Six wines, champagne & cognac
370 elegantly dressed philanthropists and connoisseurs, 22 of Thailand's top chefs sourced from 21 5 stars hotels in Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai and Thai Airways International, enticing music from the Krungthep Light Orchestra and the blind pianist Yuttana Srimoonchai, the guest of honor Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
See here in a nutshell the fourth Bangkok Chefs Charity Gala Dinner in the Royal Ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
Thailand's crème de la crème sat down to a nine-course dinner on August 20, drizzled with six wines, champagne and cognac. But no one had to feel guilty, because it was for a good cause: the Border Patrol Police schools and three remote schools in Chiang Mai. Ten million baht was raised, of which 4 million was donated by Red Bull owner Chalerm Yoovidhya's wife Daranee alone, whose son Vorayuth (of the Ferrari) was also present.
The entrance was already promising with artistic canapés and hors d'oeuvres. Because I don't have the culinary dictionary at hand and I'm a culinary illiterate, I'll give the names, as they appear in the newspaper: Hokkaido scallop tartare with mascarpone mango sauce, cauliflower puree with Rougie smoked magret de canard, foie gras egg royal with tofu and shiitake mushrooms, spicy meringue with green mango and crispy lemongrass, leek and potato mousse in black truffle jelly and chilled duck liver in a red Porto bonbon. Served with champagne from Louis Roederer.
I will not mention the dishes served during the 4 o'clock dinner. I limit myself to the drinks. With the starter a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, with the first course a French Domaine Blondelet 2007 from the Loire Valley, with the second course a Tavel Rose from the Rhône Valley, with the third course a New Zealand Pinot Gris, with the fourth course (which was disappointing) no wine, at the fifth course a French Gewurztraminer from Alsace, at the main course a Chateau Fonroque 2006, St-Emilion Grand Gru (that's a Bordeaux for the non-connoisseurs), at the desert a Muscat Late Harvest from Hua Hin. And finally, the petits fours were accompanied by a French Moyet Fins Bois cognac.
One thing is certain: Vorayuth could not get into his Ferrari afterwards, because it is under investigation by the police.
(Source: Bangkok Post, September 7, 2012)
@Dick: There is a particularly disturbing error in the third sentence of your story. You are not having a dinner, but you are having… a dinner.
If you don't believe me, take another look at Toon Hermans' sketch about High Society: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW6RyILlcEc&feature=related
Always fun!
Dick: I know the conference. Very nice. I wrote: Sat down to a nine-course dinner on August 20. 2x on. You read about it.
Strange beers they have there in the Oriental. As for the Red Bull ega and her donation: what timing!!
Not convinced of your last sentence, Dick. He will still have at least a red and a black one in the garage…
And what did that dinner cost?
Was it also for us as Farang to pay?
Were there only Thai people at the banquet?
The price was 10.000.- Baht (Euro 250.-) per person. You also lose that for sitting at such a copious dinner including wine in the Netherlands - without a surcharge for charity. So for the price you don't have to leave it, I would say.
It's strange that those hi-so from Bangkok want to give so much money to wines that we Belgians can buy for a small price in supermarkets here in BE.
If the dinner took place on August 20, it was before Boss hit a police officer. So the gift of 4 million Baht had nothing to do with that.
I always have mixed feelings about these kinds of charity dinners and galas. It's good that a lot of money is raised for the less fortunate, but why does it always have to be done in such a pasty way? Are those people only willing to give money if they get a status confirming dinner in return? Apparently so.
Dick: Sharp! Stupid mistake on my part not looking at the date. So maybe he drove his Ferrari home afterwards.