A Butcher, A Steaker, A Crème Brulé Maker -
A Look at Fairmont's Culinary Specialists
TORONTO,
September 7, 2007; Much like the classic stories that have charmed
youngsters the world over, the restaurants at Fairmont Hotels
& Resorts, which continually tap into the finest local and
in-season ingredients, have been known to tickle the palettes
of the most discerning travelers. However, in any great read,
it's sometimes the behind-the-scenes characters that have the
greatest impact on the story. With that in mind, Fairmont would
like to salute some of its culinary wizards who regularly go above
and beyond to transform the dining experience into a fairy tale
like experience.
Fairmont
Scottsdale Princess in Scottsdale, Arizona
At the AAA Five Diamond Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, the resort
and its trained F&B staff strive to be a cut above the rest;
literally. Enter Hugh Fenwick, the hotel's onsite butcher and
resident protein expert. With nearly 30 years of experience, Fenwick,
who oddly enough first started out as a "tea boy" in
England, hand cuts an estimated 60,000 pounds of beef a year for
The Grill restaurant alone. A typical day for Fenwick starts and
ends in the frigid temperatures of the resort's large butcher
shop lined with walk-in freezers. His work schedule is jam-packed
with orders for beef steaks, ground beef, fish filets and all
the fresh meats required to serve the resort's five restaurants
and the many banquets held at the resort.
Fairmont
Savoy in London, England
Not one to be outdone, Paul Muddiman at the Simpson's-in-the-Strand,
The Savoy's signature restaurant, likes to think he could give
Fenwick a run for his money. As top cook at the restaurant, known
far and wide for its specialty of roast Scottish beef on the bone,
Muddiman is the man responsible for ensuring that all of Simpson's
carvers reach the high standards expected of a restaurant famous
for its meat. A Master Carver, Muddiman also invites visitors
to learn the skills of the blade with carving lessons that include
a one-hour demonstration.
Fairmont
Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, Canada
Seductively fragrant, smooth and luscious on the tongue, chocolate
is, for many, the perfect romantic gift. But for Carole Proulx,
it's a true love affair. As Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth's ChocolatiËre,
she definitely has a passion for Grand Cru chocolate and admits
to needing her daily dose. She appreciates the creativity and
freedom her work allows her and continuously strives to create
the finest truffles with lasting taste, intense and aromatic flavors.
Available throughout the hotel's outlets, including the legendary
Beaver Club restaurant and the Gourmandise Boutique, her exclusive
truffles and chocolate showpieces are always in high demand. A
few of her most popular creations are Passion Fruit White Chocolate
Truffles and Chocolate Covered Caramels with Fleur de Sel. Taking
the delectable treat to new heights is also one of Proulx's aspirations.
Her latest pet project "Cultivated Confections" infusing
chocolate with flavored spices and herbs such as chili, lavender,
thyme, laurel, cardamom, saffron and curry.
Fairmont
Newfoundland in Newfoundland, Canada
Making guests feel like they're on Cloud Nine is standard practice
for the Fairmont Newfoundland's Chef de Partie Angie Ryan. Utilizing
a locally grown berry known as a bakeapple or cloudberry, Ryan
has put her own stamp on a classic French dessert The CrËme
Brule. Infusion at its finest, Ryan's unique creation is a favorite
of locals and tourists alike. Not one to be outdone is Gregory
Preshyon, more commonly known as the hotel's Mushroom Hunter,
who eagerly awaits the arrival of Newfoundland's Golden Chanterelle
season. In his culinary quest to serve up a taste of the destination,
Preshyon spends countless hours traversing the Avalon Peninsula
in search of his quarry. On average, Preshyon collects a whopping
150 lbs of the delectable treats, which are utilized by the hotel's
entire kitchen each season.
Fairmont
San Jose, in San Jose, California
Providing Fairmont with a little touch of cool is Shinichi Sawamura
from The Fairmont San Jose. A man of few words but much talent,
Sawamura is internationally recognized for his special ability
in taking a frozen block of water and transforming it into an
award-winning ice sculpture. Sawamura is known throughout California
for his elaborate holiday ice sculptures and regularly competes
in international carving competitions throughout the world. One
such invitation included a special visit overseas to fashion some
pieces for the opening ceremonies at the Nagano Olympics.
Fairmont
Savoy in London, England
Kasura Matsumora, Chef de Partie at The Savoy, A Fairmont Hotel,
is fast gaining a reputation as the best sushi chef in London.
Matsumora joined The Savoy just over five years ago from his native
Japan and has quickly established the hotel as the place to go
for both sushi and sashimi. Starting from scratch with basic raw
ingredients, Matsumora blends his own spices and seasonings and
creates dishes that are visually stunning as well as delicious.
Fairmont
Le Chateau Montebello in Quebec, Canada
At Fairmont Le Ch‚teau Montebello, Richard Mantha is the
Chef de Partie responsible for preparing the lavish breakfast
buffet at Les Chantignoles restaurant. When staying at a luxury
resort with over 65,000 acres to explore, it is very important
to start the day with a hearty breakfast. And a Quebec breakfast
just wouldn't be right without maple butter crÍpes and
baked beans...but not just any baked beans, Mantha's baked beans!
To his kitchen brigade, he is known as the Baked Beans Expert!
For thirty-five years his specialty has been a staple in Montebello
and no one has dared to modify his famous beans, reputed to be
cooked for hours with the perfect amounts of molasses, brown sugar
and a few secrets ingredients. Generations of guests have asked
him to share his recipe, which has become a classic at the log
chateau.
Fairmont
Winnipeg in Winnipeg, Canada
If The Simpson's cartoon curmudgeon Mr. Burns was ever able to
stop in for some nourishment at the Fairmont Winnipeg's Velvet
Glove Dining Room he'd have one word on the brain "Eggs-cellent".
This would be in large part to Chef Jeffrey Lesany and what some
locals have dubbed Canada's fastest omelet (30 seconds). Lesany's
special secret; he never uses a spatula or spoon to prepare his
oval inspired creations, as he believes it reduces the quality
of the fluffiness.
Fairmont
Seattle Olympic Hotel in Seattle, Washington
Giving Lesany a run for his money is Earl "The Egg Man"
Tutol from Seattle's Fairmont Olympic Hotel. When it comes to
eggs, Tutol, whose monogrammed custom bowling ball reads "Big
E", is a natural. Deftly cracking eggs one-handed, juggling
six or eight omelets at a time, babying an order of sunny-ups
to just the right point off completion or gingerly placing soft-poached
eggs on top of a smoked salmon benedict, Earl is a maestro of
egg cookery. After three years on the breakfast line, his movements
are honed to bare-bones efficiency: No wasted motion, no wasted
time.
Fairmont
Ottawa, in Ottawa, Canada
Alberta born and bread, Collin Thornton, Executive Chef at Ottawa's
Fairmont Ch‚teau Laurier is man who knows his steak. A purist
at heart, Thornton's motto is a simple one when it comes to preparing
the perfect Striploin or Rib Eye - heat it right with minimal
seasoning to let the true flavors of the meat come through. With
Asian fusion and fad diets on the decline, Thornton, a fan of
Beef Tenderloin, has seen a major push towards beef dishes. Of
particular note, he believes a movement to non-traditional game
cuts such as venison, bison and elk, will be one of the 'prime'
culinary trends in 2007.
Fairmont
Scottsdale Princess in Scottsdale, Arizona
Baking is in the blood of The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Executive
Pastry Chef David Blom. While most children played with toys Blom
played with eggwash and flour in his family's German bakery in
Philadelphia. Since his career began, Blom has received numerous
accolades including Chocolatier Magazine's 10 Best Pastry Chefs
in America, two guest chef appearances on Baking with Julia Child
and being a contributing chef to the cookbook Grand Finale. Although
he calls himself a "jack of all trades," Chef Blom's
specialties are his chocolate and sugar masterpieces. As a third
generation baker, his foundation is strong in developing creative
culinary masterpieces that are as pleasing to the palate as they
are to the eye.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
100 Wellington, St. W., Suite 1600
Toronto, ON, M5K 1B7
P: 416.874.2457
F: 416.874.2422
www.fairmont.com
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