TWO COUNTRIES ON A PLATE
t was the coming together of Oman and Provence, a region in southeastern France. The ‘Journey to Provence’ set the stage for a gastronomic union which linked two different countries.
Michelin star Chef Jérôme Roy worked with chefs of Shangri-la Al Husn Resort & Spa to create a bespoke menu featuring ingredients such as immortelle, almond, lavender, honey and verbena.
Chef Jerome, who curated a sevencourse culinary journey, says the Sultanate is a country full of surprises and is discrete and low key, yet curiosity abounds everywhere.
“Our Oman team members were very curious to learn new trends. They are passionate about discovering new ingredients and techniques to enhance the dining experience. Meeting with guests of various nationalities was very rewarding, and it was insightful to have their feedback,” he adds.
The sensorial journey saw the Al Husn Resort & Spa transformed into a Provençal retreat with beautiful floral arrangements and decorations in an ode to the idyllic south of France .
Chef Jérôme had earlier done similar type of dinner collaboration before with Four Seasons in Singapore.
Marco de Vincentis, Executive Chef, Shangri-la Al Husn, says the collaboration was fun and interesting.
“We were able to identify the ingredients and found out ways to fuse these ingredients into dishes that guests would be familiar with. At Sultanah we work off an a la carte menu each evening for dinner so we enjoy the opportunity to brand out and try something new when we can.”
Siri Sarikonboriruk of L’occitane of Provence says “It was an innovative way to blend the world of spa and wellness with dining and the collaboration resulted in great cross exposure for all involved.”
The high point of the culinary journey was discovering the identity of the chef ’s cuisine and how he brings this to his team in the kitchen and to the guest in the restaurant. It is always interesting to see how this varies in every kitchen around the world.
The guests discovered a cuisine that made them eager to visit Provence and taste other specialties as the delectable menu featured the botanical ingredients of Provence.
Jérôme used local delicacies and his dishes to showcase Provençal produce with a dash of spices, condiments and citrus fruits. He was awarded Grand de Demain (Star of the Future) by Gault et Millau, the French restaurant guide, for his exceptional gastronomic achievements.
Beginning his career at Thierry Marx at the Relais et Châteaux Cordeillan-bages he then he moved to Asia where he discovered different cultures, produce and techniques.
Le Couvent des Minimes offered him opportunities to go solo and develop his signature style in an exceptional setting. His Muscat visit provided him to share his wide experience among Arabic and the expatriate guests.