A connoisseur of Asian cuisine, Chef Michael Gremer has been honing his skills in the Far East for more than a decade. Gremer, a native of Germany, began his culinary career in the mid-1980s with stints in well-regarded hotel kitchens in his homeland. He subsequently worked in Australia and the United States before signing on in 1993 with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts as sous chef at what was then the Portman Shangri-La Shanghai. Eager to experience more of Asia, Bremer moved on to Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok where he served as executive sous chef. In 2000, Shangri-La called on Bremer to assist in the reopening of Shangri-La Hotel, Jakarta before signing on one year later as executive chef at the five-star Far Eastern Plaza Hotel in Taiwan, a deluxe property managed by Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Bremer continues his Asian exploration at Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, where he recently joined the staff as executive chef. His mission? To achieve culinary excellence in the form of creative menus and exciting cuisine. Here’s a sneak peek.
Pan-roasted salmon with seared foie gras and sauce soubise–Serves 1
For the salmon
5 ounces salmon fillet, trimmed
4 teaspoons olive oil (to pan-roast the salmon)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Season salmon fillet with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Heat olive oil in a small iron sauté pan over medium heat. Place salmon into the pan. Sear and seal on all sides. Place salmon fillet in preheated oven at 160 degrees and pan-roast for about 5 minutes until medium rare to medium.
For the crispy salmon skin
1 3.2-inch-by-4-inch piece of salmon skin, scaled and cleaned
Lightly oil and season the salmon skin. Place it on a nonstick tray. Put another tray on top of the skin to keep it flat and even during the cooking process. Place the salmon skin under a broiler and cook under medium to high heat until golden brown and crispy.
For the sauce soubise
7 ounces white onion, peeled
31/2 tablespoons butter
Place butter into a small stainless-steel sauce pot and melt over low heat. Add diced onion and cook over low heat for one to two hours, until very soft. Remove onion. Strain off all the butter. Place cooked onion in a blender and purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the foie gras
1 3/4 ounce slice of foie gras per portion
4 teaspoons olive oil (to pan-sear foie gras)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Lightly season foie gras with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Heat olive oil in a small iron sauté pan over high heat. Place foie gras into the pan and sear both sides evenly. Reduce heat and cook until medium.
For the spiced balsamic and port sauce
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup port wine
1/2 cup beef jus
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon grass
3 pieces star anise seed, whole
3 pieces cardamom seed, crushed
1/2 ounce cinnamon stick
Dash red chili
Salt to taste
Place balsamic vinegar and port wine a small stainless-steel pot together with lemon grass, star anise, cardamom and cinnamon. Reduce by half over medium heat. Add beef jus and continue to reduce the mixture by two-thirds, until consistency is slightly thick. Add olive oil and chili. Strain the sauce and set aside. Before serving, froth the sauce with a stick blender to enhance the consistency and foamy appearance.
For the garnish
4 asparagus spears, top part only, peeled and blanched
1 teaspoon butter
11/2 ounces slow-roasted white onion, sliced into circles
11/2 ounces duck rillettes
3 sprigs fresh chervil
3 sprigs fresh chive
To assemble
In a small sauté pan, sauté asparagus spears and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon about 2 ounces of onion soubise purée into the center of a decorative plate. Arrange the roasted onion circle, followed by the salmon fillet, on the soubise. Position some duck confit on the salmon fillet followed by the seared foie gras. Place the warm asparagus spears on the foie gras. Dress the dish with spiced balsamic and port sauce, then garnish with fresh chervil, chives and salmon skin. Serve at once.
Terrine of confit plum tomato with olive dressing and fine herb salad-Serves 5
For the confit tomato
21/4 pounds plum tomatoes
3/4 ounce fresh thyme
3/4 ounce fresh basil
3/4 ounce garlic, sliced thin
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Blanch and peel tomatoes. Remove seeds carefully, retaining the shape of the whole tomato. Place tomatoes on a large tray and sprinkle with the herbs and olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil and place in preheated 175 degree oven for 4 hours, until tomatoes shrink and become concentrated in flavor.
For the terrine
21/4 pounds plum tomatoes
2 teaspoons fresh basil julienne
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Blanch, peel and seed tomatoes. Cut into rectangles and marinate in basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Line 5 individual triangle-shaped terrine molds with cling film. Then line the internal layer of the terrine molds’ walls with tomato confit. Fill the molds with the tomato terrine mixture. Seal with cling film and cover with a tray. Place a heavy weight on the top of the tray and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
For the tomato olive relish
2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives, diced
1/2 cup seeded plum tomatoes, peeled and diced small
2 tablespoons red onion, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon fresh chives, finely sliced
Combine all ingredients in a small stainless-steel bowl. Toss carefully so as not to mash the tomatoes. Lightly season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the champagne dressing
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 cup champagne vinegar, mild
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon shallots, peeled and finely diced
Place all ingredients for the dressing in a small stainless-steel bowl.
Combine well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Set aside.
For the fine herb salad
3/4 ounce fresh parsley, cleaned
1/4 ounce fresh chive, cleaned
3/4 ounce fresh coriander, cleaned
1/2 ounce fresh dill, cleaned
1/4 ounce fresh basil, cleaned
3/4 ounce rocket leaves, cleaned
3/4 ounce curly endive leaves cleaned
Place all herbs and salad leaves in a small stainless-steel bowl.
Toss well and set aside.
Garnish
5 pieces oven-dried tomato circles
2 tablespoons basil oil
2/3 teaspoon fresh chive, finely sliced
To assemble
Place one portion of the plum tomato terrine in the center a of decorative serving plate and remove the mold. Arrange tomato olive relish around the terrine. Toss herb salad with champagne dressing and position it on the top of the plum tomato terrine. Garnish with dried tomato circle, basil oil and fresh chives. Serve at once.
Read This Next
Diabetes
2004 / April 2004
Sep 1, 2010
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedCruises
May 17, 2025Viking Takes Delivery of Newest River Ship in Europe
Officially delivered March 18, Viking’s newest Longship Viking Nerthus was presented at Meyer’s Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock Warneműnde, Germany. Accommodating up to 168 guests, Viking Nerthus spans 84 staterooms, all featuring Viking’s signature Scandinavian design.
Sponsored Content
Sail Unique with Explora Journeys
SAIL UNIQUE: A New Chapter in Luxury Ocean Travel Imagine a place where modern European elegance meets the rhythm of the sea — where time slows down, and every detail is crafted to inspire connection and quiet indulgence. This is Explora Journeys, the luxury lifestyle ocean brand from MSC Group created to redefine how we explore the world.
Daily
May 16, 2025New Kosovo Philharmonic Opera, Ballet and Theatre Hall to Open This Year
A new opera and ballet theater in Kosovo will house four performance halls and a new public plaza in the capital city of Prishtina. As the first opera house in the Republic of Kosovo, the theater symbolizes the country’s rich and diverse cultural heritage while reflecting a new identity for Prishtina, rooted in creativity and a commitment to the country’s artistic growth.
Daily
May 16, 2025Inkaterra Hotels Make a Peru Trip Unforgettable
Looking to plan the ultimate trip to Peru, but not sure where to start? Inkaterra is here to help. With properties in multiple cities throughout the country and various immersive itineraries, Inkaterra makes it easy for your dream trip to Peru to come to life.
Sponsored Content
Explore Europe with the Best River Cruise Line this November
Experience Europe from a fresh perspective with AmaWaterways, just awarded Best River Cruise Line by Global Traveler for the third consecutive year. Step aboard, unpack once and embark on a cruise through iconic capital cities and awe-inspiring landscapes. AmaWaterways' ships, which accommodate an average of just 156 guests, offer a spacious yet intimate setting. Throughout your journey, you'll enjoy exquisite farm-to-table dining; unparalleled service; and a variety of included excursions, from city tours for gentle walkers to thrilling bike rides along the rivers.
Daily
May 16, 2025“Le Commandant Charcot” Will Complete Full Antarctica Circumnavigation in 2028
PONANT EXPLORATIONS will soon achieve a new world first when its Le Commandant Charcot will embark on a full circumnavigation of Antarctica, departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, from January to March 2028. This polar expedition unlike any before will journey nearly 11,200 miles of remote, uncharted coastline of the White Continent.
Culture Runs Deep in the Old Town of Corfu
May 2025
May 15, 20256 Unforgettable Dining Experiences Around the World
Daily
May 14, 2025eFlyer Reviews
May 14, 2025Hotel Van Zandt Review
One step onto Austin’s Rainey Street and you’ll feel like you’ve joined the cool kids at the best playground in the city. Just behind the cottage bars, pint-sized skyscrapers soar. One of them, Hotel Van Zandt, the Rainey district's pièce de resistance, beckons with a song-like spirit —apropos because the independently owned property, rife with music motifs, was named after beloved singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Sixteen stories high, the hotel embodies Austin’s lust for music, manifesting with a vinyl corner; trumpet chandeliers; myriad musical references; replica vintage posters in frames; and its own live music venue, which doubles as its acclaimed restaurant, Geraldine’s. Don’t miss the mesmerizing installation of colorful origami-like birds composed from vinyl records that flitter from an old phonograph.
Sponsored Content
Royal Air Maroc Introduces Groundbreaking Safety Video: A Captivating Invitation to Discover Moroccan Heritage
Royal Air Maroc continues to elevate the passenger experience with the launch of its new in-flight safety video — a cinematic journey that seamlessly blends essential safety instructions with a celebration of Moroccan cultural heritage.
eFlyer News
May 14, 2025National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Enters European River Cruise Market with 2026 Itineraries
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions recently announced its inaugural European river cruises, with bookings open for its 2026 sailings on May 20. Travelers can choose from two options, each focusing on different destinations and activities.
ShareThis