If you think you’ve had the best roast Peking duck this side of the universe, think again.

Shang Palace in Makati Shangri-la ushers in the best of the new year by bringing in chef Yuan Chaoying , Beijing's top chef who's had 23 year-experience in preparing and cooking the ubiquitous Peking duck in Chinese cuisine.

With the interpreter beside him, we asked what made him choose the path of preparing China's most iconic and loved dish. He said he was only 20 years old then and he just "happened" to work in a restaurant that specializes in roast Peking duck. QuanJude restaurant in Beijing, where Yuan worked for more than two decades, had perfected the art of preparing this dish. The ceremony and the process may not be for the faint-hearted; neither is it for any one short of patience. It is for this perfectionist trait that the restaurant, which was established in 1864, was given the honour to prepare roast Peking duck for China's imperial families since then. Having not much of an option, Yuan stuck with it and he had worked there for the better part of his adult life.

   

He serves the duck three ways: roast, chilled duck terrine and shredded duck with dried seafood soup. The process involves many hours of marinating, basting and, finally, roasting. Having established himself as a Peking Duck specialist, Yuan will be sharing his expertise with a four-day event highlighting his dishes at Shang Palace on 4-8 January 2012 and at EDSA Shangri-la's Summer Palace on10-14 January 2012. He will also be training the Shangri-la Hotels' kitchen staff to share with them his knowledge and skills in preparing the perfect roast Peking duck. When he leaves, Shangri-La Shang Palace and Summer Palace will be serving their roast Peking duck the exact same way it was served to the emperors of old.

 

 

Shang Palace
2/F Makati Shangri-La Manila
Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue
Makati City
Tel: +632.840.0884
E-mail: rric.slm@shangri-la.com.

 

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