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Travelife Recognises Asian Trails Laos
Travelife, the leading international sustainability certification for the travel sector, has recognized Asian Trails Laos as a Travelife Partner, along with five other Southeast Asian offices. Mr Naut Kusters, manager of Travelife for tour operators, said, “I am delighted to see that sustainability in the tour operators sector is obtaining momentum. The award of the front runner Asian Trails Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand will inspire other companies in those countries to follow the same path”. Laurent Kuenzle, Asian Trails’ CEO, commented, “Travelife’s policies and guidelines have set the trend on how travel companies should operate in leaving our part of the world in a better shape than we have found it. Operating responsibly has been one of our pillars for years and with this recognition, Asian Trails has set yet another step to reconfirming this logical progression in keeping our destinations, educating all those collaborating with us, and taking sustainable steps throughout. I am profoundly pleased with the result and with the work done by our team in these destinations in achieving this recognition.” Asian Trails Laos is joined by Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia in complying with more than 100 criteria, related to an operators’ office management, product range, international business partners and customer information. For more information about Asian Trails and Travelife, welcome to email our Group Sustainability Coordinator, Ameer Virani, via sustainable@asiantrails.travel Visit Asian Trails Laos
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Celebrity TV Chef Boosts Lao Students’ Cooking Skills
Celebrity Luxembourg TV Chef and cookbook author Anne Faber conducted a hands-on workshop for Lao ‘Kitchen Assistant’ students at Vientiane’s Pakpasak Technical College, to teach them the underlying skills of Western-style food preparation. The class culminated in a lunch served by the college’s ‘Food and Beverage Service’ students at the Lanith Cafe for some 20 distinguished guests including Mr Sam Schreiner, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in Lao PDR. Ms Faber teamed with Pakpasak instructors to guide 20 students in creating a traditional Luxembourg home-style meal from scratch, while adapting local ingredients found in Vientiane markets. “I wanted them to better understand the background of the dishes, and learn the skills needed to prepare full Western meals,” Ms Faber said. To accomplish this, the star of “Anne’s Kitchen” TV show divided the class into groups, and assigned them to do different tasks in work stations. They then worked together for the main dish, Kniddelen, an iconic Luxembourg mainstay. “I just showed the students what to do, the process and timing, and they did it,” Ms Faber explained, adding, “They helped each other, learned very quickly, and were very focused. There was no air of competition, and they were extremely proud of their achievement.” Daosoukoula Vilay, a chef at the School of Tourism and Hotel, said, “It was an honour for me and my C1 students (Certificate 1) to have an opportunity to work with Chef Anne in preparing Luxembourgish menus for our guests.” C1 student, Phonemany Keokhampheng, noted, “We saw the difference between the art of Lao and Western cooking that made us want to improve ourselves and explore more about other cuisines. We loved all the food that we made, especially the Luxembourg dumplings that are so tasty, fragrant, and mouth-watering.” To further enhance their skills, Ms Faber showed the students how to adapt local ingredients and cooking equipment to create a Western meal. “I also built on what they have already learned at the school about the details for serving Western guests…how to select the appropriate plates and stemware for the specific dishes, and prepare the dishes in the proper order to deliver a fresh meal at the correct temperature.” Mr Schreiner who inspected the kitchen and classrooms, before partaking in the lunch, commended the efforts of Ms Faber, the teachers and the students while noting the progress being made by the Skills for Tourism Project at the campus. “The project is moving forward and continually building students’ skills,” he said. “Students are getting good training and education, and graduates will be able to find jobs and start a career in hospitality.” Mr Schreiner stressed that the project also helps the Lao tourism economy by improving service standards, a key element in moving the industry forward. The Skills for Tourism Project • LAO/029 is co-financed by the Governments of Lao PDR, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Switzerland, and implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR and the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency (LuxDev). Photos by Bart Verweij
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La Lune Hosts 2nd WINC Wine Event in Vientiane
La Lune hosted its second Vientiane Wine Inclusive (WINC) event, “A Taste of Bordeaux”, on 21 February, to present some 30 local wine enthusiasts with the chance to sample authentic red and white vintages paired with dishes inspired by the world’s most famous wine region. According to La Lune Food and Beverage Director Mr Billy, the restaurant began presenting the monthly WINC events, as the restaurant sees an opportunity in the market to offer something different in Vientiane than what is currently on the dining slate. “WINC is a more casual and informal way to enjoy the pleasures of wine and food in a relaxed setting,” Mr Billy said. “You’ll find wine enthusiasts of all types at WINC. So, whether you are a seasoned sommelier or new to the world of wine, you will feel at home and enjoy a memorable evening.” Mr Billy is working with local wine suppliers for the WINC events that include varietals, regional, and country vintages to present a wide range of wines from around the world. “We have planned the events for the rest of the year, ending with a grand function in December that will be a blind tasting event with prizes for the person that gets each wine correct,” he said. A Taste of Bordeaux started with Chateau des Turtes, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon paired with steamed black mussels, garlic, and baguette. The aromatic wine with overtones of citrus and floral blossoms delivers a good balance on the palate with a pleasant body. This was followed by a Chateau Bonnet, from the André Lurton Estate in Bordeaux, matched with sea bass ceviche with lime, radish, and riverweed. The ripe, easy, and fruity wine is a half-and-half blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot made for early drinking, and offers soft tannins plus jammy blackberry flavours that give it an open character. Next came a Chateau Labadie Cotes be Bourg, known for its powerful structure and deep flavours, and served with roasted chicken with paprika and garlic. Tastes of dark fruits and berries come through in this high-tannin vintage with a firm structure. A cheese tart matched with a ruby-red Jean-Pierre Moueix Bordeaux, composed of Merlot and Cabernet Franc then stepped in, with the Merlot offering depth and complexity, while the Cabernet Franc brought structure and spice to the blend. The wine presents notes of cherry and strawberry, and is powerful and inviting with smooth, silky tannins. Completing the Taste of Bordeaux, Mr Bobby served a Chateau Noaillac, known for its dark fruity notes, spices and smoke, paired with grilled lamb loin chop with ratatouille. He said this wine goes very well with most game, beef, veal, pork, lamb or duck dishes as well as other roasted or grilled meats, game, seafood dishes. “This wine also pairs well with a wide variety of hard and soft cheeses.” The WINC schedule through 2020 includes Italian wines on 20 March, Shiraz (varietal) on 24 April, Rioja regional wines on 22 May, French vintages on 19 June, Chardonnay (varietal) on 24 July, Barossa regionals on 21 August, Spanish wines on 18 September, Carbernet varietals on 16 October, Chianti regionals on 20 November, and the “Wines of the World” blind tasting on 18 December. La Lune works with several Vientiane-based wine suppliers on hosting WINC events, including Laolive (Spanish), Aenoteca (Italian and French), Phonesavanh (French), KSR Barawine (French), and Gecko (Australian). Follow La Lune on Facebook, and make reservations to participate in a WINC event or a gorumet meal.
