The Cheeky Chuckling Chef Chuck

Story and pics by Veronica Ng

The invitation said “come and meet Iron Chef Chuck Hughes in person” as he put on a culinary demonstration at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.  What it didn’t say was that the 35-year-old star of AFC’s Chuck’s Day Off is as friendly and charming in person as he is on his hugely popular show.

It didn’t take me long to get him talking about himself, his beloved mother and his love for food and passion for cooking or even his many tattoos. Obviously one of the biggest influences in his life was his mother, Francine. It was she who encouraged him to pursue his passion for cooking.

“I got into cooking really early. My mum got me involved in the kitchen when I was a very young boy,” says Hughes. The first dish he ever made all by himself was an apple pie when he was only five years old. I really wanted to surprise her. She was astounded by the fact that it was an authentic apple pie. We ate it and it was really good,” he said with a tinge of pride.

“My mum is from a place called New Brunswick in Canada which is very well-known for seafood. A big part of my upbringing revolved around food. We’d have these big family parties all the time. Fresh Lobsters and seafood were our favourites”.

His love for seafood is evident in his TV show, set inside his restaurant, Garde Manger. In fact, Garde Manger has been dubbed the “vintage crab shack-cum-underground club” and the menu showcases his lobster, shrimp and fish dishes.

Why a reality show in a restaurant, I asked. “I wanted the show to reflect the reality of working in a restaurant and I wanted to invite everyone who make it all happen on a daily basis to come and actually see what I do,” explains Hughes.

Hughes also wanted his show to reflect his style of cooking.

“I wanted it to be real and to show the reality of working in the restaurant – good food, good music and good people,” he says.

Chuck’s rugged good looks, cheerful, easy going personality and great sense of humour have ensured his show’s success. In fact it has garnered three Canadian Gemini nominations (equivalent to American Academys) last year and he also won the Best Host Award from the original Factual Entertainment Awards in Santa Monica, California in 2010.

This is his first trip to this region for the American Express and Asian Food Channel’s Celebrity Chef Series which is aimed at giving culinary enthusiasts in South-East Asia a chance to meet some of the channel’s top rated chefs and sample their food. Chuck Hughes was here as part of the American Express and Asian Food Channel’s Celebrity Chef Series.

Chuck’s Day Off airs on the Asian Food Channel (Astro ch 703) on Wednesdays at 9pm.

Food dishes in order of appearance:  

Pan-seared Beef Carpaccio with Potato Chips, Fried Capers & Lemon Aiolo

Popcorn Rock Shrimp with Spicy Honey

Chocolate Tapioca Arancini

Usher In The Hippity Hoppity Year At PJ Hilton’s Toh Yuen

Words: Dave Avran Images: Veronica Ng

Welcome the Year of the Rabbit with the delicious variety of “Yee Sang” and 'Fatt Choy' set menus and a la carte Chinese delicacies of Toh Yuen Chinese Restaurant, Hilton PJ. For yee sang you can opt to have it with Abalone, Salmon, Sea King Prawns, Hokkigai or a vegetarian Pear with Honeydew. It comes in three sizes and price start at RM50 (small) to RM300 (large). It’s available for both dine in and take-away.

The prosperous set menus are available for lunch from noon to 2.30pm and dinner from 7pm to 10.30pm, Jan 17 - Feb 28. All sets are for a table of 10 persons.

Get a dining voucher of 50% off on Beggar Chicken upon the purchase of any Toh Yuen’s Chinese New Year Set Menus. Moreover, Premium Club members and Uncle Chilli’s Loyalty Cardnmembers are entitled to a 10% discount. Take note though that the Beggar’s Chicken is only available after the Chinese Year promotion.

Chef Lee Kok Sing heads Toh Yuen and his philosophy in cooking is short and sweet – traditional in style style with the best ingredients, without any additives such as coloring or MSG but still retaining that great autnentic taste.

For the review, Frigglive was served the Fortune set which features the Fatt Choy Hokkigai Yee Sang. Hokkigai is a Japanese clam usually used for Sashimi.

The eight course feast then progressed with Double Boiled Chicken Soup with Dendrobium Candidum,

Roasted Duck with BBQ Sauce,

Steamed Cod fish with Soya Sauce,

Stir Fried Tiger Prawns with Fresh Milk and Butter

Braised Sea Moss, Mushroom and Dried Oyster with Lettuce

Stir Fried Noodles with Chicken and Mixed Veg.

For dessert, we had a yummilicious bowl of warm Braised Red Bean with Glutinous Dumpling. This set is priced at RM1188.

Prices for the prosperous Set Menus are as per below:

* RM888++ per table of 10 people (Happiness Set)

* RM1188++ per table of 10 people (Fortune Set)

* RM1388++ per table of 10 people (Longevity Set)

For reservations, please call 03 7955 9122 (ext. 4071/2).

Minangkabau Cuisine

Seize this chance to sample the traditional dishes like Kerabu Kacang Botol dengan Taugeh, Kerabu Jantung Pisang dengan Daun Kemagi, Kerabu Perut Minang and much more. For piping hot soup, there are Sup Ikan Pindang, Sup Sayur Cendawan and Sup Ayam Berempah.

In addition, main course such as Ayam Bakar Palembang, Ikan Keli Salai Masak Lemak Cili Api, Daging Dendeng, Gulai Ayam Kampung Pindang, Nasi Ulam Desa, Burung Puyuh Goreng Berempah, Telur Itik Masak Lemak Cili Api, Paru Goreng Berlada and Berkedil Kentang are just some of the must-try. For dessert, enjoy the selections of Puding Gula Hangus, Sago Gula Melaka and local fruits.

The buffet spread is available for lunch at RM68++ for adult and RM45++ for child (below 12 years old) and dinner at RM75++ for adult and RM45++ for child (below 12 years old).

Learn about Negeri Sembilan culture through this exotic culinary journey. For reservations, please call 03-7955 9122 extn 4060. Visit Hilton PJ’s F&B blog, www.ZestPJ.com for the latest F&B promotions and entertainment scenes. .

The Hill - Damansara Heights

Click on image :: www.thehill.com.my

Meatworks Restaurant

text by Dave Avran, images by Shem Daniel

Meatworks is a restaurant, deli and butchery in Solaris Mont Kiara opened by the National Feedlot Corporation, a centre for production of beef opened under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. This should mean, in principle at least, fresh Beef and Lamb for consumers without having to pay exorbitant air-flown prices.

Having read good reviews about Meatworks and having it recommended by a Chef friend, Frigglive decided to drop by with a party of ten people to celebrate birthdays for three of them. I duly called and reserved a table for ten, telling them that there were three birthdays being celebrated.

It turned out to be a nightmare. Meatworks in its current state of affairs is the perfect example of Malaysians doing what Malaysians do best - turning a good idea into a horrible reality. The wait staff displayed the typical “tidak apa” attitude so common in many restaurants here. This is really sad because it has so much potential.

Resaurant Manager Mohd Faizal Zainal Abidin had resigned and left, leaving Head Chef Dino running around desperately multi-tasking as waiter, cashier, cleaner and supervisor while trying to keep the daily operations under some semblance of controlled chaos. Full marks to Dino for his efforts, but his staff let him down miserably.

The waitress who eventually took our orders after a 20 minute wait seemed bored out of her mind. I made her repeat our orders when she didn’t bother to do so. “Take note that there are 10 main courses,” I told her, my 28 years of experience in the F&B industry kicking in and warning me to expect problems.

She did not bother to ask for our drink order, and did not return to lay the table with the appropriate cutlery for each diner. So there we were, 10 of us looking at 3 small plates of uncut garlic bread with no utensils to eat. I had to get up, locate a waiter and request for cutlery.

Sure enough, nine main couses were served over the next 30 minutes. To add salt to the wound, it was my dinner that was omitted. When I checked with the waitress, she proceeded to defend herself by telling me it was the fault of the kitchen, instead of trying to solve the missed order.

From this point on the dinner proceeded rapidly into a series of frustrating disappointments with requests for sauces, water and serviettes being fulfiled at slow motion speed after several reminders

.

I pulled Dino aside and had a chat with him, expressing my dissatisfaction with the service rendered. He duly apologised and acknowledged that he was shorthanded.

Dinner finished, the used plates and cutlery were cleared and I waited for the 3 complimentary slices of birthday cake. And waited. And waited. Off I went to locate Dino, and reminded him. After a couple of minutes, He arrived with candles in the 3 cake slices and led us in singing happy birthday.

That was good, but it left the 10 of us looking at 3 slices of cake on the table without…

you guessed it, forks to cut and eat the cake. There were no wait staff in sight, so off I went to speak to the Cashier behind the counter to request for forks. She told me to ask the wait staff. Totally flabbergasted, I returned to our table and we ate the cake with serviettes.

At this point we had had enough and I asked for the bill. We waited. And waited. A wait staff approached our table and placed 3 side plates with 3 teaspoons in the middle. At first we just looked incredulously at it, then everyone broke out into spontaneous laughter.

Although Dino gave me a 10% discount on the bill, it did not make up for the dismal service, wrong food orders, omissions and overall disappointing experience for what should have been a joyous birthday celebration. To make matters worse, their prices were not cheap. We would have definitely been better off going to one of the established steak houses instead of experimenting with Meatworks.

Frigglive has sent a copy of ths review to the management of Meatworks with the fervent hope that they will get the message and improve.

Cilantro Culinary Academy - Open Day

Cake Decorating Demonstration
text and images by Tan Bee Ling

Frigglive visited the Cilantro Culinary Academy on their open day 3rd April 2010. Cilantro Culinary Academy is culinary school providing professional skills and vocational training in Culinary Arts at Foundation, Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels. Housed in a 4 storey shop lot, this culinary school is located at USJ Sentral.
Ms. Suzy Teh, the Marketing Executive was already there to meet us when Veronica and I arrived. The wedding cake decoration demonstration was scheduled for 4.00pm.
Since it was still early, Suzy gave us a short tour of their kitchens. The kitchens were impressive with well equipped facilities and gadgets, besides looking sparking clean. She even introduced us to some cute looking chefs. When we got to the cake decoration demo kitchen, the session had already started. The chef was working on covering the last wedding cake with fondant. The wedding cake consisted of 3 tiers measuring 18, 14 and 10 respectively.
After covering the cake with fondant, she proceeded to colour a small portion of royal icing with green and another portion with pink. The royal icing was made by stirring egg white with icing sugar. She also demonstrated how to fold a triangular piece of paper into a handy piping bag for royal icing.

Once she started piping the cake, there was no turning back. She just went on and on from one motif to another. Her piping skills were excellent and her work tidy and neat. The 3 cakes were decorated with frills, flowers, leaves and etc in no time.
Within an hour, she completed the decoration for all 3 cakes. Then she cleverly stacked the cakes up with wine glasses. This made the wedding cake look so elegant. She then put on the final touch with store bought flowers made from gum paste.
I had a great time and managed to pick up some pointers from this demo. Besides that, we were given a goodie bag each with discount vouchers and also a piece of Cilantro’s signature Sesame Cake. The Sesame Cake tasted yummy. Cilantro Culinary Academy is located at:- No, 1-1, Jalan USJ Sentral3 USJ Sentral 47600 Subang Jaya Selangor Tel. +603-8023 0555

Editor's Note: Bee Ling is an avid cooking and baking enthusiast. For more of her gastronomic adventures, point your mouse to http://lingspassion.blogspot.com/

Sushi With A Twist - Genji Japanese Restaurant, Hilton PJ

Sushi With A Twist - Genji Japanese Restaurant, Hilton PJ

1^st - 30^th April 2010

Genji is showcasing a range of extraordinary sushi to offer a new culinary experience to Japanese food lovers. Inspired by Southeast Asian and Western cuisine, the exclusive sushi promotion starts from 1^st till 30^th April 2010, for lunch (12noon – 2.30pm) and dinner (6.30pm – 10.30pm).

Having worked in traditional Japanese restaurants in Japan and being a Malaysian who is exposed to different cuisine, Genji’s Head Chef, Richard Teoh, and Chef Asyraf have developed the confidence to fuse the best of various cuisines to create something distinct and enticing.

This time round, Genji’s sushi team trained by Chef Richard has assimilated elements from Thai, Malaysian, Italian, Norwegian and more into Genji’s sushi menu to offer amazing sensations to the patrons. A delicately shaped wasabi paste and a refreshing dash of Japanese ginger pickle keep the well-pressed sushi company on each plate.

Taste the Golden Prawn Roll or Kuruma Ebi Ura-maki to trigger off your food sensational adventure. Garnished with gold leaves, the shiny reversed roll sushi looks appealing even at the first sight. Tempura prawn and crumbs fill your mouth and break into loud crunchy noise the moment you bite into the sushi.

Sashimi lovers would also instantly fall in love with the Genji Jyo California Roll or Genji Jyo Maki. Instead of seaweed, the avocado and vegetable-stuffed sushi is draped with raw fresh salmon and tuna slices to create a colorful, tempting visual.

The delightful journey continues with the Norwegian roll or Norwegian Chu-maki. Wrapped inside the vinegar rice are generous spread of deep-fried crispy salmon skin from the Norwegian salmon and vegetables. To augment the flavour, Paprika herb is sprinkled around the sushi roll with flying fish roe or tobiko as topping.

The Stuffed Calamari Sushi or Ika Isobe Maki, contrary to the ordinary stuffed sushi in which sushi rice is put inside a sweet fried–tofu pouch, here the sushi rice is stuffed inside a calamari. Nicely arranged on a layer of ladyfingers, the lightly pan-fried calamari is glazed with homemade spicy teriyaki sauce to add a feel of Malaysian spiciness to the Japanese cuisine.

Then, turn your attention to another strange combination, Sushi Pizza. Replacing the usual dough, the crust is a layer of seaweed with sushi rice laid neatly on it, topped with Genji’s special puree sauce, diced seafood, bell pepper, oregano and mozzarella cheese. The ingredient combination provides a more delicate variation in flavour especially with the slightest hint of vinegar from the sushi rice.

Finally, end your adventure with the Genji Lobster Roll or Ise Ebi Maki, which promises you a different perception of sweet Thai mango. Covered with thick juicy mango slices, the reversed sushi roll wraps the deep-fried lobster with spicy mayonnaise and vegetable. The refreshing sweet Thai mango not only gives the luxury sushi a flavour burst but also serves as a treat for the eyes. You will be surprised to find what an excellent pair the sweet Thai mango and deep-fried lobster can make.

Enjoy the “Sushi with a Twist” under the Japanese countryside ambience at Genji! The interior design and interesting collection of Japanese art creates a warm and inviting environment to dine in. The price of promoted sushi ranged from RM45++ to RM120++. For reservations, please call (03) 7955 9122 extn. 4071/2 or visit www.ZestPJ.com