Latest chef on International Culinary Panel set to thrill with Chinese gourmet delights
24 April 2009 - Singapore Airlines is delighted to welcome one of China’s leading chefs, Zhu Jun (朱俊), as the latest appointment to its International Culinary Panel.
To mark his introduction to the Panel, Chef Zhu has exclusively crafted an entire range of mouth-watering creations for Shi Quan Shi Mei (十全食美), Singapore Airlines’ signature inflight Chinese dining experience.
First Class customers on Singapore Airlines’ flights from Beijing and Shanghai from 1 May onwards can look forward to this all-new lineup, which includes salad of chicken and jellyfish with cucumber, double-boiled soup with pine mushroom, and stir-fried sliced beef fillet with dried chilli.
His dishes will also be available to Business Class and Economy Class customers as menu choices.
Customers onboard flights between Singapore and Hong Kong, and San Francisco (via Hong Kong) will continue to enjoy the popular current Shi Quan Shi Mei choices, including dishes designed by Singapore’s very own Sam Leong, another world-class chef on the International Culinary Panel.
Winner of ‘Excellent Chef’ at the 15th China Chef Festival, Chef Zhu’s dishes carry his signature Shanghainese influence, with a dash of Sichuan, Huaiyang, Fujian, and Guangdong touches. His latest masterpieces and upcoming creations will no doubt tantalise the palates of many Singapore Airlines customers.
Chef Zhu is currently the Vice General Manager and Executive Chef of Shanghai King Mang Jade Garden Catering, one of China’s leading restaurant chains, and an icon synonymous with elegance, quality and service excellence.
Today, Jade Garden is widely known for its commitment to showcasing the best that Chinese cuisine has to offer. Chef Zhu’s masterful authority of the art of Shanghainese cuisine is one of the main factors in the establishment of the Jade Garden brand.
“We are pleased to welcome Chef Zhu as the latest member of our International Culinary Panel, and we look forward to his spectacular creations, which I am sure will please even the most sophisticated of tastebuds,” said Senior Vice President Product and Services Mr Yap Kim Wah.
He added: “The International Culinary Panel has truly made an indelible mark on inflight dining, and the addition of Chef Zhu to this lineup of some of the world’s greatest chefs reflects the amazing diversity of international cuisine we serve our customers.”
Chef Zhu began his illustrious culinary career in 1988, under the masterful apprenticeship of Mr He Ji Sheng, a well-known Min cuisine chef. Early in his career, he also had exposure to classical French and Italian cooking, and this had a significant influence on his present unique style.
Chef Zhu’s innovative approach to Chinese cuisine draws inspiration from his well-rounded experience, deftly combining elements of Western cuisine with the art of traditional Chinese cooking.
This resulted in his well-received re-interpretations of numerous traditional Chinese favourites. Many of these new creations, such as Sliced Ham with Honey Sauce, Tea Smoked Duck, and Sautee River Shrimp, have all since become Jade Garden’s signature dishes.
Chef Zhu’s outstanding culinary artistry has won him many accolades from peers and the media, including being named “Famous Chef of China” by the China Cuisine Association in 2006, and being awarded “China Golden Chef Elite Cultivation Award” twice in 2006 and 2007. He is also currently the Director of Shanghai Cuisine Association.
“It is an honour to be in the company of such illustrious names on Singapore Airlines’ International Culinary Panel. Creating dishes for inflight dining is a unique experience for me, and I take enormous pleasure from meeting this challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed creating this new line of dining choices for Singapore Airlines customers, and I look forward to delighting them with more of my creations,” said Chef Zhu.
Chef Zhu will join seven other internationally-acclaimed chefs on the Singapore Airlines International Culinary Panel. These master chefs, all authorities in their respective specialisations, are: George Blanc (France); Sanjeev Kapoor (India); Sam Leong (Singapore); Matthew James Moran (Australia); Yoshihiro Murata (Japan); Alfred Portale (United States of America); and Gordon Ramsay (United Kingdom).
About the International Culinary Panel
Since its inception in 1998, the Singapore Airlines International Culinary Panel has continually redefined inflight dining.
Tasked with satisfying the demands of an increasingly sophisticated traveller, the Panel has evolved over the years to reflect the diversity of excellent cuisine around the world.
The Panel works closely with the Airline’s own chefs, to specially create the unique selection that is available on board. Members on the Panel are Georges Blanc (France); Sanjeev Kapoor (India); Sam Leong (Singapore); Matthew James Moran (Australia); Yoshihiro Murata (Japan); Alfred Portale (United States); Gordon Ramsay (United Kingdom); and Zhu Jun (China).
About Shanghai King Mang Jade Garden Catering
Since its establishment in 1999, Shanghai King Mang Jade Garden Catering Co. Pte. Ltd. has developed two key brands - “Jardin de Jade” and “Paradise Garden” – and operate a total of 15 restaurants in the Greater China region, including Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou and Macau. Known for its outstanding research and development capability, consistently high product quality, excellent service and elegant dining ambience, the company has won several accolades home and abroad, including being named in the list of China’s Top 100 Restaurant Brands. Jade Garden’s mission is to promote modern Chinese culinary culture to both domestic and overseas customers, presenting to the world the charm and diversity of Chinese cuisine.
