When: 6-16 of March
Where: W Hotel
What: Delicacies by Vongrichten

Renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has brought his culinary experience, which spans over three decades, to Qatar’s newly-opened W Doha Hotel and Residences.

For a first in the Middle East, Jean-Georges is opening two restaurants in the hotel, namely the Spice Market – inspired by the Southeast Asia countries, and the Market – serving exotic spices and rich delicacies.
Born and raised in the outskirts of Strasbourg in Alsace, France, Vongerichten’s earliest family memories are of food.

“I started very young because my mother and grandmother were great chefs. In fact my room is over the kitchen and whenever they were cooking, all the aroma of the food kept coming to me, and at times I would be around them smelling and tasting food.
”I was around seven or eight then, so I can say that is how I picked up the cooking habits,” he told Gulf Times.
Vongerichten said that he later trained in a work-study programme at the Michelin three-starred Auberge de l’lll and as an apprentice to chef Paul Haeberling.
He also worked with Paul Bocuse and with master chef Louis Outhier at L’Oasis in France.
Having had over 10 years work experience in Asia, cooking in Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, the Meridien Hotel in Singapore and the Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong, Vongerichten said his Asian experience inspired his choice of themes at the two restaurants.
According to him, his signature “vibrant cuisine” abandons the traditional use of meat stocks, and instead features intense flavours and satisfying textures resulting from the use of vegetable juices and fruit essences, light broths and herbal vinaigrettes.
Vongerichten is not only expert in the culinary field but he is also involved in every aspect of his restaurant as he supervises the concept of the building, menu and the architectural design, staff selection and finishing touches.

“For me cooking atmosphere, including lighting, is very important, that is why we are very much involved in the architectural design of the restaurants,” he noted.
He said the décor of the two restaurants were inspired by the traditional souks of the Arab world, surrounded with one thousand jars filled with spices, fruits and curious objects from around the world.

The chef, who has published five cookery books with a sixth in the offing, has over 16 years experience creating restaurants that are both timely and enduring, with his partner Phil Suarez.

His existing properties include Spice Market in New York City, Chambers Kitchen at Chambers hotel, Minneapolis and Lagoon at St Regis Resort, Bora Bora.
“We are excited to continue the expansion of Culinary Concepts with the debut of these exceptional restaurant concepts at the new W Doha,” said Suarez.
Vongerichten will be in Doha for 10 days.

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