Professor Dr. Michael Hitchcock, the Academic Director and Dean of IMI University Centre, is a renowned author having refereed journal papers as well as written and edited fourteen books. He obtained a BA Hons from Queen’s University, Belfast, and completed his doctorate from Linacre College, Oxford University. He was awarded Professor at the University of North London. Professor Hitchcock’s key research areas are in Tourism, Heritage and Business Culture.
Written by: Chef Darren Teoh
School of Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts
Writer (centre, in chef uniform) with members of a workshop in Switzerland
It has been non stop action ever since I arrived in Dortmund, Germany. By the time I arrived at the hotel it was almost 11 am, probably about 16 hours of travelling.
The next day, 28th September, Chef Heiko Antoniewicz and I travelled to Baluch, Switzerland, for a two days all-day demonstrations on molecular cooking. We were hosted by Rene Widmar, who runs ProRest, a consultancy company for the restaurant industry in Switzerland. The workshops were for professional chefs and it was refreshing to see that many old hands in the industry were participants.
Gambas, Marzipan and Almond Milk Pasta
It has always been my perception that this style of cuisine only appeals to younger chefs. But in Switzerland, chefs who have been in the industry for so long weren’t tired to learn. Maybe it wasn’t a very accurate representation, but it did leave an impression on me. Very cool.
Mischa
On the second day of the workshop, we gave a demonstration to the Swiss National Cooking team - the very same team that emerged second in the Battle for the Lion, Food & Hotel Asia, Singapore 2010. We had fun showing them new techniques and sharing about the creative potentials of these techniques. A lot of the talks were not technical at all, instead we were all more interested in flavour pairings and how different techniques would give you different flavour dimensions. Very, very cool.
Sardines and Flower Power
After 3 days in Switzerland, we took the one hour flight back to Germany. The only souvenir I managed to get there were these wonderful pralines made by Sprüngli. They were handmade and fresh - amazing chocolate. I didn’t know what they meant by 'fresh', but Rene said you have to eat them fast because they won't last more than 3 days. So I must say sorry to anyone who is expecting some FANTASTIC chocolate from Switzerland, but I am afraid that by now they would have taken on a different form and will never ever taste the same again.
The day after arriving back in Dortmund, we had another all day training for an institutional catering in the city. In Germany, most large companies or large complexes will have their own cafeteria. And they are run like a cross between a bistro, a café and a canteen. So the food that they provide, while not fantastic, is a far cry from our very own concepts of what a cafeteria should be. Our workshop was entirely and exclusively just for sous vide cooking. So we showed them a variety of cooking - from vanilla sauce, vegetables, fruits and meats in a bag. Heiko and I had a lot of fun looking at their faces when they saw how easy and how flavourful the products were. Lots of frowns and puzzled looks, just the way we like them.
I had a small chance to cook some simple “Asian” cooking with them. Background information: Asian food in Germany, is not Asian. They may have the Chinese calligraphy font or the swirly Indian-ish writing on their signboards. But whatever they are serving in those restaurants came from no where we know as “Asia”. So a little soy sauce, minced garlic, ginger, chillies, oyster sauce and meat slices in the bag at 65O C for 30 minutes in the Combi-steamer and voila! an ordinary steaming “packet” of meat in soy sauce - this changed their idea of what Asian food should be. Malaysia 1 – Germany 0.
So it’s Sunday now, a whole week has passed, and although I am having fun working, the travelling is wearing me down. Over the weekend, we were cooking Flamekuchen, or Tarte Flambe outside Heiko’s shop in Dortmund Hoarde. Simple, straight forward and a lot of fun. We served them straight from the oven, on wooden plates that look like ping-pong paddles (traditional). Flamekuchen is like a pizza with a simple roti-canai type of dough, baked with crème fraiche, ham and rocket on top. We baked them in a small deck oven and served them immediately. They don’t normally do this, but this weekend, there was a “village market” in the town and everybody was doing something. Interestingly, there were folks who dressed up in period costumes from the Middle Ages and they sold homemade beer, liquor and smoked fish. There were bands playing rock tunes or old folk songs on the stage, but I couldn’t tell which one I liked most though.
Tomorrow, we'll be going to Frankfurt to make some preparations for the Frankfurt Book Fair and in the evening we are off to London for another demonstration at the German Embassy. So we are quite busy. I don’t know when I will be writing again, but chances are it would be after the book show. I have a short break after that and then it’s off to Langen, where Amador is.
Footnote:
Chef Darren Teoh is inSwitzerland and Germany for a month, where he will be attending the Frankfurt Book Fair and to speak about his book at the Chef-SACHE Symposium. He will also be teaching molecular cooking as a subject to various parties.
Chef Darren Teo has recently penned his new book, RE-DEFINITION – Molecular Cuisine: Traditional Recipes through a Modern Kaleidoscope. Launched by Chef Heiko Antoniewicz, it's the first book in Malaysia that applies molecular cooking techniques to our Malaysian recipes.
Ms Serena Lim An inspiring journey took place for Serena who graduated with an LLB (Hons) from Oxford Brookes University (OBU), UK in 2005. She began her studies at KDU and transferred over to OBU to complete her degree. Upon graduating at OBU, she was granted the privilege to be called to the Bar in England & Wales in 2006. She subsequently commenced pupilage with an established law firm in Kuala Lumpur and continued practicing in the same firm after being admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 2007. Serena currently works in a solicitors firm in Hong Kong.
Our French language lecturers, Alan Le Bras and Bruno Decourcy, together with representatives from KDU and Malaysia Airlines,recently celebrated their Malaysia Airlines Academy students' completion of the French Language course in a small cozy graduation ceremony, followed by dinner at Ma Maison, a French restaurant located in Jalan Ampang.
The students, who comprised of Malaysia Airlines cabin crew, underwent the 14-week course in Basic French, which taught them conversational French and also on making in-flight announcements in the language.
The programme came about because the Academy recognized the importance of communication with passengers who are non-English speakers and chose KDU to conduct these language programmes for their cabin crew.
The graduation ceremony at Malaysia Airlines Academy
The week has been an undeniably busy one for us here at KDU. Besides the academic convocation ceremony, we also launched a book penned by our very own Chef Darren Teoh.
The book, RE-DEFINITION – Molecular Cuisine: Traditional Recipes through a Modern Kaleidoscope, pays tribute to our local cuisine and produce, and is the first book in Malaysia that applies molecular cooking techniques to our Malaysian recipes.
The usage of molecular cooking techniques also means that the book showcases a modern style of Malaysian cuisine, offers an alternative perception of typically traditional Malaysian cooking and illustrates how Malaysian produce can create avant garde cuisine dishes suitable for haute cuisine restaurants.
Professor Michael Hitchcock 
Ms Serena Lim
