Following two successful years, todayWaldorf Astoria Hotels & Resortsannounces the third year ofTaste of Waldorf Astoria, a global culinary programme in partnership with theJames Beard Foundation(JBF), the United States’ foremost culinary arts organisation. The search for the next iconic culinary masterpiececontinues this Autumn with a new challengeand five hand-selected JBF Rising Star Semi-Finalist chefs collaborating with select Waldorf Astoria destinations around the globe.
This year’s programme features a specific challenge – to transform happy hour into the “Fifth Hour,” a contemporary update to the time-honoured ritual usinginnovative themes that mirror the sophisticated and modernstyle of each property. To expand bar offerings beyond traditional drinks and appetisers, each chef pair is challenged to createtwo smallbites that pair perfectlywith an originalcocktail and mocktail. To create a truly unforgettable food and beverage experience, the overall presentation from plate to palate will be a key component of the judging criteria.
“After two successful years ofTaste of Waldorf Astoria, we are thrilled to add a new element to the competition by challenging chefs to not only create an iconic dish, but to reinvent the cocktail hour,” says John T. A. Vanderslice, global head, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts. “We are confident that the collaboration between our Executive Chefs and the James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef Semi-finalists will create bold and modern new bar and bites pairings, offering a truly unforgettable new food and beverage experience to our guests.”
Taste of Waldorf Astoriawill host five chef experiences at the following properties:
October 30 – November 4, 2016
Waldorf Astoria Executive Chef: Ryker Brown, Executive Chef at Waldorf Astoria Park City
Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah
November 6 – 10, 2016
Waldorf Astoria Executive Chef: Rudolf W. Segers, Executive Chef at Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
November 13 – 17, 2016
Waldorf Astoria Executive Chef: Ryan Urig, Executive Chef of Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
Boca Raton Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
December 5 – 9, 2016
Waldorf Astoria Executive Chef: Andrew Roenbeck, Executive Chef at Boca Raton Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
Trianon Palace Versailles, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
December 11 – 17, 2016
Waldorf Astoria Executive Chef:Frédéric Larquemin, Executive Chef of Trianon Palace Versailles, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
“In the spirit of James Beard, a champion of American cuisine, we are delighted to once again partner with Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, an iconic brand that has made numerous notable contributions to America’s culinary heritage,” says Susan Ungaro, president, James Beard Foundation, “We are looking forward to giving our Rising Star Chefs semi-finalists a global perspective, collaborating with Waldorf Astoria’s Executive Chefs worldwide to create a new definition of the cocktail hourexperience.”
Each participating chef pair will demonstrate their “Fifth Hour: Bar + Bites” combinationsin New York in February 2017 for a panel of culinary luminaries who will ultimately decide the winning pairing. Following the event, the finalTaste of Waldorf Astoriapairingwill launch alongsidenew “Fifth Hour” programming at each of thebrand’s 26 hotels and resorts worldwide, introducing an unexpected newhappy hour experience to today’s luxury travellers.
2015Taste of Waldorf Astoriawinners Benoit Chargy of Waldorf Astoria Bejing and Erik Bruner-Yang of Toki Underground, Maketto and Honeycomb were awarded top honors for theirJing Roll, a Napa cabbage wagyu beef roll with black mushroom, hoisin sauce, salted duck eggs and purple sweet potato. The dish joined the 2014 winning dish, Celery Root Risotto Alla Waldorf, and a line-up of iconic signature dishes that have been created at Waldorf Astoria, including Eggs Benedict, Red Velvet Cake, and the Waldorf Salad.
Follow each chef’s on-property journey and dish creation by following @WaldorfAstoria onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagramusing the hashtag #TasteofWaldorf. For more information about Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, please visitwww.waldorfastoria.comorhttp://news.waldorfastoria.com