Upscale Tourism ?

[jetjock]

Chefs in Bangkok prepare $25,000 meal

By JOCELYN GECKER, Associated Press Writer Sat Feb 10, 7:08 AM ET

BANGKOK, Thailand - It's been billed as the "meal of a lifetime," a 10-course dinner concocted by world-renowned chefs for the most discriminating palates and — at $25,000 a head — the fattest wallets.

And that doesn't include tax and gratuity.

Few expenses were spared in putting together Saturday night's culinary extravaganza in Bangkok.

But at this price, even the most talented chefs can find it challenging to give diners their money's worth.

Antoine Westermann of Le Buerhiesel, the famous restaurant in Strasbourg, France, says he plans to shave 3 1/2 ounces of Perigord truffles — worth about $350 — onto each plate.

"For $25,000, what do you expect?" he said.

Westermann is one of six three-star Michelin chefs — four from France and one each from Italy and Germany — commissioned to fix dinner at the Lebua luxury hotel for 40 "Epicurean Masters of the World." That's the title for the event, organized by the hotel to promote Thai tourism.

The menu features complicated creations like "tartare of Kobe beef with Imperial Beluga caviar and Belon oysters" and "mousseline of 'pattes rouges' crayfish with morel mushroom infusion."

Guests jetted in from the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Deepak Ohri, the Lebua's managing director, declined to reveal their identities but said they include Fortune 500 executives, a casino owner from Macau and a Taiwanese hotel owner.

"It's surreal! The whole thing is surreal," said Alain Soliveres, the celebrated chef of the Taillevent restaurant in Paris.

Soliveres was preparing two of his signature dishes, including the first course: a "'creme brulee' of foie gras" to be washed down with a 1990 Cristal champagne — a bubbly that sells for more than $500 a bottle, but still stands out as one of the cheapest wines on the menu.

"To have brought together all of these three-star Michelin chefs, and to serve these wines for so many people is just an incredible feat," Soliveres said ahead of the dinner. "It's fabulous!"

Chefs submitted their grocery lists to organizers and the ingredients were flown in fresh: black truffles, foie gras, oysters and live Brittany lobsters from France; caviar from Switzerland; Jerusalem artichokes and white truffles from Rome.

Diners will sip their way through legendary vintages, like a 1985 Romanee Conti, a 1959 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, a 1967 Chateau d'Yquem and a 1961 Chateau Palmer, considered "one of the greatest single wines of the 20th century," said Alun Griffiths of Berry Bros. & Rudd, the British wine merchants that procured and shipped about six bottles of each wine for the dinner.

The wine alone cost more than $200,000, Griffiths said.

"Just to have one of these would be a great treat," he said. "To have 10 of them in one evening is the sort of thing that people would kill for."

Wine lovers regularly organize exorbitantly expensive tastings in New York, London and Japan but such events are not as common in Thailand, where it would take the average schoolteacher five years to earn $25,000.

"That is a waste of money," said Rungrat Ketpinyo, 44, who sells Phad Thai noodles for 75 cents a plate from a street cart outside the hotel. "I don't care how luxurious this meal is. It's ridiculous."

Organizers said most of the profits will go to two charities — Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Chaipattana Foundation — a rural development charity set up by the king of Thailand.

"Expensive is very relative," said Ohri, the Lebua director. "Some of the world's best chefs will be cooking their best dishes with the finest vintage wines."

"It is an experience of a lifetime."

Organizers scrambled to fill seats at the last minute after 10 Japanese people canceled their reservation, citing safety concerns after the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok that killed 3 people.

To ensure discretion, diners will be escorted to a restaurant on the hotel's 65th floor in a private elevator, and all staff in possession of cell phones with cameras will have to check the devices at the door.

The chefs confessed they were astonished by the $25,000 price tag. A meal at the own restaurants costs about $260.

"It's crazy," Westermann said. "The fact that one meal could be this expensive," he shrugged. "After

Just came accross the AP news item. This must be what they call 'upscale tourism.' I was not able to attend because I was out of town so if anyone attended, please let me know if the food was good and if they tipped the customary 15%(which I computed would be a 131,250 Baht tip) [/color]

[cdnvic]

I would have looked a bit out of place washing it down with a few big bottles of Chang sitting next to the truffles.

[SamuiJens]

The rich are allowed to do what they fcukin want? I don't give a flying fart! As long as it isn't my money!

Edited February 10, 2007 by SamuiJens

[Dupont]

Be interesting to see what type of sad, low life slimeballs would pay 1 mil for a meal.

There have to be a million other fun or more worthy things to do with this money.

Sure of one thing, It won't taste a thousand times better than many foodhall or noddle dishes that can be picked up for less than 50 baht.

What a sad indictment of the Country prosituting it'self albeit at a higher level.

Money good, money good, money good you can hear them drool

[h90]

I would have looked a bit out of place washing it down with a few big bottles of Chang sitting next to the truffles.

but drink it from the bottle....never trust the glases, might be dirty, some truffles rests inside...

[cdnvic]

I would have looked a bit out of place washing it down with a few big bottles of Chang sitting next to the truffles.

but drink it from the bottle....never trust the glases, might be dirty, some truffles rests inside...

What the hel_l.... bring a straw

[fxm88]

See also http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=105567

[naka]

Be interesting to see what type of sad, low life slimeballs would pay 1 mil for a meal.

There have to be a million other fun or more worthy things to do with this money.

Sure of one thing, It won't taste a thousand times better than many foodhall or noddle dishes that can be picked up for less than 50 baht.

What a sad indictment of the Country prosituting it'self albeit at a higher level.

Money good, money good, money good you can hear them drool

That's a bit over the top !

Guess you can't afford it ... Eh !

I would'nt go for it either, but I would not slag others who would. Up to you !

Naka.

Edited February 11, 2007 by naka

[dgoz]

Whether it's expensive or outrageous etc is all relative. Some people blow tens of thousands in a casino in one session.

It's probably a great chance for some of these people to network with other like minded people and it may well turn out to be a profitable experience for them.

I myself am putting together a 25,000 satang extravaganza for Soi Buakhoaws elite later on this month. It will include some of Buakhoaws finest chefs cooking up delicacies from the Isaan region, accompanied by some of the worlds finest ales such as Chang, Leo and Singha.

[kmart]

If I had money to chuck around like that, then there are worse ways to blow / spend it. Eating the world's finest foods and wines really rather appeals to me. That money is being generated for charity says that this is just philanthropy with food. What's the problem?

No mention of pudding? Custard?....

[Donz]

Nothing wrong with it, if you got the cash then whats the problem?

Next people will be having a moan about people driving BMW's.

[davidjtayler]

It was a fantastic meal boys but they didn't have any tomato ketchup to go with the truffles ....

[jetjock]

Here is the press release now that the event is over. The good thing is that at least the money went to Thai charities ( although I am sure the promoters got their fair share or more !). It stated in the article that it was designed to promote upscale tourism in Thailand however it was interesting to note that it does not appear that they served any Thai food in the 10 course gourmet dinner !!

BANGKOK, Thailand - It was an evening of utter decadence — a 10-course gourmet dinner concocted by world-renowned chefs at $25,000 a head.

Many of those who attended Saturday night's culinary extravaganza in Bangkok hailed it as the meal of a lifetime. But it's no easy task to eat plate after plate of Beluga caviar, Perigord truffles, Kobe beef, Brittany lobster — each paired with a rare and robust vintage wine.

"It's really amazing," said one diner, Sophiane Foster, a wealthy Cambodian who lives in Malaysia, as she eyed the dinner's eighth course — a "pigeon en croute with cepes mushrooms." "But I can't finish it. Your senses can only appreciate so much."

High-rolling food lovers flew in from the United States, Europe, the Middle East and other parts of Asia for the 40-seat dinner organized by the Lebua luxury hotel in Bangkok, grandly titled "Epicurean Masters of the World."

Cooked by six three-star Michelin chefs — four from France and one each from Germany and Italy — the menu featured complicated creations like "tartar of Kobe beef with Imperial Beluga caviar and Belon oysters" and "mousseline of 'pattes rouges' crayfish with morel mushroom infusion."

Among the talented chefs, some said they found it challenging to give diners their money's worth.

Antoine Westermann of Le Buerhiesel, a top-class restaurant in Strasbourg, France, said he shaved 3 1/2 ounces of Perigord truffles — worth about $350 — onto each plate of his "coquille Saint-Jacques and truffles."

"For $25,000, what do you expect?" he said.

As guests entered the dinner, held at the hotel's rooftop restaurant on the 65th floor overlooking Bangkok, attendants bowed and scattered rose petals at their feet. Men wore tuxedos and women were dripping in diamonds. The guests included Fortune 500 executives, a casino owner from Macau and a Taiwanese hotel owner, said Deepak Ohri, Lebua's managing director. He declined to reveal their identities.

"It's surreal. The whole thing is surreal," said Alain Soliveres, the celebrated chef of the Taillevent restaurant in Paris.

Soliveres prepared two of his signature dishes, including the first course: a "creme brulee of foie gras" that was washed down with a 1990 Cristal champagne — a bubbly that sells for more than $500 a bottle, but still stood out as one of the cheapest wines on the menu.

"To have brought together all of these three-star Michelin chefs, and to serve these wines for so many people is just an incredible feat," Soliveres said.

Chefs submitted their grocery lists to organizers beforehand and the ingredients were flown in fresh: black truffles, foie gras, oysters and live Brittany lobsters from France; caviar from Switzerland; white truffles from Italy.

Diners also sipped their way through legendary vintage wines, like a 1985 Romanee Conti, a 1959 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, a 1967 Chateau d'Yquem and a 1961 Chateau Palmer. The latter is considered "one of the greatest single wines of the 20th century," said Alun Griffiths of Berry Bros. & Rudd, the British wine merchants that procured and shipped about six bottles of each wine for the dinner.

The wine alone cost more than $200,000, Griffiths said. "Just to have one of these would be a great treat. To have 10 of them in one evening is the sort of thing that people would kill for."

Wine lovers regularly organize exorbitantly expensive tastings in New York, London and Tokyo, but such events are not as common in Thailand, where it would take the average schoolteacher five years to earn $25,000.

On the street, where much of Bangkok's best food is served, the dinner generated talk of over-the-top excess.

"That is a waste of money," said Rungrat Ketpinyo, 44, who sells Phad Thai noodles for 75 cents a plate from a street cart outside the hotel. "I don't care how luxurious this meal is. It's ridiculous."

Organizers say the event was designed to promote Thai tourism and that most of the profits will go to two charities — Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Chaipattana Foundation, a rural development program set up by the king of Thailand.

The guest list included 15 paying customers and 25 invited guests. Organizers scrambled to fill the seats at the last minute after 10 Japanese invitees canceled their reservation, citing safety concerns after the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok that killed three people.

Some chefs confessed they were astonished by the $25,000 price tag.

"It's crazy," Westermann said. "After this, nothing can shock me."

But Marc Meneau, the chef of L'Esperance restaurant in Vezelay, France, called it a "culinary work of art."

"It's no more shocking than buying a painting that costs $2 million," he said.

[solo siam]

"The guest list included 15 paying customers and 25 invited guests. Organizers scrambled to fill the seats at the last minute after 10 Japanese invitees canceled their reservation, citing safety concerns after the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok that killed three people."

Imagine getting that call from a friend!

"Someones dropped out and You've got to come to dinner"

[Rinrada]

The Beluga caviar and Belon oysters and mousseline of pattes rouges crayfish with morel mushroom infusion sounds a bit pretentious "Chavvi Naff" but the wine list sounds very nice.....especially the Margaux.....plummy

[NovaBlue05]

Rich folks in this country spend thousands of $$ to attend political fundraiser luncheons and dinners all the time. What could be a bigger and more grotesque waste of money than giving it to a politician? At least this allegedly goes to charity.

[PanzerJohn]

I hope the 6 chefs had their work permits in order.

[cdnvic]

Organizers scrambled to fill the seats at the last minute after 10 Japanese invitees canceled their reservation, citing safety concerns after the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok that killed three people."

Oh please

30 times as many people died in road accidents on new years eve. You don't see that frightening them off.

pussies

Edited February 11, 2007 by cdnvic