The return of old school 'Top Chef'
01.01.70
It began with the 10 chefs in Group 3, who had to cook a dish with one ingredient from a set selection. This being “Top Chef,” there was an inexplicable twist: After choosing the ingredient, each chef was randomly assigned a certain amount of time to cook. How this is a fair measure of a chef’s skills, I have no idea. Give a bad chef 60 minutes and a good chef 20 minutes, and talent is thrown out the window.
Anyway, this little twist immediately threw off one guy who uncovered that he’d get a meager 40 minutes to cook risotto. Now, I’VE made risotto in 40 minutes...but that’s only because I don’t actually know how to make risotto. As expected, he was sent packing after presenting the judges with a bunch of empty bowls.
After filtering out more of the slurry and sending a couple more chefs to the house, it was finally time to burst the bubble, and here’s where things got good: six cooks competing in one challenge for the two final spots. Old school “Top Chef,” and it only took 1.5 episodes to get there.
Source: CNN (blog)
Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel's Peking Duck Ranks Among the City's Best
01.01.70
BEIJING, Nov 11, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
If you're looking to taste one of the very best Peking ducks in
Beijing, you'll find it at the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel's
Fat Duck. The contemporary Cantonese restaurant has been named Best
Beijing Duck 2010 and Best Beijing Duck Honorable Mention 2011 by the
esteemed City Weekend awards, and roasts its prize winner in the
restaurant's centerpiece wood-burning oven.
Located on the 4th floor of the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel, in
one of the finest hotels near Beijing city center, Fat Duck is led by
executive chef Jackie Fong, who's been with the restaurant since
2008. The Hong Kong native is known for his signature dishes,
including BBQ pork and the famous Peking duck, carved tableside and
served with a special sauce, created by Chef Fong and his culinary
team. Fat Duck offers a private dining room for 10 to 20 guests, and
also features seasonal specialties including hairy crab and
mooncakes.
Source: MarketWatch (press release)