Imagine for a brief moment the classic, crisp mille feuille at Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. That perfect rectangle, delicately decorated with just one raspberry and dusted with a blizzard of confectioners' sugar. It's the Hotel’s most beloved dessert - with layer upon layer of crème patissière, a dash of vanilla and Pastry Chef Fabian Nguyen’s homemade raspberry jam. Simply perfect. What if we now told you that you can do it at home?
The first of a series of Ritz Masterclasses will take place on March 3, 2018 and will give Saturday Brunch clients a unique opportunity to take back with them some of the know-how of the Hotel’s experienced team.
Every week, after Saturday Brunch guests are invited to participate in an interactive Masterclass driven by the Hotel’s dynamic team - all of them extremely enthusiastic and with an appetite for sharing.
With Executive Chef Pascal Meynard at the helm, and Chef Carlos Cardoso and Sous Chef Kevin Vieira, Pastry Chef Fabian Nguyen and Sous Chef Diogo Lopes, Sommelier Gabriela Marques, Bar Manager Ricardo Felgueiras, Assistant Bar Manager Nicolas Halfon and Bartender João Moreira, participants will gain first-hand knowledge to some very well-kept secrets: the flakiness of the famous mille feuille, the cardinal rules for matching up wines and food, the steps taken to prepare the cod strudel so that it is perfectly crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside, how to wrap O Japonês’ ise ebi gunkan with razor-thin cucumber, or garnish the Ritz Bar’s Eduardo VII cocktail with orange zest.
The Ritz Masterclass will offer everyone, from beginners to future home chefs, the opportunity to achieve excellence. The Hotel’s teaching chefs will impart the expertise acquired in one of city’s most celebrated kitchens, offering endless possibilities. Clients will even be able to create and decorate chocolate eggs just in time for Easter. So before it’s fully booked, choose a Masterclass and book Saturday Brunch as soon as possible.
“The Ritz Masterclass idea has been many months in the works, and now we’re finally making it official. The entire team is excited to participate in this unique opportunity to get closer to our guests and share some of our métier,” explains Executive Chef Pascal Meynard enthusiastically in his distinctive French accent. To which Pastry Chef Fabian Nguyen adds:“We can’t wait to see our clients with their aprons on - we will have a lot of fun!”
Each Ritz Masterclass will take approximately one and a half hours, and will be given to a group of a maximum of twenty people, and includes a backstage tour of the Hotel’s iconic kitchen. The cherry on the cake? Each participant will take home a special gift to mark the occasion, as well as the Masterclasses’ recipe and a personalised certificate.
Concept: Each Masterclass will be conducted by a member of Executive Chef Pascal Meynard’s team. The chef will guide his pupils to full comprehension of the recipe and of all the necessary steps for the accomplishment of the dishes, desserts or cocktails. Students will learn to balance flavours, textures, temperatures or discover the origin of the ingredients, all in a laid-back atmosphere.
Where: An exclusive experience, the Ritz Masterclass will take place in a private space, which will by fully equipped with a digital video recording and transmission system.
Registration: Should be secured when making the reservation for Saturday Brunch
When: Every Saturday after the Brunch, between 3:00 and 4:30 pm (approximately)
Maximum number of participants: 20 people
Minimum age: 18 years old for the Cocktail Masterclass
