Sho Naganuma, One Night In Langkawi

If you own a BMW 7 series, or intend to, then you will have the privilege of being invited to ladida events at the Four Seasons Langkawi, and be feted by celebrity chefs like Sho Naganuma, who slaved over the stoves for a week to produce a different menu for a week for all the well heeled.  If you do NOT own a BMW or can't afford to, then you gotta be content to be invited for a preview of the AFC TV Show featuring Sho Naganuma.

Last Monday night, on 17th June, AFC premiered its newest addition to the One Night Series.  The members of the media & bloggers were invited to Serai, Life Centre for a preview of the show, as well as as for an opportunity to meet the Chef in real life.  He cuts a very dashing figure, almost like the likeable "bad guy" in a movie, with his macho and rugged exterior.  It was interesting to hear certain aspects of his life, like how his father found him impossible to manage, and finally exiled him to America, from Japan.  I wouldn't mind that kind of exile.

The show highlights how he is commissioned for this Herculean task, (although it's only 7 days, and not 12) and how his first step is to meet with his mentor and sifu, Hide Yamamoto, who highlights and questions where his source of ingredients would be from, and how he would preserve freshness etc .  In a nutshell, all the fresh sushi ingredients are flown in from Japan, ...afterall, if you can fly in BMW owners to Langkawi, I am sure flying in a few fish wouldn't be a problem.

Other aspects of the show, show Sho showing his anxiety caused by forces of nature, when a sudden thunderstorm forces the entire dinner to be moved indoors, causing havoc on the logistics of the entire operation.  At the end of the day, of course the final outcome is good.  It's nice to live vicariously and see the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

 The BMW fellow, Mr Owen, gives his speech, and introduces Chef Sho.  He's actually quite a soft spoken gentleman, and doesn't look like the sort who would be screaming and going ballistic in the kitchen.  (As in Chef Sho). 

We get an insight into the pensive side of the Chef, ... well, he certainly seemed to have a good time in Langkawi, and managed to try the cable car, went into the mangroves, went swimming, skiing, jetskiing, and an amazing looking spa, which he describes as the best he had.  

So tune in to AFC for more of ONE NIGHT IN LANGAWI - SHO NAGANUMA, Channel 703 Astro.  Although it has already premiered, there will be re-runs. 

The Three Lankan-teers Strikes - Suria Cafe, Saujana Hotel

For a limited time, that is from now till 27th June, Suria Cafe at Saujana Hotel is having a "Celebrating the Flavours of Sri Lanka" promotion.  Three Sri Lankan (hence the pun on the title, copy-written by Azhar Ahmad, the PR Exec of Saujana Hotels), Chefs hailing from the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo (and in an exchange program, 3 chefs from Malaysia have gone over there), are here to cook up a wonderful Colombo-an Culinary Cacophony....

Executive Sous Chef Dodangodage Clifford Nisantha Perea, Senior Sous Chef Liyana Arachchige Anura Wijesiri, and Commis I Udaramba Gamaralage Chandana Jayanath Gunathilake ...did I just develop a finger cramp typing all that? .. are the three featured chefs for this adventure.

Actually, after having sampled the dinner, I can't really say it's all that much different from our local Southern Indian Cuisine, perhaps a little emphasis on some particular spices, like cumin, but the spiciness level is highly compatible with our palate, and I loved their deep fried dried chillies. Definitely a spread that would appeal to Malaysians. 

Cashew and drumstick meat mitikirata.  The cashews weren't crunchy, but rather stewed to almost bean like consistency, which is something different. 

Fish stew, which was my favourite for the night, it had a very "pure" taste, ie, the sauces did not overpower the fish, and it all melded very well.

Festive yellow rice - I can never resist yellow rice, for some bizarre reason. I assume the yellow is from tumeric, but the fluffy grains of basmati with a slightly aromatic flavour of oil I'm guessing is ghee, makes it totally yummy and must have with the array of curries.

Prawn baduma - The problem with these kind of dishes is that it cries out to be accompanied with that lovely yellow festive rice.  Not good if you are trying to avoid carbs at night.  But a match made in heaven for sure.

Lamb black pepper curry - forgot to try this, mainly because I am not a lamb fan.  But it looks delectable enough.

Labelled as Red Chicken, I initially thought it's similar to our Ayam Masak Merah, but actually, it wasn't, and is more like our curry chicken, with a little more spice and kick.

Chicken and vegetable kottu- freshly fried, KY (of KY Speaks) commented it reminded him of the chinese Ju Hu Char.  Well, not really, but it's a very tasty combination of shredded chicken and shredded cabbage, carrots, etc.

Plain and egg hoppers.  This definitely reminds us of our apam, (the thin kind, not the fat one), except you put some very delicious sambal into it. 

An array of desserts.  Like their Southern Indian counterparts, these really are for the very sweet toothed.  Sego, Rice pudding with juggery,Wattalappan, Curd & trickle, Sri Lankan sweet meats

Wattalapan

The Sri Lankan food promo is until 27th June, and is priced at RM90++ for the buffet dinner, and RM70++ for the buffet lunch.

For reservations, call 03-78431234 ext 6122 /4717
or email dine@thesaujana.com. or visit their website, HERE.

Starhill Culinary Studio - The "Very Atas" Cooking School, At the Top of Starhill

A few months back, when I attended the launch of the book A Perennial Feast, the very gorgeous Paula Conway, Operations & Marketing Manager of Starhill Culinary Studio, was telling us about the setting up of the Starhill Culinary Studio, which occupies the entire upper floor of Starhill Gallery.  That was in March.  And in the blink of an eye, a quarter of the year has zoomed by, and lo and behold, the Starhill Culinary Studio is now officially opened, with loads of interesting culinary classes as well, in an environment that is quite simply my dream kitchen.

12,000 sq ft, imagine, in the heart of KL, (one wonders what the rental would be like), dedicated to different teaching kitchens, dining rooms, wine cellars. 


There was free flow wine as we mingled at chatted, I was relieved to see a familiar face, the Makan Fairy Godmother (writer and author of a cookbook herself, Marian Eu Hooi Khaw).  The "party packs" had two bottles of gourmet sauces, courtesy of the Starhill Culinary Studio.  In the bag, were a toque, and apron, and unbeknownst to us at the time, the toques bore the names of the kitchens which we were allocated.  Some were assigned the Pastry Kitchen, some the wine studio, some with Chef Wai himself, ...the Executive Chef at SCS. 


The keynote speaker at the launch was Jeremiah Tan, Director of Starhill Culinary Studio and Autodome Sdn Bhd.  "An inspiring experience is what epicureans will discover when they attend Starhill Culinary Studio's classes.  In house and external experts will lend their expertise on how to enrich their daily lives and will get creative juices flowing with fun, engaging classes". 

The Chefs are introduced as they descend the escalator into the Syook at the Feast Village, where the audience is congregated.  After the introductions, we are beamed up (by lifts) to the uppermost floor, to our respective kitchens, as determined by our toques. 



Sights like these greet us at the pastry kitchen. 


Those of us allocated to Pastry are taught how to make a simple chocolate mousse.  The ingredients used at the school are top notch, and that is already half the battle won, in most cases.


There is an atmosphere of gaiety and anticipation, as the teaching chefs explain the various methodologies. 


Chef here is explaining how we should never use raw egg yolks in mousses, and it's best to whip them up into a sabayon, ...which personally I find terribly tedious. 


I sneak out while the cream is whipping, and explore the premises, and think drat, I wish I had drawn the lot for the wine studio rather than the pastry kitchen.  Looked fun.  I can imagine swirling and smelling and sipping... how very ladidah. 




The main chef, Chef Wai, who says, "We use the freshest of ingredients to create magic in each class where an insight into a whole world of different cuisines is delivered in one place.  Starhill Culinary Studio goes beyond making dishes, it is also an environment that creates friendships".




There's a hive of activity going on.  I continue my self tour, while imbibing more of the free flow wine. 


Chef demonstrates how to pipe mini eclairs. I should have paid attention to this class, because my choux always fails. The choux never fits


Very good ingredients, as you can see. 




Eclairs and cream puffs rising nicely in the oven.








Dato Yeoh Soo Min of YTL Corp holds up her freshly fried curry puff.  Actually, those puffs were delicious.  It wasn't a curry filling, it was some creamy seafood, but the pastry was superb.  Drat, I want that recipe.




There's also a dining area for Wai's Kitchen.




Chef Wai poses in front of his kitchen.


Hooi Khaw, Jeremiah and Datuk Yeoh Soo Min....

For more information on Starhill Culinary Studio, contact Angela Chan at 03-2782-3831 or angela_chan@ytlland.com

Father's Day Backyard BBQ At Ben's, Publika - Fast tracked post

BEN'S PUBLIKA, FATHER'S DAY BACKYARD BBQ, SAT, 15th JUNE, 12PM -10PM. 

Father's Day is SO much lower profile than Mother's Day, presumably because of the child bearing process.  As an old female friend  once proclaimed, once women discover a way to clone ...err.... that male component that is required for fertilization, men will become redundant.  Very amazonian.

So while for Mother's Day, the previews and the preparations start 9 months before the event, for Father's Day, which is apt, it's almost at the 11th hour.  Heck, even I didn't know when it was.  Anyway, we, meaning the brood and me, were invited to Ben's at Publika to sample their Backyard BBQ, which will be held on SATURDAY, from 12pm all the way to 10pm.  There will be a barrage of activities, I presume with a paternally inclined theme, such as quiz questions like, "WHO WAS YOUR FATHER'S FIRST GIRLFRIEND?" ...we were given a set of cards, very cute, with questions for both father and offspring, like, "What is the funniest memory you have of your father?", and "What would you wish for your kids?" (my wish is that they marry a rich guy or girl so they don't have to work and can bring me on holidays whenever...kidding la, I am shallow, but not that shallow).

 Kids trying their hand at the BBQ. 

There will be RM50 coupons for sale at the site itself, on the day itself, so kids, (or rather, Fathers, since no kids read this blog as it has been rated PG13 many an occasion), want your kids to cook for you, or want to show of your neandarthal alpha male self by slapping on a shrimp on the barbie, head down to Ben's, for an afternoon of fun.  Slap on the sunblock, cos I'm guessing it gets pretty hot out there.

Scenes like this always make me think of Louis Armstrong's What A Wonderful World. 

Three generations were represented here tonight.... Famous blogger Ciki of CC Food Travel with her dad, and very young looking mum, (not in pic, drat).  Her dad proudly told us how she is an excellent cook, and can cook eggs five ways....half boiled, hard boiled, fried, omelette...and I can't remember the last one. 

I loved the fried parmesan cheese (bottom row, middle).... these are but a fraction of what will be available on Saturday.

Crazy dads doing their thing.  Check out devoted father, baker and chef's blog HERE.

And my own Do-Re-Mi-Fa...really the greatest blessing in my life.  As for father's day, as my own dear father says, "every day is father's day, every day is a celebration".  True, that.   Why limit appreciation to a day in the year?

Thanks Carole for the invite, it was a great night, and lots of fun, meeting with old buddy Dharm, (Dad Baker & Chef), Ciki & Parents.

Ben's. Lot No. : G2 - 37A / G3 - 32, Publika Location, : LEVEL G2. Contact No, : +603-6205 2768.

Cape Mentelle Wine Pairing Dinner At Neo Tamarind

Nothing like a midweek Wine Pairing Dinner to take away the midweek blues. Especially when the invitation comes from the wonderful people at Moet Hennessy Diageo and G2 PR.  One can always count on them to pick an interesting venue for a different dining experience, and sure enough, this time dinner was at Neo Tamarind.  I have not been to this neck of the woods in years, and I believe the last time I came here, it was an Italian restaurant...yes, it has been that long.  One of the reasons is the very thought of parking ALONG Jln Sultan Ismail is daunting, let alone braving the traffic.  However, to my pleasant surprise, neither was an issue, traffic was a breeze going into town, and parking was easy enough, just park at neighbouring Menara Hap Seng (very cheap too), and walk over, or if you're feeling luxurious, just valet park at the premises itself.



I bump into fellow bloggers, KY Speaks and Ei Ling (chocolate snob) at the foot of these stairs, but totally forget to take a picture of them, or with them. 


It's nice to see that such places still exist in the city centre, ie, private bungalows, or what used to be, housing a nice restaurant.  They're few and far between, which is a pity. 


As I head STRAIGHT for the wine, I totally forget to photograph the event at the foyer, which is a blind tasting, of four varieties of Cape Mentelle Wines.  You do not wear a blindfold, but the bottles are covered, and you got to guess the sequence of the wines, which was  made up of a Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2012, Chardonnay 2011, Cabernet Merlot 2010 and a  Shiraz 2011.  If you guessed the sequence correctly, you win a bottle of wine.  Sadly, due to my failing eyesight, (and not taste buds), I misread the labels on the poster, and wrote down cabernet sauvignon instead of cab merlot, hence forfeiting the chance at the free bottle, much to the stinging pain in my heart. 

 The lovely dining room setting


MHD Brand Ambassador, Chong Wai Keng, giving his introductory speech. 


ASHLEY WOOD, VITICULTURIST, a Bachelor of Viticulture at Charles Sturt University in New South Wales,spent 12 years working in vineyards in Margaret River before joining the team at Cape Mentelle in 2007.  At this dinner, he regales us with the tasting notes of the different wines, and talks about them with an utmost contagious passion. 



Steamed white cod paired with coconut herb reduction paired with the Chardonnay.  Oh, for canapes, there was a variety of foods, paired with the Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, which I much preferred over the chardonnay.  For some reason, I find savignon blancs generally crisper, the pale straw green hues appearance refreshing in our weather in particular.  The SBC is made up of 54% sauvignon blanc and 46% semillon.


The Chardonnay, on the other hand, paired with the Cod, (which incidentally was very well done.  The coconut herb reduction did not overpower the natural flavour of the cod, and the fish was fresh and cooked just right), did seem to be a good match.  The citrusy notes of the wine complement fish the way ...citrus does.


The Cabernet Merlot 2010 a bright, deep ruby red potion, comprising 44% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 6% petit verdot, 1% malbec.  It's what in my limited wine vocabulary I would consider a fairly full bodied wine, with a distinct but subtle tannin.


The Cabernet Merlot was paired with Roasted Chicken, Roasted Garlic bulb and whipped potatoes.  It was unanimously agreed on our side of the table that the roasted garlic bulb was outstanding.  The chicken was also moist and flavoursome, and the potatoes, that had been whipped into submission, were light and almost airy. 



The Shiraz 2011 with the roasted duck breast was really a good match, like Sandy and Danny in Grease.  Fortunately, my breast was tender, (okay, that came out wrong), unlike KY's and Ei Ling's breasts which were apparently tough and chewy.  It was quite effortless, and I wouldn't have minded more breasts.  Of the two reds, I preferred the Shiraz.  It's dark purple hues and depth remind me of literature, (as opposed to tabloids, which some wines remind me of), and I guess the pairing with duck seems inexplicably French, and who I ask doesn't like all things French....except the English?




You may think these two pics strange, but very seldom do we get "male models" parading alcohol.  It has always been the ambit of chicks... so it was interesting to see these strapping young lads doing their thing.  A tribute to the male models.



Finally, the piece de resistance for the night, since FOUR guys were parading the bottle, the dark, vibrant, ruby red Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, paired with a succulent piece of grilled Tenderloin, Ergyngii mushroom, scallion oil & beef jus.  You can see the full bodiness of the wine from the tears left on the glass after a swirl.  Each sip of the wine enhanced the taste of the tenderloin, and also contributed to the increased conviviality in the room.  The wine is made up of 97% cabernet sauvignon, 3% merlot.







To end, a green tea creme brulee.

Twas also nice to catch up with old timer bloggers KgBoy & Citygal, who haven't aged a day since I first met them nearly 6 years ago.  With us is MHD Brand Ambassador Chong Kai Weng, and Taufulo.