Arctic Char |
Lamb |
Pork & scallops |
Smoked Eel |
Paul
Strachan (center) interviews Michelin star chef, Thomas Kammeier (right) and
Mantra’s executive chef, Jens Heier (left) for Pattaya Mail TV.
Paul Strachan
Mantra Bar & Restaurant recently invited a Michelin star
chef all the way from Hugo’s Restaurant in Berlin for a week of culinary
delights to create wide ranging menus for various themed evenings.
Thomas Kammeier also has a 17 point Gault Millau rating
and worked with his German assistant and Mantra’s executive chef, Jens Heier,
for the five days leading up to the final evening, which was a gala dinner
with the Anakena Winery.
Guests were welcomed by Mantra’s perfectly adorned staff
with a glass of ice cold prosecco and tasty tapas.
Once seated the glasses were once again replenished with
wines from the Chilean Anakena Winery, starting off with a deliciously dry
Sauvignon Blanc to accompany the Iberico pork & scallops Chinn confit,
Asiatic flavors, and pea puree. This was an unusual or perhaps exotic way to
start the meal and was a pleasure on the palette.
The exotic continued with the next course, which was a
fish that is found only in deep, cold, glacial lakes: the Arctic char. This
was served with Jerusalem artichokes, tarragon pistou and Chilean
Chardonnay. It was a wonderful surprise and almost an education in merging
these flavours.
More fish was then served, this time smoked eel with
wasabi risotto & English celery; again this is a fish that is something of a
desired taste. However, it was perfectly cooked and for me was the highlight
of the evening.
The food kept on coming with lamb shoulder in vegetable
lentil stock, washed down with a 2009 Merlot from the Rapel Valley.
There was barely room for the tomato & olive-vanilla ice
cream & baked semolina, but we made the effort.
When Mantra established itself it stated in its
advertising that it “Dared to be different” and indeed to host a world class
chef for a week of extraordinary creations was different - daring and
delightful.
Friends
welcome Michelin star chef,
Thomas Kammeier (center) to Mantra Bar & Restaurant.
