KEMPINSKI NEWS
Siam Passion – Kempinski Dessert of the Year 2014
German pastry chef in Bangkok wins competition out of 66 entries
Toronto, March 26, 2014 – Passion fruit, coconut, mango and banana combined with European pastry craftsmanship and a lot of passion for Thai culture – these are the ingredients of Siam Passion, Kempinski’s ‘Dessert Of The Year 2014’.
Balancing the sweetness of the exotic fruit and the crispness of tropical curd is a taste adventure in itself. Alfred Merkel, pastry chef at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok and his team created this dessert, which guests can now order at every Kempinski hotel worldwide.
“To me, Siam Passion represents what Kempinski stands for: a collection of individual luxury hotels with European flair,” says Alfred Merkel. “The traditional European recipe and preparation gives the dessert a European twist while the Thai fruit provide the local tropical flavor.”
Alfred Merkel joined Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok as pastry chef in 2011 following his introduction to Kempinski at Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin in 2007. Before that, he gained experience all over the world while refining his passion for the sweet side of life.
His culinary journey took him to Asia, Europe and Hawaii, where he worked with various Michelin-starred chefs in Germany, on US-American cruise ships, in several Leading Hotels of the World and at Mandarin Oriental hotels.
During the 2014 ITB (Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin), over 100 journalists, General Managers and board members of Kempinski Hotels judged the desserts in a blind tasting for the first time. A total of 66 desserts were entered into the competition. Detailed explanations, some as long as 20 pages, illustrated not only the actual preparation but also the reasons why the dessert was chosen to represent Kempinski in 2014. Five desserts were preselected for the blind tasting in Berlin and Siam Passion was the clear winner with over 50% of all votes. The desserts of Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich, Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva and Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna were all chosen for the final round. The event was supported by Moët Hennessy and Valrhona.
“I am thrilled to see the commitment and passion our chefs bring to this competition. The entire process takes almost six months of preparation, adaptations and fine tuning and it truly shows a new level of artistry,” said Stephane Bellon, Vice President Corporate Food & Beverage.
Kempinski’s Dessert of the Year competition has become an eagerly awaited tradition among its chefs and the award is highly coveted as it represents the best of the best in pastry arts and ties in with Kempinski’s food and beverage vision for the company. Equally, guest expectations are high following the previous successes of Bosphorale created at Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul and Lady In Red created at Kempinski Hotel Ajman. Due to popular demand, both desserts continue to be available at Kempinski hotels around the world.
For more detailed information and the Siam Passion recipe please click here.
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About Kempinski Hotels:
Created in 1897, Kempinski Hotels is Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. Kempinski’s rich heritage of impeccable personal service and superb hospitality is complemented by the exclusivity and individuality of its properties. Kempinski now manages a portfolio of 75 five-star hotels in 32 countries and continues to add new properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Each one reflects the strength and success of the Kempinski brand without losing sight of its heritage. The portfolio comprises historic landmark properties, award-winning urban lifestyle hotels, outstanding resorts, and prestigious residences. Each one is imbued with the quality guests have come to expect from Kempinski while embracing the cultural traditions of its location. Kempinski is a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2014.
www.kempinski.com/press • www.globalhotelalliance.com
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