Epicure Malaysia 2011 Workshops Day 1

Besides the exhibition at Epicure Malaysia 2011, there were also cooking classes and lifestyle workshops held in varies different rooms at Sime Darby Convention Centre. As for the first class, i chose Le Cordon Bleu as i would like to see how Sunway University is managing their hospitality division.

Chef Franck Bruwier, the Chef the Cuisine and consultant for Le Cordon Bleu were teaching his food for thoughts with everyone at this lovely event. He teaches and explains to the finest details on how every step, technique, ingredient could affect the final product of a dish. He really did share and explained almost everything in depth and why a Le Cordon Bleu graduate will be different from the rest.

Grecque de Legumes aux Herbes, Terrine de Sandre ChaudVegetables a la Grecque with Herbs and Hot Pike Perch Terrine

The fish mousseline was certainly very smooth as he taught us how to make it the smoothest texture possible but it was a little too basic in flavor to me as I probably have a typical Malaysian taste bud which are all either full with spices or dish being spicy. I would prefer it being seared after poached to get a more flavourful flavor but I guess he wanted us to try the basic elements of the food. As for the rest of the dish, it tasted all back to basic and natural flavours from the characteristics of the vegetables could be tasted but wasn’t really my cup of tea.

Great information about ingredients, techniques and culture to the general public. Thank you Chef Franck Bruwier for the cooking demo :)
Next, i entered a Chinese cuisine cooking class because i wanted to see how a Chinese "sifu" do his thing. It was Chef Lam Hock Him, Executive Chinese Chef from Hilton KL. Hilton is well known for their standards, so lets me show you what he cook for us that day.

Chef Lam was really funny, relax and straight to the point person. I guess its still in the Chinese "sifu" that they work like that. But great stuff, i enjoyed the demo.

Savory Salted Egg Prawns. It tasted really pronounced and delicious but if you knew how many salted egg yolks was added to this dish, you will start to think twice before you have your second bite.

Besides something savory, he showed us two Chinese desserts. Two Way Sweetened Crystal Yam.

It consist of only sugar and yam but i still think its not easy to make at home because the way of making sugar was with high fire and consistent stirring , something really different comparing with the basic soft boil stage or caramel stage.

Chef Lam giving us his funny "sifu" pose.
As for the last cooking class in day 1, i entered Modern Thai by Chef Thiti Thammanatr from Neo Tamarind.

Chef Thiti Thammanatr shows us how he made fusion food with Thai ingredients. He left his homeland(Thailand) and went around the world to start his cooking career. He has a really broad knowledge on various type of cuisines, ingredients and cultures. A really really interesting class for me indeed.

Chef Thiti Thammanatr explaining the reason why going back to basics is important. He also apply different cooking techniques such as using blow torch to make many different dishes and i would say to get the crowd's attention.

Explaining every detail in cooking and even how sound could affect a cooking process.

Pan-seared Salmon, Thai style Mushroom Salad, Basil Couscous with Bird Eye Chili and Lemongrass infused Vinaigrette. The vinaigrette was the bomb seriously and the thai style mushroom was just simply salted, thinly slice kaffir lime leaves and mushroom being blowtorch. Voila!

Blow torched Calamari because we really wanted to taste more of his cooking. Really great chef with great experience and the willingness to share his wisdom.