8 Events STARMETRO, TUESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2020
Mandarin Oriental’s Snow Skin Cheese One World Hotel’s Pandan Lotus Paste fla- The Dorsett Signature Blue Hilton’s entries this year are its Bulgarian Blush with Strawberry and White Lotus Paste vour clinched a prize. The hotel also sub- Mooncake claimed third place (featuring custard cream cheese, Bulgarian Rose petal (in pink). Also seen here are its Lotus mitted its Supreme Mixed Nuts, Red Bean in the Snow Skin category. jam and pine nuts) in the Snow Skin category as well Paste with Single Yolk and Single Origin Paste and White Lotus Paste with Single as its ‘Royal Midnight’ mooncake box turned jewellery Milk Chocolate with Caramel Sesame and Yolk flavours. case in the Best Packaging category. Hazelnut Gianduja.
By JADE CHAN [email protected]
THE flaky, melt-in-your-mouth Teochew Mooncake by Ruyi, one of the properties under The Oriental Group of Restaurants, won the judges’ hearts (and stomachs) and was crowned champion in the Traditional Baked category at well as baking enthusiast and social The Star Mooncake Awards 2020. media foodie Iris Tan. The second and third spots went This year’s categories were to One World Hotel Petaling Jaya’s Traditional Baked, Snow Skin, Pandan Lotus Paste (Low Sugar) and Creative, Durian, Best Packaging Grand Imperial Group’s Melon Seed (mooncake box) and Best with Red Bean Paste, respectively. Presentation (table decor). The Teochew Mooncake is a col- Esther who is also on the organis- laborative effort by the kitchen ing committee said the team decided teams at Ruyi and Yu in creating a to throw caution to the wind and Muslim-friendly option, Ruyi execu- hold the awards in spite of the tive director Lyn Siew said. Covid-19 gloom as life must go on. It is also known as a thousand-lay- “Organising The Star Mooncake er mooncake, in reference to the Awards 2020 provides a platform to intricate swirls on its flaky pastry. showcase some of the best moon- The Oriental Group of Restaurants cakes in town, not forgetting the successfully defended its crown in unique flavours,” she said. the Traditional Baked category, hav- Acknowledging the fewer ing won the top spot in last year’s number of participants this awards with its Shanghai Mooncake. year, she said it was nonetheless were The Star Mooncake Awards 2020 – heartening to see hotels and restau- unique Unique ideas and outstanding Professional edition saw 19 top rants which were adversely affected and not hotels and restaurants in the Klang during the movement control order commonly Valley submitting a total of 47 of stepping forward with some very seen in tradi- flavours stand out in awards’ their best mooncakes. innovative flavours. tional moon- The Mid-Autumn Festival treats First-time judge Chu shared that cakes, such professional edition were judged based on aspects such she did not expect having to taste so as chocolate as taste, authenticity, creativity and many mooncakes in one sitting, or cheese. presentation. laughingly adding that she probably Shangri-La The event was organised by Star ate enough to last several years. Hotel Kuala Lumpur was a Media Group Kuali food portal and “It is nice to know that low sugar clear winner with its Ping Pei Dark StarMetro in partnership with 988 options were also among the entries. Chocolate with Almond. radio station and Dimsum I personally prefer the snow skin Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur Coffee Snow Skin with Soft Peanut bigger slice. Entertainment. and creative mooncakes featured in came in second with its Snow Skin Mochi Heart. Yong, who is also a chef instructor The judges comprised MIB College the awards,” said Chu. Cheese with Strawberry and White “I liked the Dark Chocolate said, “I’m aware of the use of yuzu (formerly Malaysian Institute of The Creative category was for Lotus Paste. Mooncake for its rich chocolate in desserts and cakes but never in Baking) director Yong Mei Kei, mooncakes that did not fall under Two of Le Meridien Kuala taste, while the Yuzu Calamansi mooncakes, so the yuzu gave these StarMetro deputy news editor Esther the traditional nor snow skin catego- Lumpur’s creations tied for third Mooncake offered a refreshing mooncakes a wow factor. Chandran, Star TV senior producer ries. place – Yuzu Calamansi with Confit twist,” said Chu, adding that she “I personally like traditional Ian Lau, 988 deejay Joycelyn Chu as They featured ingredients that Orange Peel and Signature Illy enjoyed the latter so much she had a mooncakes but the creative moon-
Resorts World Genting’s elegant teahouse setting took second place in the Best Presentation The Professional edition judges (from left) Chu, Tan, Esther, Lau and Yong facing the category. Tea is usually served with mooncakes to aid digestion. challenge of tasting durian mooncakes. — Photos: SIA HONG KIAU/The Star STARMETRO, TUESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2020 Events 9
Pullman Kuala Lumpur’s Oriental- themed decor won first place in the Best Presentation category. (Right) New World’s festive tiffin carrier came in third in the Best Packaging category. The hotel also tied in third spot in the Best Presentation category with its striking red-themed decor. cakes I tried actually made me change my mind, such as New Results of The Star Mooncake Awards World’s Pomegranate Lotus with 2020 - Professional Edition Raisin.” According to Le Meridien’s Traditional Baked pastry chef Orange Chong Property Mooncake Huan Ling the Yuzu Calamansi 1. The Oriental Group of Teochew Mooncake with Confit Orange Peel had Restaurants (Ruyi) two kinds of citrus – calamansi 2. One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya Pandan Lotus Paste (Low Sugar) and yuzu as well as orange peel 3. Grand Imperial Group Melon Seed with Red Bean Paste soaked with yuzu puree. The hotel’s Illy Coffee Snow Skin Snow Skin Mooncake was a flavour introduced Ruyi’s Teochew Mooncake (left) Property Mooncake in 2019. was crowned champion in the 1. The Oriental Group of White Lotus Paste with Salted In the Snow Skin category, The Traditional Baked category. The Restaurants Egg Yolk Oriental Group of Restaurants’ group’s Shanghai Mooncake (right) 2. EQ Kuala Lumpur Yuzu Pandan with Pumpkin Seeds White Lotus Paste with Salted Egg took top spot in the same category 3. Dorsett Grand Subang Dorsett Signature Blue Mooncake Yolk stole the show. last year. Award newcomer EQ Kuala Creative Lumpur’s Yuzu Pandan with Petaling Jaya Hotel’s festive tiffin Pumpkin Seeds took the second spot, carrier came in third. Property Mooncake while Dorsett Grand Subang’s Le Meridien’s – Yuzu Calamansi Pullman Kuala Lumpur City 1. Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur Ping Pei Dark Chocolate with Dorsett Signature Blue Mooncake with Confit Orange Peel and Centre Hotel and Residences’ Almond claimed third place. Signature Illy Coffee Snow Skin Oriental-themed decor won the top 2. Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur Snow Skin Cheese with Strawberry Noting that there was innovative with Soft Peanut Mochi Heart – spot in the Best Presentation catego- and White Lotus Paste use of ingredients and flavour com- ry. 3. Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur Yuzu Calamansi with Confit Orange tied for third placing in the creative Peel and Signature Illy Coffee Snow binations, such as pomegranate and category. Its vintage trunk designed Resorts World Genting’s elegant raisin, returning judge Tan felt that teahouse setting took second place, Skin with Soft Peanut Mochi Heart jewellery box is also worthy of an (Tie) the pastry chefs could do more in award . while New World and Dorsett tied in terms of the skins for snow skin third spot with their red- and blue- Durian mooncakes and mooncake design. for third place were Dorsett Grand hued decor, respectively. “They can play around with dif- Subang’s Premium Musang King As a fan of traditional baked Property Mooncake ferent moulds, incorporate textures Durian and Mandarin Oriental’s mooncakes, Lau opined that the 1. Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur Snow Skin with Musang King Durian into the skin and use natural colour- Snow Skin Musang King Durian. mooncakes submitted this year were 2. Hilton Kuala Lumpur Heavenly Gold - Snow Skin with ing from fruits or plants to give the “Concorde’s durian mooncake not quite authentic in the traditional Pure Premium Musang King Durian skin some colour,” she said. stood out because we could taste the sense. 3. Dorsett Grand Subang and Premium Musang King Durian and “Snow skin is soft in texture and richness of the durian fruit and “I felt that the hotels put in a lot Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur Musang King Durian (Tie) pliable, so the chefs can be more there was a good balance between more effort into the range of moon- (Tie) creative in presenting this kind of the skin and filling,” said Yong. cake flavours and presentations last mooncakes.” “As a first-time judge, it was year,” he said. Best Packaging Tan, who advocates the use of eye-opening to see the diversity of “Hence the standouts for me, this Property Description natural flavouring and colouring, mooncakes made by our local tal- year, were from the snow skin and 1. Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur Lantern said non-natural ingredients would ents and I am just blown away by creative categories.” 2. Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur Jewellery case affect the product’s taste and turn their efforts.” 3. New World Petaling Jaya Hotel Tiffin carrier people off. The boxes that held the moon- To view the full list of award winners Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s cakes were also a highlight. as well as to get more mooncake sto- Best Presentation Snow Skin with Musang King Shangri-La Hotel won the judges’ ries and recipes throughout Property Durian triumphed again in the votes with its charming “Over the September, visit www.kuali.com or Durian category. The hotel won the Moon”-themed lantern in the Best scan the QR code below. 1. Pullman Kuala Lumpur City same title in the 2019 awards and in Packaging category. Centre Hotel and Residences previous editions. Le Meridien’s jewellery case fea- 2. Resorts World Genting Hilton Kuala Lumpur’s Heavenly turing a vintage trunk design was 3. New World Petaling Jaya Hotel and Dorsett Grand Subang (Tie) Gold was in second place, while tied ranked second, while New World
Award newcomer EQ Kuala Shangri-La Hotel Lumpur’s Yuzu took top spots in Pandan with the Creative cat- Pumpkin Seeds egory with its (top left) took the Ping Pei Dark second spot in Chocolate with the Snow Skin Almond (bottom category. Its right) and Best other entries are Packaging cate- (clockwise from gory with its top right) Taro ‘Over the Moon’- with Red and themed lantern. Black Goji, White Also seen here is Lotus with Dried its Pandan Lotus Grand Imperial Group’s Melon Seed Fruit, Green Tea Paste with Black with Red Bean Paste Mooncake Red Bean with Sesame and alongside its Lotus Paste Double Yolk, Mixed Nuts and Bird’s Nest White Lotus Single Yolk and Pandan Rose Lychee Mooncake. Lotus Paste Single Yolk. (centre).