Chefs put their best foot forward for Xmas cheer
The English expression that warns against involving too many people in a task, as too many cooks spoilt the broth, ought not be ignored, especially when its underlying lesson holds unsavoury consequences in the end.
Yet the opposite is also true, as wisdom also teaches us that many hands joining in a task can be a godsend. Either way, there is always a strong argument to be made for more than one pair of hands to be roped in for a task, especially when a chef has to prepare a multicourse meal for a big dinner party.
Thus, when Tsogo Sun recently gathered eight of its top chefs from different hotels and hosted a multicourse luncheon at Punchinello’s at Joburg’s Montecasino in July, the notion of many kitchen hands making light work was put to the test.
Their collective effort put their best foot forward, producing world-class dishes Tsogo Sun’s 90 hotels and resorts on the continent and Middle East have become known for.
The exercise was to demonstrate the culinary talent at the hotel group’s eateries as well as to create the festive spirit that usually punctuates a Christmas feast in July. In SA, an array of traditional festivities did happen in various places to celebrate Christmas in July this year. For example, the restaurant-lined 4th Avenue in Joburg’s Parkhurst bustled with festive merrymaking. July has since passed, so what could be the relevance of all this, you might well ask. Well, the eight-chef fiesta was organised also to give us a peep into what diners can expect for this coming Christmas when visiting the hotel group’s establishments for the festive family dinner on the day.
Each chef produced his own highlight. Festive favourites included a vegetarian starter by Reuben Daniels of Back O’ the Moon restaurant, which comprised watermelon and goat’s cheese salad with gingerbread-spiced yoghurt and trimmings.
The second starter – prepared by one-time SA Masterchef winner Deena Naidoo of Aarya Restaurant at Montecasino – consisted of cod on mint and coriander puree with crayfish kedgeree quenelle. Both dishes were washed down with Haute Cabriere Pinot Noir and De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc.
For the main course, Kenneth Ngubane of Punchinello grilled Norwegian salmon with crumbed pap, pea puree, cinnamon butternut, and grilled fennel with which Tokara Cabernet Sauvignon struck a heavenly match.
A Christmas dinner without dessert is like a day without sunshine – and Gareth Jordaan of Hyde Park Southern Sun’s Lucé Restaurant came to the party with a meal-capper called Cannoli – blueberry cheese, raspberry, Italian meringue, pistachio crumble and lemon sorbet.
If Christmas is a tonic to our souls, as one luminary said, then a festive double – in July and December all in one year – is quite in order for jolly good cheer.