Cooking your way around the world
Culinary tourism has gained in popularity in recent years and Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) is responding to the demand with the introduction of the “Small Luxury Cookbook” featuring 142 dishes based on handpicked recipes from the brand’s portfolio of 520 hotels in more than 80 countries.
Many recipes have been passed down through generations or are inspired by the world-class fine dining prepared by internationally recognised chefs – more than 110 SLH hotels have restaurants that carry Michelin stars or awards of similar global acclaim.
From Maldivian tuna with tropical fruit salsa and slow cooked Greek octopus with aubergine miso to Swiss chard ravioli with scallops and Valencian paella with crayfish and mussels, the array of cuisine and technique of these special recipes offer at-home chefs a taste of luxury.
“The beauty of the Small Luxury Cookbook can be likened to our hotels, as it offers something for every independently minded traveller and self-professed foodie. Whether you’re an occasional, aspiring or proficient chef, these SLH recipes have been created with passion in mind and we are excited to give the world a taste of our hotels,” said Mark Wong, SLH vice president Asia Pacific.
All recipes in the book are accompanied by step by step instructions, as well as alternative suggestions for any hard-to-source ingredients allowing for a chance to recreate not only the dishes, but holiday memories at home.
To coincide with the release of the new cookbook, SLH identified some of the biggest culinary insights for this year to showcase the diversity of SLH’s global cuisine.
Wellness-led food options are inspired by guests wanting to focus on self-care and restoring balance on holiday. HGU New York serves up a liquid lunch menu made entirely of freshly blended juices whilst the Ovolo Woolloomooloo in Sydney includes a plant-based restaurant featuring dishes such as kimchi dumplings, zucchini lasagna with pistachio pesto or hibiscus strawberry cheesecake.
Appetite for hyper-local cuisine has been driven by travellers wanting to taste food straight from the source and rediscover ancient ingredients. Casa Angelina Lifestyle Hotel on the Amalfi Coast, Italy, has recently introduced two new floral-based cocktails to its bar Repertoire, designed to showcase oranges and lemons from the region.
El Lodge Ski & Bar in the mountains of Sierra Nevada, Granada, serves Riofr?o organic caviar (indigenous to the Andalusian province) at the El Grill restaurant, accompanied by blinis and sour cream. Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux offers a vegetal lunch with dishes including nettle soup and wild daisy or strawberry gazpacho with immortelle flower ice cream.
While guests are increasingly seeking out-of-this-world dining options and ambience, Milaidhoo Island Maldives resort offers five different curated mood dining menus paired with wellness treatments including special baths, meditation and spa treatments to transport guests into a state of Zen. In Cyprus, Columbia Beach Resort hosts a series of full moon dinners on the beach every summer for their discerning guests.
Unusual food pairings such as green tea with French cuisine can be found at the ABBA Resorts Izu in Japan whilst The Lalit London offers naan and wine pairings at its restaurant, Baluchi.
Following trends in children’s consumption food habits, SLH hotels are changing their kids’ menus to incorporate healthier options such as Jersey crab with mango salsa at The Atlantic Hotel and even Michelin-starred selections at Althoff Hotel Villa Belrose.
The cookbook is available at www.slh.com/food and participating SLH hotels.
