Millionaire Feast at the Giza Pyramids

After the gastronomic extravaganza of the “world's most expensive meal” in Bangkok earlier this year, where course after course of haute cuisine dished up by a bevy of world-famous, three-Michelin-starred chefs was served to a privileged few, a sequel is now being planned for the end of 2008. Although, with 500 tickets slated for sale, it is destined to be set on a far grander scale than the first iteration, which was enjoyed by fewer than forty invited guests. Thirty 3-star Michelin chefs are slated to show off their culinary talents at the next in the series of “Epicurean Masters of the World” dinners, which is going to be hosted at the breathtaking pyramids of Giza in Egypt. As with the previous event, part of the profits of the Giza feast will be going to charity, although the price of admission per person has been slashed in half from the Bangkok dinner, whose fine French wine, Champagne, and food set diners back by roughly US$30,000 each. The Egypt menu remains a mystery, however, although the culinary focus is said to be more diverse with exotic foods matched with equally unique wine. 

Tetsuya's, Syndey, Australia

Wakuda's story of his journey from his native Japan to Sydney as a 22-year-old seeking new experiences with only a suitcase, has become the stuff of folklore at Tetsuya's. However, it is the rise of this young man, who spoke not a word of English initially, from humble kitchen hand to one of Australia's top chefs that is truly remarkable. While working as a sushi chef at Australian chef Tony Bilson's restaurant Kinsela's in his earlier years, Tetsuya picked up classic French techniques. These techniques, combined with Tetsuya's understanding of Japanese cuisine, have helped define the dining experience he sought to create at Tetsuya's.

 Signature Dishes

Tetsuya's signature dish is confit of ocean trout served with unpasteurized ocean trout roe. Other highlights include double cooked de-boned spatchcock with braised daikon and bread sauce, Snow Egg and Caviar Sandwich and grilled fillet of grain fed beef with sansho & shiitake mushrooms.

Pierre Restaurant, Hong Kong

 Celebrated chef Pierre Gagnaire imbues his adventurous spirit into his second Asian venture (the first being Pierre Gagnaire à Tokyo). Hailing from a family of restaurant owners, Pierre began his career managing his family restaurant Le Clos Fleuri, and opened his first restaurant in Saint-Étienne in the early 1980s. Success in a subsequent venture earned him 3 stars in the Michelin Guide, and 3 more followed with his Parisian establishment, Pierre Gagnaire. His experimentation with molecular gastronomy in 2000 had a major impact on him and was to be a major influence in his future gustatory creations.

 Signature Dishes

Pierre's signature dishes are red tuna fillet layered with colonnata fat, squid ink gnocchi; 'bulots facon bretonne' (or sea snails) Kombu seaweed sequins; artichokes 'poivrade', squid, smoked eel, haddock and belotta, and pan fried John Dory with aromatic olive oil.

French Guest Chef Checks In At Jaan

French chef Olivier Samson will be visiting Jaan as a guest chef at the Swissôtel The Stamford, Singapore from 16 to 24 November 2007. Hailing from the Restaurant du Parc des Eaux Vives in Geneva, Switzerland, 35-year-old Olivier already has two Michelin stars under his apron. He was recently awarded the third toque achieving 17 out of 20 possible Gault Millau points. Olivier will be cooking up an epicurean feast at Jaan during his 9-day visit, with signature dishes like Brittany lobster refreshed with watermelon, roasted Angus beef sirloin with bone marrow crust, stewed John Dory in lemon confit butter.

Celebrate Christmas At Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

As we step into December proper, the Christmas spirit is making its presence more keenly felt, especially around town. Shops dazzle with colorful decorations. Street markets tout the latest Santa apparel and accessories. But if Christmas throngs are not your cup of tea, consider spending a quiet evening with only your loved ones at the luxurious Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore.
You would be spoilt for choice of a scrumptious feast and festive delights in cosy settings at any of the five-star hotel's swanky restaurants - The Line, BLU, Nadaman and Shang Palace. And if you ever change your mind and wish to join in the Christmas revelry, Orchard Road is only a good three minutes away. Do make a note in your diary to return for the New Year Eve's Countdown Party at the Lobby Court.

First Peeks of the Completed Yellow Treehouse Restaurant

Back in November, we wrote about the Yellow Treehouse Restaurant in New Zealand. The restaurant, a project by The New Zealand Yellow Pages, takes the form of a chrysalis pod-like structure perched 10 meters high in a redwood near Warkworth, New Zealand.

Architects Peter Eising and Lucy Gauntlett of Pacific Environments Architects Ltd. have managed to meet the Christmas completion date, and gave Luxury-Insider.com first peeks of this intriguing new restaurant in the woods.

Hutong Celebrates First Michelin Star with Special Menu

 Aqua Restaurant’s Hutong has just earned its first Michelin star in the Michelin Guide for Hong Kong and Macau, and to celebrate its win, the restaurant has announced an exclusive celebratory menu of signature dishes, inspired by Northern Chinese cuisine.

Aptly named the ‘Best of the Best”, the menu includes famous crispy de-boned lamb ribs (a house favorite), crystal king prawns with salty egg yolk & crab roe, bamboo clams steeped in Chinese rose wine & chili padi, young asparagus shoots dipped in a spicy sesame crust, and crispy soft shell crabs with Szechuan red pepper.

Diners can opt for a stand-alone menu for HKD880, or pair the dishes with Veuve Clicquot champagne and a selection of French and Australian wines from the restaurant’s cellar for an additional HKD420 per person.

Named after Beijing’s ancient courtyard alleyways of Peking, Hutong takes one on a trip back to ‘old China’, with antique furnishings, traditional wooden screens and ‘moon’ gates, silk curtains and red lanterns.

Michelin lauds its Raise the Red Lantern imperial décor and avant-garde cuisine. Of course, it helps that the restaurant also enjoys a breathtaking vista of Hong Kong’s skyline and Victoria harbor.