evolution in fluid time.

We have lots of projects in the pipeline, developing mechanics and fluidic elements and yes, even complications.

It is always a great experience meeting our clients. I enjoy that they see our timepieces as art, and we bond over our common passions and the motivation and reasons behind why we make timepieces in such a unique way at HYT Watches.

Our brand has changed the way in which time is represented, in a way that isn’t just an upgrade to existing watch mechanisms.

This revolutionary move has given the market a lot of additional excitement. ≠

STOCKISTS

184

Robb Report

A Lange & Sohne

Chopard

Hautlence

Sincere Fine Watches #2.01.07, Level 2 Pavilion Kuala Lumpur 03 2141 8418 www.alange-soehne.com

#2.24 & #3.26, Level 2 & 3 Pavilion Kuala Lumpur 03 2145 3611 www.chopard.com

Cortina Watch #UG34, Adorn Floor Starhill Gallery 03 2144 1188 www.hautlence.com

Audemars Piguet

#G-61A & G-80 Sunway Velocity Mall 03 9286 6885 www.clarins.com

#UG29, Adorn Floor Starhill Gallery 03 2144 8639 www.audemarspiguet.com

Biologique Recherche The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur City Centre 03 2179 8772 www.biologique-recherche.com

Clarins

Glashutte Cortina Watch #110, First Floor Suria KLCC Shopping Centre 03 2164 5175 www.glashuette-original.com

Hermes #2.17.00 Pavilion Kuala Lumpur 03 2142 0048 www.hermes.com

HYT Watches UG19, Adorn Floor Starhill Gallery 03 2110 0366 www.hytwatches.com

STOCKISTS

August - 2018

185

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Omega

The Hour Glass

#2.46.03 & #2.46.04, Level 2 Pavilion Kuala Lumpur 03 2144 2848 www.jaeger-lecoultre.com

#106H, Level 1 Suria KLCC Shopping CEntre 03 2181 8723 www.omegawatches.com

#G212, 226, #227, Ground Floor The Gardens Mall 03 2287 7830 www.thehourglass.com

Mercedes-Benz City Store

Patek Philippe

Vacheron Constantin

#E-G-16, Ground Floor TREC Kuala Lumpur 03 9212 3063 www.mercedes-benz.com

#2.41, Level 2 Pavilion Kuala Lumpur 03 2148 8930 www.patek.com

Sincere Fine Watches #2.01.07, Level 2 Pavilion Kuala Lumpur 03 2141 8418 www.vacheron-constantin.com

Lexus

Sincere Fine Watches

6 Jalan PJU 7/2 Mutiara Damansara Petaling Jaya 03 7710 5655 www.lexus.com

#G34/ G03M-P, Ground Floor Suria KLCC Shopping Centre 03 2166 2181 www.sincere.com.sg

THE LAST WORD

186

Robb Report

HARD TO SWALLOW Warning: unappetising information ahead. From the four corners of the world come cuisine considered delicacies by very specific peoples.

Got a taste for adventure?

By MARCUS YEW

Hakarl

Goat Head Soup

In Iceland where ice is abundant, shark is buried for 12 weeks then hung to dry for months to make the putrid jerky hakarl. The irony!

Nothing a little jerk spice can’t make tasty: if you can get past caprine dentition in your bowl. Jamaicans swear it’s an aphrodisiac!

Casu Marzu

Bat

Imagine pungent pecorino cheese, with maggots!

Crawling, living, maggots. Thank you Sardinians, your sense of humour is way above our heads.

Some Thais, Chinese and Guamese make bat part of their regular diet, boiling it in soup or mincing it into spiced pastes. Flying rats, you’re the new balut.

Goat head soup photo SHUTTERSTOCK

Italian Masterpieces Suzie Wong Extra bed designed by Roberto Lazzeroni Spoleto, Italy poltronafrau.com

XTRA Furniture Sdn Bhd (324860-H) The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, Lot S-236&237, 2nd floor, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur t +603 2282 9088 | f +603 2282 5088 living@xtrafurniture.com | www.xtrafurniture.com