The Pro Chef, Issue 1

SAFETY FIRST! Hygiene in the kitchen

THE STARS ARE OUT Seven Michelin chefs in Dubai!

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A supplement to SME Advisor Middle East - A publication licensed by IMPZ

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Contents ISSUE 01 FEBRUARY 2012

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EDIT O RI AL In the depths of one of Dubai’s finest restaurants, inspiring Catalan food begins the process that brings you this new magazine.

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DEBATE Fresh fish or frozen? Whilst customers may still consider fresh is best, more and more chefs are seeing the benefits - in terms of taste, supply and cost control - of frozen stocks.

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FOCUS Moves by Dubai Municipality to improve food hygiene standards in professional kitchens continue to develop.

Chef Uwe Micheel, Director of Kitchens at the Radisson Blue Deira Creek, explains how he has had to adapt.

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SOURCING A country filled with stunning scenery ranging from mountains to lakes, valley to moorlands, rushing rivers to a long coastline, Scotland has an enviable farming and food production culture, with all the advantages of clean air, clean water and space.

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THE EGGS FACTOR What’s lurking in the home fridge of Chef Uwe Micheel, President of the Emirates Culinary Guild?

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EVENT Seven international Michelin starred and celebrity chefs are descending on Dubai at the start of April for the first Stars, Food & Art gala event to be held outside Europe.

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HEALTH Scientific interest in flavonoids has grown in recent years, perhaps as a means of explaining the health effects of plant foods and ingredients.

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DISPLAY It’s easy to fall into the same old patterns, but that can be fatal for sales when applied to food display. Diners’ appetites are enlivened by imaginative displays as much as good, well-prepared food.

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VISION Thoughts from Chef Pierre Gagnaire on how he approaches the creation of a new menu.

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PIMP MY PLATE The idea is simple: we take a favourite family recipe and give it to a great chef. The challenge? Cook it as it’s written and then reinvent the dish to fine dining level. Our first victim is Nick Alvis, Head Chef of the award-winning table 9 by Nick and Scott.

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PASTRY CHEF Christina Tosi is the chef and owner of the New Yorkbased Momofuku Milk Bar, called “one of the most exciting bakeries in the country” by Bon Appetit Magazine.

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BUSINESS Restaurant reviews are seemingly everywhere and are spreading like a plague across the Internet. The problem is this: how can real food writers continue to add value to the industry?

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BOOK REVIEW Modernist Cuisine is a six-volume, 2,438-page set that is destined to reinvent cooking. The lavishly illustrated books use thousands of original images to make the science and technology clear and engaging. Top chef Paul Lupton is knocked out by it.

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TRAVEL A scant century ago, Vienna was the fifth largest city in the world, thanks in large part to its historic role as the capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Now, outnumbered two to one by visitors, its residents enjoy an enviable lifestyle and it has evolved seamlessly into a modern European capital, equally at home being trendy and stylish or comfortable and imperial. Just the place for food explorers!

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FUTURE TECHNOLOGY Emily Crane is a young fashion designer living and working in London, who is borrowing skills from molecular cooking to envision a future where fast fashion has to respond to a more sustainable future.

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THE LAST WORD Imagine a piece of kitchen equipment so unique that it’s believed not one copy was ever sold...

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Debate

Fish - frozen or fresh?

In general, most diners believe that fresh fish are better than frozen, despite the fact that a lot of ‘fresh’ fish sold can be days old. However, things are changing as more and more people beginning to realise that ‘fresh’ isn’t always better. And isn’t always fresh. We take a snapshot view of the local scene.

I

n the seafood industry, the term ‘fresh’ implies that the fish has never been frozen at any point in the chain from catch to market to consumer.

However, it has been kept in a chilled state.

Many believe that the word would be better applied on a quality level. After all, a just caught fish that is consumed the same day would be very high in quality, but clearly wouldn’t have the

6

same quality if it had been refrigerated for ten days. That’s why the critical question to ‘fresh’ fish suppliers is: when and where was it caught?

According to Chef Sombun (Fish Market, Radisson Blue Deira Creek), “As a general rule, the quality of fresh fish is always better than frozen especially if consumed at the time of fishing.

However, this general assumption is not always

true, especially nowadays with flash freezing. On our menu, about 70% of the seafood is fresh and 30% frozen.”

In fact, the reality is that frozen seafood can be superior in quality to fresh products. Many fish and shellfish are ‘flash frozen’ within hours of harvesting, whereas it might take several days for similat priduce to reach as seafood dealer as ‘fresh’. Fleets now clean and flash-freeze fish moments after they are caught - so-called FAS (Frozen at Sea) fish are flash-frozen instantly (minimum temperatures of -40 C), which freezes the water inside fish tissues, so preserving juices and maximising both flavour and texture when cooked. Quality and freshness are maintained because the seafood is packed and shipped frozen, then held in sub-zero freezers and never thawed until you use it.

Not every chef agrees, though. Christian Biesbrouck (Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott Executive Apartments) believes that “fresh fish is more solid in structure - with freezing you break partly the cell structure of the product.” However, he finds that his customers want “good quality fish” and that “they do not care if it’s fresh or frozen. In fact, often they do not understand the difference and assume that fresh fish is better. It’s all about education of the guests. It’s up to us to do this more and more.”

As the JApAnese sAshimi mArkets “ hAve understood for A long time, super frozen tunA is the best quAlity thAt money cAn buy.”

The key argument used by proponents of frozen fish is that the seafood is kept in optimum condition. As Roger Fitzgerald, editor of leading industry magazine Seafood Leader, a leading industry magazine, says: “A fish that’s good -unspoiled - is one that looks, tastes and smells like it just came out of the water. The issue isn’t whether a fish is frozen or fresh, but whether it’s spoiled or unspoiled.”

One issue in selling frozen fish into the market is a lack of understanding by chefs or purchasing managers, claims Jeroen Tollenaar (MD, Royal Culimer Seafood Processing). “In our discussions, initially chefs claim fresh fish is better, despite the fact fresh hardly exists in this hot part of the world. The real reason is that frozen seafood often carries a lot of ice and hidden water absorbers like polyphosphates, adding much more

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Debate

ToP FiSh SAFETy TiPS * Properly frozen fish should be shiny with no white freezerburn spots. It should be hard as a rock, with no evidence of previous defrosting. * Bruised or brown spots on fresh fish indicate decomposition, which may mean that bacteria are present. * Always cook fish and shellfish thoroughly.

Handle raw fish as

water than they count on - sometimes up to 40%, resulting in poor yields. However, good chefs know the drill. A yield test is or should be made and when this is ok, they know frozen seafood is available every day and the quality (from reputed) suppliers is consistent.”

Another problem identified by Tollenaar is that “storage at negative temperatures is expensive in areas where the temperature can reach 50°C. So those companies who deal in commodities don’t like to store too long. On the other hand, most seafood is seasonal, meaning suppliers have to stock to bridge the gaps between the seasons.

Frozen is ideal for that.”

One species that has been super frozen to preserve optimum quality is tuna. Knowing the

Japanese insistence on sushi grade fish, it’s clear that the insatiable demands of the Japanese restaurant industry could not be provided with ‘fresh’ fish - the quality would suffer. So when tuna is super frozen at the ultra low temperature of -60°C, its quality does not deteriorate as in fresh or standard frozen condition. This technique brings huge advantages for the environment, resource, fishermen, distributors and consumer alike. As the Japanese sashimi markets have understood long time, super frozen tuna is the best quality that money can buy.

In addition, super frozen seafood offers other key advantages including stable pricing of top quality fish and the need to catch less fish to ensure a quality end product in the market. Finally,

you would raw meat, taking care not to cross contaminate. * Don’t use frozen seafood from a package that is crushed at the edges, already opened or torn. * The presence of frost or ice crystals may be a sign that fish has thawed and was then refrozen. * Don’t use any package that looks as if it has thawed juices.

super frozen fish can be transported by sea, leaving a significantly lower carbon footprint, lower costs and better quality than air freighted seafood.

One argument against frozen fish is that somehow the freezing process reduces nutrients in the product and results in a less safe protein.

This is just not true. In fact, the flash freezing process puts an end to microbiological activity in the fish, making it a safer product.

Part of the problem, according to Chef Sombun is this: “Most customers do not know about the different benefits, they just assume that fresh is better. We have started a Choose Wisely, for example, to make them more aware of the over-fishing of our local fish, particularly baby hammour.”

The fish enThusiasTs

The flash freezing “ process puTs an end

Jeroen Tollenaar MD, Royal Culimer Seafood Processing

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ChrisTian BiesBrouCk Executive Chef, Courtyard

by Marriott Executive Apartments

Chef somBun Fish Market, Radisson Blue Deira Creek

To microbiological acTiviTy in The fish, making iT a safer producT.”

Distributors: Gulf Trading & Refrigerating L.L.C (GULFCO) P.O.Box:1003, Dubai, UAE - Phone: 00971 4 3371400 - Fax: 00971 4 3372898 - Email: gulfco1@emirates.net.ae

Focus

Keep washing your hands!

Dubai Municipality’s ongoing initiative to raise hygiene standards in F&B outlets across the Emirate has impacted reported cases of food poisoning, as well as forcing F&B professionals to reconsider their operation and food hygiene procedures. Chef Uwe Micheel, Director of Kitchens at Radisson Blue Deira Creek and President of the Emirates Culinary Guild, answers our questions about the continuing drive to raise and maintain food preparation, service and display standards.

W

e understand that a key element of the system now in place in Dubai is the PIC (Person In Charge). Talk us through how that works here.

The idea is simple. At every outlet - in other words, every single restaurant here in the hotel - must have a PIC in place whenever the outlet is open. Because of the spread hours, we’ve appointed 27 of them across the hotel (chefs and service staff) so that every outlet is covered during opening hours. Their job is to deal with any questions or complaints from diners as well as act on and report any incident.

Has it made a difference to the operation?

I think it’s formalised what we were largely doing already, but the principle and the creation of an Emirate-wide standard is good. The main difference is what I say to my staff: “Before, I would have gone to prison; now, you will!”

KEEP it ClEan - hygiene tips brought to you by Diversey * Wash and disinfect your hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly, especially after using the bathroom, after handling raw meat or produce, before handling any food and before eating food. Hand

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disinfection provides a better kill of bacteria than hand washing and is thus preferred over hand washing at any time. Hand washing remains mandatory for removing visible soil from hands.

* Prevent cross contamination by separating raw and cooked food and by washing produce thoroughly and washing and disinfecting food contact surfaces and equipment used for food processing and preparation.

What else is now formalised?

We’ve had a certification process in place for five years. The requirement is for outside auditors come in once a year and we are certified if we pass the required standards. In fact, we prefer to exceed this and so we are checked every six months, by choice.

The requirements are strict?

They’re extensive and the danger with that is that people can be tempted to take shortcuts. That can

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Focus

Poor food handling at “ home is a serious issue - one

HACCP

examPle is the common Practice of reheating rice which is not enough to make it safe. so i think a Programme of consumer education is vital.” be a challenge to stay on top of things. But, equally, the process does throw up new ideas and those can help us to do something better. A lot of this is paperbased checking - I’d say 90% of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) is paperwork. What this means now is that if you were to eat a chicken sandwich in this hotel, I am able to say where it came from, when it was butchered, when it was delivered to our kitchen and who handled it at various stages - that audit trail is critical to ensure a high level of food safety. It’s all about traceability.

How much of this needed to be formalised?

Well, you’d think at a certain level of operation that these things would be done anyway but the extra discipline is valuable to ensure safety. So, for example, every two hours we need to check the temperature of buffet displays and record it. We also record when something goes into the blast chiller, the temperature and when it comes out.

Before we never used to record this, although of course we had our own systems of control.

What changes have you implemented as a result of HACCP? We were working on all this for maybe five years before but we have had to make some major internal changes. We had to rethink the kitchen starting with the flow of garbage - we used to have one main door through which garbage and food for catering events went out and produce came in. That’s no longer allowed so we had to create different routes. we also now have different areas for fresh food and dry stores. I’d say it’s a constant cycle of improvement and, for large outside catering events especially, I can now sleep without worrying.

So improvements are constant?

Yes, the regulations do change. For example, we had to follow US standards for a couple of years and then were switched to UK ones. It can be challenging - wooden chopping blocks were essential but now it’s mandatory to use plastic boards. I think what is excellent about how the Municipality is working this is that they’ve always had the full involvement of chefs - other places just hit outlets with big fines. We’re partners and that helps everyone.

All this adds to your costs, doesn’t it?

Of course. We now have a Food Hygiene Manager and I have one guy who works an hour a day purely on HACCP matters. But it’s essential. I expect my kitchens to be clean. As a customer, you expect them to be clean too.

When you dine out of the hotel, what are the signs that make you worry about possible food safety issues?

A dirty chef - either personally or his clothing. If he’s untidy, if he’s dirty, what is the kitchen like?

There’s been discussion in the press about food wastage and questions why leftover food can’t be donated to labour camps. What’s your view?

Food has to be safe. If we can’t guarantee that, then we destroy it - that we do when we break down a buffet at the end of service. If the food is still good to use, then we store it properly. If it’s not good enough for my guests, how is it suddenly good enough to donate? That’s not right.

Have the new regulations had an impact on the number of food poisoning cases in Dubai, do you think?

Well, we have to get one preconception out of the way - people blame food whenever they feel ill, but serious cases from restaurant food are very low. Poor food handling at home is a serious issue - one example is the common practice of reheating rice which is not enough to make it safe. So I think a programme of consumer education is vital. The regulations now mean that anyone reporting a problem has to fill out a questionnaire and visit a doctor, so a report can be sent to the Municipality. That process alone has weeded out a large number of suspected cases.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control points (HACCp) is a science based systematic approach to ensure food safety at all stages of food processing. it focuses on preventing physical, chemical and microbiological hazards that may cause food-borne illnesses - a preventative approach to food safety management which protects consumer health.

it starts with management commitment and requires a multidisciplinary HACCp team identifying the pre-requisites, HACCp processes and flow charting the food flow.

The HACCP System is based on seven principles: 1: Conduct a hazard analysis 2: Determine the Critical Control points (CCps) 3: establish critical limit(s) 4: establish a system to monitor control of the CCp 5: establish the corrective action(s) to be taken when monitoring indicates that a particular CCp is not under control 6: establish procedures for verification to confirm the effectiveness of the HACCp plan 7: establish documentation concerning all procedures and records appropriate to these principles and their application

Food processes are identified and grouped considering all different menu and food ingredients: * Food preparation with no cook step * Food preparation for same day service * Complex food preparation

prior to application of HACCp, the pre-requisite programmes should be well specified, documented, fully operational and verified in order to facilitate and implement HACCp.

Validation of the HACCp plan is done to ensure all significant potential hazards are assessed on scientific and technical knowledge. the control measures are appropriate to prevent, eliminate or reduce the hazards to an acceptable level. the monitoring methods and corrective actions are appropriate, documented to demonstrate validation.

If you could give one piece of advice, what would it be?

Cross-contamination is all too easy. Don’t trust just to hand washing but use sanitiser and wash your hands properly. If I had my way, anyone working in a kitchen would wash their hands everty ten minutes! I’m also against the practice of preparing food wearing gloves. You no longer wash your hands, they get sweaty inside the gloves and the risk of cross-contamination is great.

Any practice you carry out that other chefs could learn from?

We use an external laboratory and invite them to come and pick four or five food items and test them for contamination every month. That allowed us to trace a problem back to a sanitiser that were using to prepare food - the dispensing mechanism wasn’t working properly!

Keep it SAFe - hygiene tips brought to you by Diversey * Cook food thoroughly. Remember, when cooking food it is important to use a food thermometer as colour is not always a good indicator of cooking temperatures. * Avoid unsafe water. Always make

sure that the water you are using for cooking and cleaning is safe and potable. * Store food at a safe temperature.

Keep cold foods cold (below 40C) and hot foods hot (above 57C).

* Use a registered disinfectant cleaner on hard surfaces that are touched frequently. Organisms can survive on hard surfaces for two hours or longer.

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Sourcing

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Sourcing

From glen and loch to kitchen There’s a Gaelic saying in Scotland - S mairg a ni tarcuis air biadh which roughly translates to ‘He who has contempt for food is a fool’.

The country with some of the finest natural resources and produce in Europe all too often struggles with its food identity, however - one the one hand, world class produce like smoked salmon, venison and soft fruits; on the other, apocryphal tales of deep fried chocolate bars.

Exports of quality products to the Middle East are seen as growing opportunity and chefs should check out what’s on offer from Scottish producers at Gulfood.

T

hink Scottish food and many people think instantly of haggis (sheep’s intestine cooked in a sheep’s stomach), but the country is home to some iconic and world class food products, from the finest whisky to premium smoked salmon and wild trout, jams and preserves to beef (Aberdeen Angus) and venison, oats to fruit cakes and shortbreads.

With a country filled with stunning scenery ranging from mountains to lakes, valley to moorlands, rushing rivers to a long coastline, Scotland has an enviable farming and food production culture, with all the advantages of clean air, clean water and space.

Last year, Scotland’s food and drink industry generated over $11b for the country’s economy, accounting for 27% manufacturing exports. All this from not many more than 1,500 companies, many committed both to quality and traditional production methods. And, although exports to the Middle East are relatively low, there are major opportunities especially if, as rumoured in the

trade, the current ban on importing Scottish beef is lifted.

However, one inhibitor is harder for some Scottish companies to overcome - the cost of transport. Only education about superior quality of the country’s products - and therefore its value for money - can overcome that.

The jewel in Scotland’s food crown is fish with nearly 200 shellfish farming companies.

Salmon farming is the most important economic development in the Highlands and Islands over the past 30 years and retail sales of Scottish salmon is around $3450m per annum. The country is the world’s third largest producer of Atlantic salmon, with an enviable reputation for quality fresh and added-value products such as smoked salmon.

Other more lowkey foods are also available locally, not only healthy Scottish oats but also haggis and tablet (a brittle fudge, available in Dubai via toffeeprincess.com).

And Scottish food traditions are longlasting.

Historical evidence that the first huntergatherers who came to Scotland from Europe around nine thousands years ago fished and

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Sourcing

The Middle easT is a key TargeT MarkeT for The “ scoTTish food and beverage indusTry. noT only

is deMand increasing significanTly for scoTTish goods and produce in This parT of The world, buT we are also seeing significanT inTeresT forM regional invesTors inTo The secTor.” - RIChARD LOChhEAD MSP, CABINET SECRETARy FOR RURAL AFFAIRS AND ENvIRONMENT, SCOTTISh GOvERNMENT.

SCOTTiSH SupplierS AT GulfOOD Scottish Development

popularity of Label Rouge

International (SDI), on

Scottish Salmon in the

behalf of Scotland Food and

Middle East.

Drink, is hosting 14 Scottish

According to Scott

oat biscuits, oaty bakes and gluten free products

Landsburgh, CEO of Scottish

2012, who are showcasing

Quality Salmon, “Scottish

internationally recognised

salmon is increasingly

and manufacturers of

produce and goods that

attracting levels of interest

stackable, non-slip trays

are exported to around the

and take up from the

for foodservice venues

world. In addition, Scottish

extensive array of top quality

Quality Salmon is sponsoring

hotels in the UAE and around

the Fish and Seafood class at

the region. Chefs are our

Salon Culinaire.

strongest supporters and their understanding of the

commitment to Gulfood

quality of our salmon is what

to date and reflects the

is driving its success with

growing importance of

diners in the Middle East.”

* Safetray, designers

and operations * St James Smokehouse, supplier of fine Scotch Reserve smoked salmon * The Scottish Salmon Company, independent producer of Scottish salmon * Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group,

the Middle East market to the Scottish food and

Other Scottish exhibitors

premier producer of the

drink industry. The UAE

include:

finest quality of mussels

in particular is seen as

* AG Barr, manufacturer

exceptionally important, becoming the second fastest growing market for Scottish

16

producers of oatcakes,

companies at Gulfood

This is Scotland’s largest

hunted, as well as keeping cattle, sheep and pigs and growing basic crops of oats and barley. Food developed firstly from a wave of immigration from Ireland and then the arrival of the Vikings in the 9th century, who brought with them different cooking methods such as smoking and the Aberdeen Angus.

Longstanding links with France (the auld alliance) again had an impact with French chefs and their cuisine accompanying Marie de Guise Lorraine who married the King of Scotland, James V in the 16th century.

Today, apart from whisky, salmon is probably seen as the most iconic food export from Scotland. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is now available as a healthy food for all. However, wild salmon catches in Scotland, by commercial netting plus angling, increased from the 1950s to reach a peak around 1970. They have since shown a protracted decline, to a present-day plateau level. The reason for this? Some industry watchers believe that the decline in catches on the west coast of Scotland is related to the development of marine aquaculture in the

quality fresh salmon * Nairn’s Oatcakes,

of a range of popular soft drinks including IRN-BRU * Dean’s of Huntly,

food and drink with a

producers of traditional

growth of 114% last year.

Scottish shortbread and

Although originally dedicated to the French

biscuits * Gourmet’s Choice

and oysters * Scottish Quality Salmon, producer of Scottish salmon with the Label Rouge quality mark * Sephra, pioneers of the chocolate fountain industry * Taste of Arran, oatcakes,

market, Label Rouge

Smoked Salmon,

Scottish Salmon has

supplier of award-winning

cheeses, mustards, beers

acquired international

smoked Scottish salmon

and ice-creams from the

recognition for its superior quality and taste, as demand continues to grow not just in established markets, but increasingly in new and emerging markets. Exports of the premium salmon have increased year-onyear since 2008, reaching 7,743 tonnes – a record – in 2010. Recognition by one of the world’s most highlystarred groups of culinary experts, the Master Chefs of France, has also helped the

* Highland Spring, bottlers of pure and refreshing mineral water * Meridian Salmon Group, processors of high

Scottish Isle of Arran * Young’s Seafoods, supplier of fish and fish products including cod, haddock and mackerel

Sourcing

Sourcing

SCOTTISH FOOd mAde SImPle! scotland has a distinctive cuisine, often based on very traditional foods.

region. However, this is not consistent with the facts: wild salmon numbers began to fall well before salmon aquaculture became established and a similar decline has taken place on the east coast of Scotland, where there is no marine aquaculture. In fact over a period of sixty years the west coast to east coast catch ratio has varied very little.

Today, the value of all salmon exports (fresh, frozen and smoked) has increased just under 50% year on year, to reach around $7.5m. And salmon exports to the Middle East increased from 740 tonnes (January – June 2010) to 798 tonnes (gutted weight, January – June 2011) – a rise of 7.8%. Smoked salmon export growth is particularly stong - up almost 50% last year compared to a steady level of exports of fresh salmon.

In fact, the Middle East is now the largest export market for smoked salmon outside the European Union. The top five export markets for the first half of last year for smoked salmon were Italy (323 tonnes), France (292 tonnes), Germany (284 tonnes), the Middle East (257 tonnes) and Belgium (229 tonnes). In fact, with a consistent increase in the export of fresh and added value salmon products to the Middle East, the value of the market has increased almost fivefold since 2008, increasing from $3m (2008) to a forecasted value approaching $15m last year.

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salMon farMIng In scoTland Salmon farming is a vital contributor to the Scottish economy.

* Scotland’s salmon farmers injected in excess of $750m into the economy in 2009

* Salmon is the largest food export from Scotland

* In 1980 only 9% of fish consumed by people came from aquaculture, now it is approaching 50%. The UN FAO reports that aquaculture is the only way to meet the surging demand for seafood.

* Arbroath Smokie a wood-smoked haddock still produced in small family smokehouses in the east coast fishing town of arbroath. * Bannocks (Oatcakes) - a barley and oatflour biscuit baked on a gridle. * Beef - The aberdeen-angus breed of beef cattle are now widely reared across the world. reknowned for rich and tasty meat. * Broth (Hotch-Potch) - a rich stock traditionally made by boiling mutton, beef, marrow-bone or chicken, plus diced vegetables such as carrots, peas, leeks, cabbage, turnips and celery, together with barley. * Black Bun - a very rich fruit cake, made with raisins, currants, finelychopped peel, chopped almonds and brown sugar plus cinnamon and ginger. * Colcannon - a mix of boiled cabbage,

*

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*

*

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carrots, turnip and potatoes.

Crowdie - a simple white cheese, rolled in oats.

Forfar Bridies Minced beef, suet and chopped onion, a little like a cornish pastie.

Haggis - Made from boiled and minced sheep’s offal sewn into a sheep’s stomach and further boiled or roasted. Vegetarian versions now exist.

Porridge - a simple dish, made of boiled oatmeal, traditionally cooked with salt.

Salmon - either from inland rivers or major fish farms on the West coast. It tends to be smoked and thinly sliced.

Stovied Tatties (Stovies) - a potato-based dish, designed to use up left over meat and vegetables.Whisky Whisky (or simply scotch) is the best known scottish drink. It is distilled from a barley liquor and flavoured with peat tainted water. Malt whisky is the product of a single distillery and cheaper Blended whisky is mixed to a standard flavour.

The sTocked larder In the world of fruit and vegetables Scottish producers now grow 2,400 tonnes of raspberries and 4,600 tonnes of strawberries each year and over a million tonnes of potatoes. 900 million eggs are produced annually, 1,300 million litres of milk and there are more than

two dozen cheese-makers across Scotland, ranging from the industrial cheddar creameries to much smaller-scale cheese producers. However, beef is now the single most important sector of Scottish agriculture, worth around $600m a year: more than fruit, dairy and poultry combined.

Sourcing

19

The eggs factor

What’s in the fridge?

Each issue, we challenge a well-known chef to reveal the conternts of their home fridge. What is lurking there? What secret food passions do they have?

How many of the strange food items will they blame on their family?

C

hef Uwe Micheel is well-known across the F&B sector of the UAE. It would not be unreasonable to call him an institution - he’s been Director of Kitchens at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek for many years and is also the longstanding President of the Emirates Culinary Guild, passionate in his devotion to improve the general quality of the profession across the Emirates and encouraging young chefs to develop their skills and careers through competitions both here and around the world.

Contents of fridge one: Vegetables: Onions Garlic Ginger Tomatoes Carrots Cucumber

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fruit: Apples Grapes Lemons

dairy: Laban Yoghurt Quark Cream Butter Cheese

Meat: Bacon Salami Sausage (Bert wurst) Half cooked chicken

Condiments: Ketchup Dijon mustard Honey mustard Alsacian mustard Tarragon mustard Sweet chili sauce Tapanade Horseradish Mayonnaise Sauce remoulade

other: Bread Eggs Chicken stock Demi glace Nutella Honey Black cherry jam Peach jam

What lurks in the depths of his fridge?

“To be honest with you, most of the time I don’t really cook at home. I’m tasting all day, so by the time I get home I maybe just have a good German sausage with mustard!

Importantly for me, I have two fridges - one which is mainly beverages. I think I’m quite organised though I don’t use the same kind of dating and labelling system as I do in our kitchens because we buy food freshly and things don’t really sit there, except perhaps for stock or demi glace.

This was an interesting exercise for me. I hadn’t realised I had so many mustards in there!

I’m organised. The only time the fridge isn’t tidy is when my wife brings home the food shopping and just fills the shelves. I have to sort it out. This is what I had in my fridges yesterday.

And yes, I like my Haribos…”

Contents of fridge tWo: Chocolates Haribos Beverages

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Event

Starry, starry night Seven international Michelin starred and celebrity chefs are descending on Dubai at the start of April for the first Stars, Food & Art gala event to be held outside Europe. Hosted by Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach, this will be the largest gathering of Michelin starred chefs in the UAE ever.

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Photograph by Michele Pauty

Event REfiNiNg tHE CoNCEpt Lise Goeman Borgesius is something of a rarity in the Dutch world of cooking. She’s a cook, a cookbook writer, a journalist and, above all, a passionate lover of fine dining. Her personal contacts with the most well known French and Dutch chefs led her to develop the concept of Stars, Food & Art. She found a few minutes in a crazy schedule to look into the possible future development of the brand.

How do you see the future of this initiative? what are the future plans to roll-out to more cities?

Stars, Food & Art will continue with the same philosophy. T he goal of Sofitel and myself is to make this a worldwide event.

Do you see the format as fixed? or could it evolve into more than a one-evening affair?

In Amsterdam, for the first three years we did two dinners - one weekend dedicated to Stars, Food & Art. It was a great experience but we found out that two dinners was too much in digesting - in a figurative meaning - the whole thing Trying to do one outstanding dinner gave us and the guests, from their feedback, a bigger emotion. The whole philosophy and quality of the stars, the food and the art became much more important and concentrated.

D

eveloped by Dutch chef and author Lise Goeman Borgesius-Timmer, the Sofitel hosted series of gala dinners in aid of charities - Stars, Food & Art - have been held across Europe for five years. Now these special dinners are expanding outside Europe, with an event at Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach on April 3rd. Plans are already well advanced to make it an evening not to be missed.

The concept of Stars, Food & Art was to create an event that was both unique and memorable - “a moment where people could truly enjoy an exceptional experience, gathered together in good company, sharing excellent food, wine and culture”. The initiative was taken up in 2007 by the management of hotel Sofitel the Grand Amsterdam and Borgesius-Timmer to combine knowhow, creativity and facilities to organise an event where culture, food, wines and art are united.

Stars, Food & Art is dedicated to creating the perfect relationship between art and the enjoyment of fine dining. During Stars, Food & Art, seven internationally renowned chefs (together representing 12 Michelin stars) will prepare their signature dishes, co-ordinated by Executive Chef of Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach, Thomas Pendarovski.

In addition, Austria-based Falstaff wine marketing manager and well known wine connoisseur Jason Turner will be in charge of presenting the event, following his success at the last event in Vienna.

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How are you choosing the chefs who take part?

I make the choice. I know - without being arrogant - around 200 Michelin starred chefs around the world and I have very good contact with all of them even if the distance is quite important. Most of them are very loyal and dedicated to the event and trust me in what I do and support me in my believe since we share

tHE followiNg top CHEfs HAvE CoNfiRmED tHEiR pARtiCipAtioN:

BERNARD BACH Le Puits Saint Jacques (Pujaudran, France) - 2 stars

CHRistopHE ARiBERt Les Terrasses (Uriage les Bains, France) - 2 stars

ClAiRE ClARkE The French Laundry (California, USA) - 3 stars

CyRus toDiwAlA Spice Namaste (London, UK)

the same passion! That was also the reason why I wanted to do something with all of them.

I wanted to make them share their passion together at different places with different cultures. In the beginning I called the chefs to find out if they want to participate; now they call me and so my list of chefs is growing at each event. Some chefs came back a several times but I also want to give the chance to new and young chefs. They are the future of the culinary world and it is very important to discover their point of view, technics and way of showing their passion.

Believe me, there ìs a real difference and change going on. is this a brand that you can develop into other areas?

No, it is linked with Sofitel and I will not organise this with other hotel brands if that is what you mean. In terms of other countries: yes, it will be organised all over the world from now on.

Personally, what is it about sFa that brings you the most satisfaction?

At each event I am in the kitchen and not taking part in the dinner itself. I taste the dishes in the kitchen and, funny enough, I never finish my plate. At the end of the evening I eat sandwiches with all the chefs and we drink champagne to celebrate the event and our friendship. My passion always has been being in the kitchen, the whole passion, ‘blood, sweat and tears’ feeling, to see the ‘backstage fears’ and the emotions of the chefs once they have to ‘entertain’. The most beautiful thing is to see this on so many faces at the same time - seven, eight or more chefs together, looking at each other, working together, brothership and big egos at the same time! But, after five years, I want to move on with new and younger chefs as I said before. I want to see the difference in those emotions because the age and generation is different, their culinary education has been different, the level perseverance of ‘wanting to make it happen’ is so different. They have all those famous and great chefs as example. How they manage that and how do they shows this, as well in the kitchen as on the plates.

Pure Gourmet C o f fe e N ecta r Giovanni D’amato Il Rigoletto (Reggiolo, Italy) - 2 stars

Joe Barza Chase (Beirut, Lebanon)

thomas Buhner La Vie (Osnabrück, Germany) - 3 stars

Event

“We’re on schedule!”

In charge of coordinating the event at the Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach is the enthusiastic and highly organised Executive Chef Thomas Pendarovski. we managed to slow him down enough to get an update on preparations.

how’s it going?

We’re going great! I was lucky enough to be at the last Stars, Food & Art in Vienna which gave me a great opportunity to see the whole process, identify areas of potential concern and then focus on delivering an even better evening. I truly believe that this will be the best ever food night in the UAE and create such a buzz.

Talk us through the choice of chefs.

Okay, it’s a collaborative process, involving myself, Sofitel management in Europe and Lise Goeman Borgesius-Timmer. Thomas Buhner was the standout in Vienna, so we had to have him.

I pushed hard for the amazing Claire Clark and am really pleased we got her. A top Indian chef made sense for the local demographic and so Cyrus Todiwala came on board. Overall, I think we have a stunning collection of chefs. And I insisted on Jason Turner as the sommelier everyone was so impressed with him in Vienna.

We tried for Marcus Wareing but it just wasn’t possible - I just love his work and can’t believe he hasn’t received his third star yet. Overall, I’m very happy with the mix.

When I spoke to Antoine Westermann after Vienna, he explained that finalising the choice of dishes and balancing them was perhaps his hardest challenge as the organiser. did you find the same?

I asked each chef for three potential courses and the menu just evolved from that. It finalised but I don’t yet have corporate approval to release the details, I’m afraid. My own dish will be duck three ways (5-spice, foie gras and confit), with a betroot balsamic sorbet, cumin carrots and hazelnut dust.

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have you hit any major issues yet?

No, not at all. In fact, we’re ahead of the plan and should have every element wrapped up by March. My team 51 will be supporting and we’ve arranged suitable sous chefs to support each visiting chef - pastry to pastry, Italian to Italian and so on. You know, it all comes doewn to organisation - we’ve identified 670 different steps we need to get write to ensure a great evening!

The pressure doesn’t seem to be getting to you.

Is it?

No, I love pressure. On the night, you’ll see me being very serious but I’ll have a giant smile at the end of the evening. At present, we’re practising every week to make sure we get it right. can you talk us through the structure of the evening?

Okay, people will arrive for a cocktail and canape selection here in the restaurant and lounge area - blood mary oyster shots, pineapple shots and so on. Then they’ll be led to their tables outside around the pool area, lit by flamed torches. we haven’t yet finalised the entertainment so I can’t talk about that yet, but we intend to lead rather than follow. so, no doubts?

There are no words to describe what we believe this will do for Dubai. and it’s just the start of a great year for Sofitel here in the Emirates - we have a new property opening soon on the Palm, another in Abu Dhabi in March and finally one on Sheikh Zayed Road. Look, this is the first Stars, Food & Art outside of Europe - that can never be taken away from us!

The Lipton Catering Pack with 300 teabags. Good things now come in bigger packages.

Discover food solutions that cater to all your needs.

Visit us at the Gulfood 2012, Stand Z-C6, from 19th to 22nd February 2012.

Unilever Food Solutions | T: +971 4 881 5552 E: mohammad.shanawani@unilever.com

Health

The goodness of flavonoids Tea, citrus fruits, berries, onions and soya are all believed to be good for us. There is even research showing that moderate amounts of red wine and dark chocolate can benefit health. Surprisingly, these foods and drinks have one thing in common – they are all a source of flavonoids.

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Health

F

lavonoids are a group of plant substances within the polyphenol family. They are not nutrients yet they are thought to support health due to special properties shown in vitro which enable them to reduce inflammation, inhibit cancer cells, maintain vascular function and slow oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Examples of individual flavonoids include catechins, which are found mainly in green tea, and quercetin, found in onions.

Many different foods contain flavonoids. The key dietary sources in Western countries are tea, onions, red wine, chocolate and fruit. Regular tea, so-called black tea, contributes 60-84% of dietary flavonoids in Western populations. The level and type of flavonoids in tea varies greatly depending on the type of tea (green or black), variety, growing conditions, manufacturing process, tea preparation habits (eg brewing time), etc.

It is challenging to quantify flavonoid intakes because of the large number of types and a lack of food composition data. However, rough estimates put average intakes at 65-250mg per day with regular tea consumers having far greater intakes than non-consumers.

EvidEncE for hEart disEasE A 2001 meta-analysis estimated that the risk of myocardial infarction was 11% lower when three cups of tea per day were consumed, with a maximum reduction of 70% reported by two studies. A 2003 meta-analysis found that people with the highest intake of flavonols had a 20% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease compared with people with the lowest intakes.

A 2008 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examined the impact of flavonoid-rich foods and drinks on coronary risk factors. Flavonoids, especially from tea, improved vascular function by

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Tea remains The mosT widely “ consumed drink in The world, afTer waTer. The beneficial effecTs of Tea are generally aTTribuTed To iTs polyphenol conTenT and flavonoids.�

3.4%, on average, which would translate into a reduction in heart disease risk of around 2.5% Further intervention trials looked at the impact of two to three cups of tea per day on vascular function and have shown that it was beneficial to endothelial function. This benefit is most probably due to the flavonoids in tea and may be, at least partially, responsible for any reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease.

Many studies have linked a high intake of flavonoids with a reduction in chronic disease risk.

The most researched areas remain cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, there are emerging data on other areas of health, such as mental function, weight control and diabetes.

Stroke Evidence on stroke is also quite strong. A 20099 metaanalysis associated regular tea consumption with a lower risk of developing, or dying from, stroke. People drinking three or more cups of tea a day had a 21% lower risk of stroke compared with non-consumers of tea. This was supported by another meta-analysis from 2010 which examined the evidence for flavonoid intakes and risk of stroke. It reported that a high intake of flavonols was significantly associated with a 20% lower risk of developing stroke.

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CanCer While there is plenty of evidence from mechanistic studies, suggesting that flavonoids have anti-cancer effects, intervention trials are lacking and results from observational studies are inconsistent. This is probably because cancer can take decades to develop and is influenced by many different lifestyle factors depending upon the site. In addition, studying cancer in the short to medium term is challenging because, unlike heart disease, there are few agreed markers of future cancer risk.

Some observational studies show a reduced risk of cancer when people regularly consume flavonoids, while other studies show no effect.

In the case of mechanistic studies, it is clear that flavonoids can inhibit tumorigenesis, tumour invasion and cell proliferation, interfere with tumour growth and help induce natural cell turnover. All of these characteristics serve to inhibit the development of cancer at different stages and would be expected to have an impact in real life. However, at present, the evidence is lacking and conflicting so no conclusion can be made.

Coronary heart diSeaSe The evidence linking flavonoids - and tea - with reduced risk of heart disease is very promising. Three types of studies provide proof: observational studies, where intakes of flavonoids or tea are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease; intervention studies, where beneficial changes in risk factors are seen in subjects consuming flavonoids or tea under controlled conditions; and mechanistic studies, where flavonoids are shown in the laboratory to have specific metabolic effects that explain how they work in practice. All of these types of studies combine to prove that flavonoids have an impact on health.

Health

usE grEEn tEa, bEcausE: * High quality studies suggest that people with existing heart disease, or those at risk from heart disease, stroke or diabetes, may benefit from regular consumption of tea.

Optimal effects are seen at around three cups of tea per day.

* Emerging research suggests that tea may help to support weight management, although more evidence is required.

* There is no evidence that the modest amount of caffeine provided by tea (around 50mg per cup) has a detrimental impact on blood pressure.

* Flavonoids in tea are absorbed into the body regardless of whether or not milk is added to tea.

* While excessive caffeine

intakes (around 500mg per day) can increase urine output, there is no evidence that tea is dehydrating. Indeed, a mug of tea provides around 250ml of fluid.

Three cups of tea per day would provide only around 150mg of caffeine.

* Tea without milk or sugar provides a calorie-free alternative to water for people who are attempting to lose weight. However, adding skimmed milk to tea provides a source of calcium while adding negligible calories.

* The government recommends that pregnant women limit their daily caffeine consumption to 200mg.

This would equate to three to four cups of tea per day.

EvidEncE for wEight managEmEnt A 2009 meta-analysis reported that catechins have a small positive effect on weight loss and weight management but that the impact is greater in Asian populations than Western populations.

Two placebo-controlled trials in 2005 and 2007 on a total of 275 subjects demonstrated that consuming a catechin-rich tea over 12 weeks produced significant reductions in weight and body fat. A 2009 placebo-controlled trial on 80 post-obese subjects found that a green tea extract supported weight maintenance via effects on thermogenesis and fat oxidation. A 12-week placebo-controlled trial on 107 overweight people in 2009 found that a green tea extract, made from catechins, enhanced body fat reduction when subjects took part in regular exercise. And a 2009 placebo-controlled trial of a catechin-rich tea in 182 overweight subjects found significant reductions in waist circumference and body fat over 90 days.

EmErging arEas of rEsEarch New research has begun to link consumption of flavonoid-rich foods, in particular tea, with other aspects of health. One of these is cognitive function. According to a review of in vitro and animal model studies, flavonoids may support brain health due to anti-inflammatory actions, protection of neurons against toxins, promotion of brain blood flow and nerve growth and support for neuron survival.

An 2009 observational study of over 2,000 elderly Norwegians found that a high intake of flavonoid-rich foods was associated with better

performance in cognitive function tests. An 2007 intervention study looked at mental health in 75 healthy men randomised to drink tea or water for six weeks. Stress reduced and relaxation increased in men who drank four cups of tea per day. Tea is not only rich in flavonoids but contain other substances that may enhance cognitive function, such as L-theanine, theophylline, theobromine and caffeine.

Another health issue linked with flavonoids is type 2 diabetes. A 2008 observational study of nearly 37,000 middle-aged Chinese reported a 14% reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes when one or more cups of tea were drunk daily. This was confirmed by two 2009 meta-analyses. Flavonoids are believed to support normal glucose metabolism thanks to anti-inflammatory effects and increased insulin activity. wEight managEmEnt The obesity epidemic in many countries has stimulated interest in food components that may support weight management. There is good evidence especially in Asian populations that catechins, the specific flavonoids found in green tea, can reduce fat absorption in the gut, promote fat oxidation in tissues and increase energy expenditure.

A 2008 observational study of 4,300 Dutch adults found that catechin intake was highest in women who gained the least weight over a 14year period. Although more evidence is needed in Western populations there is good evidence that catechins are beneficial.

thE Lipton institutE of tEa Unilever is the world’s largest supplier of branded tea and Lipton is one of its best known brands.

Unilever has a long history in tea research often executed in close collaboration with external tea researchers - and its findings are published in numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals.

The Lipton Institute of Tea was set up to disseminate these findings to health professionals and health media in the context of a healthy and

sustainable diet and lifestyle. Its mission is to promote awareness and understanding of tea from bush to cup. The Institute is headquartered at the Lipton Tea Gardens in Kericho, Kenya - the home of Unilever’s largest tea estate - where tea is grown, plucked and processed, ready for use in Lipton and other tea brands.

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New inspiration It’s easy to fall into the same old patterns, but that can be fatal for sales when applied to food display. Diners’ appetites are enlivened by imaginative displays as much as good, well-prepared food. Appearance is everything, so why not use a little science to increase your sales?

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Display

R

PeoPle eat “ with their eyes.

esearch by Professor Brian Wansink shows that littleunderstood contextual cues can lead people to overindulge and unknowingly bulk up. These clues include how food is displayed and even its variety of colours. In one simple experiment, for example, 70% more coloured candies were eaten when they were divided into different bowls by colour than when they were mixed together into one larger bowl. Another test saw over 40% more coloured candies being taken when consumers were offered a choice of ten colours over a choice of seven.

The lesson? People eat with their eyes. If they think there’s more variety in a candy dish or on a buffet table, they eat more.

In other words, the more colours people see, the more they eat.

if they think there’s more variety in a candy dish or on a buffet table, they eat more.

”

food displAy lessons * Multiple bowls of the same food increase perceptions of variety and stimulate more consumption. * Arrange foods into uneven patterns and add variety.

Photographs courtesy of Steelite International, available locally via Ronai.

Chef Antoine WestermAnn Born in Wissembourg, Alsace, Antoine Westermann is one of the world’s most admired and celebrated chefs, having earned three Michelin stars at his Strasbourg restaurant, Le Buerehiesel, as well as considerable acclaim for both Mon Vieil Ami and Drouant in Paris, as well as restaurants in Cascais (Portugal) and Washington DC, plus consukting work at The Loft in Vienna amongst other properties. Currently in a new phase of his career, he has chosen to devote his expertise and creativity

to the search and the development of new culinary tendencies.

Having relinquished his three Michelin stars and turned over

Le Buerehiesel to the capable hands of his son, he’s now active in the launch of his latest Parisian venture - Le Coq Rico.

Knorr. Established in 1868.

Discover food solutions that cater to all your needs.

Visit us at the Gulfood 2012, Stand Z-C6, from 19th to 22nd February 2012.

T: +971 4 881 5552 | E: mohammad.shanawani@unilever.com

* Arrange fruits and vegetables in lessorganised patterns - this will stimulate appetites. * Assemble smaller helpings of more items.

Vision

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Vision

How I create a menu Acclaimed multi-Michelin starred chef Pierre Gagnaire shares some of his thought processes in creating a new menu that reflects the integrity of produce as well as demonstrating the flair and imagination of the chef.

he starting point is always the produce.

It appeared to me at an early stage that the analysis of what you find on the market is the foundation of all actions that follow.

A menu has to be coherent, with products that make you comfortable using them. In a professional environment, these products have to be available for a little while in order to give you a chance to make your dishes evolve and give them a chance to live and improve.

The research of the right balance between originality and reliability of what you buy is something important. It actually is a beautiful thing to create a story with seasonal ingredients. They are all here, ready to be used and paired - the combinations are endless.

For example, in France, because the fishing of scallops is particularly regulated, everybody uses them at the same time! So many chefs can cook them to perfection. What will make the difference is what your interpretation will be. In order to broaden your possibilities, you have to look around constantly and never miss a seasonal opportunity, like the beautiful cep mushroom, for example.

A good menu should push you to exploit all types of cooking techniques available. Poached, grilled, braised, roasted, the raw material will open up a world of textures. It is here that resides the key to pleasure.

Once the ingredients and their interactions are decided, it is the capacity of a chef to juggle with these different tastes, temperatures and textures

that will create an emotion. Even different ways to cut can provide different feelings. My aim is always to generate pleasure by the use of little tricks that I have learned over the years and that you will learn along your own journey.

The final result should value quality over quantity, don’t accumulate cream and butter, several broths, only powerful sauces. And we have not talked about density of liquids and plays on colour yet!

Good luck!

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Face to face

Life after Michelin After handing back his three Michelin stars for Le Buerehiesel in Strasbourg, newly re-energised Chef Antoine Westermann is involved in lots of projects, not least a celebration of the French chicken as a new bistro in Paris.

C

hef Antoine Westermann has opened his third restaurant in Paris. However, the former three-star Michelin chef has not tried to repeat his fine dining success - instead, he has focused on a single ingredients: chickens. Part of the drive is his desire to help young chefs who are struggling to find funding from banks, so he has supported one of his seconds, Chef Thierry Lebe, who now ‘interprets’ the food that Westermann has ‘designed’. Typical menu items include soup and chicken salad, chicken livers, terrines, boiled eggs with truffle butter, poached and then pan roasted chicken.. With a team of a dozen

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and only seating 40, Le Coq Rico on rue Lepic in Paris already looks like another Westermann success.

What are you up to at present?

Busy, as always. My main focus is opening le Coq Rico in Montmartre, which is joining my other two restaurants in Paris. I’ve been very fortunate in my career, but I have always worked with focus.

What I am keen to do now is help young chefs to develop in their career. Starting out for them is not easy - they don’t have much money and they’re not known. For myself, I am welcomed everywhere so maybe I can use that to support them.

TraceabiliTy A key feature of the menu at Le Coq Rico is deatil. Here are the chicken details: PinTade Fermière d’auvergne Philippe Murat, Marcillat en Combraille; Patrick Cottet, Charensat; Famille Gendre, Target; Famille Damisat, Limont.

PouleT Fermier noir de challans Yvon Riottero, Toulemonde; Didier Merceron, Challans; Robin & Cercleron, La Garnache; Franck Jaegi, Saint Philibert de Bouaine.

PouleT Fermier du maine Famille Janvier, La chapelle Huon; Famille Louzier, Jauzé; Famille

Ligneuil, Mézières sous Lavané; Famille Degruchy, Mareil sur Loire; Famille Alix, St Michel des Chavaigne; Famille Grignon, Souligné Flacé.

PouleT de bresse aoP Famille Terrier, Branges; Famille Michelin, Lessard en Bresse; Jean-Claude MaerquisS, Varrennes Saint Sauveur.

And life after handing back your three Michelin stars?

Well, as you know, my son is now running Le Buerehiesel though, of course, I am there with advice and support. And I’m busy with other projects in Europe and America, but my main interest after Le Buerehiesel has been finding a focus: at Mon Vieil Ami, I was very interested in vegetables.

And at Le Coq Rico?

It’s simple: roast chicken! I have a real passion now for simple, less expensive produce and seeing what we can do with it. For us French, of course, the roast chicken is in our soul - it is France! So what we are delivering is a kind of bistrot chic where you can eat simply but well for maybe 60 Euros. Of course, you can have chicken everywhere, but we are treating it with respect.

However, although the cuisine is not as developed as Michelin level dishes, we still use all our skills and our passion. There’s an open kitchen too, so diners can see the chefs at work.

A big change for you?

Not really. I am always learning. with open eyes, you learn every day you are alive. With me, I absorb things and they may be in the brain for six months or a year before they emerge when I am focusing on a new concept. We must always improve - nothing is ever finished, you know? However, at the end of the day, I cannot cook like other chefs - it’s not my taste.

To cook is to put your personality and your feelings on a plate. It’s that simnple.

Chef Antoine WesteRMAnn Born in Wissembourg, Alsace, Antoine Westermann is one of the world’s most admired and celebrated chefs, having earned three Michelin stars at his Strasbourg restaurant, Le Buerehiesel, as well as considerable acclaim for both Mon Vieil Ami and Drouant in Paris, as well as restaurants in Cascais (Portugal) and Washington DC, plus consukting work at The Loft in Vienna amongst other properties. Currently in a new phase of his career, he has chosen to devote his expertise and creativity to the search and the development of new

culinary tendencies.

Having relinquished his three Michelin stars and turned over Le Buerehiesel to the

capable hands of his son, he’s now active in the launch of his latest Parisian venture - Le Coq Rico.

Pure Gourmet C o f fe e from B e a n to C u p

Pimp my plate

The idea is simple: we take a favourite family recipe and give it to a great chef.

The challenge? Cook it as it’s written and then reinvent the dish to fine dining level. Our first victim is Nick Alvis, Head Chef of the award-winning table 9 by Nick and Scott. All he has to do is reinvent the South African classic: Bobotie.

“Surprisingly nice” 38

Pimp my plate

B The dish

RIGHT: Recipe recorder Dorothy Mercia du Plessis, photographed in 1957.

BELOW: Her recipe, written down in the 1930s.

obotie is a classic South African dish, heavily influenced if not derived from the Dutch colonies of the East Indies.

And all-in beef pie, it was traditionally served on a Monday, using leftover meat from the hearty Sunday roast.

In this version - see handwritten recipe - it was written down some time in the 1930s by Dorothy Mercia du Plessis, who was raised in what now seems like a a far distant time. She was born in Bloemfontein and always said that her nerves were finished when she was born as she arrived to the noise of the firing of guns during the Boer war! At school, she learned High Dutch which was the precursor to Afrikaans.

Her family had emigrated to South Africa in 1830, at the time that her native Holland was in poltical turmoil, with the split of part of the country into Belgium. The photograph we have found shows her in 1957.

Thanks for this family recipe to Lauren Hills, great granddaughter of Dorothy whose Dutch maiden name was Ham. Lauren is the editor of BBC Good Food Middle East.

The dish, sometimes known as Bobotjie, consists of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping. Food historians believe it derived from the Dutch East India Company colonies in Batavia, possibly a development from the Indonesian Bobotok - a traditional Javanese dish made from shredded coconut mixed with vegetable or fish, wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed. When it arrived in South Africa, it was first adopted by the Cape Malays. Records as far back as the 17th century show the dish made with a mixture of mutton and pork, though today beef or lamb is more usual. And the old mix of ginger, marjoram and lemon rind has been replaced by curry powder. Traditionally, Bobotie incorporates dried fruits like raisins or sultanas and some serve it garnished with walnuts, chutney and bananas.

South African settlers have transported Bobotie across the whole continent and it can be found in Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. It even reached a Boer settlement in Argentina where the dish underwent another change, being packed inside a large pumpkin, baked until tender.

The process Nick Alvis began his career cooking in a number of country house hotels in the UK, before moving to London to work for the three Michelin starred chef Nico Ladenis, at both Incognico and Chez

The firsT sTep was To braise “The beef in The dish’s spices, ThaT gave us a spicy elemenT and The use of The wonTon parcels creaTed inTeresT.”

Nico. In 2004, an invitation to spend a day in the kitchen at Gordon Ramsay at Claridges proved pivotal. He remained there for three years, before moving to Petrus, which was then overseen by Marcus Wareing.

After that, he was asked to relocate to France, to form part of the opening team for Gordon Ramsay au Trianon in Versaille. Success ensued and the restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars within its first year of opening. Nick moved to Dubai in 2010, to help Scott Price relaunch Verre at the Hilton Dubai Creek - the restaurant was soon recognised as being one of the best in the region. 18 months after arriving in the UAE, the two friends were given the chance to make their own mark on Dubai’s dining scene with table 9 by Nick and Scott. had you ever heard of, or tasted, Bobotie?

Not at all. In fact, I’d had nothing like it before because I didn’t understand the buttermilk, egg custard topping. It didn’t make any sense in the original recipe, so I had to guess at what was intended.

Any other challenges in the original?

No, it’s quite a simple dish. I think the hardest thing for me was the sheer number of ingredients - Scott and I are used to working with three main flavours in a dish, so working on the balance was different for me. did you like the original?

I wasn’t really getting the flavour of the ingredients. Frankly, there’s so much going on that it’s like a whole pile of things just put together with a slice a bread! i believe it’s used to finish off the remains of a sunday lunch.

That makes sense. It’s just bits and bobs.

Talk us through the reinvention.

I took quite a bit of time to think about it, because I didn’t want to confuse people with so many flavours in the dish. The first step was to braise the beef in the dish’s spices, that gave us a spicy element and the use of the wonton parcels created interest. The fruit chutney introduced a sweet and sour element and I balanced that out with the red wine sauce.

And the egg custard?

Ah, the challenge! But you know I think that worked out to be the most interesting element.

I really didn’t like the bread in the original so I used that and the buttermilk and eggs to create a buttermilk puree glaze. do you think the dish worked in the end?

Oh yes. In fact, the brigade demolished it - they liked it that much! is there anything from the challenge that you might carry forward?

I think the buttermilk glaze was surprisingly nice in both appearance and feel. I can see us playing with that idea.

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Pimp my plate • contains alcohol

Bobotie, reinvented by Nick Alvis Ingredients: 50g centre cut piece of beef fillet 50g braised beef cheek (see marinade ingredients) wonton wrappers 1 large shallot ½ teaspoon curry powder ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon cinnamon 5 slices of white bread 500ml cream 2 egg yolks 30g butter (plus 50g for basting beef) 1 tablespoon Mrs Balls chutney 75ml beef sauce (see recipe) 50ml white wine vinegar 20g demerara sugar 50g golden raisins 100g spinach salt Method: 1 Marinade the beef cheek and leave overnight before braising.

2 Sweat the diced shallot with all of the spices, then add the beef cheek and mix. Cut the wonton wrappers to 4cm x 4cm and put a small spoon of the mix in the middle, lightly brush each side with egg wash and lift all corners up to meet in the middle and pinch all sides together to give a nice little parcel - make four per person. Put the wontons in the fridge.

3 For the buttermilk puree, remove the crusts from the bread and roughly break it into a saucepan, cover with cream, add the butter and a good pinch of salt. Slowly bring the cream to the boil and cook softly for five minutes. Place all in a food processor and blend until cooled, then add the egg yolk and blend until smooth.

Pass through a fine sieve and then put the puree in a bottle and leave at room temperature.

4 Season the beef and, in a pre heated sauté pan, add a little olive oil and place the fillet in the pan, roasting all over until nicely caramelised, then add butter and baste the meat continuously moving the meat ensuring not to leave on one side for long. Continue this for around six minutes and you should have a medium rare piece of beef. Remove and rest.

5 In a saucepan, add the vinegar and sugar and reduce to a syrup, add the beef sauce and raisins and warm until the raisins swell up. Lightly warm the chutney and put to one side, heat a sauté pan and cook the spinach with a little olive oil and salt. In a pre heated oil (185 degrees C) and cook the wontons until they are golden and crispy.

6 To assemble the plate, thickly spread the buttermilk puree on the plate and lightly glaze with a blowtorch or grill, place the spinach on the plate, a nice tablespoon quenelle of chutney and then the beef, scatter the wontons on the plate and spoon over the sauce.

Red wine sauce Ingredients: 500g rib of beef chopped in one inch cubes 10g rock salt 1 garlic clove 10 shallots ¼ bunch of thyme 2 bay leaves 10 white peppercorns 150ml red wine vinegar 250ml brandy 3lt red wine 3lt chicken stock 3lt veal stock Method: 1 Roast the beef with salt until very brown, then add shallots, garlic, thyme, peppercorn, bay leaf and colour.

2 Add red wine vinegar and reduce.

3 Add red wine and reduce.

4 Add chicken and veal stock and reduce to desired consistency.

Standard marinade ingredients for braised beef cheeks 20k beef cheek 8 onions 4 garlic 6 bay leaves 2 bunches thyme 16 star anise 30 cardamon pods 20 white peppercorns 40 coriander seeds ½ bunch rosemary 5l chicken stock 5l veal stock (second boil)

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Got milk?

Christina Tosi is the chef and owner of the New York-based Momofuku Milk Bar, called “one of the most exciting bakeries in the country” by Bon Appetit Magazine.

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s founder of the dessert programme at Momofuku, Christina helped Momofuku Ko earn two stars from the Michelin Guide and Momofuku Ssäm jump onto Restaurant magazine’s top 100 restaurants in the world list at number 31.

She has been shortlisted for a James Beard Foundation rising star chef award and named to The New York Times T Magazine’s “nifty fifty” list. Christina wrote and released Momofuku Milk Bar, her first cookbook last autumn, published by Random House & Clarkson Potter. Christina lives in Brooklyn and eats too much raw cookie dough every day.

It's well known that you were a fan of quirky flavour combinations even as a child. Did you convince any friends to try the same sort of things? Did you even have an inkling that this is what you could do later on in life?

I had no idea that my love for making concoctions and quirky flavour combinations would become a profession! At one point most of my family and friends would disapprove or stick their noses up to my creations, but now, they're pretty willing to try just about anything!

Your career path is a bit unusual - the shift from studying to be an electrical engineer to maths points you to one end of the spectrum but then Italian and cookery send you way back in the other! Were you lost or just interested in exploring as many options as possible?

MoMofuku MIlk BAr Momofuku Milk Bar is the bakery-inspired dessert branch of David Chang’s Momofuku restaurant group.

Headed by pastry chef/owner, Christina Tosi, Milk Bar is a collaborative environment, drawing talent from those

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who have worked at The Biltmore Room, Bouley, Del Posto, Diner, Eleven Madison Park, Jacques Torres, Jeffrey’s (Austin, Tx), Magnolia Bakery, Marlow & Sons, Nobu Downtown, Pies-NThighs and WD-50, among

others. Since its opening in November of 2008, Milk Bar has focused on putting a playful and approachable spin on familiar home-style desserts and savoury snacks using quality ingredients and locally-sourced dairy.

I was exploring the subjects I was most passionate about! They happen to be either very right brain or very left brain! My mother is an accountant and was very exacting in the way she raised me, which I very much exist as, but I'm also a dreamer in my free time!

What finally prompted you to enrol in culinary school? Was it then frustrating to be training as a chef but working tables at night rather then being in the kitchen?

I graduated from college and decided I wanted the most active and creative career I could findso I chose to enroll in culinary school. I couldn't imagine anything greater than having an excuse to eat dessert ANY and EVERY time of the day!

I love just being around food in any capacity so I was just as thrilled being in the front of house because I knew I could learn from any/every aspect of the restaurant What drew you to pastry at culinary school? Was it the precision of baking, that seems to resonate with your pure maths passion?

I had a very sweet tooth for my first 20 years of life. I only saw the dessert in terms of dessert - where, when and how can I get my next dessert fix? I had no other choice, no other path.

Nowadays, I love savoury, just as much as sweet!

What did you learn at Bouley? And then later at WD-50? Those are pretty prestigious stages for someone starting out…

Bouley was a grueling but amazing experience.

It was my first NYC restaurant and it is one of the toughest kitchens to survive in. WD-50 was a great place to go next - it's for the more refined cook that's been torn down and built back up. it's much more intellectual of an approach to cooking, but i needed the foundation of working at Bouley in order to take the tools passed on to me at WD-50 to really grasp that level of cooking and thinking about food. go hard or go home, right?!

And then you did another of your seeming career reverses, first trying work on Saveur magazine and then shifting to an office job at Momofuku.

What were your plans?

I wanted to try anything and everything in the food industry. I had no idea i'd be where I am now, I just knew I wanted to find a nook in the food industry where I could grow and create and be embraced for ME. I tried working at food

Pastry chef

magazines, catering, food styling, etc. But I LOVED the knuckle grinding life of working day and nite in a kitchen best!

Daniel Boulet, Wylie Dufresne and David Chang strike me as very different kinds of individuals.

What do you think you learned from each of them?

Each of them gave me something different, embraced me in different ways and pushed me to grow. Bouley taught me to mean it- if you don't love it will all your heart, you'll never survive the insane hours, insane environment. Wylie taught me how to think, how to be an independent, how to approach, how to create, how to mentor, how to critique. Chang taught me to keep on my toes, never be afraid to fail, always be ready to fail and always, always keep moving, improving, adjusting, growing.

You've said that "Restrictions help with creativity". Do you see a limit to creativity? Is there anything you won't try?

I always approach every subject, piece of food, etc with an open mind. I typically formulate my opinion afterwards. But I find we create most when we're trying to create something out of nothing. making a new inventive dessert with our same staple kitchen ingredients, etc Any spectacular failures?

SO many. Too many to start listing...!

You'd done a year as a pastry chef at WD-50 and then stopped. Did you miss it?

Yes. of course, but I knew I had to find a place where my real vision and personality in dessert would best find a home.

You won a James Beard Foundation Award as Rising Star Chef of the Year. Were you surprised that they honoured you outside of the 'pastry chef' niche?

It was a supreme surprise and a supreme honour.

And then - bang! - the Milk Bar opens and you're literally the kid in the candy store, able to experiment and go with your instincts. That must have been liberating! Was there a sense that you'd finally come home?

There was a sense that I could be just as thoughtful a pastry chef as those at Bouley and WD-50, but in a more casual setting, with more of a nod towards a classic American style of baking, which i relate to most. I was fortunate enough to be given it all and run with it. I had no idea what I was looking for at Momofuku, but I can't imagine having anything but Milk Bar - it is my home, my life, my future.

You've confessed to not being interested in traditional plated desserts - "that delicate dreaminess" you called it. Do you think that is a challenge you'll relish some time in the future?

I think it's harder for me to think outside of the box when i'm approaching plated desserts. There's such a "formula" to it, it's harder for me to be creative in approach. That said, I enjoy making dessert in any capacity, I think I just respond best to the more casual end of the spectrum.

Now, suddenly, you've thrown out the precision of baking and just gone wild, with ingredients, textures, inspiration. When you hire pastry chefs, is it hard for them to transcend the almost scientific exactness of what they're used to?

We have such a wide variety of cooks with diverse experience. Most of them know our approach to food before signing on and they're all required to contribute in their own ways, whether it's through flavour pairings, approach to production, music mix we make cookies to, etc. Everyone is surprisingly able to embrace the culture and attitude that transcends the scientific exactness and makes Milk Bar what it is.

Apparently, the Milk Bar staff's motto is: ‘Hopefully you’ll never have to write another résumé again.’ Do you not foresee any change for yourself at some stage in the future?

I can't imagine life outside of Milk Bar. We have grown so much in the past 3.5 years. I see such a bright future for Milk Bar, I see so many exciting challenges at our feet, I can't imagine NOT being around to confront and conquer each new day at work.

I had no Idea “ that my love

for makIng concoctIons and quIrky flavour combInatIons would become a professIon!”

Finally, what expectations do you have of Gourmet Abu Dhabi? Have you been to the Middle East before?

I've never been to the Middle East before so you can imagine how excited I am to arrive and be a part of Gourmet Abu Dhabi and embrace everything that the UAE has to share!

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Reviews - who needs them or reads them?

Restaurant reviews are seemingly everywhere and are spreading like a plague across the Internet. The problem is that their very ubiquity is undermining their value - if any journalist fresh to Dubai with no food knowledge or any food bogger can write up their experiences with no apparent editorial control, how can real food writers continue to add value to the industry?

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re they lost in the crowds? And, if uninformed food ramblings are now so common, how seriously do chefs and their marketing colleagues take them?

To try to make sense of the confusion, we asked a selection of food writers, PR professionals working with F&B clients and, finally, chefs how valuable is a restaurant review in this region.

the FooD writers

James Brennan Now a freelance food and travel writer, Brennan moved to the UAE in 2006 and worked as a food editor and restaurant critic for Time Out Dubai and then for The National newspaper before going it alone. He contributes regularly to magazines like Esquire Middle East, and also to The Sunday Times, CNN Traveller, What’s On, Destinations Of The World News, 4Men and Gulf Life magazine, among others. He is also the current Academy chair of the Middle East & North Africa region for the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.

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Dave reeDer The editor of this magazine and previously editor of BBC Good Food Middle East as well as numerous other magazines, Reeder has written extensively about food and travel for a quarter of a century, with a particular interest in the cultural context. He is currently one of the judges for the Middle East & North Africa region for the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.

marianne saulwick Senior Lecturer at Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, Saulwick is an Australian with a 20 year history of owning both restaurants and an events company, as well as co-founding a food festival and a theatre company, both of which are still thriving.

She has been a food/ restaurant reviewer for ten years and prefers to keep her anonymity.

samantha wooD (aka FooDiva) Food blogger, journalist and PR consultant, Wood previously worked in F&B PR and marketing so has experiences of both sides of the divide. She’s also the founder of restaurant review and foodie resource, FooDiva (www. foodiva.net), recently voted number two Best Blog in Dubai.

is there a value in restaurant reviews?

Brennan: They should be a guide for the consumer. Eating out means spending money, so people want to know whether a restaurant is worth shelling out their hard earned cash on.

But reviews should also entertain. They should be interesting, informative, evocative and opinionated. If you’re really lucky, they’ll be funny too. A restaurant visit is an experience, so a review should tell the story of it and tell it well. reeDer: I think they have a dual purpose: to explain to the reader in objective terms what a particular restaurant is trying to achieve - in terms of ambience, authenticity, innovation, etc - and then to detail whether it achieves those goals and so is - or is not - worthy of a diner’s attention. saulwick: Restaurant reviews can be regarded from a number of angles. A short, simple review as per Time Out or any well regarded food guide will help the prospective diner make choices about where to eat, based on food style, price and a rating system. These guides are utilitarian and provide the adventurous foodie with enough information to go forth with reasonable expectations of what they will encounter. However, it is the longer review that interests me. wooD: Yes, when they share impartial, intelligent, balanced and constructive dining experiences with people looking for a restaurant so as to help them make an informed decision on where to dine out.

At the same time, it’s a great mystery shopper review for the restaurant if they want to perfect the experience! compared to back home, how would you rate the quality of reviews here in the region? and why is that?

Brennan: The Middle East is a young market when it comes to restaurant reviews. I’ve read some good ones, and lots of bad ones. There’s a tendency for reviewers to be a bit too cosy with PRs here. But there are independent reviews that hit

Business is because most publications here do not review incognito, accepting freebies in exchange for a positive review. A certain lack of freedom of press also hinders honesty.

the spot. Those are the ones worth reading. reeder: With a small handful of honourable exceptions, I find most of the restaurant reviews here to be unhelpful, uninspired and unreadable.

To me, a review isn’t about “the bread basket took 90 seconds to arrive” or “the server didn’t bring me a fork” but about how far the chef and the whole team delivered on the promise. Everybody has bad days - look beyond the niggling details and inform me about why I should, or should not, take notice of an outlet.

Saulwick: Food/restaurant criticism provides a fascinating view into contemporary culture.

Food and restaurant writing arose in France after the Revolution and with the development of a restaurant culture. Huge social changes were taking place and this public writing became a window into the manners and tastes of a particular section of society. And so it is today.

Restaurant reviews exist on the one hand, to help the modern consumer who is anxious to make the right choices. On the other hand, once these choices are made, one’s position in the social hierarchy is confirmed. The cultural values of the group (professional, moneyed, discerning) are reinforced. A lot of food writing is focused on food, ambience, service and value for money, in that order. This is as it should be. However, the review that attracts our attention is the one where we gain an insight into the way the writer sees the world. Good writing gives us not only the bare essentials of what was consumed but also shines a light on current style, culture, social status, interiors, etc. The quality of food reviewing here could be improved by locating writers with a food passion but also people with something to say, not just about food but all sorts of things! wOOd: Back home for me is more Cyprus than the UK but, either way, aside from FooDiva, Time Out and The National, reviews in the UAE are not impartial and therefore lack credibility – this

Should reviewers dine anonymously? Or is there a value in being accompanied by marketing people?

Brennan: Anonymity is key. People need to trust a review. They want to know that they’ll be treated just like the reviewer was. Most people don’t dine out with a marketing person sat on their lap, so a serious review should always be anonymous. If it’s an interview with a chef, or a preview of a restaurant opening, then the writer can be accompanied by 100 marketing people. But that’s not a review. Reviewers should book under a pseudonym and keep a low profile. If they get well known, they should invest in a wig and a false beard! reeder: I see both sides of the argument and, as I’m not currently a reviewer in the sense of having a regular pitch, my inclination is towards interaction with the people involved in the restaurant - if I understand what they’re shooting for, if they can explain the thinking behind the menu or detail the sources of ingredients, then I think that’s of immense value to readers. On the other side? I’m reminded of the apocryphal story of a staff member (not a food expert by any means) sent by a well-known Dubai-based magazine to review a new, high concept Italian restaurant delivering a slating review about how dated and unimaginative the place was. Seems he went to an established pizza restaurant in the same hotel. A PR or marketing ‘companion’ would have avoided that dumb error. Just because you sit with these people, there’s no need to toe a party line. When I used to review movies in London, I was banned from preview screenings from a couple of major distributors - I enjoyed the party and the drinks and the chat beforehand, but still told the truth as I saw it about the movie. And who are we kidding about anonymity? Do we really believe that on-the-ball F&B folk don’t know what Oliver Robinson or Emily Shardlow look like?

Saulwick: I think reviewers should be anonymous and I would keep the marketing people as far away as possible. wOOd: There’s absolutely no value in being accompanied by marketing reps. It’s vital a reviewer experiences the restaurant like any normal, walk-in diner would – and that would not be the case if you were accompanied by staff or even recognised.

when planning a trip to a city abroad, do you read reviews to choose places to eat? if so, what qualities in the review are you looking for?

Brennan: I do read reviews, but it’s always good to get local knowledge as well - people who have nothing to gain by recommending a restaurant.

Twitter is invaluable for that. I’ll be looking for independent reviews, preferably ones that keep me entertained enough to read it to the end. I want to read about the restaurant, not the shade of the dining companion’s hair - unless the waiter has tipped a bowl of lobster bisque on it. reeder: Yes, absolutely. However, I tend to rely less on popular opinion sites life Zagat or TripAdvisor (despite submitting to the latter) because I know nothing about the background, knowledge or taste of the ‘critic’. The curse of social networking and ‘people’s journalism’ is that the quality standards we’re used to in the print world (however low they might go!) are impossible to quantify in these spaces. So I would look for reviews from major newspapers, food and travel magazines.

Saulwick: Personally, I research the food scene of a city I am about to visit but I also take recommendations from foodie friends. If I don’t know anyone in the particular city I will e-mail a local food writer for advice. wOOd: Yes I do. Firstly the reviewer or blogger has to conduct reviews anonymously. In terms of content, I look for their opinions on the whole dining experience from food, service and location right through to the interior, atmosphere and price. I do also choose holiday destinations because of a particular restaurant I want to visit – making these reviews essential research.

From anywhere in the world, are there reviews you read for pleasure even though you don’t intend to dine in the reviewed restaurant?

Brennan: I like to read a range of reviews here and there on the internet, just to see what’s happening in the world of restaurants. reeder: From the UK, I’ve read the infuriating but illuminating AA Gill for years and sorely miss regular inputs of Fay Maschler’s insights. America is immeasureably poorer since the demise of Gourmet, but I read Ruth Reichl’s new and old work over and over again, learning something new every time. The duo of Steingarden and Bourdain keep me amused also from the States. France, which I visit constantly?

I’m not conscious of particular reviewers, but a good dose of both Le Fooding and Gault Millau on-line give me loads of great destinations.

The qualiTy of food reviewing “ here could be improved by locaTing wriTers wiTh a food passion buT also people wiTh someThing To say, noT jusT abouT food buT all sorTs of Things! – MAriAnne sAulwick

”

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Wood: Yes, I read reviews from the key restaurant critics in the UK and the US – not just for pleasure but for my own learning.

How seriously should chefs take reviews?

Brennan: It depends on who has written it. A good review is fine, but a chef shouldn’t let it go to his head. A bad review isn’t the end of the world, but a chef might be able to learn from it.

Ultimately, chefs cook for customers, not reviewers.

If customers are happy, then the chef is doing a good job. Reeder: If they respect the reviewer, then they should, of course. If the review comes from a lack of knowledge, then either move on or consider inviting the reviewer back and doing a tutored tasting menu - you won’t get a second review, but hopefully you’ll get a better reviewer.

One thing I’ve done consistently over the years is give feedback that doesn’t make it to the review or article. For example, I dined not so long ago with a hotel GM who took on board quiet comments about a lack of signage and frayed and stained menus - would it really have been worth hammering an extremely accomplished restaurant in print by focusing on those points?

SaulWick: There is no getting around the impact that a food review can have on a business. There are famous instances where restaurants have launched legal action against a publication for a bad review, with mixed results. Yes, chefs should take note of reviews from reputable reviewers. The feedback can allow for improvements to be made and so on.

Wood: If the reviewer or blogger has credibility, then chefs and F&B professionals should definitely take these reviews seriously and use them to monitor the operation.

What is the bigggest mistake a reviewer can make?

Brennan: Reviewing a restaurant too soon after opening is one mistake. Restaurants need time to bed in. Getting complacent is another. You restaurant reviewers have a privileged job. You could be working in a bank or a light bulb factory.

Instead, you’re being paid to eat and write about it. So, don’t whine unnecessarily, be fair, get your facts right, try to make me laugh, and never put the words ‘tantalise’ and ‘taste buds’ in the same sentence. reeder: Assuming that a review is based on personal taste. If you say, “I just adored the scallops”, that tells me nothing apart from the fact that they weren’t rubbery! I know nothing about you or what you enjoy, but if you’d mentioned how the scallops were lightly caramelised which brought out their sweetness which was then counterbalanced by a baby rocket salad, dressed in raspberry vinegarette then I can picture the dish in my mind and start to decide if I would want to eat it. And being ignorant about food and regional cusines, of course.

SaulWick: The biggest mistake a food writer can make is to fall into arrogance and disdain - take a bow, AA Gill!

Wood: To not review anonymously, but then again he/she is not a professional reviewer if that’s the case.

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do you see a value in restaurant reviews? akielan: Reviews are hugely important as it provides a level of awareness among an audience that restaurants are targeting more effectively than simply relying on advertising, which can be a little one dimensional, or word of mouth. Readers gain a lot of insight from reviews, both positive and negative, and are therefore more inclined to go and try out a new place or a new dish based on a review that they have read. Reviews target a wide range of people and provide the key information that restaurants want to convey, namely the quality of the food and service, details about the location and atmosphere, which is what people ultimately want to know before visiting. andreWS: A review is the written opinion of a guest at a restaurant and offers another source of feedback for our chefs. They provide an insight into a guest’s experience of the restaurant. Whether that is a bad experience, or a good one, it creates the opportunity for restaurateurs to address any issues that have been raised.

Garrett: Absolutely. The impartial restaurant review is a fantastic PR tool. However, it does depend on the consistency of the reviewer and the following they have. There are reviews and then there are reviews. Some journalists have a tremendous way with words and if you regularly read their reviews you can start to read between the lines. A reviewer needn’t resort to harshing out a restaurant, but what they can do if the food is mediocre is turn the entire review into a commentary about the décor and ambience. Over the years in PR I have worked on restaurants which have received average reviews that resulted in an upswing of bookings. The review I remember was a French-Vietnamese restaurant which came under fire for its Ginger Crème Brulee. The days

and weeks following the review you had to go on a waiting list to get a table and requests for the Ginger Crème Brulee were off the scale. The revenues continued the upward trend and to this day the Ginger Crème Brulee is still on the menu and continues to be a best seller. In short, sometimes an average or even poor review can actually work in your favour to stimulate curiosity and interest.

SariSen: Yes, it is a chance of learning about other restaurants and hotels, taste their food and what other hotels look like. This is how I create my concept by collecting the best from other experiences and putting my own ideas together. compared to back home, how would you rate the quality of reviews here in the region? and why is that? akielan: I think that the quality of the reviews here are generally very good and is comparable to the sort of reviews that you would find in the UK. The fact that a lot of the restaurant goers here are well travelled and come from a huge range of backgrounds and cultures mean that it takes a fair amount to impress, so reviewers have to be able to provide a quality review that will please the foodies or else they will be ignored. Some reviews take a slightly softer approach as opposed to making too much of a song and dance about any negatives, but overall I think that a majority are balanced and well thought out. andreWS: Reviews back home in the UK are very similar to those here in terms of quality and diversity, however reviewers in Dubai come from a much varied background than anywhere else in the world, and so each review we receive differ somewhat in terms of expectations and preferences. Saying this, reviews are the same

tHe Pr ProfeSSionalS

cHarlie akielan Group Account Manager, Sept PR, representing OKKU and BICE Mare amongst other F&B outlets.

daniel andreWS PR & Communications Manager, Dusit Thani Dubai.

SHaron Garrett Area Director of Marketing & Communications, Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas.

Senol SariSen Food and Beverage Manager at Gloria Hotels, Dubai Media City.

Business

Both sides have their pros “ and cons. i’m all for the anonymous review.” – sharon garrett where ever they are written, and restaurants should treat them as such.

Garrett: I think many of the reviews are average and people don’t really know their subject matter.

On the whole reviewers play it safe. They’ve had a free meal and they don’t want to upset the apple cart. There are a few key writers who I know will write what they experience and I find it refreshing.

I especially like it when you are so proud of your product that you don’t get nervous about unannounced reviewers. That’s when you know a hotel or restaurant has everything together. It should not be a case of the VIP is here so do a good job, it should be consistent across the board.

Is a review made harder by the extreme multinational mix here? akIelan: Potentially this could be a problem, but as I mentioned restaurant goers and reviewers alike are generally well travelled and are overall very keen on trying out new dishes and cuisines. andrews: It is not the review that is the concern with regards to Dubai’s multinational mix, it is ensuring that the restaurant’s product is accessible for all to enjoy. For example, Benjarong, our signature restaurant, offers Royal Thai cuisine which is well known for its fresh herbs, shoots and spices which are not common in the Middle East.

To ensure our guests get the full enjoyment of the cuisine we adapt the flavor and recipe to match the guest’s preference on salty, sweet, spicy hot or sour.

Garrett: I think a lot of excuses are made for poor service. Why do people tip rubbish service?

My mind boggles over the habit people get into rewarding poor service with a tip. If it was rubbish say so and don’t reward it. For a chef or a restauranteur, the biggest favour you can do them, is let them know at the time exactly what is wrong so they have an opportunity to fix it. sarIsen: No, I’m used to working with many different nationalities and cultures. should reviewers dine anonymously? Or do you think a marketing companion at the meal is a good thing? akIelan: Personally I wouldn’t want to make anyone feel pressured during a review as we want them to enjoy the experience as they would if they were any other guest, so I wouldn’t be insistent on sitting in on a review. The staff at a given venue should be knowledgeable enough to answer any questions that a reviewer might have about the menu or the venue in general so it is unnecessary for a PR or marketing companion to be there. andrews: There are two ways to look at this. Do you want a true reflection of your restaurant in the review, or one that you have influenced heavily and will show to the reader. If it is the later, then you are

not confident with the product you are providing.

We offer the same high level of service to all our guests and everyone receives the same excellent standard of experience when they dine with us, whether they are reviewing or simply dining.

Garrett: Both sides have their pros and cons. I’m all for the anonymous review. However, meeting contacts over food is always good fun and helps build relationships. With competing priorities and larger workloads, sometimes those informal invitations to share a meal morph into a review which is a nice bonus for any PR team, since you’ve been there throughout. sarIsen: Definitely need a marketing person. It doesn’t matter which way we do marketing but it is important the people know what we do and come again.

From anywhere in the world, are there reviews you read for pleasure even though you don’t intend to dine in the reviewed restaurant? akIelan: Definitely. I am always really keen to read reviews of any of the big Michelin starred places or somewhere that has won a big award.

For example I was really keen to read about NOMA in Copenhagen as it’s rated as one of the best restaurants in the world and I wanted to know why and what people really think about the food.

Similarly for The Fat Duck in Bray as Blumenthal is a fascinating chef and it’s amazing to read about how well the molecular gastronomy really goes down with reviewers. Even with El Bulli, despite it no longer being open, I wanted to know what made it so special so I’ll hunt down any reviews I can find to try and get a picture of what makes a restaurant so great even though I may not ever get the chance to visit! andrews: I have a former colleague in the UK who reviews some random places on her travels around Europe and I very much enjoy reading about her adventures and the odd dishes she tries.

There is always a quirky-side to her writing that is entertaining.

Garrett: Yes, I have a keen interest in cutting edge food and beverage concepts and I like to stay up to date with what is happening around the globe.

I also take a keen interest in reading reviews of restaurants that are decades old and often admire how they have maintained their positive reviews and popularity in a fast evolving environment. sarIsen: Not so far.

How seriously do chefs take reviews? akIelan: Very seriously. I’ve been into kitchens and there have been photocopies of reviews stuck to cork boards with the comments highlighted and notes to the team to make sure that every dish that goes out is of the highest possible quality. Reviews

are real life experiences made public to a lot of people so every review is important to a chef and his or her kitchen team. andrews: Our chefs take reviews and other feedback very seriously. It is a critique of their work and creations and they take great pride in what they serve our clients. A review forms part of their personal development and everyday in the kitchen is for learning.

Garrett: I think most chefs take comments on board and realise that everyone is different. In my opinion, many of the chefs I have had the pleasure of working with are true artists. They care about the guest experience and truly want diners to enjoy their food. Chefs take into account so many factors when creating a dish. For example, they are looking at how it works with the other dishes on the menu, the presentation of it and if it will be pleasing on the eye, the flavours and textures as well as the aroma and magical smells. what is the bigggest mistake a reviewer can make? akIelan: Not being honest about the experience they had. andrews: The biggest mistake a reviewer can make are getting the facts wrong in a review. This could be prices, location or dish names.

Garrett: To lie. sarIsen: I’m not sure. are you under pressure from management after a bad review? akIelan: All comments from reviews are taken on board and the feedback appreciated, the teams understand that the review is a direct result of a particular experience that I don’t have control over. However, if reviews are seen as inaccurate then the pressure is on to rectify this with either a new review or further explanation from the reviewer.

Garrett: Of course. The review is researched with all staff touch points and the gaps in service or quality are quickly identified. We see a less than perfect review as an opportunity for improvement and a dazzling fantastic review as an opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of our team members.

We embrace reviews and they form part of our marketing communications strategy at Anantara. sarIsen: I am open for criticism if it is constructive and take it as a chance to correct what we do. what sort of journalist would be a dream reviewer? akIelan: Anyone who has an interest in writing a clear and honest review, with a decent knowledge of food, how kitchens work and how hard a restaurant and its team have to work in order to deliver a good dining experience.

Garrett: We like true food reviewers or critics.

People who know their subject matter and are confident enough to challenge our chefs with questions. However, on the flipside, sometimes a newly initiated reviewer brings to the table a fresh perspective and brings us back down to earth and in touch with the expectations of the average Joe. sarIsen: A magazine journalist.

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Reviews aRe veRy impoRtant “ to a RestauRant when it is fiRst

opening, as a good Review can make you and a bad Review can bReak you.” – CHEf VIDAuRRE Do you see a value in restaurant reviews?

Conboy: Yes, feedback that you get from a member of the public or a journalist is generally constructive, and, if it is an experienced food critic it can be beneficial. Obviously, good reviews in respected publications and on-line blogs generate custom.

GraDnitzer: I believe a restaurant review is a fantastic opportunity and irreplaceable tool not only to receive critical comments but also to keep up the competitive spirit and look out for areas for improvement.

Jost: Absolutely. Restaurant reviews in the whole are useful on two fronts. Firstly, they serve as useful tool for restaurateurs as it allows them to measure guest satisfaction. Secondly, it serves as form of ‘free’ marketing/advertising that helps potential guests to make an informed choice of where to spend their time and money.

ViDaurre: Yes and no. Reviews are very important to a restaurant when it is first opening, as a good review can make you and a bad review can break you. Whenever a new restaurant opens, a large number of people will read a review and will make judgments about the restaurant, but the only way to really know how good a restaurant is, is to go there and experience the food and atmosphere for yourself.

Compared to back home, how would you rate the quality of reviews here in the region? and why is that?

Conboy: In the UK, the reviews are a lot more critical. There are permanent food critics assigned

the Chefs

Chef simon Conboy Head Chef, The Ivy, Dubai.

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Chef Christian GraDnitzer Resort Executive Chef, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

Chef miChel Jost Executive Chef, Yas Viceroy, Abu Dhabi.

Chef alfreDo lazo ViDaurre Chef de Cuisine, Toro Toro, Grosvenor House, Dubai.

to most newspapers and the reviewers will review anonymously. The competition is far more fierce too, given the sheer volume of restaurants.

GraDnitzer: Having worked in many popular culinary destinations worldwide, I have noticed local differences in restaurant reviews approach. Here in the UAE, I would say that a large number of reviews are based on personal judgments and preferences whereas in other markets, critics may have a formal culinary background and experience on which to base their reviews.

Jost: Gastronomy reviews in the UAE and wider GCC are relatively new with little competition.

The biggest difference between reviews in Central Europe and in this region is their roots.

For instance, the concept of food quality in Central Europe did not start with restaurants, but with the knowledge of products and ingredients. Therefore, the main difference comes in the questions asked and terminology used by journalists.

ViDaurre: In Peru there isn’t a great deal of reviewing going on in papers and magazines.

However, there is a famous chef called Gaston Acurio (who is regarded as one of the greats) who reviews restaurants on his weekly TV show and looks at new places opening. His opinion on a restaurant is always highly regarded by the public, so you could say he is the main critic in Peru. is a review made harder by the extreme multinational mix here?

Conboy: No. GraDnitzer: The fact that such a multinational mix of cultures is represented in Dubai makes pleasing guests and critics more challenging but at the same time more interesting.

Jost: On the one hand, yes, there are not many shades of food, it is either good, or not good.

However, on the other hand, what is new to me is to find food critics that are experts in many type of cuisines.

ViDaurre: Definitely. With so many different nationalities in Dubai, it is hard to please everyone. What is nice to one person or nationality may not be to another. The food we create in Toro Toro is quite new to Dubai; not everyone is used to the ingredients or flavours so it is sometimes hard for them say whether if it is traditional or authentic, as they have more than likely not tried this style of food before.

Business Should reviewers dine anonymously? Or do you think interaction with you and your team helps?

COnbOy: They should dine anonymously and pay for their dinner to get a true experience of the restaurant.

Gradnitzer: An anonymous review allows a critic to get an unbiased picture of the service and quality of the food. It also pushes the staff to deliver a consistent high level of performance.

JOSt: I don’t think it is a good idea to dine anonymously. Journalists should identify what the true purpose of their activity is and understand that by doing their work professionally, they may actually contribute and help restaurants improve their offerings. A journalist that engages in an honest interaction with the chef and the restaurant team can help all parties, including himself and future guest’s experience, as well as provide a constructive support to raise the level of gastronomy on the region.

Vidaurre: To get a real experience of a restaurant, reviews should be done anonymously.

Of course it always helps if the restaurant is aware it is being reviewed in advance, but this doesn’t give a true dining experience. If I find out a table is reviewing a restaurant, I treat them like every other table - a VIP! Having an interview where points are discussed about the food, operations, etc can be useful as it gives specific information about the restaurant, but this is not a review.

When planning a trip to a city abroad, do you read reviews to choose places to eat? if so, what qualities in the review are you looking for?

COnbOy: No,Ii tend to speak to chefs I know who either work in that particular city or have worked there in the past. Personal recommendations from chefs are what I find most valuable.

Gradnitzer: Yes, I am guided by internationally recognised restaurant guides like Zagat, NYC Times Dining & Wine section and some others. A negative review, however, does not necessarily change my interest to one or another restaurant. There are times when a not yet well-known culinary concept turns out to be the most exciting and that is what I look for in a diverse culinary world.

JOSt: Rather than reading reviews, I get feedback from colleagues and friends. If I come across reviews, I would first check the source of the information. Most trades have their jargon and depending how the review is written, selection of words and description of tastes and textures, then it shows how the journalist actually understands the subject he is reporting on. Not all are the same.

Vidaurre: I hardly ever read reviews of countries that I visit. The best reviews always come from friends. If I know someone who lives in the country I am visiting, I always ask them for their recommendation. If I don’t know anyone living there, then I ask friends that have been there to give me their advise on the best places to eat out.

From anywhere in the world, are there reviews you read for pleasure even though you don’t intend to dine in the reviewed restaurant?

COnbOy: AA Gill’s reviews are certainly entertaining, also Charles Campion.

Gradnitzer: Yes, I subscribe to many international on-line magazines and review the pages as this helps me to explore other cities in the world and see what food concepts and restaurants review are out there. I have also noticed that social media tools become more and more popular nowadays. Many food gourmets, who eat out at least three to four times a week and travel a lot, share their amazing dining experience on-line in a very realistic way.

JOSt: Whenever I read reviews, there is always a professional interest to it. I use reviews as a source of information, they help me keep uptodate on what is happening on the culinary scene and what the current restaurant trends are. Additionally, they help me apply what is relevant and see ways to add another dimension our guest’s experience.

On the dining side, I prefer to meet the chef or restaurant manager in his environment as it tells me much more about himself and his food than sit at a table.

Vidaurre: As above, I don’t believe reviews always say a lot about a restaurant. I prefer to ask close friends for their recommendation, or experience restaurants and new cuisine myself.

How seriously do you and your brigade take reviews?

COnbOy: Extremely seriously. It’s a great feeling when you get a good review and any negative comments are definitely felt, but acted upon where necessary.

Gradnitzer: Every review is an opportunity to look at your work from a different perspective and, as a result, a chance for innovation or improvement. Therefore, we just either learn from that experience or simply feel content and proud of the positive result.

JOSt: We take reviews very seriously.

Vidaurre: We always read what people have said about us, whether it is a magazine, Trip Advisor or the comments cards from our guests.

These are always looked into in depth and adjustments are made if trends are noticed or a regular comment is made. At the end of the day customer feedback is just as important as a professional review, if not more.

What is the bigggest mistake a reviewer can make?

COnbOy: Commenting on a dish negatively, that they don’t know the full background on,

highlights a lack of expertise.

Gradnitzer: Basing a review solely on personal food preferences.

JOSt: Not meeting the chef, use of offensive words in a review, bad command of English for reviews edited in English, not ask questions when in the restaurant, being distant, not being specific.

Vidaurre: Reviewers must be able to back their thoughts. It is not much use just saying that they liked or didn’t like something. They should explain the thoughts behind their feedback. At the end of the day, a review is the personal taste of the reviewer and may be very different to others. Reviews are as much important to guests as they are to the chefs of the restaurants. are you under pressure from management after a bad review?

COnbOy: Not necessarily under pressure from management, but any bad reviews affect the kitchen. As long as you ensure the same mistakes are not repeated it is ultimately a beneficial process.

Gradnitzer: In a large operation complex like Madinat Jumeirah with 44 food and beverage outlets, it is quite hard for an entire culinary team to maintain perfect standards in every area.

And as a member of the management team, it is my duty to support and understand colleagues in my departments on different occasions.

JOSt: A good review is always easier to handle.

Vidaurre: I have more pressure from myself than anybody else. As I am in charge of the kitchen and the food leaving it, I wouldn’t be happy if somebody had a bad meal or experience as I am responsible for the food that they eat. if a review isn’t that complimentary, does it annoy you or do you see it as a chance to look objectively at what your team is delivering?

COnbOy: Most people find it difficult to take criticism but chefs tend to learn this skill (as much as it is possible to do so) fairly early on in their careers. All dishes are tasted by the chefs but a second opinion, and a third always helps.

Depending on the publication, it is sometimes good to hear what your typical ‘regular guest’ thinks too.

Gradnitzer: Every negative review is a lesson to learn which can be turned into a benefit for the future; that is the attitude that I try to implement.

JOSt: Everyone and every team want to be winners, so a review that is lukewarm - although not most welcome - offers the opportunity to get a view from a different perspective. If it is a well written and constructive criticism, it may help the restaurant and the team to review their offering and perform better.

Vidaurre: It really depends on the comments made. If they comment on something that others have said in the past or I feel is a problem, then we definitely look into it. If I have 100 people saying being complimentary and 1 person complaining, it might be wrong to make changes.

49

Book review

Amaze en place Modernist Cuisine is a six-volume, 2,438-page set that is destined to reinvent cooking. The lavishly illustrated books use thousands of original images to make the science and technology clear and engaging. Top chef Paul Lupton is knocked out by it.

I

“

can’t remember the last time I put so much thought into a purchase as I did with ‘Modernist Cuisine’ - at £284 it’s serious money! The author Nathan Myhrvold was the chief technology officer at Microsoft and has worked with Stephen Hawking, studying quantum field theory in curved space time, and quantum theories of gravitation - no I don’t know what that means either! What I do know of Nathan Myhrvold I picked up from Egullets infamous Sous Vide cooking thread in which Myhrvold was a regular contributor and

where he found the inspiration to create an encyclopaedia of modern cooking techniques.

Pulling together a crack team, including Chris Young, who was the development chef at the Fat Duck restaurant, they have created a six volume masterpiece of such beauty and detail that it really is hard to get your head around the sheer volume of work that has gone into it - no single chef could have ever made it as we just don’t have the time. The photography is just incredible and the team has gone through a lot of effort cutting up kitchen equipment

Modernist Cuisine: The art and science of cooking Nathan Myhvold, Chris Young and Maxime Bilet The Cooking Lab, 2011 $450 (amazon.com)

EvEn with 15 yEars in thE industry i can only “ rEad thE book in sEgmEnts as thErE is so much

information to absorb, but EvEry timE i sit down with it i lEarn somEthing nEw.” - PAuL LuPTon

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Book review

51

Book review

Throughout the book, we use cutaway images to provide an inside view of the cooking process. We cut a Weber grill (and a couple hamburgers) in half for our annotated explanation of grilling on page 2·7.

Next, inspired by the questions that people had posted in the eGullet thread on sous vide, I decided that my book would also include information about the basic physics of heat and water.

Chefs hailing from many of the best kitchens in the world, as well as amateurs of all sorts, had questions about heat transfer.

When making traditional cuisine, you don’t need to understand precisely how heat moves into and through food—you just need to know that you turn the burner to medium-high, for example, or set the oven to 175 °C / 350 °F and roast your food until it’s golden brown. Unfortunately, this approach gives you little intuition that’s any help when you try to use a technique like sous vide, in which a more precise knowledge of the heating process is required to achieve consistently good results. For the most part, experience from conventional cooking does not apply.

But this raised a question: wouldn’t people like to understand how traditional cooking actually works? Aside from its intrinsic interest, the science of cooking would also help chefs apply Modernist

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techniques. Before long, I was sliding down a slippery slope toward a book of epic proportions.

Why not add a section on hydrocolloids? What about foams? At that stage, my ideas were more daydreams than practical reality, so it was easy to convince myself that it all made sense.

How could such a technical book be made accessible to readers? I decided that photography—another passion of mine—could make the difference by presenting technical concepts in a highly visual manner. My hope was that seductively beautiful and clear photos would both draw readers in and provide a clear demonstration of what the text told them. This decision made the book much more challenging to create but also that much more compelling if it was successful.

What I wound up with was what you see now, a multivolume book with three main goals: to explain key aspects of food science in a new way; to show how traditional cooking really works; and to provide detailed, step-by-step photos and instructions for every major technique and ingredient in Modernist cooking. A saner man

might have treated that as three distinct projects, but to me they seem to hang together as a unit.

This account of the book’s history has been written in the first person singular, because in the beginning it was just me, Nathan. But it couldn’t become a reality until I had a team. I had been very lucky to have met Chris young at The Fat Duck (see page 49), and when I heard he was moving back to the U.S., I jumped at the chance to hire him for the project.

Chris quickly recruited Maxime Bilet, another Fat Duck alumnus, as head chef, and from there we were off. Initially, I had planned to take all of the photos myself. Ryan Matthew Smith joined the team as a photo assistant and digital photo editor. Soon Ryan was taking most of the pictures, and we hired an assistant for him.

At first, the work was done in my home kitchen, but soon we decided to move to part of a science laboratory and invention workshop that my company was building. This allowed us to work all hours of the day and night, which we promptly proceeded to do.

In those early days, very little of our work was devoted to developing recipes. In most cookbooks, recipes make up 90% or more of the content—but that is possible only because almost all of the techniques and equipment discussed in such books are old hat. People know what sauté pans and ovens are, so writers don’t need to spend pages describing these tools. But people may not have the same basic knowledge about combi ovens, water baths, or freeze dryers, so we knew we had to explain what they are and, more important, to discuss why you’d use them. As a result, this book devotes more pages to discussing new tools and technologies than a traditional book does; recipes make up a much smaller fraction of our text.

Indeed, we had not planned initially on including recipes at all. Over time, however, we decided that we needed to provide some recipes as examples, since theory alone would be too hard to apply.

But then we got carried away. We developed not only small examples but also numerous plated dishes. The style of these dishes is eclectic, and that is a deliberate choice. The goal of most cookbooks is either to showcase a chef’s personal style or to explore a certain type of cuisine (Korean, New American, vegetarian, etc.). In contrast, our goal is to showcase the techniques and tech-

1

nologies of Modernist cuisine across all of their potential applications.

As a result, there is no single style represented in this book. We explain how to use Modernist techniques to create the ultimate cheeseburger (see page 5·11), sunny-side up egg (see page 2·174), and Indian curries (see page 5·89). But we also discuss highly technical dishes and processes, such as constructed creams (see page 4·236), reverse spherification (see page 4·186), and spray-drying (see page 2·438). Many of the leaders of the Modernist movement were kind enough to give us recipes to use as examples. In some cases we developed our own examples using the work of other chefs as an inspiration or point of departure.

These volumes are dedicated to the Modernist revolution in cuisine discussed in this chapter, but many readers will be more traditionally minded.

That’s fine—our mission is to teach techniques, not proselytize for Modernism. People interested in traditional food will still find much here of value. We explain how traditional techniques work in chapter 7, and we have many recipes and techniques that involve purely traditional ingredients. Want to make perfect omelets for a crowd?

See page 5·215. Would you like to make your own tofu or mozzarella? Check out page 4·110.

For traditional chefs who are ready to walk on the wild side and experiment with some new ingredients, we have recipes for an invincible beurre blanc that can be made ahead of time and held without coagulating (page 4·200), a meringue that can be made to order with a whipping siphon (page 4·284), and a perfect risotto that can either be made largely ahead of time or prepared rapidly in a pressure cooker (page 3·304).

This book, in five volumes plus a kitchen manual, is enormous by nearly any standard. yet I am certain that there will be people who think we left something out. I am sure that we have! There is no way, even in books of this size, to cover every issue, or even every important issue. If your favorite technique, ingredient, or recipe is not covered, I apologize. We’ll try to do better next time.

One omission is deliberate: we have no treatment of pastry, dessert, or baked goods. We expect to cover these topics in the future, but we had to draw the line somewhere, so we limited ourselves to savory cuisine.

Conversely, there will be people who argue we

Vo lu m e 1 · H is to ry a n d F u n da m e n ta l s

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History

1

THE STORy OF THIS BOOK Browse any bookstore, online or brick-and-mortar, and you’ll find a large selection of culinary reference books that offer step-by-step instructions for preparing classic French cuisine. Many of these books are wonderful, and we highly recommend a number of them for any cook’s library. Unfortunately, although these texts often encompass Nouvelle and New International methods, they include few (if any) of the exciting new techniques that have been developed in the last 30 years.

Many Modernist chefs have written their own books, and these generally do a great job of elucidating aspects of each chef’s personal culinary style. Chefs don’t usually aspire to write a book that is more comprehensive than their own vision—after all, a chef operating a restaurant probably doesn’t have the time to produce a lengthy reference text like those that exist for French cuisine. Chefs are too busy running their kitchens and creating new dishes.

In a sense, cookbook writers face similar barriers. Many of the greatest cookbooks are written by people who write for a living, like Paula Wolfert, Patricia Wells, Michael Ruhlman, Mark Bittman, James Peterson, Wayne Gisslen, and dozens of others. Authors such as these tend not to write large-scale reference books, which require large staffs working full-time for a matter of years.

For context, consider that the production of these five volumes required the combined efforts of several dozen people over the span of three years.

That level of effort is the norm for a major reference work or college textbook. Resources on this scale are generally not available to independent food writers, however.

Of course, Julia Child is one notable exception to this rule, but she had two coauthors, and even then, they undertook an arduous nine-year journey to the publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. In addition, Child’s masterpiece was mostly text—it originally contained no photos and only minimal illustrations. That kind of book worked in 1961, but it wouldn’t be competitive in today’s market, where numerous visual elements are expected in a book of this size.

Child’s story is a cautionary tale to writers who would attempt a book on a similar scale. Indeed,

VVoolluummee 11 ·· HH ii ss t o r y a n d F uu nn ddaammeennttaallss

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MAKInG A SMooTH PuREE 1

1

2 3 4

Prepare the vegetables by cutting them into evenly shaped, small pieces, as indicated in the table below.

Combine the vegetables with the liquid or seasoning indicated in the table. Set the weight of the produce to 100%. For example, use 12 g of butter for every 100 g of mushrooms.

Cook as indicated. Suggested methods, temperatures, and times are listed in the table.

Puree by using the tool indicated. optionally, process with a rotorstator homogenizer, ultrahigh–pressure homogenizer, or ultrasonic homogenizer for a finer texture. For large quantities, a colloid mill is an ideal tool.

Best Bets for Vegetable and Fruit Purees Prep

Method

(°C)

Parametric recipes typically contain three parts: an introduction that explains some of the underlying principles at work (not shown in this example), steps 1 that outline the general procedure for making the recipe, and one or more tables, typically organized by main ingredient, 2 that present the parameters—ingredients, quantities, preparation steps, cooking times and temperatures, etc.—for making a number of variations. ingredients for each variation are grouped together between horizontal lines. 6 in the example below, the recipe for asparagus puree calls for blending both vegetable stock and unsalted butter together with the sliced asparagus. More than one variation is sometimes given for a main ingredient, 9 as indicated by an indented line. if no ingredient is listed for a variation, 5 that indicates that we don’t consider any additional ingredient necessary in this case. A value of “n/a” indicates that the value for that column is not applicable for a given variation.

Cooking instructions 3 typically include both temperatures and times, given in minutes (min) or hours (h), as indicated by the unit at the top of the column. When a time is unusually short or long, the abbreviated unit is included with the number. 4 Quantities in parametric recipe tables are often given as percentages of a liquid or a main ingredient, as indicated by a note at the bottom of the table. A References to related example recipes, plated-dish recipes, or step-by-step procedures are often given in a “See page” column. 8

apples 2

peeled, quartered

sous vide 3 90

asparagus

thinly sliced

sauté

Liquid

(°F)

(min)

194

2½ h 4

high heat

10

6

(scaling)* Tool

5

vegetable stock 25% 7 unsalted butter 15%

artichokes

hearts, thinly sliced sous vide

80

176

45

vegetable stock 50% olive oil

5%

beets

peeled, thinly sliced

sous vide

80

176

1h

cooked beet juice

50%

stems, peeled and sliced

sauté

medium heat

12

neutral oil

boil

high heat

4

neutral oil

See page

commercial blender

4 17 8

commercial blender

341

commercial blender commercial blender

unsalted butter 15% broccoli

9 florets, sliced

3%

commercial blender

3%

Pacojet

426

A *(set weight of prepared vegetable to 100%)

In many cases we have example recipes tied to entries in the parametric recipe table. These cross-references let you see a full example of how the parameters and formulas work in practice.

The final kind of recipe we use in this book is the plated-dish recipe. This comes closest to the recipes found in traditional cookbooks. Our plated-dish recipes offer instructions for creating an entire restaurant-style dish, including main ingredients, multiple garnishes, and details about how to assemble everything for serving. We describe the entire context of the dish in detail; thus, some of these recipes are quite involved, with many component parts. you can always opt to simplify things a bit by using only certain parts.

Plated dishes come in a wide variety of styles.

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to give us a view of what’s going on inside our pans and cream whippers as we use them.

As a book it is not one the home cook could easily get along with - even with 15 years in the industry I can only read the book in segments as there is so much information to absorb, but every time I sit down with it I learn something new, whether it is how to wash your

We have full-on Modernist dishes that would not be out of place at leading Modernist restaurants.

But we also have dishes that are far more informal, like barbecue from the American South, a pork belly picnic, and even the perfect omelet. For us, a plated recipe doesn’t have to be fancy, as long as it’s made with the quality and care of more elaborate preparations. Our hamburger is the best one we know how to make, and we believe that you should put every bit as much effort into making a great hamburger as you would if you were making dishes with loftier ambitions.

Some Modernist dishes are lavishly complex à la Heston Blumenthal, while others are boldly minimalist in the style of Ferran Adrià. Other Modernist chefs, including Grant Achatz, David

Vo lu m e 1 · H is to ry a n d F u n da m e n ta l s

For references to recommended culinary books, including books by Modernist chefs, see the Further Reading section near the end of volume 5.

The creation of this book required years of effort by a large team. Most of the photography, research, and recipe development and testing took place in the team’s kitchen laboratory in Bellevue, Washington. Scenes shown on the previous page include (clockwise from top left) coauthor and head chef Maxime Bilet tossing stir fry for the photo on page 2·50, instrument maker Ted Ellis sawing equipment in half for a cutaway image, chef Grant Crilly arranging sausage for a cutaway image of a grill (see page 2·14), author Nathan Myhrvold adjusting a rotary evaporator, Maxime arranging up a plate-up for a photo shoot, Grant getting splattered while running an immersion blender upside-down to get a dramatic picture, researcher Christina Miller mixing it up, the photo studio floor after one especially messy shoot (see page 4·196), chef Johnny Zhu putting the final touches on a tilapia (see page 2·189), and coauthor Chris Young working with Grant and chef Sam Fahey-Burke to prepare a pig for cooking sous vide—whole.

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History

Cook Ingredient

for people who write for a living, it makes more sense to publish less comprehensive, more specialized cookbooks on a regular basis.

Who, then, would spend the time, energy, and money to create a large-scale culinary reference book? Certainly not mainstream publishers, because such a book would be extremely expensive to produce and would not have any proven market. Who would be foolhardy enough to step forward? We decided it would be us.

The origins of this book date back to 2004, when I started exploring and explaining sous vide cuisine in eGullet’s online forums (see page 59).

As a result of that experience, I resolved to write a book on sous vide. At the time, there was no book in English about the technique, and the only recent text on the subject was Joan Roca’s excellent Sous Vide Cuisine, which I struggled through in Spanish (before the English version came out and before Thomas Keller published his book Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide). There was clearly a need for a comprehensive book on sous vide in English, so I decided to write it.

But as I worked on the book, I kept seeing reasons to expand its scope. Food safety is intricately linked to sous vide; misunderstandings about the safety of the method have long prevented its widespread adoption. So, with the help of several research assistants, I dug into the scientific literature and discovered that much of what chefs are told about food safety is wrong. Mostly it is wrong in a way that ruins the taste of food without providing any meaningful improvement in safety.

Sometimes it is wrong in the other direction, producing results that could be unsafe. It became clear to me that cooks need some guidance.

This idea was driven home when chef Sean Brock contacted me for help convincing his local food inspector that it would be safe to serve food prepared sous vide at his restaurant, McCrady’s, in Charleston, South Carolina. A few days later, the food inspector for that area also contacted me. He was fascinated by the data I had passed along to Brock and wanted to learn more. Brock got approval to go ahead, and I resolved that my book would cover microbiology and food safety as well as the core aspects of sous vide techniques.

MONKFISH WITH MEDITERRANEAN FLAVORS

Plated-dish recipes are the most involved recipes in the book because they bring together multiple components including a main dish, side dishes, sauces, and garnishes. A brief introduction 1 provides historical or culinary context for the dish. it is followed by a “dashboard” view 2 that gives an overview of the recipe components, the time you’ll need to budget to make each part, any special equipment that is required (or that is optional but handy), and the assembly steps involved in bringing everything to completion at the same time.

Yield for the recipe as a whole is given as a number of portions.

Several times are listed in the : section. 3 The “overall” time indicates clock time from the start of preparation to serving time. Because many recipes require long periods of cooking, curing, fermenting, etc. that do not require a cook’s attention, we also indicate the amount of hands-on kitchen time needed for preparation. Finally, we give the reheating and finishing time to let you know how far in advance of serving you should begin final assembly.

The component dishes in the recipe are then listed in a suggested order of preparation, 4 with those parts that are easily made in advance given first. Although the recipes for most components follow the dashboard page, some may be found instead in other parts of the book, in which case a page reference is given. 6 Components that are optional are clearly noted as such. 5 For each component, we list the quantity needed and three useful times: the hands-on prep time, the time needed for any finishing steps during assembly, and the cooking time. Cooking steps that do not require active attention are set in italics; 8 in cases where a dish involves both attended and unattended cooking steps, times are given separately for each. 7 instructions for finishing and final assembly of the plated dish appear after the table of components. 9 The most difficult part of making a complex meal is completing all the last-minute cooking, dressing, and garnishing in the few minutes before it is served. To help you pull off this feat, all of these final steps are presented together in this spot and arranged clearly in a practical order.

The remaining pages of the plated-dish recipe are devoted to recipes for the components, A each of which is presented using the same approach we take for example recipes (see page 96).

Where space permits, we have included photographs showing some of the steps involved. Notes in the margin B provide tips and ideas for substitutions.

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1

2 3 4 5

6

7

8

9

A B

History

97

hands properly or how to create the ultimate burger. It’s a book that I can spend many years learning from and for me that makes it worth the money!”

Paul Lupton was until recently the Executive Chef at Swissotel Tallinn, Estonia and formerly Head Chef, Rhodes Mezzanine, Dubai. He is returning to the region shortly.

This book will change The way we undersTand “ The kiTchen.”

- FERRan aDRià

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1

Travel

Viennese waltz A scant century ago, Vienna was the fifth largest city in the world, thanks in large part to its historic role as the capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Now, outnumbered two to one by visitors, its residents enjoy an enviable lifestyle – warm and congenial, or ‘gemütlich’ as they say. Vienna may no longer be the intellectual powerhouse that it was - with major breakthroughs in music, science, psychology, philosophy and art being driven in its comfortable coffee houses - but it has evolved seamlessly into a modern European capital, equally at home being trendy and stylish or comfortable and imperial, as Dave Reeder rediscovered recently.

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©WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud

©WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud

©WienTourismus/F3

Travel

OPPOSITE: The Ring Boulevard ABOVE LEFT: Wiener Schnitzel ABOVE RIGHT: The Nashmarkt

T

he key to understanding Vienna, in my view, is that it’s a city of contradictions in a constant state of flux. Its inhabitants take great pride in the fact that its the only major city with a cuisine named after it, but most of its iconic dishes are imports - Wiener Schnitzel from Milan, goulash from Hungary and so on. Its diners enjoy the highest levels of organic food production in Europe but in general are remarkably unconcerned about the provenance of their food. Many dishes are seen as untouchable and unchangeable icons of its imperial past, but the Viennese happily adopt Big Macs. Its rich tradition of coffee houses is nurtured as a symbol of the city, but American coffee chains are opening up right across the city.

In a sense, it’s this tension that makes Vienna such an interesting city - like the amicable side by side reverence of Mozart and dance maestros Kruder and Dorfmeister - and it remains a wonder how easy it is to shake off the more than 3.5m tourists a year and find a quiet cafe that holds strong to the traditions of old Vienna.

Of course, like any great imperial city, Vienna has acted like a sponge for culinary invaders over the centuries. Its position at the crossroads between West and East means it retains strong traditions from Turkey and further south, remnants of centuries’ long trade between its former Empire, the Ottomans and further territories. It is still the romantic centre of a long-lost empire, with an enviable collection of

Like any great imperiaL city, “ Vienna has acted Like a sponge

for cuLinary inVaders oVer the centuries.”

55

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Travel

©WienTourismus/Lukas Beck

LEFT: One of the cellars at Kulinarium

Eat hErE Vienna is schizophrenic - eat old school or cutting edge, traditional or foreign.

However, one thing is pretty constant - great ingredients, a warm welcome and large portions designed to keep the cold out! Check with the Vienna Tourist Board for the latest hot openings, or stick to our recommendations. * WurstElstandEs. Not a restaurant but the generic name for the ubiquitous sausage stands that deliver Vienna’s real fast food - the classic wiener, the coarser burenwurst, the spicy kaserkrainer or the spam-like leberkase. * stEirErEck. Delighting diners for decades, this stylish second generation fine dining restaurant with a Michelin star continues to lead the local food scene from its position near Stadtpark.

Modern, innovative Viennese cuisine doesn’t get any better than this. * kulinarium 7. Just taken over by a young, enthusiastic team, this three-level (ground floor and two deep cellars) space south of the

MuseumsQuartier is wowing locals with imaginative, keenly priced tasting menus backed by a massive collection of (largely) Austrian wines. Worth seeking out as a harbinger of the Vienna dining scene of the future. * thE loft. Stunning space above the Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom with a fresh, innovative menu driven by consultant chef, Michelin 3-star Antoine Westermann. The food mixes Austrian and French flavours with style and panache. It would be worth a visit just for the stunning location, but the food makes this a ‘must visit’ space.

museums, theatres, opera houses and palaces.

However, for most people culture in Vienna can be expressed in one word: music. No other city has been home to so many great composers: some, such as Schubert, Strauss, Schoenberg and Berg were born there, others, such as Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Brahms and Mahler chose to live there.

All of this was possible, of course, because of the draw of the city at the hub of an empire.

To get a taste of imperial style, a visit to Vienna’s most popular sightseeing attraction, Schönbrunn Palace, is a must. Whether you wander the seemingly-endless corridors and rooms filled with baroque furniture or fine art or, instead, stroll through the classically laid out gardens that stretch to the skyline, the Palace is an essential part of an Vienna trip.

As is - for the foodie traveller - a leisurely stop in a coffeehouse. For the Viennese, that doesn’t mean a chance for quick espresso; instead it represents an abstract idea, a state of mind, a way of life. One does not simply wander into just any coffee house – a coffee house should be an end in itself. You don’t merely order ‘a cup of coffee’ – you wouldn’t expect to be taken seriously if you ordered ‘pasta’ in Rome, ‘beer’ in Munich or ‘wine’ in Paris. So, in Vienna, you should explicitly specify which of the twentyodd different types of coffee you would like

remember the history of the Empire…

Great food in a wonderful setting - the baroque Palais Harrach with relaxing courtyard gardens. * christ WEinGut & hEuriGEr. Wine may not be what you associate with Vienna’s heritage perhaps and for too long the home of over-sweet white wine, however the city’s winegrowers are now leading the

country’s winemaking revolution.

The wines can best be enjoyed in a heuriger - a rustic bistro deep in wine country. One of the most interesting new players is Rainer Christ, whose attention to detail shows in his excellent white and red wines, as well as the stylish vinotheque he has built as part of his heuriger. Locals throng for new style wines and old school food - a winning combination.

* Gasthaus Poschl. Still known to locals as Immervoll (“always full”), this typical neighbourhood restaurant delivers good quality, friendly service, a happy crowd and, if you hit on the right night, the bonhomie of the actor owner who delights in welcoming strangers into the party. A short stroll from the Cathedral and worth finding. * trattoria martinElli. Italian food in Venice? Well, why not -

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Travel

RIGHT: The Naschmarkt BELOW: Frankfurter Würstel ©WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud

to be served. Your coffee will arrive on a small silver platter accompanied by a small glass of water with a spoon balanced precariously over it. The glass of water symbolises the establishment’s desire to let you know that you are welcome to stay indefinitely. You sip your coffee, you nurse it along, you cherish it – and, even long after you have finished it, you may sit and do whatever you are doing for as long as you wish.

Time for one more slice of cake and another coffee? Exactly. Definitely time to learn how life in Vienna is, above all else, ‘gemütlich’.

And reflection over your choice of coffee will remind you how much Vienna has contributed in turn to other food cultures. French bread, for example, is a direct descendant of Viennese bread – the French imported Viennese ovens and produced pain viennois, a forerunner of baguettes. Austrian-born French Empress Marie

Shop here With both great food shops and intriguing food markets, it would be all too easy to fill up a suitcase with treats from the city - from coffee to chocolate, speciality oils to jams, pickles or spices. Here’s our selection of some interesting places where you can shop and snack!

©WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud

* Schokolade koenig. Very close to St Stephen’s Cathedral, this tiny old-fashioned shop feeds the fantasies of chocolate lovers. From handmade chocolates to an ever-flowing chocolate fountain for coating fruit, chocolatier Wolfgang Leschanz delivers fine flavour and a taste of old Vienna.

The shop and most of the furniture were once used to sell buttons - now chocolate buttons are everywhere.

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* Sacher cafe. Vienna without a slice of sachertorte? Unthinkable!

After a bitter legal battle with Demel, the Hotel Sacher now produced the official Sacher torte - others produce an imitation. Eat in the hotel’s cafe (just north of the Opera) but also visit the busy shop for a wide variety of Sacher goodies! * Meinl aM graben. An absolute must right in the city centre. This delicatessen and grocery store with

its almost overwhelming choice also boasts an elegant café-restaurant on its upper floor. Demel’s candied violets, by the way, make for an ideal present, being a memento you won’t get anywhere else. * naSchMarkt. Vienna has many food markets but this, close to the University, is perhaps the most interesting with a lively mix of speciality food shops (local pumpkins, couscous and dates) and small cafes, either resolutely aimed at the market’s traditional working class customers or bravely aiming at a more discerning, fusion fascinated community. The result is a great mix - ordinary Viennese shoppers picking fine quality for tonight’s meal queueing with tourists choosing some regional speciality. * babette’S. Close to the Naschmarkt, this is a small bookshop specialising in cookery books, both in German and English. A great airy spot to rest and exercise the brain instead of the feet, it also boasts a small open plan kitchen and every lunchtime the resident cook prepares a short menu for eight or so diners. Well worth the detour for a friendly welcome, excellent food and a chance of a quiet glass or two of wine.

stars, fOOd & art 7 chefs, 12 Michelin stars | tuesday 3rd april 2012

a unique culinary experience, gathering Michelin starred and celebrity chefs On Tuesday 3rd April 2012, the Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach will host the ‘Stars, Food & Art’ culinary gala event.

A ‘first’ for the Middle East, 7 international renowned chefs, together representing 12 Michelin stars, will prepare their signature dishes during an exclusive dinner by the pool. The event will be further enhanced by live artistic performances.

Tickets to this exclusive event are available for: aed 2500 per person or AED 22000 for a table of 10 8-course dinner including premium beverage pairing Private gourmands as well as companies will be able to partake in this unique gastronomic experience.

Thomas Bühner ***. La Vie, Osnabruck | Claire Clark ***, The French Laundry, California Giovanni d’Amato **, Il Rigoletto, Reggiolo | Christophe Aribert **, Les Terrasses, Uriage-les-bains Bernard Bach **, Le Puits St Jacques | Cyrus Todiwala, Spice Namaste, London | Joe Barza, Chase, Beirut

Information and reservations T. (+971) 4 448 4851 or H6146-FB2@sofitel.com Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Marina, UAE

www.starsfoodart.com

©WienTourismus/Manfred Horvath

Travel

Antoinette introduced the Austrian Kipferl (crescent) to the Court of Versailles. You may know it better as the croissant! Apple strudel derives from Turkey. Typical cakes and pastries from Bohemia. And, further afield, New York’s very own bagels originated in Vienna – the word comes from the German word beugel, which itself comes from beugen, to bend.

Time to start exploring? Well, possibly. Vienna has been here for a long time and it can wait just a litttle longer perhaps. All in all, it’s a great city break for a chef.

Wines can “ best be enjoyed in a heuriger a rustic bistro deep in Wine country.”

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ABOVE: Heurige

Stay here Vienna is not short of a wide variety of hotels, from frugal to extravagant.

And, with fast routes in from the airport by train or taxi plus an easy to use and efficient integrated public transport system, just about everywhere is convenient. However, we think you should enjoy a little luxury for sleeping off those heavy meals and these three choices are convenient to central attractions and offer great facilities. * hotel ImperIal. On the inner ring road quite close to the Opera, the Imperial is almost the grande dame of Viennese hotels with an enviable client list of celebrities.

Much of the interior retains its traditional features and the cafe and restaurant offer classic Viennese cuisine - the Wiener schnitzel here is considered about the best in town.

* InterContInental WIen. The first international chain to open in the city (1964) and still a great mix of guests intent on business or pleasure in a great location close to the inner ring and within two minutes of the Strauss memorial in Stadtpark. The Intermezzo Bar has been a favourite watering hole of celebrities over the decades. * SofItel VIenna StephanSdom.

A good spot just outside the ring in the north of the city. Built just a year ago, this should be your choice if you like modern architecture - architect Jean Nouvel is perhaps best known for the Institut du Monde Arab in Paris, as well as the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi. Full of flat surfaces in either white, black or grey, giant slashes of colour adorn the backlit ceilings of five floors, most notably in the stunning top floor restaurant with amazing views over the city.

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Photography: James Robjant

Future technology

T

he UK’s Experimental Food Society has attracted a number of thoughtprovoking members. Take Scott O’Hara, who can make a life-sized eagle out of sugar. Or Andrew Stellitano who makes architectural creations out of lasagne. Or Blanch & Shock whose party trick is an exploded cake installation, with shards of sponge suspended in mid air.

Then there’s fashion MA Emily Crane, who creates beautiful, almost transitory creations she calls Cultivated Couture. Also known as MicroNutrient Couture, this is a sensory world of transient fashion where no one but the individual will ever wear the same dress again. She believes that she has “laid an innovative creative foundation for future fashion design, conscious of the restraints of our future planet and the impact from current fashion cycles”.

In her mind, “fashion is no longer a thing of simple beauty, but of nutrition also”.

She evolved her work from a restrictive brief based on the premise of zero resources to create fashion futures. In other words, without the current mass production capabilities available, what would a fashion practitioner do? So Micro-Nutrient Couture aims to create a fashion experience in a world exploring ‘the constant new’, offering a fresh alternative to the compulsive shopper obsessed with fast fashion, high street consumption and throw-away prices.

To do this, she says with artful simplicity, “I cook, blend, culture and form ice bubbles as silhouettes”.

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Future technology

Wear’s the food?

Emily Crane is a young fashion designer living and working in London, who is pushing the boundaries of design through materials and process - growing, cultivating and forming new hybrid materials for fashion futures. Borrowing skills from molecular cooking, she is envisioning a future where fast fashion has to respond to a more sustainable future. Setting up a lab in her kitchen, she is growing and freezing bubbles to create a form of bio lace that is both wearable and edible.

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64

Future technology

Gelatines Kappa carrageenan Water Natural flavour extracts Glycerine Food colouring Lusters

I felt that the processes “ Involved In cookIng and the

preparatIon of food would have more longevIty In our productIon futures over other current mass manufacturIng technIques.”

She does this by experimenting in her kitchen with materials that occur naturally when cooked up from edible ingredients including gelatines, kappa carrageenan, agar-agar sea vegetable, water, natural flavour extracts, glycerine, food colouring and lusters. In other words, high-tech kitchen couture. The basic process involves creating foams and liquids that set into skins, which can then be rehydrated, redyed and embellished.

The ideas began to come together during her Masters at Kingston University, which stressed a cross-disciplinary approach. “I realised that things could be transient. Why does everything have to stay as they are? I was obsessed with the idea of ice. Could you ice a silk organza into forms? You

could cut these beautiful shapes and ice them into structures on the body then, as you wore them, they’d begin to fall and crumble and disintegrate.”

Gradually, her ideas developed, from a dress made of frozen bubbles to an imagined future where you’d simultaneously make breakfast and cook up an outfit for the day!

But how likely is it that we are going to wear food? What indeed can molecular cuisine bring to the craft of fashion? “I feel that food and food bi-products are a valuable resource for transient textiles - a much more environmentally friendly approach to fibres. My kitchen was my very first fashion laboratory so perhaps I was always destined to make fashion from food!”

©WienTourismus/Peter Rigaud

Materials used

65

The last word

Object of desire Imagine a piece of kitchen equipment so unique that it’s believed not one copy was ever sold. Hailed as a revolutionary breakthrough, the Honeywell H316 ‘Kitchen Computer’ was everything the 1969 American housewife was supposed to aspire to. Only one problem - it cost as much as a small house! If you’ve got one of these babies locked away in storage, then you’ve got some serious bragging rights with your colleagues.

T

he history of computing has been littered with what must have seemed like great ideas but which suffered from fundamental problems, like a portable PC too heavy to carry around! But it’s hard to imagine a computer less likely to find a willing market than the Honeywell H316, released in 1969 in a special ‘Kitchen Computer’ variant - with ‘hot’ futuristic styling of its pedestal - as the cover star for the annual Neiman-Marcus Christmas holiday catalogue.

The H316 system was originally aimed at more advanced users than a home cook, with industry, mathematics, medical and scientific research as the obvious target markets. However, although lateral thinking turned the ‘writing table’ into a cutting board, the computer was severely limited in its abilities - its memory of 4k represented

about six lines of text on an A4 page...

And its cutting board - sorry, cutting edge user interface was merely a strip of front panel lights and some switches. Try searching fast for a recipe! In fact, mastering the machine was seen as so tricky that Neiman-Marcus even threw in a free two week programming course…

However, the main hurdle that the Kitchen Computer couldn’t overcome was its price of $10,600 - that’s the equivalent in today’s money of over $60,000, for which you could buy a small house or, more usefully, employ a full time cook!

It is believed that not one copy of the computer was ever sold - a record. A more honourable one is that the Kitchen Computer was the first time a computer was offered as a consumer product.

THe full TexT Of THe NeImAN-mArCus Ad: If she can only cook as well as honeywell can compute.

Her souffles are supreme, her meal planning a challenge? She’s what the Honeywell people had in mind when they devised our Kitchen Computer.

She’ll learn to program it with a cross-reference to her favorite recipes by

N-M’s own Helen Corbitt.

Then by simply pushing a few buttons obtain a complete menu organized around the entree. And if she pales at reckoning her lunch tabs, she can program it to balance the family checkbook. 84A 10,600.00 complete with two week programming course. 84B Fed with Corbitt data: the original

Helen Corbitt cookbook with over 1,000 recipes $100 (.75) 84C Her Potluck, 375 of our famed Zodiac restaurant’s best kept secret recipes 3.95 (.75) Corbitt Epicure 84D Her Labaird Apron, one-size, ours alone by Clairdon House, multi-pastel provencial cotton 26.00 (.90) Trophy Room.

It Is belIeved that not one copy of the computer “ was ever sold - a record. a more honourable one Is that the KItchen computer was the fIrst tIme a computer was offered as a consumer product.”

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Inspiring culinary artists like you

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