How Hotel Chefs Meet International Tastes

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29931, 19 September 1962, Page 2

How Hotel Chefs Meet International Tastes

Frequent public criticism of New Zealand hotel cooking made by overseas visitors to this country does not give a fair impression of the overall standard of meals service, according to chefs of leading city hotels.

For every one critic of the system there are dozens of satisfied guests; and among them, genuine, well-founded complaints are extremely rare, agreed several chefs yesterday.

On the other hand, several international personalities during whirlwind tours of New Zealand have personally complimented their Christchurch chef. The singer, Paul Robeson, was one. So was the Malayan Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, grateful for a specially prepared Malayan dish.

“World-famous visitors are usually much easier to please jhan ‘run-of-the-mill’ guests,” rom merited one chef. Looking back on the numbers of distinguished guests (hey had served during their careers, the chefs were all Impressed by their simple tastes in food.

Lord Montgomery of Alamein for example had had “no specal fads." and James A Fitzpatrick, the American travelogue film expert had been another “easily satisfied" customer. Of the late Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, a pint of beer and a sandwich had been enough “to keep Smithy happy.” The pianist Winifred Atwell appeared to be one of the few international stars to whom the chef at her hotel had to give special thought. She was on a strict diet at the time.

Singers generally consumed more than instrumental musicians; ballet dancers ate well-balanced and surprisingly light meals. Football teams “really beat the lot," the chefs agreed. Rugby Eaters Whether English, Australians, French. Fijians, South Africans or New Zealanders, the Rugby group has been out on its own as far as food consumption goes. “Yes, they are the only ones who are really heavy eaters They eat fantastic and

frequent quantities of meat, huge, grilled steaks, and often come back for a return,” reported one chef. “Another said: “The All Blacks always seem to come back for second helpings of everything.” Russian Antarctic scientists who passed through Christchurch also had large appetites. Cricketers, tennis players, athletes and other sportsmen do not, however, appear to require so much sustenance.

From the national point of view, American tourists have not been difficult to please, continental visitors’ tastes have been basically similar, and Britons prefer conventional meat, potatoes and vegetable meals. Asian visitors. many of whom are accustomed and adaptable world travellers, are, with their European and American counterparts, coming to accept the growing internationalism and standardisation of modern hotel cuisine. They have not sought special treatment, although they have shown a preference for sea foods.

European immigrants have influenced hotel menus and New Zealand palates have gradually adjusted to foreign dishes. Chinese Advance

Even in the last year or two, New Zealanders seem to be developing a far more

adventurous outlook on food, sampling dishes they would never previously have contemplated, according to one chef. Food with an Asian, particularly Chinese flavour, appears to be increasing in favour. One hotel offers twice a week a "chef's special’’ Chinese dish on its luncheon and dinner menus. Recently, a large consignment of tinned French snails disappeared after only two days on one menu. Over all, the striking preferences for solid food fare have inclined overwhelmingly towards steak and other grills, with well seasoned, dressed salads regarded as more essential accompaniments than potatoes by most overseas visitors. Generally though. New Zealanders do not appear to enjoy mixing the hot and cold together at one meal. Favourites General favourites with all types of guests include toheroa soup, roast chicken, pan fried rice, crayfish creamed or in mayonnaise, and bacon and ham. By keeping an eye on advance bookings, chefs can make advance arrangements. For example, if a group of American visitors is expected, kitchen staffs always prepare an ample supply of tossed salads. On one occasion an Asian visitor himself contributed to the kitchen fare. The Royal Sultan of Pahang, Malaya, on a recent visit to this country provided a city hotel chef with the rare spices for a favourite Malayan dish. There was one exceptionally earnest traveller who left Christchurch still unsatisfied in his quest for the perfect steak and the perfect beer. But not entirely disgruntled with the local fare, this connoisseur did present his compliments for what he had received.