CULINAIRE 2011 - KL CONVENTION CENTRE

WELL, I'M BACK AGAIN. TWO YEARS OLDER BUT, I think, not too much wiser!





Yes, once again, I've been invited back as one of the (many) judges at Malaysia's biggest cooking competition, Culinaire Malaysia 2011, being held at the KL Convention Centre. I am mostly doing (what else) Nyonya Food with our very own celebrity chef AMY BEH and two other honourable judges.


It's interesting to see so many more teams taking part this year; the first four of the 12 took part today; the others over the next two days. More news about that at a later stage.


It's a huge event, and the six convention halls - which are quite big already - are full to the brim with all kinds of equipment specifically for the catering industry, although some of them will do for domestic use as well.





It's nice being back in KL again, although one thing I will say for it: it is NOISY, especially where I am in town where the judges are being put up. There seems to always be something being built so there is continuous piling going on, not to mention the traffic which is bumper to bumper most times. And people who visit Penang have the cheek to complain about OUR traffic there! I always try and tell them it's because they only come up when it is a festive season when everyone else from Malaysia seem to be there!!





Last night the judges met up at Pacific Regency for a briefing, after which we adjourned to the 33rd floor where cocktails were held at the poolside. It was a real bunfight, with lots of drinks flowing and the band trying to make themselves heard across the water. It was nice to see the Twin Towers in the background. Dr M really brought Malaysia to the world stage when he commissioned it. It's really quite impressive.

Another thing is some can be quite unfriendly. I went to 1-Utama today to do some shopping and have dinner with a friend, and she wanted to stop by the Lavender bread shop which, to be fair, was quite impressive. So I stood there waiting for her, and decided to take some photos. They told me I was not allowed to. So I stopped. But in the mean time, here's one that I took earlier ... The arrogance of it. Is it because they think someone is going to steal some of their ideas? They're good, but not that good!

CHYNNA IN YOUR HANDS

SO IT WAS BACK ON THE MOTORWAY TO KL AGAIN YESTERDAY, this time to celebrate my dear koko's (big bro) birthday. Although we nearly didn't make it, because we had a couple of near misses, once so close I really thought we'd had it. To the BLITHERING IDIOT who pulled out from behind a bus without even thinking to LOOK OVER HIS SHOULDER to check if there was anyone coming - BOO SUCKS to you, for nearly killing us (yourself and your family included) and at the very least causing almost a heart attack for MOI. I really thought we'd had it. Do you REALLY think that when YOU are driving, there's NO OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD? As they say here, "HEY, YOU TINK THIS YOUR GRANDFATHER ROAD AH?" If so then you're WRONG because there are a MILLION other cars which use the motorway, so please have DUE CARE and CONSIDERATION for other drivers please.

Anyway I digress, but make no apologies for venting my spleen. There really are some BLOODY IDIOTS out there, if you'll pardon my language. Like I always say, if you drive stupidly and kill yourself then please go ahead. But please don't endanger myself or my loved ones.

We arrived at about 5.30pm which left us just enough time to get ready (one must, after all, titivate) for the family dinner which had been arranged at CHYNNA Restaurant in KL Hilton, Sentral.

It is a posh place, no question about that, and we had a private room booked which was even posher ... you would have thought. Unfortunately there were a couple of problems we hadn't foreseen - my aged father couldn't make it up and down the stairs in his wheelchair (which btw they had kindly loaned us) so had to be CARRIED lock, stock and barrel, even when he went to the loo - which was the other problem. Most private rooms in KL have their own en suite toilet. This one didn't. He was really quite upset to have to cause such a spectacle because all the men in our party of 12 had to accompany him to the toilet and back! What a sight it was to behold!

The food, traditional Cantonese meets modern Shanghainese, was quite good, tasty especially the Sharks Fin Soup (before you write in to complain yes you're quite right, it's very un-PC, but it wasn't MY party was it) which was very good but it was served in an open mini "wok" so to keep it warm it sat over a little burner which was lit as soon as they placed it in front of you. Which was all very well except as the amount of soup diminished it got hotter and hotter and I actually burnt my tongue. Why didn't you blow it out I hear you ask. Of course it's not something one thinks about until it's happened, stupidly you might add, and served me right.

The wagyu beef was delicious, but service wasn't exceptional. I asked for warm water and they forgot it so had to be reminded; no one topped up my wine so I had to resort to BIG HINTS for it to be replenished ... one just can't get the staff these days ... (joke, joke).

Everything was served individually as is the trend nowadays, although the table was so big all the food had to be served that way as there was no way we were going to be able to reach for it, lazy susan or not! I didn't get a chance to see it but one of their gimmicks is the long-spouted tea pot wielded by an expert who is apparently a bit of a show-off.

They even had a young man all dressed up in traditional Chinese garb to say goodbye as we left.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRO.