Behind the scenes in the Parmelia Hilton kitchens

[thewinchester]

Thanks to fellow AFF'er iGreggsy, I had the pleasure of joining him for a tour of the Food and Beverage operations of the Parmelia Hilton last night and joining him for a bit of a masterclass in how they make their red wine jus.

This all came about because iGreggsy is a frequent guest of the property of late - and boy does he rave on about the red wine jus that goes with some of their meat dishes. Anywho, word of this got back to the hotel and before he knew it - there was an additional business card with his most recent welcome envelope inviting him to get in touch. An email or two later, and both he and I are being given a private tour and masterclass by their Executive Chef Michael Schmidt and Chef de Cusine Chad Miskievicz.

I won't write out all the details of the tour here, but I can say it was a great experience and I can't thank iGreggsy enough for inviting me to join him for this.

I've posted a bit of a photo essay with some pics and the details, so if you'd like to see some of the sights and story behind the scenes - then point your browser towards this web address:
www.flickr.com/photos/thewinchester/sets/72157631316541324/with/7892224272/

 

[anat0l]

I like the look of that dessert indeed!

You'd think that a jus is a bread and butter recipe of a standard good restaurant, but so many of them don't do it very well. Good to hear there's a shining example in PER.

Cheers for the report!

 

[Greggsy]

You wouldn't believe the amount of work that goes into that sauce.

Top night though, thanks for coming down twcau. (you can still keep your kangaroo).


Greg.

 

[thewinchester]

Why must you cough out on the Kangaroo iGreggsy! Trust me, it'll give most beef cuts a run for their money (when cooked properly of course).

For those interested in Kangaroo as a meat, here's a summary of the reasons why it's a good meat to eat:

• It has an energy (kilojoule) content that stacks up well against other lean red meats
• It is a terrific source of high-quality protein
• It is low in fat, with less than 2% fat
• It contains low levels of ‘undesirable’ saturated fats
• It is a source of heart-friendly omega-3’s
• It contains CLA, which has antioxidant properties and may help reduce body fat in humans
• It is a particularly rich source of the minerals iron and zinc
• It is an important source of several B-group vitamins, namely riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12

And more importantly - there's simply too many Kangaroos in some part of the country, which in turn is causing serious damage to agricultural crops. When you've got an animal that's in pest/plague proportions and it's a healthy source of meat, my view is 'fire up the grill'.

 

[Greggsy]

I've hit enough kangaroos in my life to see them at their most undesirable.


Greg.