Raffles Hotel Celebrates “Ladies of Epicurean Style” at the 6th Annual Raffles Wine & Food Experience 22 – 26 November 2000

Raffles Hotel’s Annual Wine & Food Experience is set to make another benchmark in the culinary circles this year. Titled “Celebrating Ladies of Epicurean Style”, this four and a half days event, to be held from 22 – 26 November 2000, will be truly unique.

For the first time, an exclusive ensemble of the world’s most respected female Michelin Star Chefs, lady vinters and other women specialists in food and beverage will convene under one roof. Together, these revered ladies of great talent will take you through an exciting series of exquisite luncheons, dinners, formal wine tastings and cooking demonstrations.

“Female chefs and wine experts do not always get the recognition they deserve and yet many are at the forefront of excellence in the culinary capitals of the world,” said Mr Louis Sailer, Executive Assistant Manager, Food & Beverage, Raffles Hotel.

Over the past five years we have brought together nearly all of the world’s famous male chefs and vintners. This year we felt it was time to pay tribute to the formidable skills of the women in our industry,” he added.

The 6th Annual Raffles Wine & Food Experience will open with a grand welcome reception on 22 November, hosted by Dom Perignon Champagne at the Hotel’s Palm Garden, followed by a sumptuous dinner at the Bar & Billiard Room.

Heading the list of culinary experts this year are Ms Anne Pic, one of France’s most popular female chef and a descendant of one of the oldest family lines in French gastronomy; her highly talented compatriot, Ms Jocelyne Lotz-Choquart, America’s Ms Susan Notter, who is the world’s most famous female pastry chef, and Luxembourg’s finest lady chef, Ms Lea Linster.

Besides presenting some of their most delicate signature dishes, these chefs will share some of the secrets to their cuisine through a series of cooking demonstrations at Raffles Hotel’s very own premier school of gastronomy, the Raffles Culinary Academy.

A special highlight will be a glass tasting class, presented by Ms Laetizia Riedel, granddaughter of the world-famous Professor Josef Riedel of Riedel Glas in Austria. Ms Riedel will demonstrate how the shape of a wineglass affects bouquet, taste and finish of a wine. She will also unveil for the very first time, exclusively to Singapore, the new Vinum Extreme glass collection, through a vertical glass tasting session.

The delectable food served throughout the five-day celebration will be perfectly complemented by fine wines selected by world renowned lady vintners. This year’s famous line-up includes French vintners Mme Laurence Feraud owner of Domaine du Pegau, makers of fine wines for over 300 years, and Ms Anne-Claude Leflaive of Domaine Leflaive, arguably the world’s premier white wine estate.

Both “Brunch with the Stars” and “The Perfect Pearls of Nature Caviar Gala Dinner” will grace the finale of this year’s quintessential gastronomic celebration. The former will see the guest chefs mingling with the participants amongst their delightful creations at The Ballroom & Casuarina Suites on 26 November at 11.30am. Whilst a thoroughly indulgent Dom Perignon Champagne and Caviar Gala Dinner will be held at the Palm Garden and Raffles Grill at 7pm, featuring the finest Iranian Caviar.

This year also marks the debut of the much-anticipated Annual Raffles Wine & Food Experience website, www.rhwfe2000.com, on 18 October 2000. This convenient portal of information not only provides the complete event schedule, prices, attractive pictures, profiles of all guest chefs, vintners and special chefs, brief summaries of past Annual Raffles Wine & Food Experiences in an elegant layout, but also allows online reservations to be made. Those with enquiries and comments can also direct their concerns and suggestions to RHWineNFood@raffles.com where they will be addressed.

Raffles Hotel pioneered the annual Wine & Food Experience when it was initiated in 1995. Being Raffles Hotel’s premier food & beverage event, it is also undoubtedly one of Asia’s most highly regarded gastronomic celebration.

For reservations, please call Dining Reservations at (65) 331 1612 or fax (65) 339 7525. Bookings for the Raffles Culinary Academy classes can be made by calling (65) 331 1747. For enquiries

Raffles Hotel features 103 elegantly appointed suites, 16 distinctive restaurants and bars, a shopping arcade featuring the best in regional specialities and international brand names, a museum, the Jubilee Hall theatre playhouse, Asian’s premier cooking school - the Raffles Culinary Academy and extensive lush gardens and courtyards. Raffles Hotel is managed by Raffles International Limited.

Raffles International is the hotel management subsidiary of Raffles Holdings Limited, Singapore's leading hotel and resort owner with an asset base of more than S$2.8 billion worldwide. Raffles Holdings Limited is listed on the Singapore Exchange.

Raffles International's portfolio comprises 14 hotels and resorts in 12 gateway destinations in 9 countries within Asia Pacific and Europe.