Archive for March 2015

Home Archive for March 2015

Name says it all ! But not for every one. This is for those who have stood apart and with proper dedication and virtue have raised the bar of class and dignity. With such thoughts in mind when I look up in the list of Hotels, Wine and Dine; Le Méridien is the one that comes first with a shine.

As I said that every time the bar has been raised, On 11th March Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, announced the opening of Le Méridien Gurgaon, Delhi NCR, following the rebranding of an existing hotel. The opening of Le Méridien Gurgaon signified the brand’s robust growth in 2015 as LeMéridien plans to debut more new hotels than any other year since Starwood acquired the brand in 2005. In Asia Pacific, LeMéridien is on track to open eight new hotels this year in vibrant locations, including Paro, Bhutan; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Putrajaya, Malaysia and Qingdao and Leshan, China.

Talking about the location Le Méridien Gurgaon is strategically located within the bustling business hub of Gurgaon, offering convenient access to major corporate parks and thoroughfares, such as Global Business Park, DLF Cyber City and Golf Course Road. It also lies within close proximity to notable cultural centers, including Epicenter, Kingdom of Dreams as well as renowned art galleries. The hotel exemplifies the perfect combination of style and comfort to unlock Gurgaon, which has emerged as a melting pot of ethnicities with an enriched local culture and a variety of arts, music, cuisine and cultural festivities.

At the launch Party Le Méridien Gurgaon opened its doors with the brand’s signature First Night celebrations, drawing a glitterati of curious minded guests from Gurgaon and Delhi. French Bossa Nova band Nouvelle Vague, a LM100 member and the brand’s global music partner, infused the Hub with their live beats, transforming the space into a completely social sphere. Flying in from the UK, The People Pile engaged guests with their alternative and energetic technical dance performances. In addition, the evening included an art performance that recalls traces of Gurgaon history; a tantalizing culinary repertoire, including local flavored éclairs; and sparkling drinks that kept spirits high.

In above paragraph I mentioned about éclairs, the one to be highlighted as they were the much awaited destination inspired éclairs by Chef Johnny Iuzzini.

Chef Iuzzini created éclair recipes exclusively for the brand Le Méridien , inspired by his travels across various Le Méridien destinations across the world. Last year in the month of December, he visited Delhi and unlocked some very interesting flavors to give a modern twist to the chic Parisian treat- Éclairs.

The éclairs were so irresistibly delicious that I couldn't stop my self from trying to make one.

This Éclair will be part of eight seasonal éclair recipes exclusively for the brand Le Méridien (~~not the one I created :P~~) But one must try this exclusive Éclair and I dont think Le Méridien needs any recommendation.

Ice-cream! We love it but what's important is our girlfriends love it more than we do and that's what turns ice-cream into more of a blessing. Whatever the situation is ice-creams help us to make it up for her.

Just by buying an ice cream for her we gets our deal settled, then imagine what will happen when you will present her an ice cream dish whose recipe is given my the Master Chef Kunal Kapoor.

Hold the wings of your imagination for a while guys and let me first introduce you to Magnum : an ice cream recognized as a symbol of royal treatment and remarkable pleasure. Made from pure Belgian chocolate with minimum 35% of coco - one of the highest in the world, making it irresistibly yummy and chocolaty.

Recently I got invitation for the Magnum Masterclass by Chef Kunal Kapoor and I was like Wow this is going to be really interesting and scrumptious. At the starting Chef asked us to try three different types of Belgian chocolates -white, milk & dark. All three were different according to the content of coco in them, the higher the concentration the darker and bitter it goes. Keeping that in mind Magnum has launched 3 falvours

1. Classic Magnum made of vanilla ice-cream and dark chocolate.

2. Magnum Truffle made of milk and dark chocolate.

3. Magnum Almond made of vanilla ice-cream, milk chocolate and almonds.

Perfect combinations to make your taste buds go wild.

So guys this is the time to awake the Sexy Cook in you and prepare a tantalizing dishes for your loved one whose recipe is given by Chef Kunal Kapoor.

Magnum Falooda

(Magnum paired with Flavored Falooda)

Ingredients:

Magnum-2 no

Falooda-250 gms

Sabza(basil seeds)-2 tbsp

Rosewater-few Drops

Kewra water-few drops

Rabri-1/2 cups

Sugar syrup-1 tbsp

Saffron-few drops

Gold warp-1 leaf

Method:

*Soak the sabza in a cup of water for 15 min. Add saffron to rabri and keep aside

*Break the magnum on the plate. Pile one piece on top of the other. Now drizzle sugar syrup on the falooda and place the falooda on the magnum.

*Drizzle drained subza seeds on the magnum. Sprinkle rose and kewra water. Pour some rabri and garnish with gold warq,serve immediately.

Magnum on Fire

(Magnum covered in meringue and torched)

Ingredients:

Egg Whites-30gms

Icing Sugar-60gms

Lemon juice-few drops

Magnum-1 no

silver warq-1no

Method:

*To make meringue whisk egg whites and add few drops of lemon juice. Now slowly add the icing sugar and keep whisking the eggs. Whisk till egg whites are stiff.

*Now open your favorite magnum and using a palette knife smear the meringue on to magnum bar. Make swirls with the meringue. Now using a blowtorch caramelize the meringue. Garnish with silver warq and serve immediately.

That's not all it , below is an example what I made with my friends at the Magnum Masterclass.

Delicious ! Aren't they ?

Remember Guys ! Ice Creams are Men's best friend !

So go with your spouse and find the moment of Love with Magnum O:)

A touch of Heaven is what we all work so hard for but always forget to go for. You don't have to die for Heaven, you actually have to be alive for it. I said so because I felt so after paying a visit to the Heavenly Spa by The Westin Gurgaon.

I was going through the same monotonous schedule where I was continuously stressing up my body, my brain, my skin, in a way exploiting my self to the fullest and that's what happens with all of us. We just keep on running without realizing that If you want to go far in a race, you must take rest at proper intervals, re-energies your self and then move forward. I was in need of same interval and just on time I received an invitation from Heavenly Spa for The VitaMan De-Stress Face Treatment.

I knew about VitaMan as a recognized global pioneer of the men’s skincare and spa market and De-Stress Face treatment sound really tempting to me and specially for my skin. Also I have been to The Westin and was aware of its royalty, so it gave me an image how its going to be and no way I could refuse it.

As I in went my expectations came alive, beautiful yet simple ambiance , nothing loud and so soothing that you can feel the easement. We were welcome with a Hot Towel which is well known for helping the facial pores to open up, I said that's a smart start and the bar just went High ang high after that.

The VitaMan De-Stress Face Treatment is especially designed for men, this unique massage offers an effective, intense stretching technique using a light wax concentrating on the shoulders, neck and upper jaw to release tension in these areas. Excellent treatment for men who work with computers, or to just simply reduce the stress of daily life.

The massage is followed by a facial treatment that uses protective and restorative extracts such as Grasslily, Lemon Myrtle, Blue Cypress Oil, Kakaduplum and Wild Rosella Flower and in hands of trained professionals these ingredients work their magic effectively.

After the facial treatment and message I was so relaxed , that I almost forgot all worries , so vitalized and refreshed that I didn't wanted to leave.

Just not to stress my self again after such relaxing time I had Jasmine tea with wallnuts. That's what I call a complete package, from the very begning to the very end, worth every penny.

I would recommend all the Men to take a break and go for VitaMan De-Stress Face Treatment or you may opt for other packages as well like The VitaMan De-Stress Express Face Treatment or Traditional Hot Shave etc. Infact there is long range of spa's and facial treatments that The Heavens Spa by The Westin Gurgaon offers.

Go and Grab your moment.