MONTBLANC DE LA CULTURE

MONTBLANC

Beijing: Winner of the 2009 Montblanc de La Culture Award Mr. Ma Wei-Du, Director of the Gaunfu Classical Art Museum, China’s first private art museum. RSP produced a multi-scene Classical Chinese art performance during dinner.

A Modern Day Classical Chinese Scholar

RSP designed the entertainment program around the typical pursuits of a Chinese scholar—writing, poetry and music. Performing in spotlight against a minimal black background, calligrapher Zhang Ji-Hai painted a phrase of harmony onto a canvas, an actor recited a poem and a couple of dancers performed ballet and musicians played traditional Chinese instruments. Each performance was an interpretation of the painted phrase.

To finish, Master Guqin player Li Xiang-Ting brought beautiful life to a 1253-year-old guqin—a prized antique instrument in fine working order and itself a star of a collection. Mr Li Xiang-Ting is one of the most important musicians of his generation and a distinguished professor at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music.

Classical Food, Twenty-First Century Interpretation

RSP produced outstanding food for the dinner, drawing inspiration from the classical content of the evening with its modern presentation. Guests started with Pan Flash Scallop with Sea Urchin and XO sauce moved on to Chilled Braised Gold Coin Shark Fin with Abalone Jelly in Preserved Soya Sauce then Wok Fried Cod Fillet with Egg White Flower Crab Meat Tofu. Crispy Pigeon with Lobster Dry Scallop Mousse before Wok-fried Wagyu beef and Foie Gras with dry chilli and then the traditional noodle finish with “Naxi Style”, Crispy Egg Noodle with Superior Essence. Warm Chocolate Si Chuan Pepper Pudding was the final treat.

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