Northstar

Kitchen brigade all geared up DOHA – A battalion of chefs, kitchen and service staff will prepare and serve 200,000 cups of coffee and five tonnes of Arabic mezzes during the UN Climate Change Conference that will take place at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). A total of 39 food outlets will operate at QNCC serving delicious, fresh grab-and-go food such as Arabic mixed grill, chicken Biryani, Cantonese noodles, Cuban Panini and Spaghetti Bolognaise. The kitchen brigade has the daunting task of preparing mouth-watering items for all palates and dietary needs. Executive Chef, Oswald Jockheim, estimates that five tonnes of assorted Arabic mezzeh (hommus, baba ghanoush, fattoush, marinated olives) as well as 15 kilometres of vegetarian sausage will be consumed. More than 75,000 litres of fresh drinking water will be drunk by delegates and staff. Every effort has been made to ensure the event is environmentally friendly. All take-away packaging and utensils have been made from biodegradable cellulose and palm leaf materials. QNCC is the landmark venue for the Conference, scheduled to take place from 26 November to 7 December with an estimated 17,000 participants attending the Doha round of talks. Ginseng Galore HONG KONG & MACAU – Ginseng is regarded as the king of herbal medicines in Asia. In order to promote Asia’s healing food culture and advocate the health benefits of consuming ginseng, the chefs at StarWorld Macau have specially designed a Ginseng Delights buffet menu, inspired by traditional Korean style cuisine, the menu includes Wild Ginseng which is one of the most acclaimed species in the world. Also in the menu is Samgyetang – one of the signature ginseng dishes that many visitors will have tried when travelling in Korea. However, authentic Samgyetang is not commonly found at the restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau. The Ginseng Delights buffet also includes an array of ginseng cuisine suitable for guests who are at different life stages and body constitutions. The Ginseng Buffet runs till December 30, 2012 (except for December 24 and 25) at Temptations, StarWorld Macau. For more information, visit www.starworldmacau.com. Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants SINGAPORE – Food connoisseurs, gastronomists, critics and fans in Asia, get ready to welcome the inaugural awards ceremony to celebrate Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants on February 25, 2012 at the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants programme, the awards will recognise the region’s growing culinary diversity and quality, in line with global culinary trends. Sponsored by S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, and organised by William Reed Business Media, the awards will highlight Individual Awards Categories and Chef’s Favourites. Hosted by the organisers of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Asia’s Best Dinner will take place on February 24, 2013 and will be prepared by four guest chefs based in Asia who appeared in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list 2012. The dinner will feature a paired degustation menu at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Singapore for an exclusive audience of 120 people. Workshops will be held at the At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy on February 24 and 25, 2013 where guests will be treated to gastronomic sampling plates as well as in depth discussion sessions on Asian cuisine, heritage, culture, aspiration and identity. Results of the awards will be published live at http://worlds50best.asia/.

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