ropean, Italian, Mediterranean and Serbian cuisine. From his last three-year adventure he has brought back remarkable new skills in almost all types of Asian cuisine. - It’s not easy to achieve the skill of fu- sion, but that’s a great challenge and a won- derful game for the whole team – says the modest Danushka, whose menu delivers fla- vours from Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Singa- pore, Indonesia and Thailand. We asked him about the trends in glamorous world cuisines. However, at least when it comes to gastron- omy, that’s much easier to show than to de- scribe. That’s why the great Kumara present- ed us with a glamorous gastronomic play in five acts. Appetizer , the first act, brings exot- ically flavoured seas of Asia – candied mus- sels, crab tartar, shrimp tempura, salmon cav- iar, pumpkin chutney... In the second act, called In-between , the best chefs will per- haps follow the example of our host and serve hot soup that has an irresistible aroma and perfect taste that justifies its fine name - Peking duck consomme with handmade dumplings stuffed with duck mean. Then, shock! Ice cream before the main course?! – Yes, says Danushka: - Ice cold sorbet prepares the taste buds for the next course, which de- mands their full attention. The fourth act - Entrée . Lamb chops marinated for 48 hours, served with mashed wood-smoked purple carrot, then the grand finale, Classing . A Shiny half-ball dome the colour of ripe pineapple hides a white choc- olate mousse with crumbs that melt in kum- quat compote. Enchantment in five acts is the best description of that which is dictat- ed by modern culinary trends. Our host notes that sourcing ingredi- ents is a prerequisite and the key to good food, while he recommends that youngsters making their way in this business remain pa- tient and avoid chasing the money. - It’s easy to go on a cruise ship and earn money, but you can never compensate for that professional stagnation. Culinary skills are discovered all around the world, and not on a single cruise ship – says this chef who has conquered perfect tastes, with a broad smile on his face. Danushka shared some other global trends with, and so we discovered that you won’t go wrong if you order“fake food”– ve- ganburgersthatseep“blood”ormeat made from vegetables in honour of the develop- ment of veganism and vegetarianism. As the popularity of Japanese ramen continues to grow, seaweed will increasingly be an ingre- dient on menus, while increasing awareness about food wastage is also expected to see chefs more frequently using whole vegeta- bles in the preparation of dishes – from the tops of carrots to the green leaves of beetroot. Spicy‘n’sweet, for now, remains in vogue.
Kandirane školjke, tartar od rakova, kozice u tempuri, kavijar od lososa, čatni od bundeve Candied mussels, crab tartar, shrimp tempura, salmon caviar, pumpkin chutney
C hefs have always been artists, but they are only today recognised as such. Only a few among are ele- vated to that status. Some are crowned with Michelin stars, some with the Bocuse d’Or Award, some are awarded a halo of stars by the media, while some re- main renowned only in their own profession- al world. It is difficult to classify them, but we can conditionally, in an amateur way, sep- arate them into great experimenters – gas- tro-alchemists – and creators. When you get a chance to try their dishes, we are indebt- ed to both of them for that fantastic feeling of high adventure. Just as painters exhibit in galleries, writ- ers take advantage of literary evenings and musicians utilise concerts, in recent times great chefs have been creating their own Chef’s Table . They never compromise when it comes to taste, but most of the most ded- icated chefs consider that food should be fun, an adventure in which every morsel is a surprise for all the senses. Such surprises are brought by the concept of“fine dining”. Popular fine dining is not an unknown, but it can appear somewhat abstract to the mem- bers of the general public that visit restau- rants. In this, special attention is paid to the menu, as it presents the chef and their crea- tivity. Just as the finest, fresh and mostly sea- sonal ingredients are used for the prepara- tion of dishes, it is implied that the service should also be at the highest level, as well as the tableware and interior design... When you are invited to lunch or din-
ner with a notice that you are attending the Chef’s Table , this is something beyond fine din- ing . In these situations, apart from the look of dishes or plates, surprising flavour com- positions and the harmonising of food and wine, the chef personally completes the ex- perience with their presence. This is where commitment and passion come to the fore. And when the chef also happens to possess eloquence and charm, then you are truly privileged and feel like a guest in the box at some premiere. Such a premiere was marked by chef Danushka Kumara, with his great comeback in the Serbian capital, at the Ho- tel Hyatt Regency Belgrade . He was part of the Hyatt team until three years ago, when professional curiosity led him to embark on a journey through Asia, the Middle East, Eu- rope and Africa. Danushka is originally from Sri Lanka. He continued perfecting his skills at some of the most prestigious hotels in Eu- rope and gained experience in modern Eu-
You won’t go wrong if you order “fake food” – vegan burgers that seep “blood” or meat made from vegetables in honour of the development of veganism and vegetarianism hamburgere koji ispuštaju „krv“ ili meso napravljeno od povrća u čast razvoja veganstva i vegetarijanstva Nećete pogrešiti ako naručite „lažnu hranu“ – veganske
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