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Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck will be racing back to the kingdom to catch the Formula One action and prepare some pre-race treats for guests at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.
He’s also proud as punch of his culinary team’s stunning success since the outlets under his name opened and is delighted to come and join them for a brunch extravaganza and an Asian cuisine party on the outdoor lawn.
“Instead of cooking on a stove, I’m going to cook on a red hot Ferrari!” he told GulfWeekly. “I love F1, it’s one of my favourite sports but I also love Bahrain because the people are friendly and always make me feel welcome.”
On one of his earlier visits to the kingdom, he enjoyed a traditional Bahraini breakfast at Haji’s legendary souq café and couldn’t resist lending a helping hand in the kitchen! He loves tasting local cuisine on his travels and his love of F1 gives him every opportunity.
Wolfgang, 68, has journeyed the world to attend grand prix events – from Monaco to Singapore, Canada to Indianapolis and last year took in the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix bringing his wife, Gelila, and their two sons, Oliver, 12, and Alexander, 11, with him.
“I had the best time last year at the Grand Prix, my boys were driving the go-karts on the race track and the organisation of the race was impeccable,” he said.
Sebastian Vettel took a clear lead in the drivers’ championship after winning a tense 2017 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix from Lewis Hamilton. A late charge from Hamilton wasn’t quite enough to prevent a splendid Ferrari victory … but it all went disastrously wrong for the German and his Prancing Horse team later on in the season as the Brit and Mercedes took both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.
The Austrian-born chef, credited for creating the original ‘fusion’ dishes in the US which are now so popular around the globe, believes 2018 could be the year that Scuderia Ferrari finally races to ultimate glory again. “It’s about time that Ferrari win another championship although Mercedes are still the team to beat,” he said.
He’ll be hoping that some of the winning magic produced by his protégée Brian Becher, executive chef of re Asian Cuisine and CUT by Wolfgang Puck, will rub off on Vettel and his Ferrari teammate Kimi Räikkönen, who crossed the line in fourth in Bahrain last year.
Just nine months after its opening he steered it to the coveted Restaurant of the Year Award and Best Chinese Fusion Restaurant. Chef Brian also picked up the prize as Chef of the Year and many more accolades have followed. “Yes, I’m very happy about our restaurant at the Four Seasons and Brian is very talented and hard-working with a very bright future,” said Wolfgang.
“On top of that, he has put together an amazing team both in the kitchen and front of house, and he’s always thinking about new things to do.”
Wolfgang Puck will be hosting the brunch alongside Chef Brian at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay’s CUT restaurant, encompassing his personal signature à la carte favourites, plus impromptu dishes that he will prepare on the spot. Music by DJ Youss-F will further enhance the atmosphere.
It will take place on April 6 from 12.30pm-4pm and the price is BD24++ for a standard brunch or for ladies with a selected beverage package, whilst it is BD34++ for men with a selected beverage package.
Furthermore, on April 7 from 8pm-2am, the celebrity chef will host a special pre-race party on the outdoor lawn. Wolfgang will mingle with attendees and oversee the team as his phenomenal Asian-inspired menu comes to light. Influenced by Far Eastern favourites, BBQ bites, Asian street food and infused with his personal modern-day twists, the menu promises to be nothing short of extraordinary.
Wolfgang appears to be as thrilled about the dining dates as he is the coming track action, adding: “One of the most exciting things of the weekend is our Asian fusion outdoor event on the front lawn of the Four Seasons hotel with amazing Asian-inspired food and a great view of the city.”
Eating Out - the brunch that’s a CUT above the rest: Page 11
Glory time: Pages 12 & 13
More events in Leisure Guide: Pages 8, 9 & 10
