Tailored to tempt
0 Comments | New Straits Times, Mar 14, 2009 | by James Hipkiss
A COLLEGE’S school of hospitality and tourism showcased some of the country’s finest haute cuisine which JAMES HIPKISS happily sampled.
The School of Hospitality and Tourism from Taylor’s College recently hosted a Chef’s Table, showcasing some of Malaysia’s finest haute cuisine, something which may also augur well for fine dining in Southeast Asia.
The chefs who contributed their expertise to the five-course dinner were Antoine Rodriguez, executive chef of Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur, Emmanuel Stroobant, the proprietor of Singapore’s Saint Pierre Restaurant, Frederic Cerchi, lecturer at Taylor’s College, Karam Singh, pastry course instructor at Taylor’s College and Bala Murali Nanda, who heads the college’s Diploma in Culinary Arts programme.
Having five culinary lights hosting a table (two from France, home of haute cuisine) was too much of an opportunity to miss.
Why are French restaurants thin on the ground in Malaysia?
East Asians generally veer toward Italian restaurants, pastas and pizzas being more familiar food than classic French dishes.
What does the future hold for French food in Asia?
Perhaps the emphasis should be more on southern France’s lighter Mediterranean dishes rather than the heavier ones from the central and northern regions with their rich sauces and calorie-laden recipes, more often that not, with cream and butter the key ingredients.
What of the new trend – molecular cuisine – coming out of Europe’s top kitchens to rave reviews?
A passing fad more than anything else.
And is the other “new cooking” fusion food valid? Yes, as long as it is not confusion food!
Chefs have to be first trained in classical cooking to have the expertise to delve into fusion. A full understanding of what is likely to work or not is vital.
The five chefs were clear that the principles of haute cuisine, founded in France by such names as Escoffier (whose portrait, incidentally, was hanging in our room), were the bedrock of fine cuisine.
The chefs then put their credentials on the table for the evening.
Stroobant gave us the double decadence of Torchon de Foie Gras et Homard Canadien. This is luscious, silky, rich foie gras pate encasing cold water lobster (more flavourful than its tropical cousin) with a delightful hint of white truffle – pure luxury!
Cerchi then produced Puree of Smoked Butternut Pumpkin, a rich though not cloying cream soup, the light smoky flavour coming through to provoke more interest in the pumpkin. His presentation was also delightfully intriguing.
Bala’s Norwegian Salmon with a Bayaldi of Zuchini, Daikon, Brinjal, Caviar, Polenta and Champagne Sauce was prepared with a minimum of heat.
The salmon was seared for mere seconds, then lightly oven-cooked at around 50 degrees Celsius, while the paper-thin sliced vegetables were warmed in olive oil for nearly two hours at between 30 and 40 degrees Celsius.
The light, subtle cooking retained so much freshness of the ingredients that it has to be tasted to be believed, and the slightly sweet Champagne sauce complemented the distinctive flavour of the salmon perfectly.
The red meat course, Master Kobe Flap Tail, was prepared by Rodriguez, famous for the wonderful things he does with fine beef at Le Meridien’s Prime Restaurant.
Here, we found fusion at work as Rodriguez introduced curry leaves into his porcini mushrooms with great effect, and his melt- in-the-mouth wagyu beef cheek, cooked with a blend of spices similar to those found in traditional Malay oxtail soup, was quite delicious.
The meal’s French-inspired finale was Karam’s Valrhona Chocolate Mousse
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