Starting out as an apprentice in a small French hotel in 1991, chef Mikael Robin has worked through the giants of Parisian properties, including Raffles Royal Monceau and Ritz Hotel Paris, and taken his culinary career through Europe, the US, and more recently into Asia.
Now, in his current role as executive chef, he’s responsible for seeing that the soon-to-launch Sofitel Foshan delivers authentic, French inspired cuisine come July when it is due to open.
The Sofitel brand focuses on four elements when it comes to French gastronomy: bread, pastries, wine and cheese. This philosophy will be reflected in the Foshan property.
Slated to open July 1, Sofitel Foshan is connected to the Louvre International Exhibition Furniture Center, the largest furniture exhibition mall in China. Marking Accor Hotels’ debut into Foshan, the 325-guest room hotel will offer two restaurants and three bars.
sofitel.com
Kerisac and Galettes in Macau
Similarly celebrating French cuisine is The Parisian Macao, with promotions on afternoon tea and ‘Galette’ crepes at Brasserie restaurant.
The Afternoon Tea Set, available daily from 3-5.30pm and priced at MOP268 for two, features mini Croque Madame; smoked salmon and avocado tartlet; Eiffel Tower Champagne truffles; red bean chouquettes; French Tricolore macarons; and dark hot chocolate with Grand Marnier.
The Galette promotion, available 3-6pm daily at MOP128 per person, offers a choice of four Galettes served with a glass of French Kerisac cider. Options include Galette Complete – the famous buckwheat crepe filled with emmental cheese, ham and egg; Galette Epinard (spinach); Galette Fruits de Mer (seafood) and Galette Nutella.
parisianmacao.com
Gold medallist joins One Harbour Road
Multi-award winning chef Chan Hon Cheong, who was recently appointed chef de cuisine at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong’s One Harbour Road restaurant, has marked his arrival by crafting a selection of new dishes.
Among his creations are braised sea cucumber with shrimp mousse, deep-fried pigeon egg and gold leaf; and steamed sustainable giant garoupa fillet with bamboo piths, beancurd sheet and fermented rice wine sauce (above).
“My long-term passion for Chinese cuisine has led me to where I am today,” says Chan, who has worked in the food and beverage industry since 1991. “To live up to modern diners’ expectations, I always try to push the boundaries by adding my own touch to original authentic Cantonese dishes.”
Chan has won several culinary awards, including the gold medal with distinction at the Best of the Best Culinary Awards.
hongkong.grand.hyatt.com
Tasting Hong Kong
Hong Kong Tourism Board has set its sights on promoting the city’s own cuisine with the launch of a walking tasting tour.
As part of its Old Town Central campaign, which emphasises Hong Kong’s heritage and culture, the Tasting Hong Kong experience exposes groups to traditional dim sum, dai pai dong (open-air food stalls) and local street food, as well as fusion cuisine and international fine wines.
Stops include Lin Heung Tea House for dim sum, Lan Fong Yuen for Hong Kong-style milk tea, Tai Cheong Bakery for egg tarts, Kung Lee Herbal Tea Shop for leung cha (cooling tea), and the SoHo area (south of Hollywood Road) to sample a selection of international dishes.
discoverhongkong.com
A day on a farm
While the city’s tourism board focuses on local flavours, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong is positioning farm-themed food to small groups.
The Chef’s Table, located on level 102, has unveiled “A Day on a Farm” speciality dishes, inspired by sous chef Jacky Lo’s brief stint working on an Australian farm.
Staples include The Farm, an egg and truffle-based dish; The Hunt (above), designed to evoke the scene of a pigeon hunt; The Grassland, a wheatgrass sorbet creation, and The Caffeine.
Executive chef Peter Find and his team guide diners through courses.
“The idea of a Chef’s Table is to present guests with an insider’s pass into the world of cooking. Guests will be able to see and experience the work and secrets that go into crafting the dishes we serve,” says Find.
Available for a maximum of eight guests and with a minimum spending of HK$16,000 (plus 10 per cent), the personalised menu can be of eight to twelve courses. Bookings must be made at least two weeks in advance.
ritzcarlton.com/hong-kong
New F&B supremo at HKCEC
Paul Chandler is the new director of F&B at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. He will lead a team of 330 responsible for F&B event planning and coordination in addition to catering services, Western and Chinese kitchens, the venue’s seven restaurants, concession stand setup during large exhibitions at HKCEC among other tasks.
Chandler has worked in senior positions at hotels in China, Britain and Australia. From 2012, he was F&B director at Shanghai Disney Resort, and prior to that held a similar position at Hong Kong Disneyland for three years.
www.hkcec.com
