To inspire and ignite travel ideas among readers for 2024 and beyond, Robb Report Malaysia and luxury travel representation agency Heavens Portfolio threw a party for a select group of guests at the new Bref by Darren Chin located at M Resort Hotel. Here, in the lush environment of a golf course and a swanky interior of deep reds, elemental accents and a starlit ceiling, guests were welcomed by Robb Report Malaysia, Heavens Portfolio’s vice president of marketing and communications Shirley Koo as well as Laura Hackett, its regional director of sales.
Following welcome remarks, guests settled in for the evening’s Odyssey menu, described by chef Lim Wei Han, who helms the kitchen, as “a menu inspired by luxury travel through sight, scent and taste”. Kicking off the evening was Lim’s ode to Switzerland, with rosti, caviar and smoked sour cream paired with Dom Perignon 2013. Then it was on to a taste of Thailand with jumbo Australian asparagus with a green curry beurre blanc and chorizo crumble. This was matched to a Domaine Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Roche Roulee of 2018, a relatively dry and very ripe expression of peach, apricot and lychee.
The Bref signature cold capellini proved to be a big hit, with its creamy abalone sauce, marinated amaebi, bafun uni and mud crab making each mouthful a real treat. Mains represented the French culinary traditions, which have defined the oeuvre of Bref’s chef patron Darren Chin. The French seabream arrived with charred cabbage and a smoked yuzu veloute, while the Angus tenderloin was paired with a moreish pan-seared foie gras and a demi-glace of port wine. A vibrant red of Domaine de Ferrand Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2020 offered a precise spice to the courses. Bringing up the rear was the Australia-inspired dessert of Tasmanian cherry tart with a vanilla mascarpone whip and mixed berry sorbet.
“Today’s menu is inspired by the diversity of different countries and pays homage to one’s food culture,” Lim said. Indeed, in the properties that Heavens Portfolio introduced, the geographic swathe included the stately Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne; the rare hideaways of ÀNI Private Resorts found in Anguilla, the Dominican Republic, Thailand and Sri Lanka; the old-world charm and timeless elegance of The Oetker Collection across the Caribbean and Europe; and Crown Resorts, one of Australia’s largest entertainment groups.
More photos of the Heavens Portfolio event
Photography: Anna-Rina
