Vertigo at Banyan Tree Hotel, Sathorn

Wild Asian Mushroom and spinach cannelloni,creamed lentils,roasted vine tomatoes 

My sister and cousin's birthdays are in February. Due to a sluggish economy, they both think a combined birthday celebration is a wise thing to do.  This year's gathering was special because a family friend who's turning the big 7-0 in a few months had decided to have a joint birthday celebration with the girls. He offered to treat us for dinner.  On his recommendation, we agreed to have a roof top dining at Vertigo, located on the 61st floor - Banyan Tree Hotel, Sathorn. A girl friend and I were fully aware of its  pricey dishes having been there once before. When the other girls found out about it, they were reluctant to go. We tried to talk him out of it but to no avail.

Latitude Lounge and Bar at Banyan Tree Hotel

My friends and I arrived early for our Sunday dinner at Banyan Tree Hotel. The restaurant where we made reservations would not be opened til 6 in the evening so we had plenty of time. We were all sitting at the lobby and thought it was not the best place to kill time. A friend who was a frequent visitor to the hotel suggested we check out Latitude Lounge and Bar  located on the 52nd floor.

The panoramic view of the city captivated us all and we soon agreed to stay a bit longer. The bar serves a wide array of cocktails, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks. We ordered  drinks and took a lot of photos.

NIVA International School Heritage Day 2013

Can't resist not sharing these photos of the recently held Heritage Day at Niva International School where my sister works. This year the kindergartners had joint representation of the state of Hawaii, USA. The little ones looked so adorable in their costumes.

Vanilla Frosted Chocolate Cake

 The hotel's anniversary was an auspicious occasion as it was also the day when the owner celebrated his 66th birthday. I made this vanilla frosted chocolate cake for him. Each member of his family got their share of cake and the rest was given to staff.

Merit making on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of St James Hotel

A praying staff

St James Hotel has been operating for 18 years! The owner, his family  and the staff gathered together to celebrate  its  anniversary yesterday. The whole day celebration kicked off with merit making. They gave food to the monks and made food offerings to the spirit.

My Valentine's Day Creations

The hotel's restaurant was booked for Valentine's Day celebrations. There were meetings and huge gatherings scheduled this week. Each kitchen staff was assigned to a specific task.  I was asked to make desserts for ala carte dining and individual cakes to be sold at the restaurant's bar. Since the colors red and pink represent Valentine's Day, I opted for strawberry mousse cake and black forest cake with cherry filling on top. I was also requested to make fruit tarts for Valentine's day dinner.

Garnishes

When the three ladies at work offered to teach me how to create simple garnishes, I did not refuse. The first technique I learned was making a spring onion used to garnish a plate of Thai fried rice.

Celebrating Chinese New Year

My circle of friends had been asking when the Friday night dinner would resume. I have my hands full at work .  I'm too exhausted by the time I get home. My sister does most of the cooking these days.

Because it's Chinese New Year,  I made an exception. I gathered the girlfriends for New Year celebrations. Everyone was delighted when I announced  I'd be cooking. The long wait was over.

My Cold Kitchen Experience

When I first set foot at the kitchen of the hotel where I do my trainee job, the first thing I learned was prepare cold kitchen items. In the span of five weeks, I am able to master the art of preparing salads, plating them and setting up  the salad bar. Last month, I was just watching and helping the ladies in-charge of the salads and cold dishes but now I can work without any assistance from them.

Citrine Restaurant's Photoshoot

The week that went by was rather slow. There was only one big gathering  held at the hotel.  And today, the hotel's restaurant was set up for the annual photo shoot. The entire kitchen staff worked together to create the best dining atmosphere possible.