Indice dei contenuti per August - September 2021 in epicure

The recently opened Whey on the upper ground floor of Hong Kong’s The Wellington in Central is the newest address for Singaporean chef Barry Quek. Here, he introduces diners to modern European cuisine reimagined with Asian nuances and Singaporean influences. Quek has trained in some of the world’s most renowned restaurants including Michelin-starred Joël Robuchon and Les Amis in Singapore, In De Wulf in Belgium and Attica in Melbourne. He moved to London in 2015 to work as a sous chef at Portland and helped to open their sister restaurant, Clipstone. Quek then headed back to Hong Kong to open mod-European Beet, which shuttered last year. A new perspective Whey is now Quek’s latest venture, and the talented chef is now on a mission to seamlessly bring together his international…

The world’s love affair with Japan is an eternal flame that has seen record numbers of tourists. Japan ended the decade in 2019 with the highest tourism arrivals of over 32.5 million international visitors, with 492,252 from Singapore, according to statistics by Japan National Tourism Organization. Predictably, the favourite activities preferred by Singapore tourists are dining followed by shopping and nature sightseeing. With Singapore’s ongoing travel restrictions, this wanderlust has only intensified, and short of virtual travel becoming a sci-fi reality, food is the ideal way to feed our desire for all things Japanese. Sushi master chefs are opening restaurants; Japan’s associations and prefectures are introducing new premium products in Singapore for the first time, from Saitama strawberries to Miyagi rice; and meat specialists are bringing in direct-to-consumer wagyu from…

Embracing a philosophy of sustainability at the core of Grand Hyatt Singapore’s operations. The hotel is committed to protecting the planet for future generations by adopting a holistic approach towards sustainability and pioneering sustainable initiatives across the hotel. The hotel’s long term strategy for environmental stewardship is embedded in all its operations such as Food Sourcing, Food Waste Management, Energy and Water, and Hotel Operations. It is a journey that started in 2011 where Grand Hyatt Singapore aimed to achieve better waste and water reduction, and better utilisation of resources and energy while providing guests with greater value through sustainable dining and wellness offerings. Says chef Lucas Glanville, director of culinary operations, “At Hyatt, our purpose of care defines our practice of responsibility, which is building strong communities and fostering…

There are many ways to make a cup of coffee. You can reach for the instant freeze dried variety, pop in a kopi-o bag or simply pour hot water over coffee grounds in a paper filter. For those who have a little more time to spare, there’s the French press (where ground coffee is soaked, steeped and strained in hot water), siphon, moka pot, percolator and a host of other methods and equipment dedicated to making the perfect cup of joe. There’s also the espresso machine that allows you to create barista-quality coffee at home. Coffee capsule machines are the newer kids on the block. These little pods of coffee have made it even easier to load up on caffeine – just drop one into the machine, press a button…

BEOPLAY HX If an immersive audio experience sounds like music to your ears, then check out the new Beoplay HX headphones by Bang & Olufsen. Boasting custom-designed 40mm speaker drivers with neodymium magnets and bass ports for optimal bass performance, the headphones exemplify the Danish label’s expertise in sound, design, and craftsmanship thanks to four dedicated microphones that utilise advanced beamforming technology. The signature B&O sound is further enhanced by the introduction of the Digital Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation technology which cancels unwanted noise without compromising on sound quality. $799, available at the Grand Hyatt flagship store and other selected retailers. MI PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER In addition to its high-quality dual sound modes, the Mi Portable Bluetooth Speaker is also IPX7 waterproof, which makes it a gem at the beach…

If we’ve learnt anything from the ongoing pandemic situation, it’s that F&B operators have to be able to adapt very quickly to keep up with government initiatives and be flexible about their operations. Indeed, as we saw in the recent Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) phase, takeaways and delivery were the only means for restaurants and bars to stay afloat during the no dine-in period. The F&B industry was already hit very hard last year with the lockdown measures and dine-in restrictions, with the sector reporting a year-on-year loss of almost 30 percent at the end of the third quarter in 2020. With 2020 being a year of change for many, the F&B industry has metamorphosed into a completely different animal than before, showcasing the resilience of Singapore’s amazing F&B industry.…

BEHIND THE LEGEND You know the name, now learn more about Wolfgang Puck’s life and career spanning decades. Wolfgang is a Disney+ original documentary film from Emmy Award-winning director and producer David Gelb, and the creators of Chef’s Table, chronicling the true story of the legendary chef, a man who survived a troubled childhood filled with a series of challenging obstacles and whose perseverance led him to become one of the most prolific chefs of our time and a household name. The documentary traces his days as a teenager in Austria to his move to America at age 24, his rise as a “celebrity chef”, and the eventual building of a global culinary empire, although at home, the frenetic professional demands disrupted his family life. It is at once candid,…

FLAP MEAT ‘BISTECCA ALLA GIAPPONESE’ WITH GORGONZOLA CREAM SAUCE AND KIZAMI WASABI SERVES 1-2 PREP TIME 5 mins COOK TIME 20 mins STEAK 150g Washugyu Flap Meat or WashugyuTenderloin3g Salt SAUCE 1g black pepper200g fresh cream½ tbsp shoyu sauce50g gorgonzola cheese30g frozen Kizami wasabiSalt White pepper PASTA SIDE DISH-AGLIO OLIO PEPERONCINO 40g fettuccine10ml pure olive oil5g chopped garlic½ tbsp red hot chilli pepper TOPPING Italian parsley Pink pepper To cook the steak, sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the meat. Heat frying pan over high heat and pan-fry with oil (each side, 2–3 minutes). Reduce heat to low, cover and pan-fry further (Rare: 1–2 minutes, Medium rare: 3–4 minutes, well-done: over 5 minutes). Place it on a dish for 2–3 minutes before cutting the meat. For sauce, put…

In spring every year, over 6000 wine critics, journalists, sommeliers, wine merchants and distributors flock to Bordeaux, the French wine capital, to taste the new wines of the year past. A string of hedonistic days follows – multiple tastings at multiple chateaux, harried lunches and leisurely dinners and a buzz unrivalled by any other experience in the wine world. The Bordeaux En Primeur (EP) week is the biggest event on the wine calendar. Its purpose, much like Paris fashion week, is to introduce the new Bordeaux wines to the world, take a temperature check on the new vintage and generate millions of dollars in sales before summer kicks in. During the last two pandemic-influenced years, En Primeur faced cancellation and was forced to reinvent. It morphed into a new hybrid…

As work-from-home arrangements continue to be the norm, it would be wise to invest in a conducive home office. Enter the new EverDesk+ by ErgoEdge that has an ergonomic design and plenty of nifty features. It’s a desk that aims to be every employee’s ultimate workspace, and one that you might actually enjoy working on. Besides easily eliminating clutter with its cable management system UniGroove, the desk also boasts the Health Coach Controller function, a smart feature where it nudges users into healthy desk habits by reminding them to sit and stand at preferred intervals through gentle vibrations. Furthermore, EverDesk+ provides adequate pockets of space for plenty of compatible IT accessories. EverDesk+ comes in a variety of colours and finishes, and is priced from $599. It is now available on…

Mandala Club made headlines in April when it announced a highly coveted three-month residency by the number one restaurant on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list–three-Michelin-starred Mirazur from Menton, France. But what made chef-owner Mauro Colagreco swap views of the French Riviera for the ground floor of Mandala Club as he took over Restaurant Kin and Clan Cafe? No doubt Singapore holds a special place in Colagreco’s heart, as it was here in 2019 that Mirazur was declared the best restaurant in the world. His residency not only cements Singapore’s ongoing status as a global hub for gastronomy but proves Singapore’s competitive edge in being able to provide top quality local ingredients, as well as procuring premium products from any part of the world. Led by head chef Luca Mattioli,…

Matching wine and food is like trying to solve the meaning of life, or determining which hawker makes Singapore’s best chicken rice: it’s an endless argument with no correct answer, but that doesn’t stop us from trying. Restricting the food to Southeast Asian cuisine hardly helps limit the options, such is the multiplicity of styles, ingredients and flavours on offer here, from popiah to laksa, mee goreng to chicken rice. Furthermore, many different dishes are often served simultaneously, and there’s no way to find a single wine that will match everything on the table. Believe me, I’ve tried. However, there are a few golden rules that can help guide us towards an optimal experience. PARTNERS IN WINE For the first rule, we need to define what an ideal wine and…

A gung Rai was 41 years old when she found a lump on her left breast. She was diagnosed with a hormone receptor positive breast cancer, a type of cancer when cells grow in response to the hormone estrogen. For more than one year, she had to bear chemotherapy, mastectomy, radiations, and a lifetime hormone therapy to prevent the return of the disease. The battle was too lonely to be waged alone. Fortunately, she found support in Pink Fighters Bali, a community of women living with breast cancer and part of a support group of the Bali Pink Ribbon Foundation. The side effects of the treatment were severe. Hair loss, joint pain, nausea, hot flashes, fatigue and numbness were just some of what Rai experienced after the ordeal. “The treatment…

CAPELLA HANOI As the sixth addition to Capella Hotels & Resorts collection, Capella Hanoi embodies the brand’s focus on creating distinctive cultural experience, thoughtful design and personalised service. Situated in the French-influenced Old Quarter with Hanoi Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake as neighbours, it seeks to evoke the glamorous bygone era when opera singers, composers and artists come together for a late-night rendezvous at the hotel. Designed by Bill Bensley, each individually-styled 47 rooms and suites offers bespoke amenities, decorated with historical opera memorabilia and original portraiture artworks by Kate Spencer. Four Opera Suites, located on the highest floor of the building, is the hotel’s crown jewels with its spacious living areas and terraces. A Capella Culturist will point the guest into the right direction and create a tailored…