FOOD FILE
A blinding constellation of Michelin stars gathered in Tokyo last week for a three-day gastronomic convention. The line-up of chefs demonstrating and taking part in panel discussions at Tokyo Taste – The World Summit of Gastronomy 2009, read like a who’s who of the culinary world. The 21 participating chefs from eight countries included Heston Blumenthal, Joel Robuchon, Pierre Gagnaire, Grant Achatz, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, and the Spanish duo of Ferran Adrià (above) and Juan Mari Arzak. The aim of the event was to foster international exchange in cuisine techniques, and the boys even brought their favourite toys with them, for a demonstration of the latest cooking equipment. Amazingly, the entire event was open to the public as well as to industry professionals. See www.tokyotaste.net.
www.sbs.com.au/food/foodsafari
Australia’s melting pot of cultures provides plenty of inspiration for cookery programmes, and Food Safari on SBS is one of the best. The accompanying website (above) is full of information about world food cultures, with each programme addressing the food of a particular country. If you’ve ever wondered about the cuisine of Mauritius, Syria or Persia, you’ll find your answers here. Best of all, there is a cook-along video to accompany each featured recipe. Irish food hasn’t yet featured . . . but maybe presenter/producer Maeve O’Meara will plug the gap in the next series.
If you think you know your yams from your yabbies, gather up a few like-minded friends, at least one of whom should know their way around a bottle of wine, and enter a team for The Great Irish Foodies Quiz in Fallon Byrne (top floor), Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 on Wednesday, March 18th at 7.30pm. The entry fee is €80 per team of four, and places can be booked by e-mailing irishfoodie@gmail.com or telephoning 087-0505075. The event is being organised by chef Ainé Maguire, will be compered by food writer Myles McWeeney, and is in aid of Special Olympics Ireland.
Super prizes have been donated, including VIP tickets to Taste of Dublin; a pre-theatre dinner with house wine for two at Chapter One; an overnight stay and dinner for two at the Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore, Waterford; dinner for two in O’Grady’s on the Pier in Barna, Co Galway, and a case of Jacquart Champagne. In addition to food and wine questions, there will be some general knowledge questions, so compose your crack team carefully.