Molecular moments
But the increased cost of international ingredients isn’t going to stop Eddie Sim Leong, Chinese chef de cuisine at Shanghai Chic Chinese Restaurant, Mövenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, Dubai, from being innovative with his menus.
“I create modern Chinese cuisine, and for this I use traditional techniques and ingredients, mixed in with ingredients like foie gras and saffron.
“For Chinese new year I have prepared a special menu featuring dishes like roasted duck in foie gras, and our signature dim sum features saffron seafood dumplings.
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“I do try and create innovative dishes, and have experimented with molecular cuisine using salmon roe, and we change the menu every three months.”
Doha’s development
It’s not just in Dubai that this development in Chinese cuisine has been seen. The representation in Qatar is improving dramatically, and will continue to do so in the coming years due to an influx of Chinese construction companies and an increase in corporate travellers, Doha restaurant managers and chefs say.
And with the arrival of stylish Chinese restaurant Hakkasan in Doha in June 2012, the cuisine will begin to take on a new image in the capital.
Eric Leprevost, general manager of Hospitality Development Company, responsible for international restaurant brand Tse Yang at the Pearl Qatar has noticed the development of Chinese cuisine in the city.
“The change is happening now with Tse Yang,” he says, “but also with Hakkasan arriving shortly [it will continue to develop]. Chinese restaurants are starting to be seen as an all-in experience, and no longer just an impulse food experience.
“We have changed the traditional experience of Chinese food and its service by introducing the first Chinese lounge with a DJ, and the dim sum pass-around. We also serve a traditional Chinese brunch accompanied by a jazz trio.
“We have implemented these simple measures to change the view of a Chinese restaurant from a quick fix to a true culinary experience that embodies all senses,” continues Leprevost.
“The décor at Tse Yang is a complete change from the current restaurant standard. In fact, our restaurant has won several design awards, the latest one being the International Property Award for interior design.”
Austin Jun Yang, chef de partie at Ruby Wu’s, located at Ramada Plaza Doha has seen a real growth in demand recently too, which he hopes will help raise the bar when it comes down to chefs creating authentic dishes.
“Ruby Wu’s does hold its own year-on-year,” he reveales.
“With more hotels being built and more Chinese businesses partnering on steel works and construction in Qatar, there is definitely a demand for more authentic Chinese foods.
“We are hoping that this trend will continue and from what we can see, there is definitely a shift in customer expectations away from the ‘Eurocentric’ idea of Chinese food that originally entered Qatar from the north, towards a more authentic taste from China itself.”
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