Old Billingsgate, the original London Fish Market, was transformed into a bucolic English country scene with grassy paths and artful displays of herbs, vegetables and flowers.  Among the tables, cooking pods named after traditional British produce such as Golden Beetroot, Cornish Artichoke and Yorkshire Rhubarb were positioned so as to give the connoisseur audience an optimum view of the meal in the making.

After a Pommery champagne reception, the Dîner began with Raymond Blanc, Claude Bosi and Andrew Fairlie leading the Relais & Châteaux Grands Chefs tribe to their allocated cooking pods.

Dream teams of chefs included an all-female line-up (Hélène Darroze of Restaurant Hélène Darroze in France, Annie Féolde of Enoteca Pinchiorri in Italy, and Margot Janse of Le Quartier Français in South Africa) and a “Loiseau” signature team (Patrick Bertron of Le Relais Bernard Loiseau in France, Michael Caines of Gidleigh Park in England, and Hiroshi Yamagushi of Kobe Kitano Hotel in Japan).  At the Table d’Honneur Relais & Châteaux International President Jaume Tàpies hosted 20 very special guests on a magnificent banquet style table and Raymond Blanc and Gary Jones of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in England teamed up with Andrew Fairlie of Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles in Scotland and Patrick Henriroux of La Pyramide near Lyon in France.

Each team prepped, cooked and presented their creations working with seasonal local produce to demonstrate and marry their combined talent and individual skills.   The meal was accompanied by the finest of Pommery champagnes including Cuvée Louise Pommery Rosé Millésime 2000, Cuvée Louise Millésime 1990 and Cuvée Louise Pommery Millésime 1999.

At the end of the dinner, Lord Dalmeny, Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s UK, conducted a live auction and provoked a furious bidding war for six unique experiential prizes.  Each lot was exclusively created by Relais & Châteaux and their event partners.  They included the ultimate “Road to Happiness” of 31 overnight stays in different Relais & Châteaux hotels across the UK & Ireland, the most exquisite and prestigious experience in Champagne with Pommery and the ultimate Silversea cruise.  The night raised over £100,000 from the live and silent auctions with all proceeds going to the Grand Chefs’ chosen charity Action Against Hunger, the international humanitarian organization committed to ending child hunger.

Relais & Châteaux paid tribute to the Grands Chefs inviting each to the stage for a medal presentation to rapturous applause.  The Chefs returned to their pods to sign the menus for every guest to treasure as a memento of a special evening.

After the performance all 46 chefs headed for a wrap-up party at The Corinthia to celebrate and prolong London’s gastronomic event of the year.

Commenting on the success of the evening, President of Relais & Châteaux Jaume Tàpies said: “Passion, extraordinary British produce, the world’s best culinary talents and exceptional generosity were just some of the ingredients that contributed to an unforgettable event.  46 Relais & Châteaux Grands Chefs came from all around the world to celebrate London as a leading gourmet capital.  By cooking together for passionate food lovers they demonstrated that good food combined with friendship is the best recipe for happiness”.

Attending VIPs included: 

French Ambassador for the UK Bernard Emie, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food David Heath, Lord Dalmeny of Sotheby’s, Rosie Boycott representative of the London Mayor’s office, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Richard Jones, Gillian Anderson, Salvatore Ferragamo, Judith Chalmers OBE, Murray Head, Lucia van der Post, Francois-Xavier Demaison, Emmanuelle Demaison, Cécile de Menibus, Jean-Félix Lalanne, Elodie Lalanne, Philippe Lellouche, Vanessa Demouy, Annie Lemoine, Hélène Segara, Mathieu Lecat, Elisa Tovati, Bernard de la Villardiere, Joyce Jonathan,

Participating Grands Chefs included: 

Jean-Christophe Ansanay-Alex, Christophe Bacquié, Colin Bedford, Patrick Bertron, Raymond Blanc & Gary Jones, Holger Bodendorf, Claude Bosi, Thomas Bühner, Martin Burge, Michael Caines, Jonathan Cartwright, Jean-André Charial, Lanshu Chen, Jacques Chibois, Christopher Coutanceau, Giovanni D’Amato, Hélène Darroze, Pascal Devalkeneer, Andrew Fairlie, Annie Feolde & Riccardo Monco, Jérôme Ferrer & Alexandre Barre, Nils Henkel, Patrick Henriroux, Margot Janse, Michel Kayser, Jean-George Klein, Reto Lampart, Jean-Michel Lorain, Barbara Lynch, Marc et Pierre Meneau, Marc Meurin, Toni Mörwald & Roland Huber, Norbert Niederkofler & Nicolò Bagna, Patrick O’Connell, Emmanuel Renaut, Jean-Luc Rocha, Michel Rochedy & Stephane Buron, Georges Victor Schmitt, Yoshinori Shibuya, Emmanuel Stroobant, Simon Taxacher, Peter Tempelhoff, Davy Tissot, César Troisgros, Michael White, Hiroshi Yamaguchi.

Enjoy Memories from the Dinner in the below Photo Gallery:

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Grand Chefs Dinner London 2013

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Well seated and taken care of, we decided to enjoy our cigars; as soon as our waiters noticed that, he brought over a cigar ashtray with matches and a cutter;  we were impressed with the team’s professionalism.

A live band was performing light background music which makes you feel more welcome without annoying you. The crowd was a mix of couples and families, looking for a warm atmosphere and traditional British food.

The menu, clearly displayed on the sous plat, includes several categories: soups, classic pies, something to share, starters, big platters, grilled steaks, cheeses and succulent selection of desserts.

Our helpful waiter Guillaume recommended a starter and main course, sharing explanations and clarifications on the menu, despite missing some items -especially in the pork part.

We had to ask for bread while waiting for our food, but when it came, it was warm and fresh.

Menu highlights

Our starter, a refreshing, crisp cornish crab and prawns salad comes with grilled avocado, cherry tomatoes and free range eggs. As I am not an egg fan, I am glad to see it has been placed on the side.

The live music still plays pleasantly in the background.

Just on time, following British standards, the main course arrives closely after we are done with the starters. My medium cooked 250gr angus beef fillet steak (220aed), topped with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, with sauce, French fries and a selection of mustards on the side is simply succulent, each piece of tender meat melting in my mouth. The portions, large enough to satisfy a starving man, are well worth their price. My friend, who decided to go for a main course only, enjoyed his Trio of Sausages (100AED) with mustard mash and onion gravy. Very British, very appetizing.

Too full for desert, we decided to try some on our next visit, as we’ll surely be dining at The Wharf again.

We had the chance to enjoy drinks and a cigar in the open air, by the water at the middle of Madinat Jumeirah, and I can say it was a good way to start off the weekend with great food and pleasant company.

Rating

Service 4/5
Atmosphere 4/5
Food 4/5
Value 4/5

Open: Lunch Served from 12:00 to 15:00, Dinner Served from 19:00 to 23:30 (except Fridays), Bar Served from 15:00 to 01:00, Friday Brunch Served from 12.30 to 16:00, Friday Affair Served from 19:00 to 23:00. | Address: Madinat Jumeirah, Mina Al Salam. | Telephone +971 4 3666730. | Email MJrestaurants@jumeirah.com

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Ernesto discovered his calling at a young age, when he realized he wanted to “work in the kitchen”. He went to a “hotelerie” school, after which he started working in Italy with famous chefs. He then moved to Europe to expand his culinary horizons by learning new techniques and working with different chefs. In his constant pursuit of new challenges, and always seeking to experiment with food and presentation, Chef Tonetto also worked in Hong Kong and Lebanon, before finally settling down in Dubai, at Cavalli Club.

Ernesto explained to us the necessity of adapting one’s cooking style to the market, suppliers and available ingredients, while always maintaining high standards in cooking methods and presentation.

To clarify his point, he revealed to us the ingredients behind one of his famous risottos:  vegetable stock -which he prefers to meat or chicken stock- mixed with risotto grains, butter, parmesan, beetroot purée, flour and a bit of gorgonzola (Italian blue cheese) sauce. Seeing pure white  mix with violent red over the stove made us quite curious about the taste of this intriguing preparation.

Chef Tonetto describes having a Michelin star as a gratification for a chef’s professionalism and good cooking methods; for him, this is the recognition that a chef is one of the best. Ernesto feels everyone should try Cavalli Club for the experience, fashion, food and service.

We do agree with him about that. Grazie mille chef!

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On the palate, freshness enhances the delicate finesse of this fine apple juice and its captivating fruity and sweet touch. The elusive flakes of Gold turn this tasting into a festive and magical moment.

Gold has always fascinated and attracted men. One of the most precious metals and endowed with many properties, it was first used in European gastronomy at the end of the XIXth century. Today it is served with the finest dishes of the world’s best tables. Gold is also known for its medicinal benefits and is used nowadays by many cosmetic companies for its antioxidant properties.

Forrey and Galland offers exclusive bottle engraving services and customization, these can be done in gold-leaf gilding, giving a personal touch to this exquisite product. Gold Emotion is available at Forrey & Galland, Dubai Mall boutique.

The post Forrey & Galland presents ‘Gold Emotion’, New Luxurious Sparkling Fruit Juice appeared first on Ping Dubai.

“We wanted to create an even more elevated experience when you bite into a cupcake… the surprise filling adds just that extra layer of flavor and dimension,” says Dana Jallad, co-owner, Hey Sugar.

Oey goey caramel, chewy cookie dough and cinnamon apples are among the variety of fillings used in these new recipes.  The flavor combinations are unusual and nostalgic, reminiscent of classic homemade recipes.

Caramelicious, Who let the Dough Out, Love Me Tender, Apple of my Pie, Banoffee and Rockin’ Rerro are the quirky names of all the new flavours in stores now. The “Surprise Me” filled cupcakes are selling at 18 AED per cupcake and are available to purchase in store or to be ordered over the phone at 800-Heysugar. Now my sweet tooth has a SERIOUS craving!!

The post Hey Sugar Bakeshop launches gourmet range of “Surprise Me” cupcakes appeared first on Ping Dubai.

OCÓO, which has been approved by European Union Food Safety Authority (EFSA), is proven to address the following beauty benefits:

- Skin Care – Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Iodine and Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
- Anti-Aging – Zinc and Selenium contribute to the protection of cells from oxidative damage.
- Collagen - Vitamin C contributes to generation of collagen.
- Hair - Copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation and Biotin to the maintenance of normal hair.

In essence, OCÓO refreshes your beauty.

Unlike other beauty & skin care products which only function temporarily on the surface of the skin, OCÓO works from within by circulating through the blood, nourishing each cell with the vitamins & nutrients needed to enhance a natural glow from the inside out.

With OCÓO you take the beauty regimen a step further from the traditional skincare routines. Fulfill your skin’s cravings & quench your thirst for health and beauty with this fruity indulgence.

To fully benefit from it’s active ingredients, one serving daily is the recommended intake with visible results after only 6 to 8 weeks, the natural process period for skin and cell renewal. OCÓO is not simply a drink but a way of life for anyone looking to rejuvenate, maintain & enhance their health and beauty.

Cranberry, Pomegranate, Red Grapes, Aronia, Black Currant & Acai, OCÓO’s mix of exotic red and blue berries is a delicious blend containing a healthy dose of vitamins that are scientifically proven to rejuvenate from within, and promote healthy hair and skin.  The vital beauty-enhancing substances include biotin, zinc, selenium, copper and iodine as well as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C and E.

Stocked in the world’s most stylish hotels & outlets and a daily must-have amongst the world’s leading beauty icons, OCÓO is set to take the beauty world by storm and become synonymous with inner & outer beauty. OCÓO is now available to order online with free delivery on www.ocoobeauty.com.  OCÓO is currently served in the prestigious Zuma Dubai, and retails in Galleries Lafayette, Dubai Mall, as well as in other major department stores. It will also soon be available in key hotels and spas across the region.

The post OCOO Beauty Drink Now Available in Dubai! appeared first on Ping Dubai.

Found in Nick Lander’s book The Art of the Restaurateur.

The post 10 Essential Qualities for a Restaurateur appeared first on Ping Dubai.

On April 22^nd the brightest stars of the culinary world will once again unite to celebrate the best of British produce at a dinner around the theme “All the World’s a Kitchen by the Thames”.  To take place at Old Billingsgate, guests will be privy to a quintessentially London view overlooking the Thames and London Bridge in what was formerly the world’s largest fishmarket, while enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime gastronomic experience.

45 Grands Chefs from all over the world will pool their virtuosity in dream teams composed of three different Grands Chefs, to be paired with the finest vintage Pommery Champagne.  The result will be fifteen different customized and never seen before menus signed by three different Grands Chefs prepared as a live performance for the guests.  The UK contingent will be led by Raymond Blanc and Gary Jones (Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons), Andrew Fairlie (Restaurant Andrew Fairlie) and Claude Bosi (Hibiscus) and who will set the tempo for the tribe of Grands Chefs to once again surprise and enchant with their surprising riffs on “food Britannia” inspired by spirit of London. Other talents from further afar include Patrick O’Connell (The Inn at Little Washington, USA), Emmanuel Renaut (Flocons de Sel, France) and Lanshu Chen (Le Moût Restaurant, Taiwan).

Grand Chef Raymond Blanc remarks, “Relais & Chateaux has chosen London to celebrate the extraordinary changes which have taken place in British gastronomy. The quality of produce and dedication to responsible luxury are core to this reconnection with their craft. London has established itself as a world gastronomical destination where chefs’ creations mirror its multicultural heart. Having worked in Great Britain for the past 30 years, I have always celebrated this as well as Relais & Chateaux’s values of L’Art de Vivre and respect for biodiversity and the environment.”

In partnership with Action against Hunger, a silent auction is set to thrill foodies and connoisseurs of all tastes with the proceeds going to support this cause close to the hearts of the chefs.

For more information and pre-registration: Diner des Grands Chefs 2013

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Sergio Herman received his first Michelin star for Oud Sluis in 1995 and doubled it four years later. In 2005, he achieved the absolute pinnacle with a third star. Oud Sluis is ranked 20 out of 20 in the Gault Millau guide and is listed in The San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Sergio’s signature refreshing accents and delicate sours, mark his feather-light preparations highlighted in his latest food and art book titled, Sergiology. His ‘Magnum Opus’ that took more than two years and a large number of people, to create; ‘Sergiology is an ode to my family, my work and my interests, which are at the source of everything that has brought me so much success. I spent time in isolation, writing 60 recipes for this substantial volume. It is a book which portrays my most beautiful and most special moments, creations and people,‘ says Sergio. Culinary greats such as Heston Blumenthal, Rem Koolhaas and Anton Corbijn have also contributed to Sergiology which has a limited edition print run of only 2000 copies and are all numbered individually.

One live-cooking dinner in Salt. One exclusive Vinum Dinner. One sandbank lunch.
One unforgettable Maldivian culinary exhibitionism.

Creative Director, Photographer and TV Producer, Sean Jesudasan’s work has been used by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (Washington), Hausenberg (Copenhagen), ESPN StarSports (Malaysia), Atos Origin (Hong Kong), The Tourism Board of Singapore and more. Influenced and inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Annie Leibovitz, his strengths in natural lighting and composition, almost minilmalist in style all feature strongly in his work. Sean began his adventure with photography on the streets having lived in Canada, America, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Nepal and India and referring to himself as a ‘citizen of the world’, Sean is currently working on a personal documentary production based on the migration of people. Sean will be on island to document this culinary journey with Sergio and for the first time, taking the Dream Calendar ‘live’. Each day, Sean will be producing 5 – 10 minute videos of each experience which will be uploaded to the retreat’s YouTube channel immersing Huva-fans into the experience remotely.

Huvafen Fushi is located in the North Malé Atoll and enjoys a pristine private island setting featuring 44 naturally modern bungalows and pavilions, and is home to the world’s first underwater spa. Managing company Per AQUUM Retreats • Resorts • Residences is dedicated to delivering an experience beyond the highest expectations, while remaining dedicated to the sustainable development and resources of the Maldives.

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The awards ceremony, held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City, Wednesday 20 February, was attended by many leading figures of the region, including Patrick Chalhoub, Co-CEO Chalhoub Group, and Neil Slade, GM of Aston Martin Middle East.

The award for “Best Luxury Chocolate” was presented to Isabelle Jaouen, Managing Director of Forrey & Galland.

“We are thrilled to have been selected as this year’s winner of this prestigious title. It is an honour to be a part of these acclaimed awards for the second time,” said Isabelle Jaouen.

A judging panel of three members; Mohi-Din BinHendi, Ingie Chalhoub and K Rajaram of Al Naboodah automobiles selected the winners for each award category.

The Gulf Connoisseur Awards celebrate the ultimate achievements in luxury, recognizing initiatives for innovation and exceptional product launches over the last year. It is about congratulating the key players in the luxury spectrum, who have taken the extra step to represent the highest form of craftsmanship and excellence in service offering, differentiating themselves from their peers.

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