AFC Grilled : Chef Sean Connolly

Chef Sean, Sharon & Eve

Here we are, Eve and I, with renowned Chef Sean Connolly at Grilled, an event hosted by Asian Food Channel (AFC) and Berjaya University College of Hospitality.

I think of Chef Sean as the 007 of the culinary world with a license to grill the best eats you can ever imagine.

The evening began with mingling and mocktails. Then, we were treated to a meal prepared by Chef Sean and team. Wow! ..is how I describe the food presentation. Technique and technicality was the theme.

If anything, Eve and I learned a lot that evening ~ one, even butter deserved the greatest attention. I'm not the bread-and-butter kinda person but the way it was curled just left my mind going, "This is so yum! Why hadn't I liked butter this much before?" Two, several new words have now been added into our culinary vocabulary, like "gravlax" (raw spiced salmon) and "pecorino" (Italian cheese from ewe's milk). Hooray, for us!

The Venue and The Setting

Feast your eyes on this amazing spread. We had both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, all a yummy affair. Dish 1 and 2 (below) is easily a crowd favourite. I loved the way it was paired. The miso broth, however, was a good strong salty flavour that I think may be a little hard to handle for some.

1. Honey Roast Baby Carrots with Rasberries and Creme Fraiche
2. Raspberry and White pepper Gravlax of King Salmon with Creme Fraiche
3. Mushroom 'n' Miso Broth with Coriander and Daikon

I am no fan of anything sashimi but this was amazing enough to convert me. The fresh scampi was simply dressed in olive oil and chili for that bit of spicy twang on the taste buds. I am talking about dish 5 below.

1. Spiced Pumpkin, Pecorino and Pistachio Lasagne
2. Norwegian Scampi Sashimi with Chili, Baby Coriander and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3. Baby Beetroot Salad with Labne and Chili Vinaigrette
4. Slow-cooked Rack of Australian Lamb with Chanterelle Mushroom Ragout and Wild Asparagus

In between dinner, Chef Sean showed us how to cook his signature dish ~  Grilled Australian Ribeye with Miso Hollandaise and Fondant Potato. The organisers provided us with a copy of this 3-page long recipe. I was thrilled ...but also wondered if I could pull off the same in my own kitchen. We are talking about 007 against the little home cook with an electric pan as her best friend.

Butter, butter, and more butter! He's humorous!

Dinner ended with Chef Sean going round each table, personally pouring sauce over everyone's dessert as he posed for photos. It was such a sweet and humble gesture. He was so accommodating. We posed for photos twice!

Strawberry Sorbet and Goat's Milk Jelly

It's silly but I was absolutely thrilled when he said, "Aahh..a name I can spell!" when he autographed our menu. It makes no sense I know but that's what happens when you begin to lose some sanity from all that adrenaline rush.

We went home with a goodie bag containing various gifts courtesy of several generous sponsors (BMW, AFC, Meat and Livestock Australia, Glenfiddich)

I bet you want to know what's inside the bag. There's a notepad, notebook, pen, a decorative pin, coaster and some flyers. My favourite item? The bag itself!

Autographed Menu and Goodie Bag

Date of event: 24th September 2013
Venue: Samplings on the 14th, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.