I'm not surprised that news that a hugely expensive Bankok banquet to inspire native chefs was causing a few Thais to choke on their...... well Pad Thai this weekend. The £15k a head
dinner was held on Saturday night at the rooftop Mezzaluna restaurant in the Lebua luxury hotel and was prepared by six three-Michelin star chefs from Italy, France and Germany.
The organisers of the event, which was called "Epicurean Masters of the World", said its purpose was to highlight Thailand as a suitable destination for the mega-rich, with profits going to charity, but why then fly in a bunch of foreign chefs to cook European dishes????... basically the event could have been held at any top class venue in the world as it had no bearing on the local cuisine!
No wonder it's been given a fair bit of stick - The Grinder from the US said this:
The event, modestly titled “Epicurean Masters of the World,” is purportedly designed to showcase Thailand as an upmarket tourism destination and investment target. But the menu is rightfully catching some flak for its almost entirely European flavor.
The menu looked like this:
Creme brulee of foie gras with Tonga beans
Wine: 1990 Louis Roederer Cristal
Tartare of Kobe beef with Imperial Beluga caviar and Belons oyster
1995 Krug Clos du Mesnil
Mousseline of pattes rouges crayfish with morel mushroom infusion
2000 Corton-Charlemagne, Jean François Coche-Dury
Tarte Fine with scallops and black truffle
1996 Le Montrachet, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
Lobster Osso Bucco
1985 Romanee-Conti
Ravioli with guinea fowl and burrata cheese in a veal reduction
1961 Chateau Palmer
Saddle of lamb "Leonel"
1959 Chateau Mouton Rothschild
Sorbet "Dom Perignon"
Supreme of pigeon en croute with cepes mushroom sauce and cipollotti
1961 Chateau Haut-Brion
Veal cheeks with Perigord truffles
1955 Chateau Latour
Imperial gingerbread pyramid with caramel and salted butter ice-cream
1967 Chateau d'Yquem
I guess the meal was great and there has already been some reaction, but what else could you do with that amount of money.... ??? Apparently, it would take a Bankok school teacher five-years salary to earn this cost of this one dinner.
