One of the most eagerly awaited dinners on the calendar this year took place at the iconic Fireplace Grill and Bar in the InterContinental Bangkok Hotel.

The Festive Season dinner, as is now customary, was created by Conseiller Culinaire Chef Alessandro Haab ably assisted by the Fireplace Grill and Bar’s excellent brigade.

Members and their guests, 59 in total, assembled in the restaurant lobby to be treated to an “Oyster Bar” and other canapes accompanied by Champagne Andre Clouet Grand Reserve NV. This was followed by both traditional and innovative European delicacies at the table, with dessert and cheese in an adjacent room.

MENU

Poached beef and veal
with vinaigrette and tuna sauce
Roussanne-Vermentino 2015 - Domaine de Mus, Languedoc

Truffle soup ‘Valérie Giscard d’Estaing’
(created by Chef Paul Bocuse)
Sancerre 2014 - Domaine Henry Brochard, Loire

Seafood vol-au-vent
Macon La Roche 2013 - Daniel Barraud, Burgundy

Pike quenelles
Nantua sauce and Ossietra caviar
Pinot Noir 2015 - Domaine de Mus, Languedoc

Quince sorbet

Slow-roasted Bresse chicken and wild quail
glazed carrots, braised chicory, artichoke
morel sauce, herb sauce, three colours of fettuccine
stuff¬ed zucchini flower
Château des Tourtes 2012 - Côtes du Blaye

Vacherin Mont d’Or
grilled baguette, dried pear loaf

Christmas desserts
Sauternes ‘Caprice de Bastor-Lamontagne’ 2012 - Bordeaux

Speciality coffees and teas
Traditional German mulled wine

The Fireplace Grill and Bar, present in Bangkok for nearly 50 years, was superbly and seasonally decorated. A special feature was an edible gingerbread menu for each guest.

Chef Alessandro, well known to many Chaîne members throughout the world, is the Owner/Chef of a culinary consultancy company in Bangkok. Previously he had worked in his home city of Zurich, as well as in Stockholm and at the White House in Washington D.C. He has over 50 gold medals from international culinary competitions and is a WACS-certified judge.

Bailli Délégué Arto Artinian wished everyone the compliments of the season and presented gifts to the most prolific attendees at Bailliage functions.

This outstanding annual event is already on members’ calendars for 2018.

Paul Frankland
Conseiller Gastronomique