Hotel & Tours Group

A grand old European tradition came to Bangkok on September 17, when the chefs and management of the newly-opened Centara Grand at CentralWorld got together to blend the liquor and dried fruits to go into the Christmas cakes and Christmas puddings that will be prepared in the hotel’s own bakery come December.

With Suthikiati Chirathivat, chairman of The Executive Board, Central Plaza Hotel (Public) Co., Ltd. (the owning company of Centara Hotels&Resorts) supervising, into the mixing bowl went 10 kg of black raisins, 7 kg of dried apricots, 7 kg of pitted dried prunes and 14 bottles of Dark Rum. Another 2 kg each of dried apricots, dried prunes and walnuts were used as garnish.

In addition to being a preparation for the festive season, the occasion was also used to celebrate the opening of Zing Bakery located on the ground floor, and the venue that many people will be heading to in December when the Christmas cakes and puddings go on sale.

Gerd Steeb, president of Centara Hotels&Resorts, who hails from Germany, said that in his home country and in other European countries, the marinating of dried fruits in liquor ready for the Christmas and New Year season is a much anticipated time of year.

Everyone enjoys this occasion, because this is the time the season changes and people suddenly realize that Christmas is coming, with all the festivities and the snow and frost, he said. It isn’t just the hotels and restaurants that marinate their fruit, it is a traditional family event, too with everyone gathered around the kitchen table in a very jolly mood.

Gathered around the table at Zing Bakery in Centara Grand at CentralWorld were the hotel’s general manager Michel Horn, who is French; executive chef Michel Breliere, who is also from France and pastry chef Otto Jurcha, from the pastry making capital of the world, Austria.

Centara Grand at CentralWorld is a fully-integrated and innovative hotel, convention venue, retail and leisure complex situated in the heart of Bangkok.

The five-star hotel features 505 luxurious rooms and suites, with nine executive floors including one complete floor for the World Executive Club, and there are nine restaurants and bars.

The hotel is currently in its soft-opening phase, with the entire hotel due to be open by October 2008.

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