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Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi -
UAE |
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Djibouti Palace, Djibouti
Africa |
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21 Club Restaurant, New York -
USA |
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Etihad Airways - Pearl
Zone |
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Sayad Restaurant, Abu Dhabi -
UAE |
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Mezzaluna Restaurant, Abu Dhabi -
UAE |
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LAC ASSAL Restaurant, Djibouti -
Africa |
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NEXT: Garden City Hotel &
Lufthansa |
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| Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates |
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| 7 Stars and 7 Stripes |
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| Just as easily they swung past the Palace for a quick tour of the
Corniche to point out the newly built Arabian Heritage Center, founded for the
purpose of preserving the bygone traditions of the locals for posterity.
Finally our arrival at the
Palace, entering just past the 'Royal Entrance' built
entirely for the purpose of allowing dignitaries, powerful world leaders and of
course the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi to arrive discreetly away from the eyes of
the public. My entrance was no less spectacular as when we pulled up to the
curb, several valets and doormen jostled for position to get to the Maybach
door to greet me with a cacophony of voices all calling out “Welcome to the Emirates Palace” at the same
time. |
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| I remember seeing a laptop set-up next to the desk and get ready to
open it for use. The doorbell rings and before I can jump up, it cracks open I
hear my butler José ask, “May I come in Mr. John?” “May I
unpack your clothes, or would you like some time to sleep before your partner
Mr. Bührmann arrives from Dubai?” I remember wondering how well
informed he seemed since he knew about Thorsten's immanent arrival. I asked
José to go ahead and unpack for me while I worked on my own laptop to
stay in contact with our New York office. I noticed right away that all the
rooms and suites have wireless Internet (WIFI) connectivity simply by logging
on your Internet provider and agreeing to the terms. “You are scheduled to
have lunch in Anar, the Persian restaurant at noon,
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| Congratulations to all, from your Guests and from Seven Stars and
Stripes: |
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- For your visible commitment to excellence.
- For your willingness to be recognized for your latest
innovations.
- For your devotion to your staff and company.
- For your ability to receive.
- For your decision to raise the bar.
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New York City - New
York
Chef de Cuisine:
John
Greeley |
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| 6 Stars and 6
Stripes |
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| “21” is more than a place to eat; its décor and
ambiance always had the unique ability to make its guests feel that they were
at a very exclusive place of their own, with all the trappings of wealth and
elegance. There is something deliciously wicked about dining at the club with
its infamous heritage of mobster and celebrity patronage. According to local
legend, 21 was also famous for it's highly publicized “power
seating”. The dining room is setup in a “horse shoe” arrangement
with 3 distinct sections; The First section (on the far left as you walked in)
was reserved for “A” list socialites and celebrities, The Second
section in the virtual center of the dining room with tables and banquets,
faces the bar, and was reserved for politicians, lesser renowned celebrities,
and 21 club regulars. The Third section (on the far right of the dining room)
referred by some gossip columnists as “Siberia” was usually reserved
for tourists and unknowns… |
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| Executive chef John Greeley started out in Nantucket Island working
in restaurants during the summer. He eventually moved to New York to attend New
York's School of Visual arts and then transferred to Savannah College of Art
and Design. During his college years John was already appointed to the
sous-chef of the acclaimed 45 South restaurant in Savannah's historic district.
John’s artistic background gives him a perfect platform for his cuisine
creations, using the freshest local ingredients in tasty and visually most
exciting ways. John has received great attention in the press for his
untraditional recipes for 'goose with dry rub and huckleberry sauce'. He has
appeared on TV shows like CBS's Chef on a shoestring. John's painting and
sculptures adorn the walls in both Savannah and New York City.
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Mezzaluna Restaurant
Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Chef de Cuisine:
Luigi
Antinio Piu |
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| 5 Stars and 6
Stripes |
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| We tore ourselves away from the penetrating vision in the heavens
before us and took our places within the confines of the comfortable and
well-designed restaurant. We immediately received an assortment of warm
house-made breads, including crispy bread sticks, several types of baguettes,
soft rolls and whole grain. Bona fide extra virgin Italian olive oils were
offered along with shaved bits of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and thick and
sweet aged Balsamico di Modena vinegar. We had previously had the pleasure of
dining under the gifted creative artistry of Executive Sous Chef Luigi Antonio
Piu and his talented team, overseen by Executive Chef Wolfgang
Fischer. |
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| This was truly a perfect ending as we realized that the passion that
lives in Chef Luigi Piu comes to life in his creative kitchen. We left
Mezzaluna releshing the lingering sensation of just having dined with a fresh
fun spin on traditional cuisine. It was as if Chef Luigi was in the process of
re-mastering the art of Italian cooking and presentation deep within the
gastronomic center of Abu Dhabi. Our experience was one of gracious service and
spirited charm leading us to believe that the only ingredient that doesn't go
out of style here is hospitality and passionate brave new cooking.
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Lac Assal
Restaurant
Djibouti Africa
Chef de Cuisine:
Iain
Joyce |
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| 5 Stars and 4
Stripes |
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| Restaurant Manager Ingo Graf greeted us as we approached the podium,
welcoming us with his warm, genuine smile. An offer of cool perfumed cloth
towels is presented and we relish their irresistible feeling on the skin and
seductive scent of the rosewater. Our table has been arranged in the upper
dining room and we enter amidst the sounds of softly playing background music.
It is now up to Executive Chef Iain Joyce to pull out all the stops and present
a sampling from what influences he has garnered in 15 years of experience in
the Middle East, New Zealand and England. |
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| Our respect and admiration go out to Executive Chef Iain Joyce, of
New Zeeland. He is a highly motivated professional, who received his Hotel
Chef’s Diploma in Great Britain from ‘Bournemouth and Poole’.
The creative young chef, who worked as Executive Sous Chef at the Madinat
Jumeirah in Dubai, U.E.A. for several years, took over the leading man position
at the Djibouti Palace Kempinski recently and his team is already receiving
international recognition under his leadership. We are delighted with his
creative style and believe in a promising future.
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| In The Press: |
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| * Arrival at the Emirates
Palace |
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| Dear Friends |
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| December it is, more and more families and their close
friends are celebrating their special time of the year by traveling in groups
to either, a winter wonderland scenery or to a warmer and maybe even exotic
location. There's a definite connection between living well and healthfully and
maintaining a cheerful outlook on traditions, traveling and presenting gifts.
One thing to remember is, that often the most welcomed presents come on little
boxes; let me point out that Turquoise is the birthstone for December. Native
Americans ascribe spiritual power to the gem, which can be found in the
American Southwest as well as in Australia, Iran, and Afghanistan and all over
the Middle East. Discover Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on the Persian
Gulf, and their exciting cuisine, prepared by world-class chefs. The place to
be for superlative gastronomy is the Emirates Palace, which is now officially
the first 'All Seven Stars and Stripes Award' - 'World Level Perfection'
recipient resort-hotel in the Middle East! Another worthwhile new exotic travel
destination is Djibouti, experience with us the recent addition to the
celebrated global Kempinski group in Africa, and dive with the Whale Shark
behemoths! Here we experienced a fabulous new adventure-luxury travel
destination, a new star on the heavens of global hospitality! We have chosen
Etihad Airways as our destination airline to the Middle East. The overall
Etihad experience was one of comfort, relaxation, luxury, hi-tech diversion
with a satisfying complete cuisine. In New York, USA we reviewed The 21 Club, a
NYC institution, renowned world-wide, this historic restaurant is a must for
the discriminating holiday shopper. Until next month - |
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| I am yours truly |
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Thorsten Buehrmann |
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| Watch the Seven Stars and
Stripes |
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| Award TV Show on |
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| Hamptons Televisions WVVH
World-Wide |
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| Djibouti, Africa |
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| 5 Stars and 5 Stripes |
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| We passed the flagpole, proudly displaying the colors of its
republic, and elaborate fountains and finally we arrived at the main entrance
of this precious hotel. As we entered the expansive golden entrance and walked
through the polished marble lobby we were fascinated by its formal, enticing
modern design and the magnitude of display cases with traditional art. It all
seemed indeed a unique fusion of African and Arabic style. A softly splashing,
sleek fountain drew our attention and the perfume of fleshly cut exotic flowers
dramatically arranged in huge vases, filled the air with an abundance of
tropical fragrances. The elevator emerged within split seconds, no sound, and
no time to spare. My suite turned out to be, by any means, presidential
accommodations; my Rimowa luggage had magically already arrived ahead of me,
still untouched, waiting for my permission to be unpacked. |
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| The Seven Stars and Stripes Award presentation and celebration at the
grand ballroom was a spectacular soiree, covered by the international press.
Diplomats, ambassadors and consuls, as well as Djibouti's high society,
witnessed when his Excellency Mr. Mohamed Dileita Mohamed, Prime Minister of
Djibouti accepted the Seven Stars and Stripes Award on behalf of the Djibouti
Palace Kempinski and handed it to the Kempinski management, represented by
Bugra Berberoglu and his staff. As Reuters, BBC and many regional and local TV
station cameras were rolling, a huge applause supported this well-appreciated
gesture.
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| Seven Stars and Stripes Awards for: |
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| Pearl Zone / Business Class |
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| 6 Stars and 6
Stripes |
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As I entered the aircraft, I was sincerely greeted by the crew, wearing the
most awesome looking outfits that I’ve seen in quite a while. They
reminded me of the palace maidens for the great Sultans of ‘1001 Arabian
Nights’, almost as if a special requirement for working on the aircraft
was, that you had to be knock-down gorgeous. Any kind of work with the public
sector depends solely on a deep-rooted ability to try to satisfy your guest
without letting anything adverse affect you personally. It seemed as though
each one of the flight attendants had been handpicked for this intrinsic
quality. Upon reaching my assigned seat I was presented with a choice of
newspapers, and of course a cool towel, to refresh myself. |
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| After a smooth take-off and with 14 hours of non-stop flight time
ahead, it was time to check out all the special features in my space that would
have an impact on my comfort level. Etihad prides itself on offering as many
distractions as possible during the long flight to make it a relaxing
experience. Directly ahead of me I discover an AVOD (audio-visual-on-demand)
system just waiting for me to make a choice. It offers more than 350 hours of
movies, television and audio programs and I sense that I won’t even
scratch the surface during this flight. Etihad installed the largest comparable
LCD screens in the industry with 23” screens in the Diamond Zone, 15”
screens in the Pearl Zone and 10.4” screens in the Coral Zone for
incredibly lifelike viewing.
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| Our Seven Stars and Stripes™ book - 2003 to 2006 world-edition,
is
still available. Over 300 pages - featuring only the finest
establishments and fascinating cuisine art images from around the world. All
beautifully compiled in this full-color collector's edition.
ISBN# 1-4259-4267-9 |
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Mezzaluna Restaurant
Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Chef de Cuisine:
Bryan
Chan |
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| New York - USA |
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| 6 Stars and 5
Stripes |
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| Restaurant Manager Belinda greets us warmly with a firm handshake and
as if long lost mariners at the end of an epic journey, we are shown to our
table all the while gazing into every corner of the room, discovering peace and
tranquility as we go. The subdued aqueous colors that abound convey the feeling
of snorkeling through the restaurant while at the same time acts to power up
our palate in quiet anticipation for dining on seafood. Rose scented cool cloth
towels were presented as a way to freshen up before dining. Belinda began by
serving us a Bellini, an aperitif that originated in another water world of
Venice, Italy. Refreshing fresh white peach puree combined with Prosecco
sparkling dry wine offered the right touch to share our special moment. Bread
was brought out to the table along with a trio of spreads including sweet &
spicy red pepper, delicate tuna and sweet cream butter. Four types of house
made breads were made available including baguettes, soft rolls, brioche and
large formations of Arabic flat bread. |
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| Finally our evening dining experience came to an end with the service
of Pandan Leaf Crème Brulee and Caramel Custard Tofu Ice Cream. Is there
any end to this madness? Chef Chan is continuing to raise the bar of excellence
in his pursuit of perfection and creativity. Needless to say, a very special
wine of extraordinary character was necessary at this point and proud Belinda
brought us a breathtaking, marvelous Château d'Yquem Sur Saluces, 1998.
It is a remarkably obvious, open and expressive wine showing plenty of
character with an appreciable depth of botrytis. That is the ingredient that
produces the great finesse and structure as well as allowing for eons of cellar
time rather than mere years. We were honored and fortunate to have had an
opportunity to taste this monumental wine. Chef Chan is a skillful and
brilliant virtuoso, who masterfully compiles his thoughts into measurable
endeavors for the pleasure of his grateful guests. Emirates Palace is thankful
to have his expertise at their disposal as he represents the same professional
7* dream of striving for perfection.
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| In Next Gazette: |
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| * Garden City Hotel, NY -
USA |
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| * Lufthansa Business Class |
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