LEND A HAND

Time to be a do-gooder folks! 

Hospis Malaysia is having a Charity Bazaar to raise funds, to fund its charitable efforts that offer professional palliative care to patients who are suffering from life-limiting illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, muscular dystrophy, motor neurone disease, organ failure etc.

The poster says it all...so show up and lend your support for every ringgit means a lot and helps to sustain its noble existence.

Many see life as a great challenge, but death is another big challenge by itself. Oblivious to many, terminally ill patients are suffering a great deal emotionally and physically. The pain of battling with worsening health condition and hovering death can never, be understood by us healthy ones and we are only doing what we can to help them out in their last leg of journey on earth.

It is an endless advocacy, but not a thankless one. In order for this non-profit organization to survive, Hospis Malaysia needs funds to pay the bills, every year at least RM3 million to sustain the cost of operation, with over 1600 patients under their care. Services are provided at no cost to patients.  

So help spread the word, show up for the event and donate to the cause. Your money will help to save lives!

iGO FORWARD

Star Power at the iGO Launch...Ian Ong (SuperModel), Issac Ong (Movie Actor), Alan Yun (SuperModel/Actor), Josiah Mizukami (Emcee/TV host), Peter Davis (Actor/Supermodel)

Clueless when it comes to looking for directions when you're driving? Wanna hunt down the newest, hottest eateries in town but dunno how to get there? 

Never fear, iGO primo app SEA edition is no here! Available at a promotional price of USD$9.99 for a limited time only, the navigation app is popular among iPhone and iPad users for its reliable route planning, intuitive interface and impressive 3D visualization. Download of community maps is FREE and users can also extend their navigation experience by purchasing speed camera databases and other  services. The community mapping portal and forum is open to public, ensuring its extensive maps are continuously updated and self-verified by MFM and NavNET contributing members, providing reliable navigation to the app users.

(Left to right) Handy app...Imre Dózsa, Head of Marketing Communications, NNG LLC, Lester Neil Francis, Group COO and Executive Director for M3 Group of Companies, Roger Huang, Vice President of Asia, NNG LLC

Other plus points include a wide range of advanced and mobile-optimized features such as Google local search, calling of POIs (Points of Interest) from within the app, Realistic Junction Views and 3D landmarks for easier orientation.

“South East Asia attracts millions of travelers every year, although the local traffic can be a challenge for first-time visitors. By launching the iGO primo app Southeast Asia edition with community-based maps on-board, we are offering quick help in one hand for the most popular holiday destinations such as Singapore and Malaysia,” says Roger Huang, Vice President of Asia at NNG LLC.

NNG’s wireless navigation solution for Southeast Asia is also available to network providers and smartphone manufacturers on Google Android and Microsoft WinCE operating system.

Ian Ong (SuperModel), Issac Ong (Movie Actor),  Roger Huang (Vice  President of Asia, NNG LLC),Imre Dózsa, Head of Marketing Communications, NNG LLC, Nadia Heng (Miss World Malaysia 2010/11), Alan Yun (SuperModel/Actor), Josiah Mizukami (Emcee/TV host), Peter Davis (Actor/Supermodel)

GUERLAIN MAKE-UP MY DAY

Guerlain hosted an exclusive Bloggers Get-Together with its international make-up artist from Paris, Maxime Poulin recently at Alexis, The Gardens one sunny morning.

Maxime, who works and trains directly under Guerlain’s Creative Director, Olivier Echaudemaison showed attendees the art of make-up using the brand's sizzling summer collection, Terra Azzurra.

Karen Tan welcoming Maxime to the Guerlain event

After showing how to gently massage and apply acupressure to our delicate peepers' area, he proceeded to explain in length about each Guerlain products, highlighting their key benefits such as the inclusion of natural ingredients, water-based primer that reflects light but gives a matte finish and Guerlain's meteorites highlighting powder that makes skin look flawless under all lighting conditions.

Maxime also regaled us with the creative collaboration between Guerlain and Emilio Pucci's daughter for the Terra Azzurra range. Apparently, the dazzling colour palette was drawn from Mother Nature especially the brilliant blues of the sun and sea, and vibrant corals and pink hues in Portofino, Italy.

Emilion Pucci's famous print design is featured on the packaging

Polished walnut case with magnetic lid and Emilio Pucci's print pouch complete this sleek blush powder case

Maxime touting the exquisite eye shadow shades from the current range

Guerlain's ingenious mascara case comes with a tiny pop-up mirror!

As Maxime took us through each of the products used, we were given first-hand feel of their textures. We were also taken by surprise by the sheer ingenuity of certain packaging like in the case of Guerlain's mascara and lipstick casings.

After plying us with drinks and finger food, every attendee trotted happily home with little gift bags containing a Guerlain eyeshadow set and lipstick in each.

AN INSPIRING EDVENTURE

Edward Kwon strikes a pose in front of his promotional poster for LITV

I still remember the hallyu or Korean wave that swept the TV world by storm with its tear-jerking drama serials like Winter Sonata and Jewel In The Palace. Then came the K-pop phenomenon where pretty boys and girls-singing and dancing troupes such as Super Junior and Wonder Girls invaded the music scene.

Now brace yourself for yet another hallyu...this time in the culinary world where dishy Korean chefs like Edward Kwon are set to reign. The recent press launch of Life Inspired (LITV) Channel's EdVentures in Asia drew such a huge phalanx of media and bloggers that you'd think it was Lady Gaga who was in town rather a new, upcoming TV celebrity chef.

Edward Kwon, host of EdVentures In Asia (centre) flanked by 

Anne Chan, LITV Asia Sdn Bhd General Manager (right) and

Lim Hong Tat, Deputy President and Head Community Financial Services of Maybank

Kwon recounting to the media and invited guests on his past culinary experiences

If you haven't heard of Edward Kwon, the South Korean chef was formerly the executive chef of the Burj Al Arab, arguably one of the world's most luxurious hotels. Not surprisingly, he has cooked for a coterie of Hollywood stars and influential figures.

Madonna apparently enthused that his food was better than sex while Barbara Streisand wanted him to be her personal chef! Former US President George W Bush actually went into the kitchen to shook his hand after savouring his creations. Kwon also scored big time with Tiger Woods too.

I had expected Edward Kwon to be tall and well-built and was completely taken by surprise by his slight frame when the chef finally appeared to rapturous applause. With his easy demenour and boyish charm, Kwon soon had everyone practically eating out of his hands - and he hasn't even started cooking yet!

Edward Kwon invited the day's VIPs to join him in the kitchen

 

Despite the two VIP attendees' meek protestations, Kwon roped them in to fire up the grill so to speak by preparing Galbi Jjim, a dish of braised Wagyu short rib with soy sauce. 

Kwon's modern approach to his native cuisine is evident as we sat down to sample his culinary handiwork. The traditional SamGye Tang was transformed into succulent discs of chicken roulade speckled with black sesame seeds and puffy rice grains, accompanied by a frothy mass of delicate ginseng-flavoured espuma (foam).

Hot on the heels of that impressive starter was Foie Gras & Doeun Jang, an unlikely soup concocted from foie gras (gooseliver) and Korean bean paste with chervil. We were amazed that the unctuous broth was so luxuriantly rich on the palate without being overly cloying. The secret according to Kwon was to add some chopped white kim chi (Korean preserved vegetable) to balance and temper the full-bodied richness.

 

For the main, we sampled the Galbi Jjim, another Korean favourite of short rib. Instead of barbecuing it, Kwon opted to braise the Wagyu short rib in soy until its meltingly tender. Side salads of refreshing apple chilli salad and root vegetable made it a wholesome, complete meal.

Only the dessert was slightly disappointing...While we love the subtle tanginess of the Yuza & Yoghurt Mousse, the White Chocolate Crispy Rice had turned soft and chewy. Although the Bokbunja (Korean black raspberries) Sorbet and Vanilla Plum Wine Fluid Gel tasted reminiscent of dark plums, it paled in comparison to Kwon's earlier dishes which were much more outstanding.

After this sampling session, I look forward to see more of Edward Kwon in his EdVenture in Asia series every Sunday night at 9 pm on Astro Byond's LITV channel.

EARTH-SPECIALLY FOR YOU

Raise a toast to Dorsett Regency KL's pledged to support of Earth Hour on 31 March! The hotel team aims to create better awareness and draw hotel guests to support the worthy cause through several interesting activities.

Besides switching off lights and reducing usage of electricity for an hour on that evening, guests can participate in the campaign by dining in candlelight at Checker's Cafe/Cellini's with Executive Chef KK Yau and his team preparing a low-energy, more eco-friendly menu.

A special cocktail concoction named Window Slide refreshes the palate, reminding you of the fresh vitality of life through its tangy-sweet concoction of lemon, lime and orange juices blended with mint leaves.

The chef's tasty tapas of Foie Croquette with Yuzu Marmalade got the ball rolling. We love the fried morsel of duck liver foie gras encrusted in breadcrumbs; its crispiness is less cloying when paired with some fresh micro sprouts and a tiny dollop of mildly sweet citrusy marmalade.

This paves way for his next starter of Australian King Fish Sashimi with Pastrami Spice. The sashimi-grade fish's rich succulence is lightly tempered by a palate-tingling mixture of fennel and mustard seeds, ground black and white pepper, chopped garlic and parsley on a bed of fresh salad.

I love partaking the Heirloom Tomato Consomme. Depending on whether you love or loathe cooking, this clear broth is a labour of love (or pain!) that demands detailed preparation and saintly patience to make. I thought it most befitting that the crystal clear and intensely flavourful broth is served with a grand flourish; poured piping hot from a teapot into our soup dish bearing a single square of homemade mozzarella ravioli and a cherry tomato stuffed with mozzarella.

We taken by surprise by the unexpected moistness of the filling inside the Ballantine of Organic Chicken on Osso Bucco of Organic Carrots. Chef Yau explained that chopped chestnuts had been added into the cheese and turkey ham stuffing to give better moisture. He also revealed that the 'osso bucco' in this instance refers to the braising of baby carrots in white stock, a reduction of chicken stock and herb infusion to tenderise them. Overall, it certainly ensures the chicken rolls remain moist and juicy to the bite.

The final crescendo came when I dug into the fudgy-soft Steamed Chocolate Brownie with Organic Hazelnut Ganache. Rich, nutty but spongy light, this brownie is a far cry from the usual dried crumbly versions that I had encountered. Kudos to Pastry Chef Badrul Hisham for such a luscious creation...whose dulcet voice is as soulful as his dessert.

So do your part and be an eco warrior this Saturday for Earth Hour. Our one and only home planet's worth rooting for over a sumptuous dinner where it'd be lights out from 830 pm to 930 pm. At RM98++ per person, it's a small price to pay to help save Mother Earth. 

Call Checker's Cafe, Tel: 03-2716 1000. It's at Dorsett Regency, 172 Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur or log onto: www.dorsettregency.com/kualalumpur

WAN-DERFUL MILESTONES

 

Chef Wan's latest tome, The Best of Chef Wan (the Bahasa Malaysia version is Selera Chef Wan) marks two major milestones in the renowned chef's life: his 25th year in the culinary field and his mother's 80th birthday.

Held at Kitchen Culture, Bangsaria, the book launch was a cosy affair with his family and friends showing up in full force in addition to the local media to support him.

Ever obliging, outspoken and talking nineteen to the dozen, Chef Wan was a laugh a minute; his candour remarks and rapid-fire chatter kept everyone in stitches with an occasional gasp and mock horror thrown into the mix.

The affable chef paid special tribute to his sprightly mother, labelling the real 'chef one' while he himself is chef number two. Recalling the days when he helped out by selling kuihs, Chef Wan affirms that his mentor and inspiration would always be his dearest mother.

"Cooking is about sharing, respecting nature and connecting with people," says Malaysia's food ambassador. "These past 25 years have a struggle but I still enjoy cooking; it's a great way to entertain people and impart our history, culture and food knowledge to others."

Chef Wan with his daughter-in-law and son, Riz

Star support ... fellow celeb chefs Azrah and Florence Tan at the book launch

After a quarter century in the business, the busy bee still has bigger fish to fry. Besides working on his food encyclopedia project to document and preserve the country's Malay food heritage, plans are afoot to make Chef Wan Asian Culinary Academy a reality.

"The school will be devoted to teach not only Malaysian but also Asian cuisine such as Thai, Indonesian, etc. It's a shame that we don't have enough chefs who are skilled in our regional cuisine. My culinary academy aims to plug this gap and concentrate on offering Malay/Asian cooking courses. I want to place everything under one roof; initiate a diploma for South-east Asian culinary studies and hold interactive classes where people can learn how to cook basic or special dishes, keep young people occupied and maintain our culinary heritage. I also plan to help underprivileged kids who dream of becoming chefs via the Chef Wan Foundation."

 

The food ambassador believes that we need to maintain and protect our food culture and heritage.

"Food's the only thing that binds people together.We have to be proud of our food as it gives us a sense of belonging. If there's something that I can change, I'd form a Ministry of Food," said Chef Wan. "We need to get our food right, a body to educate our people to cook quality food. It's sad we're letting foreign workers butcher our food and have tourists eating badly cooked local food at filthy eateries that use cheap ingredients. We must get back on the right track.

"That's why some feel offended when I speak out. They can't take my criticisms but I'm just doing my job by telling the truth. When you're honest, you have nothing to fear."

Although he has appeared briefly in the AFC-E&O's Next Celebrity Chef show, Chef Wan is no fan of reality TV.

"People get so excited about reality TV shows but my advice is don't expect too much out of them. Most are overly dramatic and it can be demeaning to those participating. You can be harsh but not rude.I don't believe in putting people down and breaking their spirit. One must be hard, tough and strong in the kitchen so cut out all the crying and drama. There's no place in the kitchen for egoistic chefs."

He firmly believes that it takes more than good cooking skills to be a TV celebrity chef. "Experience counts as well as one's self-confidence, knowledge and effective communication skill - the ability to teach and explain things.

Having travelled the world and tasted countless dishes, Chef Wan declares that the best dish in the world is still his mother's nasi goreng with ikan bilis, sambal belacan and egg.

For youngsters who are starting out in life, Chef Wan reminds them that life is a challenge and filled with choices.

"Young people must have spirit - love yourself, your country, culture, etc. Never be afraid of making mistakes. That's why I told my son that he should apologise for padding up him resume. Take responsibility for it and move on."

The veteran chef who turned 54 in January this year said in parting: "In life, one must be compassionate. Have self-respect and love for humanity. People will remember the good things you do."

FIRST CLASS

It's not exactly Hell's Kitchen but my maiden cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu was no walk in the park either. I daresay there's a lot of sweat (remember what they say about if you can't stand the heat...?) plus a smidgen of blood (the mandolin was the day's lethal weapon!) and some tears (couldn't recall the last time I cried over cut onions...LOL) involved. Overall, the experience was still an invaluable one.

Under cuisine chef lecturer Franck Bruwier's tutelage, we whipped up French Onion Soup and Roast Duck Breast, Potatoes with Bacon and Mushrooms Cooked in Goose Fat. The end results were well worth our efforts too...these photos below are proof enough.

 Sweet and hearty...the sublime French Onion Soup with a piece of cheesey toast

Pink and tender...Roast Duck Breast with Mushroom cooked in Goose Fat with Smoked Duck Slices

The seemingly simple French Onion Soup required the onions to be sliced length-wise so that their natural juices are released slowly during cooking. Chef Bruwier showed us novices a few tricks like the correct way to hold the knife and how to slice and chop onions without losing any of our fingers!

We learned how to 'sweat' the sliced onion with a little butter and a sprinkling of flour over medium heat until they turn translucent. Then they were literally put onto the back burner to gently draw out the natural sugars.

Once the onions were caramelised, some white wine and port were added in. The beef consomme (or chicken stock) was the last to go in after the spirits have been reduced adequately.

Of course we didn't just complete this dish in one go. In between bouts of stirring and letting our pot of sliced onion sit on the stove, the chef taught us how to prepare crisscut potatoes using a mandolin...

 Needless to say not every spud made the cut and one can't expect to have nimble fingers overnight!

I rarely cook duck at home so this session was an eye-opener for me. Like beef and lamb, one shouldn't overcook duck and I've always prefer the centre to remain slightly pink.

The duck breast was seared in a pan first before left to roast in the oven

Carrot, celery and shallot formed the mire poix for our brown sauce

Each of us was given a large slab of duck breast which was then skinned, leaving behind just a thin layer of fat. After scoring and seasoning it lightly, we seared the breast meat on high heat to seal in its inherent juicy flavour. Under the chef and his assisting team's supervision, we picked up several more practical tips and tricks like how to prepare the accompanying brown sauce and sauteed mushroom along the way.

A sumptuous feast that's akin to restaurant standards!

 

 

Thank you to Chef Franck Bruwier and team for the first class experience at Le Cordon Bleu!

It was half a day well spent. I certainly look forward to cook up a storm at more of Le Cordon Bleu's culinary workshops (priced at RM450 per session) in the near future.

For enquiries and course information, call Sheryln Lee, Sunway Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts, tel: 603 5632 1188 or fax: 603 5631 1133.