Noël in Hong Kong

Merry Christmas and Happy Boxing Day!
I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas lunches and dinner, and were able to spend it with families and friends.


As for me; a very close family friend invited me to showcase culinary skills that I acquired during my time at Ferrandi. I know I'm fresh out of culinary school and am no superstar Chef but I thought 1. why not do something I love for Christmas and 2. take on the challenge?


I devised an 8-course tasting menu (including dessert) and decided to test my concept of east-meets-west food, a Fusion of Franco-Chinese ingredients. The number of people started out as 12 but last night I cooked for 16.


I was to prepare the meal in the hosts' home and was lucky enough to be assisted by a number of helpers, one of them my sous-chef and my right hand. I went to the local market (Bowrington) to buy all the produce for the next day and ordered the fish and seafood beforehand as during Christmas time it's hard to find a good amount of fresh produce (for such a large meal). I assisted in the location of the meal within the household, which ended up being outside, the place settings and the types of dishes and cutlery I wanted to use. 


It's funny...looking back, I really felt like a Chef in a kitchen, it was hectic at moments especially during the final dressage (plating), making sure the plates and most importantly the food was warm, plates were clean, making sure they were sent at the same time (or almost) so you can imagine the waves of waiters in and out of the kitchen and me trying to put the final pièce de resistance - e.g. dill leaf and the waiters just wanting to take the dish for the guests and me calling them back and telling them it wasn't finished...ahhhh i loved it all! I wanted to say Mais c'est pas possible! haha


The beautifully lit and set dinner party (for 16)

My kitchen for the night, all decked out with pots, pans, equipment even the oven we use at Ferrandi (the double dry and steam oven) and station for plate warmers

Before the guests had dinner, they sat down for hors d'oeuvres...

Now, the Menu and the pictures...

(Note: I was so busy plating at each course that I did not take the pictures, but someone was kind enough to do so but I realized they were also taken in such a rush so apologies for not showing the most accurate pictures of what I created)

Amuse Bouche: Emulsion d’Asperges Vertes, Poitrine de Porc Marinée    

(Emulsion of Green Asparagus, Marinated Pork belly)

Entrées:

Espuma d’ Homard, Crevettes et Tomates  

(Espuma of Lobster, Shrimp with Blanched Tomatoes)

Duo de Foie Gras, Salade Vinaigrette et Carpaccio d’Agrumes   

(Foie Gras Two-way, Vinaigrette Mesclun and Carpaccio of Citrus Fruit)

To Refresh the Palate

Sorbet au citron 

(Lemon sorbet with grated apple)

Poissons

Homard Poché, Sauce Bisque  

(Steamed Lobster, Shellfish Bisque)

1 comment about this photo: We had already sent 16 dishes of lobster (the much nicer lobes) and this was just for the picture, so the lobster bits are the tail ends. Apologies!

Filets de Bar, Purée de Vitelotte  

(Filets of Seabass, Sweet Potato Purée)

                                                                           

Viande

Magret de Canard, Tofu et Champignons Braisés 

(Duck Breast, Braised Bean curd and Chinese Mushrooms)

2 comments about this photo: 1. the braised mushrooms and tofu are not in the picture and 2. after putting the cucumber slices on the left, I decided to replace them with the absent mushrooms and tofu that I originally put below the duck breast. Apologies once more!

Desserts

Mille-feuille aux Fruits de Saison 

(Thousand layer cake with seasonal fruits)

Crème Brulée à la Vanille 

(Vanilla flavored Crème Brulée)

Lisa's famouse Crunch Cake (To die for!)

Don't forget the wine...oh the wine :)

2000 Cristal Champagne

1992 Puligny Montrachet, Bourgogne for Entrées and Poissons

1983 Chateau Cheval Blanc, St Emilion - Bordeaux for Viandes

1988 Chateau d'Yquem, Graves - Bordeaux for Dessert

I was surprisingly not nervous or anxious but felt excited to prepare a full dinner inspired by my culinary experiences at Ferrandi, Paris and abroad. For every course, I even went out to the guests and described the dish. It was my very first time and I enjoyed it all the way through. By the end, I felt a sense of satisfaction of having prepared the most 'gastronomic' meal I have ever prepared in my life. 


Obviously, there is a lot of room for improvement and some things I wasn't happy with but I am very proud of myself as a first-timer and want to relive these moments whether hectic or not again and again and again :)