The Langham Hotel, Sydney exudes luxury and an understated elegance on Kent Street. This luxurious hotel located in a quiet part of The Rocks area in Sydney CBD recently hosted a creative event for a small group of us (media and bloggers) where we gathered around The Langham Sydney’s Chefs Table and were pampered with Michelin star dishes followed by being chauffeured to Gold Star Events Cinemas on George Street where we spent the remainder of the afternoon watching the current foodie film showing now around Australia, Burnt. I like small intimate groups when sharing experiences like these as it enables us to get to know each other better and later stay in touch on social media.
Based on the dishes in the film Burnt, where a two-star kitchen maestro, Adam Jones, who had it all, and lost it but only ever cared about the thrill of creating explosions of taste, The Langham’s Executive Chef, Thomas Heinrich and Head Dessert Chef, Miguel Jocson, produced delicious 3 Michelin star dishes from the Marcus Wareing recipes that inspired the concept behind the film which was shot on location at The Langham Hotel, London.
Chef Thomas Heinrich, The Langham, Sydney’s Executive Chef prepared the Quail, Carrot, Summer Savory and Chef Miguel Jocson, The Langham, Sydney’s Head Dessert Chef & Patissiere prepared the Mascarpone, Blood Orange, Streusel and it was put to us to decide whether the grade has been made and the dishes should go on the degustation menu. The verdict was a definite thumbs up from me: these two dishes deserve to be on the degustation menu.
There is more to just mixing ingredients together in preparing Michelin dishes. There are many sub components that have their own recipes with ingredients measured to perfection before they are all pulled together on a plate, the blank canvass for the chef’s art. Take the Mascarpone, blood orange and streusel. There are 5 components to making this dish – you have the mascarpone mousse; blood orange gel; streusel; honeycomb; and milk ice cream (even the ice cream is made from scratch). The result is a jewel-like treasured gold. What a trove!
With the Quail, Carrot, Summer Savory there are 8 components to this beautiful dish, the succulent quail being the core, an innocuous looking thing that is full of contradictions and full of flavour. So there is the quail marinade, carrot puree, carrot vinaigrette, quail sauce, quail vinaigrette, crispy chicken skin, mustard pickle and the flavourful, crisp-edged cornbread. The textures and flavours balance and all work in this dish.
Watching the movie Burnt after our tasting sessions was simply ideal and you definitely have a greater appreciation of the huge amount of passion and effort that goes on behind the scenes in the kitchen to prepare for guests that perfect dish. For foodies, the movie is mesmerising. I found it remarkably funny, high in energy and passion and hey, if you stuff things up the first time, there are always second chances.
All recipes if you have time and wish to brave it yourself are on the www.burntmovie.com website.
More about The Langham Hotel, Sydney visit their website.
