MALAYSIAN WINS MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANT

Michelin first for Malaysian restaurant in London

By CHOI TUCK WO

LONDON: A Malaysian-owned restaurant here has bagged the world-renowned Michelin Star award – believed to be the first for the country.

For Bernard Yeoh of Kai Mayfair Restaurant here, this is the biggest Chinese New Year ang pow and a 15-year dream come true.

“I have been trying to win this award from the day we opened in 1993,” said the Penang-born restaurateur, famed for his soup – Buddha Jumps Over The Wall (touted to be the world’s most expensive soup) which costs £108 (RM606) per bowl.

Winning combination: Yeoh (left) and Chow posing for photos in the Kai Mayfair Restaurant kitchen in London.

Kai Mayfair is the only Chinese restaurant here to win the Michelin Star this year, the highest honour for a restaurant.

Yeoh, 39, said the official recognition from the Michelin Guide 2009 could not have come at a better time due to the economically tough year ahead.

Yeoh said when he found out the restaurant had bagged the prestigious award, it was “one minute of complete elation and five minutes of relief.”

“From now on, it will be 365 days of stress in ensuring we keep to our standards to avoid losing the award next year,” he said, in describing the anonymous visits by food inspectors to evaluate the restaurant on a range of criteria.

He said his staff were surprised when a customer introduced herself as a Michelin inspector and asked to interview the chef and inspect the kitchen last October.

“It was a spot check and you have no time to do anything. She saw the kitchen as it was, spending more than an hour interviewing the staff and watching how food was prepared,” he added.

Yeoh said their success was also a reflection of the general standard of Malaysian-owned restaurants which were increasingly making a mark in the world.

Head chef Alex Chow, from Kuala Lumpur, described the award as the biggest achievement in his 23-year career.

“It certainly is a bullish start to the new year,” he said, in thanking his family for their support and Yeoh for giving him the opportunity to establish his culinary cuisine here four years ago.

Chow, who has 10 chefs under him, said that his advice for upcoming chefs was that they must cook from the heart and give their best to satisfy customers.

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Some facts about Kai Mayfair Restaurant:

Kai Mayfair
65 South Audley Street, London, W1K 2QU

Cuisine:	Chinese
Times:	Mon - Fri 12pm - 2:30pm & 6:30pm - 11pm Sat 6:30pm - 11pm Sun 6:30pm - 10:30pm
Dress code:	Casual
Station:	Bond Street
Payment:	All major credit cards accepted
Capacity:	95
Av. price:	£55 - £64

Critic Reviews of Kai Mayfair:

	Hardens rated it Very Good The ""de luxe"" décor may not be to all tastes, but this ""formal"" Mayfair oriental continues to impress reporters... full review | all Hardens reviews
	London Eating full review
	Square Meal After three years in charge, executive chef Alex Chow is starting to make some changes at high-priced Kai. The... full review | all Square Meal reviews
	Evening Standard If you're fed up of the same old Chinese food book yourself a table at Mayfair's Kai. With a raft of awards to its... full review | all Evening Standard reviews
	Time Out Kai aims to show off the breadth of China's culinary possibilities, and the depth of customers' pockets... full review | all Time Out reviews
	Yahoo Local full review

For more information on this newly-investitured restaurant, please visit their website.

Adelaide, City of Churches

Breathtaking of Adelaide City

Victoria Square

State Library of South Australia

Elder Hall, University of Adelaide

Parliament House, Adelaide

Edward VII in stone

University of South Australia, Adelaide

Rundle Mall, Adelaide City

City Tram in Adelaide City

Torren's River

Dear friends, this post signifies my last post from Malaysia and I'll be moving to Australia for the next two years. I will be based in Adelaide - City of Churches in South Australia. I will now leave you with this wonderful pictures of the city and I look forward to blog more in the near future.

Purpose: To pursue my Master Degree
Specialization: Master Degree in International Hospitality Management (M.I.H.M.)
University: University of South Australia (UniSA), City West Campus
(in collaboration with Le Cordon Bleu, Adelaide, Australia)
Duration: 2 years, including a 6 months internship

World Youth Day Themes for 2009, 2010 and 2011 Chosen

Although the worldwide gathering of youth called World Youth Day only occurs every two or three years, the day itself is celebrated in parishes across the world every year. The Vatican has just released the theme for each of the next three World Youth Days, including the 2011 gathering in Spain.

The theme for 2009’s World Youth Day is “We Have Set Our Hope on the Living God” (1 Tim 4:10.)

The theme for 2010’s World Youth Day is “Good Teacher, What Must I do to Inherit Eternal Life?” (Mk 10:17.)

The theme for 2011’s World Youth Day is “Rooted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith” (cf Col 2:7).

Bestest New Year Present

When party revelers out there throngs shopping malls, bars, pubs, busy streets across the globe, it is not unusual to see people partying, shouting, "cam-whoring" to usher into the New Year. Fireworks display like sparkle of colourful fires lights up the dark skies for a few minutes. Restaurants across the entire globe were booked months in advance and some were even asked to lined-up awaiting to secure a place in the restaurants. What a wonderful way of celebrating the New Year with families, friends, relatives and loved ones. However, I have found another way of ushering into the New Year this year. I happened to ask my friend of which church she goes to for New Year's Eve (she posted her status on Facebook indicating that she's attending midnight mass)? This is what I received as a reply:

"Should be my usual place, ie. Good Shepherd, Setapak, KL since those inviting me over r not in the same boat as mine.

I got invite from some SFX's folk for dinner but I heard they r heading to KL town for countdown oh ... not joining mass in church.

Another invite to party at a couple's house. Another one for dinner in Mines ... that ady tak jadi liao.

Well, I think it is still best to give thanks for all the good n bad in 2008 and start off 2009 with God in mind. Put Him 1st, I think all will come into place according to His time & will."

I didn't expect for the very one sentence of question I asked, this was what she replied to me. Her words are simple and makes me wonder why couldn't I do it if she can do it? Earlier during the day, one of my friend did asked me if what's my plan on New Year's Eve (he asked me on 30th December). I told him simply "I don't know". He smiled and said he is going to church too.

I felt as though my whole self was very peaceful as I walked into the church at 10.00 p.m. on New Year's Eve. With my mind thinking of many things, I placed everything behind.

It was also a reunion for me. Janice, one of my best friend went to New Zealand. Hardly had a chance to know her well, she took the flight to a foreign land to study. It was a great time she came back with her "ang moh" boyfriend spending Christmas and New Year in foreign land.

Well, it was one of the greatest New Year's Eve and New Year's Day present I have ever received in my entire life. A great choice indeed.