YTL HOTELS DOES MALAYSIA PROUD BY WINNING THREE AWARDS AT THE PRESTIGIOUS GOURMAND WORLD COOKBOOK AWARDS IN BEIJING

YTL HOTELS DOES MALAYSIA PROUD BY WINNING THREE AWARDS AT THE PRESTIGIOUS GOURMAND WORLD COOKBOOK AWARDS IN BEIJING

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – May 23, 2014: There was much excitement in the air at the Beijing Daxing Theatre on May 21, 2014, where the annual Gourmand World Cookbook Awards was held. Authors, publishers, culinary television personalities and food and beverage industry professionals from all over the world graced this special event to vie for top placing in various award categories from best wine and cookbooks to the best television personality for year 2013. The Awards is an equivalent to the Oscars in the world of cookbooks.

Zwei Freunde – Eine Küche (Two Friends – One Cuisine) was awarded the Special Award of the Jury (Germany and Malaysia) and Best Cookbook of the Year (Germany). Published in Germany by Johann Lafer’s Stromburg and photographed by Michael Wissing, the stunning bilingual (German and English) coffee table book showcases the passion for food and life of two celebrated chefs in Malaysia and Germany. The book is a result of a great culinary and personal friendship between Johann Lafer, Austrian Michelin-starred chef and television personality in Germany and Wai Look Chow, award-winning Corporate Executive Chef at YTL Hotels in Malaysia. The book features Asian specialities infused with Austrian-German influences conjured by Chef Wai and distinct Asian touches in Chef Lafer’s creations, discovered whilst on their culinary adventures to Germany and Malaysia. It also includes personal recipes by both chefs and a short film.

“What an honour to have been bestowed the Special Award of the Jury. Having come from a small Styrian village, this is a dream come true and proved that I have done something right in life. My close friendship with Chef Wai and YTL Hotels developed over the years and the friendship is evident as you turn the pages of the book. This special award also shows that different cultures and cuisines can be shared and cooked in total harmony and I am deeply grateful that Zwei Freunde – Eine Küche (Two Friends – One Cuisine) has been recognised at the esteemed Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.”, Chef Lafer said.

Chef Wai added, “Chef Lafer and I have a unique bond which spans almost a decade. We inspire each other and have many fascinating memories which saw us exchanging ideas, creating new dishes with local ingredients, wandering through colourful vibrant markets, vineyards, tea plantations and much more. Each time we meet, we embark on a new culinary voyage. These accolades are great achievements for us and I am very happy and privileged to have received the awards in Beijing for Chef Lafer and myself.”

The third accolade YTL Hotels garnered that evening was for A Perennial Feast. The eclectic culinary coffee table book was awarded second place in the Corporate Cookbook category.

Published by Talisman Publishing, and authored by Ms Kim Inglis, A Perennial Feast takes the reader on a gastronomic journey from Malaysia to Japan and China, and all the way to Europe. Beginning in Malaysia, the heart and home of the YTL Group, it showcases island resorts, city heritage hotels and restaurants, all the while providing an overview of Malay cuisine. Recipes for traditional Malay fare are combined with some East meets West fusion food and innovative seafood dishes. The book then branches further afield into the snowy landscape of Hokkaido and the cityscape of modern Shanghai, whilst exploring both recipes and cuisines from Japan and China. Sections on Indonesia, Thailand, England and France follow – showcasing not just the cuisine but also the iconic properties in full colour photography by Danish photographer, Jacob Termansen, which further enhances the reading experience. The book is simply much more than a restaurant review or a recipe collection. A Perennial Feast is available at the following bookstores in Singapore and Malaysia - Kinokuniya, MPH Bookstores, Times the Bookshop and major bookstores in Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom. The book is priced at SGD49.95/ MYR125/ GBP25 per copy.

“On behalf of Talisman Publishing, myself as author and Jacob Termansen as photographer, I would like to say how delighted we are to learn of our first runner-up placing in the Corporate Cookbook category at the recent Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. From the outset our intention was to showcase YTL’s considerable culinary talents in all their glory — both visually and in text. To keep the subject matter lively, it was decided that both anecdotes and food history be added, as well as recipes and restaurant reviews. The end result is a book that has multiple attractions: there are plenty of recipes, lots of information and a complete roundup of all the YTL restaurants, cafés and kitchens. The team behind the book is very proud of our award.”, said Ms Inglis.

Present to receive the awards were Chef Wai Look Chow and Mr Laurent Myter, Executive Vice-
President, Resorts, YTL Hotels.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards was founded in 1995 by Mr Edouard Cointreau, President
and Founder. Books can be submitted for competition by anyone: authors, publishers or even
readers. The Jury decides in which categories those books would compete. 187 countries
participated in the Awards this year.

Raising stakes on Berjaya Hills

By Sharen Kaur
Published in NST on June 17, 2014

RM3b COMPLEX: Tycoon wants to re-apply for licence to operate

BERJAYA group founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan will apply for a licence to operate a casino at Berjaya Hills Resort in Pahang, and will invest RM3 billion initially to set up the complex.

Tan is prepared to pump in the money to turn Berjaya Hills, here, into a world-class tourist destination and Malaysia’s biggest tourism development.

He will also bring in investors to develop the complex, which will include a gaming centre, indoor and outdoor theme parks, food outlets, a retail mall, hotels, a convention centre and holiday homes.

In an interview with Business Times, Tan said he hopes there will be no objections from any parties as the casino complex will benefit Malaysia in foreign exchange gain and economic spillovers.

Tan expects to employ about 10,000 locals to run the complex.

“Malaysians and foreigners are spending their money on gambling, hotels and food in Singapore, Macau, Cambodia, the Philippines and Las Vegas. I’m sure they would like to come here. We can expect hundreds of buses from Singapore to come here.”

Tan had applied for a licence to operate a casino at Berjaya Hills more than 10 years ago but it was rejected amid protests from some quarters.

Berjaya Hills, which is just minutes away from the country’s only casino in Genting Highlands, has a permit to operate slot machines.

“We will re-apply for the licence.  Malaysia should not stick to one operator. It should be shared with other operators as tourism developments can generate a lot of income for the country. 

“South Korea, Japan and Taiwan are looking to give out licences to operate casinos as they realise the full potential of such developments. 

“We will market Berjaya Hills as a new casino destination globally. I have 4,600ha in Berjaya Hills and there is lot that can be done with such a licence.”

  Berjaya Hills, which is home to Colmar Tropicale, The Chateau Spa and Organic Wellness Resort, a golf and country club and other recreational facilities, employs about 800 people.

The idea for Berjaya Hills was mooted by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who, after a trip to the Alsace region in France, suggested that Tan replicate the development here.

Starwood Hotels partner IOI Properties Group Bhd

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced it has signed an agreement with IOI Properties Group to manage two hotels – Four Points by Sheraton Puchong and Le Méridien Putrajaya, slated to open in the fall of 2014 and 2015, respectively. These two new hotels will add 599 rooms to Starwood’s robust portfolio in the country and reflect Starwood’s desire to expand into the fast growing districts of Malaysia. Puchong and Putrajaya are part of the Klang Valley area, which includes Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs and adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor.
“We are delighted to announce the signings of Four Points by Sheraton and Le Méridien in the Klang Valley, underscoring our expansion plans in Malaysia, one of the world’s most dynamic destinations,” said Chuck Abbott, Regional Vice President, Southeast Asia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “We look forward to further strengthening our footprint in the country as we welcome these two hotels into our portfolio.”
“IOI Properties is happy to partner Starwood Hotels and Resorts to expand the Four Points by Sheraton and Le Méridien brands in the Klang Valley,” said Lee Yeow Seng, Chief Executive Officer, IOI Properties Group Berhad. “The hotels will be considered landmark developments within the two townships and contribute positively towards their growth and our portfolio.”
“Malaysia’s strong economic growth and healthy tourism arrivals present us with a very exciting growth opportunity,” said Matthew Fry, Senior Vice President, Acquisition & Development, Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “Starwood’s development in the fast growing districts of Puchong and Putrajaya will enable us to cater to Malaysia’s growing middle class and the increased number of business and leisure travellers in the market.”
Starwood currently operates 12 hotels in the country’s key destinations, including Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, and Kuching. In addition to Four Points by Sheraton Puchong and Le Méridien Putrajaya, Starwood’s Malaysian pipeline includes: The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur, W Kuala Lumpur, Sheraton Petaling Jaya Hotel, Sheraton Desaru Hotel, and Four Points by Sheraton Kota Kinabalu.
Four Points by Sheraton Puchong
Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2014, Four Points by Sheraton Puchong is strategically located in the heart of Puchong’s developing new business district, Puchong Financial Corporate Centre (PFCC) at Bandar Puteri Puchong. Puchong is a major town in the Petaling district of Selangor, Malaysia and is situated midway between Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, the federal administrative capital. The hotel is located about 32 kilometers from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport; and is approximately a 20-minute drive to the Kuala Lumpur city centre. The hotel will be conveniently accessible by public transportation, and only be a short walk from the LRT station due for completion in the first quarter of 2016.
Four Points by Sheraton Puchong will feature 249 stylish and contemporary guestrooms, including 12 executive suites designed for an unencumbered, comfortable stay. The hotel will also feature a total of 1,110 square metres of meeting space, including an 800-square- metre grand ballroom. Additionally, the hotel will have a swimming pool, two food and beverage venues including the brand’s signature restaurant, The Eatery, a fitness centre, and a variety of other amenities such as free Wi-Fi, free bottled water and free coffee – all amenities that make the Four Points brand a favourite with travellers worldwide.
Upon completion, Four Points by Sheraton Puchong will be the fifth Four Points by Sheraton property in Malaysia, following the success of the brand in Langkawi, Sandakan, Kuching and the recently opened Four Points Penang.
Le Méridien Putrajaya
Strategically located in Malaysia’s federal administrative capital, Le Méridien Putrajaya will be situated in close proximity to the city’s commercial and retail areas, including the IOI City Mall, which is slated to open late this year. The hotel will offer 350 contemporary guestrooms, all outfitted with the signature Le Méridien BedÒ. Le Méridien Putrajaya will feature two innovative restaurants concepts, fitness centre, spa facilities, and a swimming pool. The hotel will have more than 1,630 square metres of state-of-the-art meeting and event space, including a grand ballroom.
Le Méridien Putrajaya will also feature the signature Le Méridien Hub™, which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place, and further builds on the brand’s award-winning arrival experience and coffee culture. Le Méridien arrival consists of four elements: large-scale artwork in high impact areas; the sensory experience, illustrated through Le Méridien signature scent, sound and use of light; UNLOCK ART™ programme, featuring artist designed key card collections that offer access to Le Méridien affiliated contemporary cultural centers in the city; and a 24-hour curated soundtrack by French Bossa Nova band Nouvelle Vague. The Hub features the signature Master Barista, a recently launched initiative to meet the growing demands of coffee lovers at every Le Méridien hotel worldwide. Master Baristas lead coffee-related initiatives at each hotel, serve as a coffee cultural ambassador, and maintain knowledge of current coffee trends within the destination.
Le Méridien Putrajaya will be the brand’s third hotel in Malaysia after Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu.