450 chefs gear up for a ‘Cinnamon Christmas in the City’
This year, Cinnamon hotels in the city – Cinnamon Grand, Cinnamon Lakeside and Cinnamon red – are debuting a joint Cinnamon Season for festive feasting, with unique entertainment options and a touch of legendary Cinnamon hospitality to celebrate the season of goodwill and cheer.
A significant feature this year, is the amazing feat undertaken by the 450 Cinnamon City chefs who have come together to offer patrons the best of fes
tive fare, in over 21 dining destinations within the three hotels.
The Cinnamon chefs culinary prowess proves true to the words of Bernard Shaw: ‘There is no love sincerer than the love of food’. Every dish they prepare will be a work of art, made with a passion for culinary perfection.
Cinnamon Grand’s Executive Sous Chef Kanishka Wijeratne who counts over three decades of experience, said the Grand’s team of chefs have mixed and prepared traditional Christmas cake using a colossal 1,000 kg of ingredients!
“This is just the start. We have a whole range of items and produce that will be turned in to an eclectic blend of culinary creations during the month of December. Exotic dishes such as ostrich fillet and other imported game meat are also part of the dining delights at the Grand,” said Chef Wijeratne.
The hotel’s Pastry Chef Ashoka Rodrigo and his talented team have created a range of yuletide specialties in a true tribute to Christmas. A celebrated pastry and confectionary wizard with over 25 years of experience, Chef Rodrigo has introduced 48 new sweet delicacies including a marzipan Santa and snow man range, celestial angels, tiny elves and other figurines associated with Christmas to enhance the Goodie Hut range at Cinnamon Grand.
Yule Logs in four distinct flavours of walnut, chocolate, vanilla berry and chocolate berry; as well as praline croquant fudge are among the other grand treats available at Goodie Hut.
Given his commitment to give something new to his customers, Chef Rodrigo has brought down special chocolate moulds from Singapore that can craft fantastic Christmas chocolate creations. Trifles oozing with Amaretto, coffee, mint and Grand Marnier, sweet mince pies concocted by mixing 17 ingredients and Christmas puddings are part of the enticing offerings.
Chef Rodrigo added that 30 decadent desserts will add to the Grand’s festive buffet spreads. Must-trys include whiskey chocolate mille-feuille and cherry brandy velvet bar with four layers of sponge and mousse intimately layered and thickly coated with sprayed chocolate.
Talented Executive Sous Chef of Cinnamon Lakeside Kapila Jayasinghe asserted: “My kitchen brigade will combine their expertise to introduce new dishes and Christmas favourites for this season. We are putting a fresh spin on traditional items to create new flavours.”
Executive Pastry Chef Niranjan Karunathilake has undertaken the challenge of preparing Sri Lanka’s longest Yule Log spanning 60 feet and weighing 100 kilos with a 15 member team. To be unveiled on 20 December, the Yule Log will be cut into individual portions of 750 g and will be sold at The Lounge.
For those with a sweet-tooth, trifles in 12 fancy flavours are also available at Goodies as part of the special seasonal treats.
Lakeside’s Chinese Master Chef J. Yang will launch a new menu at Long Feng which will be supplemented by a new selection of distinctive desserts and yum cha. Spanish food specialist Chef Blas Sorreno will follow suite with his new tapas menu at 7° North.
Chef Jayasinghe specialising in creating global cuisines, has made elaborate plans to give diners the best of Christmas Eve dinner at the Dining Room. Taking priority are a game meat corner and a tapas corner. A highlight at the Dining Room brunch will be the kebab counter serving succulent kebabs drawing inspiration from the likes of Japan, India, Hawaii, Middle East, Mongolia and North America.
Lakeside chefs will also display their skills in the intricate food science of molecular cooking (also known as multi-sensory cooking) preparing fruit caviar and crispy farm ham with olive powder.
The new entrant to the Cinnamon hotels family, Cinnamon red is making their first Christmas a truly dazzling one. Head Chef Sachindra Gamage, along with his team has come up with innovative ways to help guests celebrate Christmas with an international buffet at Flavoured and sweet surprises, ‘red style’ at Stirred. Red and white macaroon trees, mini Yule Logs, cupcakes, ginger cake and their very own peppermint mocha coffee are available for tasting at Cinnamon red’s café cum reception on the seventh floor. Festive liquid pleasures, dainty canapés and a picturesque city skyline are Cloud red’s lure for the young and trendy this month. This is the Cinnamon Season; where 450 masters of their crafts come together to set the stage for the best dining experiences in the city, complemented by unique events to celebrate and spread the joys of the season. This is your perfect Cinnamon Christmas in the City rendezvous.
Find out what the chefs have in offer from the Cinnamon Christmas in the City seasonal brochure at http://bit.ly/1pSqF1K or log on to the website http://www.cinnamonhotels.com/Cinnamon Christmasin the City.
