Every brick was made of cake…the beams were coated with icing, the columns were covered with cream! No, we’re not talking about the cakehouse in the fairytale ‘Hansel and Grethel’ but about a delicious edible edifice in Muscat.
The tide in the Arabian Sea was on a slow ebb and the light breeze blowing across the seashore was cooler than expected, as huge slabs of cake, covered with firm icing, soft cream and an array of delectable toppings, were carried to the adjoining lawns behind the tennis courts at Al Bustan Palace hotel to prepare the sweetest display of gratitude to his Majesty, the Sultan, on the occasion of the 40th National Day (November 18, 2010).
Forty young Omani chefs, drawn from various prominent hotels and establishments from different parts of Oman, were on the field carrying their sumptuous creations - huge slabs of cake (measuring 1m x 1m) that were to be juxtaposed to create the figure ‘40’ over tables already placed in that shape. Tailed by their superiors, who only played a supervisory part in this exercise, the young chefs brought their sweet produce together and dexterously assembled them in prescribed positions to complete a delicious display of the largest cake ever put together in the Sultanate.
The chefs came in from most of the prominent hotels and catering establishments in Muscat including Oman Air, Shangri-la's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Al Bustan Palace Hotel, NHI, ParkInn Hotel, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Golden Tulip Hotel Seeb, Intercontinental Hotel Muscat, Radisson Blu, Al Nahda Resort & Spa, Ramada Hotel, Crowne Plaza, Muscat, Tawoos Catering (PDO Nimr, Marmul PDO), Al Falaj Hotel, Holiday Inn Muscat, Al Bustan Bakery, Ramee Guestline Hotel and The Chedi Hotel, besides Golden Tulip Hotel-Nizwa, Crowne Plaza Hotel-Sohar and Swiss BelHotel-Sohar. Each brought in a different number of slabs of cake, some one, some two, some four, all measuring 1m x 1 m. Oman Air was, however, privileged to bring in the single largest piece, measuring 6m x 1m, which had to be brought to the lawns in a special trolley and transferred to its position on the table with the help of 10-15 chefs, keeping the entire section intact.
Purely Omani effort
Each of the participants of this venture had selected 4-5 Omani chefs to do the job. While the cakes were prepared in the bakery units of each hotel and covered with icing/cream and their respective logos, some chose to decorate them with colourful toppings, flowers, flags and candy décor at the site.
Senior pastry chefs from different hotels who were present on the occasion admitted that it was entirely an Omani effort as the young Omani chefs were given this rare opportunity to take part in an interesting event where they can display their skill as well as convey a positive message to budding and prospective young chefs in Oman.
While forty Omani chefs took part in this exercise, there were more than forty others who backed the initiative before it was inaugurated by the Mohammed Al Tobi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Tourism. Speaking on the occasion, Tobi commended the effort of the chefs to mark this milestone in Oman in a unique way and called on the younger generation to take up jobs as chefs as well as in the hospitality industry which had much potential in Oman.
While the guests and dignitaries present on the occasion sampled the ’40 metre cake’ with delight, it was also announced that sections of this delicious display was to be sent to welfare organizations like Dar Al Atta for distribution among underprivileged kids as a sweet token to mark the 40th National Day.
The event was also an occasion for chefs from different hotels to come together to interact and socialise with each other. They were seen helping each other in setting up their respective sections as well as in carving up the cake for distribution after the inauguation. And, while sweet chitter chatter was the order of the day on the lawns, most of them were seen brushing against sections of icing and cream, taking back (quite literally) sweet memories on the sleeves and sides of their aprons.
What the supervising chefs say:
Chef Jean Luc Amann of Al Bustan Palace hotel and President, Oman Chef’s Guild, told the author, “It’s a great day for Oman as we wanted to put up a surprise, created entirely by Omani chefs, to mark the 40th National Day. Portions of the cake would be distributed to social welfare organizations in Muscat as well as in the interiors. We will also be preparing another special cake which will be nicely wrapped and sent to His Majesty, the Sultan, this week.”
Chef O. S. Thomas of Barakat Muscat International L.L.C and Hon. Secretary, OCG, said “I am very happy to be part of this project which is the first major initiative of chefs in Oman who have made their presence felt and are out to attract more youngsters to this profession. The cakes brought in by different hotels have been entirely prepared by young Omani chefs, many of whom have excelled in the pastry and bakery sections of various establishments over the years.”
Chef Girish Nair of Crowne Plaza – Muscat and Incharge-media & publicity, OCG, said “This is one of the major events organised by the newly formed Oman Chef’s Guild and we want to take a positive message to all aspiring Omani chefs. The guild has brought about a unification of chefs in Oman who now have various opportunities to meet and interact besides availing of training and exchange of culinary skills, etc. The culture in Oman is not for men to be working in the kitchen, so, by conveying the glamour quotient of the industry, we want to state that this is, indeed, an interesting science and a respectable profession.
Chef Fuad Al Hinai of Oman Air Catering, said “Since we have brought a 6-metre long section of the cake, we actually had around 24 chefs who prepared it. It was assembled as one piece while special arrangements were made to transport and carry it to the table. As an Omani chef, I am happy to be part of this event and, I must say, that Omani chefs have now taken this profession seriously and are happy to be part of the guild which has many interesting activities in store for them.”
Chef Thomas Gaa, of Grand Hyatt Muscat, said “This is a similar experience like the preparation of the longest cake in the UAE, of which I had been apart some years ago, and I am glad to be part of it. However, we are preparing this cake in the shape of ‘40’. There has been a common recipe for all but each hotel could use their own style, as well as add ingredients like fruit and toppings, and do their own finishing.”
This was the first such venture by chefs in Oman and, if it marked a national milestone (40th National day of Oman) it was also seen as a major milestone for the newly formed Oman Chefs’ Guild.
Hubert Vaz - Hubert Vaz is a journalist with 22 years of varied writing expereince behind him. Hailing from Mumbai (India) where he worked for 16 years ...
