Showing posts with label personality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personality. Show all posts

Monday, October 03, 2022

SEVEN SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT CHEF NOBU MATSUHISA


For a renowned chef with a global restaurant and hotel empire, Nobu Matsuhisa is incredibly humble and down-to-earth. During his recent one-night-only appearance at Nobu Kuala Lumpur, the affable chef won the local media over with his thoughtful and often witty answers.

Accompanied by Ichibaku Kobayashi – General Manager of Nobu Tokyo & Regional Director of Asia Pacific, Chef Herve Courtot – Corporate Chef EU & Middle East, and Chef Philip Leong – Executive Chef of Nobu KL at the interview session, here are some surprising facts about the Co-Founder behind Nobu and Nobu Hotels:

1.    The most memorable meal he has ever cooked was for the late Princess Diana. It was a private lunch where he had a chance to meet the late Princess of Wales who left an indelible impression on Nobu-san when she told the chef she had read about him. When he learned of her passing, he felt incredibly sad and said the experience of having cooked for her was unforgettable. 

2.   The most memorable meal someone has ever cooked for him was by his wife-to-be before they were married. He recalled she prepared an egg dish for him. “Although the dish tasted a bit strange, I think it was wonderful because it was something she cooked from the heart.”

3.   The three food ingredients he cannot live without: rice, shoyu and miso soup. He attributed these ingredients as most essential to a Japanese diet especially steamed white rice. 

4.   The secrets to his success: While luck may play a role in Nobu-san’s success, the master chef believes his team is one of the fundamentals of his continued success.

“Passion and heart are also essential,” says Chef Nobu. “Without passion and heart, it’s not possible to do well.” 

5.   His favourite dishes from the Nobu menu are:

·      Black Cod Miso – When Nobu-san started his restaurant over two and half decades ago, he chose to buy cod as it only cost 25 cents per pound. Without credit he had to pay cash so he chose to work with cod as a more affordable option: slicing, defrosting then marinating the fish with mirin, sake, sugar and miso paste for 3 days instead of shoyu and miso. After broiling, the cod tasted like butter fish and his customers love it. Robert De Niro loved it and the media started to publicize it, making it famous worldwide. 

·      Soft Shell Crab Roll – Nobu-san enjoys eating soft shell crabs in French and Italian restaurants where they are pan- and deep-fried. When he served deep-fried soft shell crabs to one of his customers, the latter requested Chef Nobu to wrap the leftover soft shell crab pieces into a rice roll, and voila! the soft shell crab roll was created.

·      Squid ‘Pasta’ – this dish was created for a friend’s child who was a fussy eater. Since pasta was the kid's favourite dish, the quick-thinking Nobu-san cut and blanched squid; turning the resultant squid pieces into conchiglie (shell-shaped pasta), prompting the kid to eat everything up without realising it wasn’t pasta he ate but squid. You can attempt to replicate this dish at home: https://www.noburestaurants.com/home/nobu-at-home-2/squid-pasta-with-light-garlic-sauce-2/

·      New Style Sashimi – when a lady customer sent back a plate of sashimi, informing Chef Nobu she doesn’t eat raw fish, the chef pondered how to entice her to try it. He then heated up some olive oil until smoking hot, poured it over the thin slices of sashimi, causing the fish to cook slightly. After sampling the new dish, the customer ate everything up. 

“She managed overcome her fear of eating raw fish from that experience. Before that, she shied away from sashimi as she thought it’d taste fishy but we proved to her fresh fish tastes delicious” said Nobu-san.

6.   No bizarre food please. Chef Nobu is not a fan of weird or strange food. He has tried nasi goreng, laksa and seafood on his visit to Malaysia, and he admitted he's more comfortable with Asian food than French food.

Ever respectful of his customers’ cultural differences, the chef was even inspired to create his signature wasabi pepper sauce after noticing a customer enjoying a mixture of shoyu and wasabi as a bread dip at Nobu restaurant.

The Pandemic Years

Having to travel 10 months a year and feeling jetlagged, Nobu-san said he was happy to stay home in Los Angeles during the pandemic years.

“It was the first time in over 25 years I had stuck to a routine: being able to wake up and go to bed at the same time, every day. Yet it was also stressful but with FaceTime and modern technology, I can still communicate with my team.”

Some Nobu restaurants were closed during that time whilst others coped by doing take-out. According to Chef Philip Leung, Nobu KL was under renovations then but they also did take-out during the later MCO phases.

Now that things have returned to normal, Nobu restaurants are busier than ever with customers returning in droves.

New Nobu restaurants and Nobu Hotels are also opening in Marrakesh, Rome, San Sebastian, Madrid, Toronto, Atlantic City, Atlanta, Da Nang, Bangkok, and Dubai.

According to Nobu-san, he has no plans to set up a culinary academy or pursue anything too adventurous due to time constraints. He's happy to focus on the restaurant business and see his customers enjoying his cooking for now.

7.   His last meal on earth? As a true blue Japanese, sushi is his dish of choice.

For reservations at Nobu Kuala Lumpur, call tel: 03 2380 0028 or email: nobuklreservations@nobureservsations.com
kualalumpur@noburestaurants.com
ADDRESS: L4A-05, Level 4A Shoppes at Four Season Place, 145 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

Friday, August 19, 2022

TRAIL BLAISE-ING HIS WAY TO FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KL


The hotel of choice for KL-lites. Newly appointed General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur (FSHKL) Blaise Montandon aims to attract local city dwellers as well as international visitors to the FSHKL, making it the most happening place in town.


Having relocated from Hoi An, Vietnam over a month ago, Blaise Montandon is no stranger to Malaysia and Asia. He has been to Melaka and Sabah previously for brief holidays and worked for two decades in the Asian continent.

Enthusing over the vibrancy of Kuala Lumpur, Montandon is eager to get acquainted with our multi-cultural society, and explore the diverse food scene.


Hailing a small Swiss town, young Montandon became enamoured with hotels whilst holidaying with his parents around the country and in neighbouring regions. “I was fascinated by the energy, the glamour, and the opportunity to meet people from around the world. I knew this was what I wanted to do!”

After graduating from the Hospitality Business School in Lausanne, he studied management at the University of Lausanne before cutting his teeth at two reputed hotels in Geneva.


Since then, his hospitality career path has taken him to Singapore, Japan, China, Thailand and India, alongside stints in Europe and North Africa. His last outpost prior to KL was at Four Seasons Resort Hoi An (The Nam Hai).

His appointment as General Manager of FSHKL sees Montandon moving to an urban environment. “It’s completely different from Hoi An which is a resort, so I’d be drawing on my strengths and diverse experiences as a hotelier to see what I can bring to this Hotel.”


Montandon cherishes the time spent in Hoi An as it gives him great satisfaction to see how the various stakeholders collaborated and worked together to come up with distinctive products and services, the way his opening team members grew and developed, and how they managed to create different experiences for their guests.

He says: “There will always be different challenges for new and even existing properties. Otherwise, life will be boring. Sometimes challenges can arise from people, the product, or the location. You’d have to understand your clientele, the market, and the situation. For instance, when I was at the Four Seasons Hoi An, we have to open and close thrice during the pandemic.

“It was a difficult time but it was also most heartening to witness the solidarity amongst the people and the community. We had the involvement of key team members throughout those trying times to keep things going. Thanks to the support of the resort owners, every team member was retained during the two-year pandemic period. Our team members were deeply touched as their livelihoods affected not only them but also their dependents.”


On his plans to make FSHKL as the preferred hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Montandon affirms he will need to get a thorough feel of the Hotel then delve into understanding the team, the market, and the local community better.

“I want international visitors to fall in love with this dynamic, kaleidoscopic city. This Hotel should be an active place in town – I want to attract the city people to come here: for lunch, for tea, to stay, and to celebrate any and every occasion.”

Conversant in French, English, German, Italian, and Dutch, Montandon admits he hardly gets a chance to pick up Asian languages. “I often speak English with local team members as it’s to help them brush up their English-speaking skills at work.”

On the personal front, Montandon can’t wait to immerse in the city’s gastronomic scene, especially its legendary street food. Also on his agenda: exploring the local arts scene through museums, galleries and events. A lover of contemporary and modern art, opera and musicals, Montandon finds experiencing new cultures through their art forms “reveal so much about a place and its people”.

According to Blaise Montandon, the best thing about being a Four Seasons Hotel GM is the strong values they uphold. “Our philosophy is simple: treat people like how you would like to be treated. We believe in and apply that core value to every level of our team. We want to create an indelible impression on our guests and make a connection with them so that when they leave, they will have lasting memories of their time spent at the Four Seasons.”

Monday, December 14, 2020

ALEX PORTEOUS STAYS FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE


Like the Leica camera he uses in his street photography, Alex Porteous is firmly focused on the future as he steers the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur (FSHKL) team through the current uncertainties plaguing the hospitality and tourism sectors as the newly appointed General Manager. 

Having arrived in Kuala Lumpur right in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic from Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto, Porteous admits there’s no playbook to deal with such an unprecedented crisis. Fortunately, having garnered more than 27 years of experience with Four Seasons at 7 properties, 3 hotel openings and a handful of accolades, Porteous can count on his own inimitable leadership skills to forge ahead and maintain the FSHKL team’s momentum following their stellar performance right from the get-go.

To this personable GM, authenticity means being honest. “I’m the first to admit I don’t know everything. Sometimes my team members are surprised when I say I don’t know everything. I also ask a lot of questions. That’s how we learn: by asking questions,” says Porteous.

He firmly believes in authenticity as a key trait of leadership, citing a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment”. As his team moves towards 2021, he is committed to involve each and every one in decisions that affect their jobs and work environment; ensuring every one of them can voice a different opinion without fear of any negative consequences.

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons

Creating a safe work place is paramount to Porteous as he says “when we as colleagues connect with each other meaningfully, that’s when we are able to connect with our guests as well.” 

Showing a sincere interest in his team as people, as individuals, and not just as employees will translate and demonstrate his actions match his words. An avid advocate of listening and engaging with guests and employees, Porteous affirms top of his list will be working together with his team to raise the bar for the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur and continue to build the confidence of guests and business partners. “Getting our team to do the right thing instead of just doing things right  ̶  that makes a difference.”

“It’s important we keep engaging with our guests, business partners and internal team members” says Alex Porteous. “For our corporate guests and business partners, we ask them ‘How are you doing?’, ‘What can we help you through this tough period?’…It’s through such engagements that led us to the creation of our ‘Ultimate Me’ and ‘Inspiring Workspaces’ marketing packages.”

Praising Malaysian authorities on their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Porteous says the general populace is also experiencing ‘Covid fatigue’ and yearns for a change of scene with their families and friends. “That’s when some of our guests check into the Four Seasons.”

Porteous explains: “FSHKL adheres to Four Seasons global health & safety programme known as ‘Lead with Care’ that outlines procedures educating and empowering employees to take care of guests and each other. Face masks must be worn by everyone within the Hotel, temperature checks are conducted and every person are registered via the MySejahtera app.

“At our restaurants, tables are set apart to ensure physical distancing and all utensils are sterilized and wrapped. Regular touchpoints such as lift button panels, phones and light switches throughout the Hotel and in our guestrooms are sanitized constantly and thoroughly. Guests can control and limit the frequency of face-to-face interactions between themselves and our employees, whether it’s for making reservations, requesting for airport transfers or concierge service.”

Porteous also says it’s imperative to keep his team engaged and updated on how the Hotel is doing. He constantly writes them notes; passing them guests’ compliments and how the employees concerned have made their stay memorable. 

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons

“I not only thank them but also their family. It’s during these trying times that people need to be reminded of their self-worth, and the support of their family. To me, their family is the wind beneath their wings, enabling them to do a great job at work. I also call each employee on their birthday. Some may view it as a small, insignificant gesture but to an employee, it could be a good mood booster and causes him or her to be nicer to their family members. I’m a firm believer of life-work balance rather than the work-life balance of yore. Many people don’t realise when your life is in order, your work will naturally fall into place.”

The consummate hotelier caught the hospitality bug as a young chap after his father’s hotelier friend took him on a whirlwind behind-the-scenes tour. When he turned 17, Alex Porteous joined the hotel industry and worked his way steadily in different roles and through various departments: management trainee, chef, server, barman, receptionist, engineering, press office, and sales & marketing. 

It was in 1993 when he first joined the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong. Since then, Porteous has gained a wealth of experience from his stints in Canada, Singapore, Thailand, Seychelles and Japan. 

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons

According to Porteous, his best experience as a hotelier thus far is being General Manager. Recalling the day he finally occupied the hot seat, Porteous quips “it suddenly dawned on me the sheer weight of responsibilities resting on my shoulders. I realized just how important my role is and how it has changed over the years. Now a GM has to be inclusive, to be empathic and to take ownership of one’s actions.”

Citing the Four Seasons philosophy of “treating others as how you would have them treat you”, Alex Porteous says “I want to be the kind of boss who will treat my daughters like they matter; a boss who value their contributions and know their worth.”

Married to Satoko, the father of three enjoys dabbling in street photography. The Leica camera enthusiast who prefers shooting monochrome, looks forward to capturing the undiscovered gems of Malaysia. In the meantime, the hotelier’s sight remains steadfastly focused on the path ahead.

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons


Tuesday, August 06, 2019

ALL A-BUZZ OVER FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KL'S FIRST ANNIVERSARY


Only a year old in Kuala Lumpur yet the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur has already created quite a buzz as the new place to see and be seen at. Hailed as the city’s nexus of success and style, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur General Manager Tom Roelens has every right to be proud as the Hotel celebrates its first anniversary. Having ensconced itself as the preferred accommodation of choice among discerning travellers from Malaysia and abroad, the Hotel’s food & beverage outlets are the go-to outposts for gourmands in the city.

AWARD-WINNING START
Right from the get-go, the dazzling Bar Trigona has literally raised the bar on the art of bartending with its coterie of master bartenders, expertly crafted cocktails using local, sustainable ingredients and opulent space.


Bar Trigona’s position as the toast of the town is cemented when it scored three awards: Best Hotel Bar and Best New Bar at The Bar Awards, and Asia’s 50 Best Bars - Sustainable Bar Award within its first year of operations. Consequently, the bartending team is widely acknowledged for their craft and continues to win plaudits when they compete in different bartending championships. Some of them have also been invited for guest bartending stints in South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines.


According to Roelens, a whirlwind of non-stop celebrations and special activities to mark the first anniversary is held to celebrate the Hotel’s first anniversary milestone. “Guests will enjoy 15 percent off our accommodation package whilst CurATE is offering Sunday Brunch priced at RM98 per person. A special celebratory menu of guests’ favourite dishes is available at Yun House to entice Chinese food connoisseurs.”


 ALL THAT BUZZ
On the secrets of Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s success thus far, Roelens puts it down to his team’s ability to listen and stay attuned to guests and their needs.

“At Four Seasons, we strive constantly to curate one-of-a-kind experiences for our guests. We work closely with local vendors such as fig growers and artisan cheese makers to deliver the brand’s key pillars such as sourcing for sustainable, local produce; showcasing those ingredients and flavours at our different restaurants by infusing them into the food & drinks.
“We also promote homegrown talents such as commissioning local art pieces for the hotel. Another sustainable project we’ve just launched is the ‘adopt a beehive’ initiative at Bar Trigona.”
Roelens elaborates, “The unique collaboration programme enables Bar Trigona customers to sponsor a kelulut stingless bee beehive at RM500 per annum. This ensures the local kelulut honey bee population thrive at the bee farm located on the fringe of the Klang Valley.
“Response from our guests have exceeded expectations, with guests from Singapore and Hong Kong expressing their interest to be involved. Not only does each sponsor gets a beehive named after them but also in a year’s time, they will get a jar of pure kelulut honey in return.”

 

Roelens explains the ‘adopt a beehive’ project stems from Bar Trigona’s frequent use of locally sourced honey such as Kelulut, Durian Flower and Borneo Honey to create its unique cocktail selection. “Old beehives are also transformed into statement-making lampshades such as those displayed at Bar Trigona.”

CURATING EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES

As the GM, Tom Roelens admittedly has lost count on the number of landmark events at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur. From the Tatler Ball to the highly sought-after Afternoon Tea with Tiffany & Co, Roelens reaffirms more exciting happenings are in the pipeline, in response to Four Seasons guests’ feedback and requests for lifestyle-centric experiences.

“We’ll be offering gym memberships and building on the curation of unique experiences such as a Chef’s Table series, similar to our collaboration with Dato’ Fazley Yaakob during the recent breaking of fast period at CurATE. Our newly launched family-style brunch on Sundays is gaining traction as we serve bubbly for the adults while bubble tea is available for the young ones to enjoy.
“There’s also increasing demand for our loft-style space, the Gallery for cocktail and evening events, as well as for poolside parties. Over at The Spa, we’ve guests requesting for head-to-toe pampering so we’ll encompass hair, manicure and pedicure services on premise. Guests can also bring the Four Seasons experience home — our trademark Four Season Hotel beds are now available for order and delivery right to the guests’ own doorsteps.”
Roelens reveals Malaysians form the biggest clientele for the Hotel. “We’re happy Malaysians have embraced the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur as their hotel of choice. Singaporeans, Middle Easterners, Americans and Australians make up the remaining base thanks to our strong brand recognition around the world.”

With Kuala Lumpur emerging as the top 10 destinations in the world for visitors, Roelens says Kuala Lumpur’s diversity of places, people and culture augurs well for the city. “Kuala Lumpur not only boasts a good mix of heritage and modernity but also is a strategic gateway to Langkawi and Borneo. Many visitors come to enjoy its vibrant food and bar scene, for diving and other unique experiences.”
“People want to go off the grid these days” he says. “They want to explore lesser known places and seek extraordinary experiences like dining in decades-old restaurants. Personally, one of the most extraordinary experiences I had was going to Carey Island, to sail with the Mahmeri tribe in their boats and observe first-hand how they remember and honour their ancestors at shipwreck spots.”
From the booked-out luxurious Four Seasons Jet to newer, upcoming destinations such as Rwanda and Easter Island, Roelens states it is such rare, extraordinary experiences the Four Seasons team aims to curate for their guests around the world.

The intrepid GM proves he’s right at home after two years here in Malaysia. After all, I don’t know any international hotelier who loves asam laksa from the Kepong pasar malam and banana leaf rice from Restoran Bunga Raya near Masjid Jamek. Tom Roelens is truly a man of Four Seasons.

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