Chef Virgil Kahn has just spent three awe-(and menu) inspiring weeks in South East Asia, discovering the flavours, ingredients and people of this diverse part of the world.
Kahn spent three weeks working and dining in some of the world’s best restaurants. His epicurean journey began and ended at two fellow Relais & Châteaux properties. Wanakarn, a beautiful beach resort and spa situated north of Phuket, offered authentic Thai cuisine while Saint Pierre, a one Michelin star restaurant in Singapore, featured contemporary French fine dining with an Asian flare.
Kahn had the privilege of tasting his way through a 25-course “emoji” menu at world-renowned Gaggan in Bangkok, a restaurant that has held the top spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list for four consecutive years. A highlight of his trip, among other internationally-acclaimed restaurants including Nahm and Paste in Bangkok and Belon and Ronin in Hong Kong, as well as many humble street food stalls which were equally inspirational and bursting with fresh, flavorful dishes
“I was struck by the discipline, respect and humility of the people I met and the Buddhist way of life in Thailand, it’s a culture that permeates the kitchen”, said Kahn who felt at home in the pin-drop peace and calm of the kitchens he visited. As a master chef with a quiet demeanour, he prefers his food to do the talking.
Kahn has crafted a gastronomic experience with his new menu at Indochine Restaurant. Artful dishes present layers of intricate flavours, beautifully balanced and prepared with the utmost precision. The menu incorporates innovative combinations of ingredients and the latest trends Kahn learnt on his trip.
His new signature dish brings an original twist to an authentic dish that left a lasting impression on him in Bangkok: an escabeche of tuna lightly cured in a ginger-chilli pickling liquid, served with salmon and ginger floss, caviar, Thai basil, caramelised onion and garlic. A dish so complex, yet elegantly simple and perfectly refreshing for the upcoming summer season.
Escabeche of tuna lightly cured in a ginger-chilli pickling liquid, served with salmon and ginger floss, caviar, Thai basil, caramelised onion and garlic.
Indochine’s culinary creations are a true celebration of nature’s ingredients. Kahn was inspired by a shared passion for fresh, quality produce. He said, “My hosts placed vast importance on the source of their ingredients, fastidiously researching suppliers, even foraging their own, and made the most of each and every part of an ingredient”. Not unlike Indochine Restaurant, whose chefs pick herbs, microgreens and vegetables every day from Delaire Graff Estate’s own greenhouse, situated on the picturesque slopes of the Botmaskop Mountain.
Guests can experience Indochine’s new menu from 1 November 2018. While brimming with imaginative new dishes, it stays true to Indochine’s food philosophy for which it has become well-renowned. Chef Virgil Kahn not only looks abroad for inspiration but also incorporates the rich inspiration on Delaire’s doorstep, creating a unique Afro-Asian culinary concept at Indochine Restaurant that is not to be missed.
Here, guests can dine under a swirl of over 1000 swallows, an exceptional art installation by acclaimed South African artists, Lionel Smit and André Stead. A deep blue and copper colour palette creates an elegant backdrop for Indochine’s fine-dining food theatre, with exquisite views that stretch all the way to Table Mountain.
To learn more about Indochine Restaurant, click here. For bookings and enquiries, please email guest.relations@delaire.co.za or call +27 21 885 8160.
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