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King
David resident manager Gideon Avrami
and executive chef Avi Steinitz supervise the
Israeli portion of
Photo
by Tim Boxer
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AT THE PLAZA
IN NEW YORK
Jerusalem’s
Majestic King David
Kicks off Magnificent Food Festival
By TIM BOXER
 ING
DAVID of Jerusalem is the first of nine celebrated hotels to
participate in an international gourmet festival at New York’s
legendary Plaza Hotel. The Israeli menu will be featured at both
lunch and dinner until January 31, followed by fine foods and wines
from eight other nations until September.
Since, as King David
resident manager Gideon Avrami put it, “This is not the greatest
time to for tourism in Israel,” this is a prime opportunity for
Americans to savor the exotic tastes of the Holy Land in the comfort
and luxury of the Plaza’s Palm Court.
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2001
Great Hotels
at The Plaza
Food Festival |
| Cuisine |
Visiting Hotel |
Dates |
| Israeli |
King
David, Jerusalem |
January
22-31 |
| Moroccan |
La
Mamounia, Marrakech |
February
26-
March 8 |
| Turkish |
Ciragan
Palace Kempinski,
Istanbul |
March
19-28 |
| Russian |
Grand
Hotel Europe Kempinski,
St. Petersburg |
April
23-May 3 |
| Argentinean |
Alvear
Palace, Buenos Aires |
May
15-25 |
| Brazilian |
Copacabana
Palace,
Rio de Janeiro |
June
4-14 |
| Austrian |
Hotel
Sacher, Vienna |
July
16-23 |
| German |
Kempinski
Hotel Atlantic,
Hamburg |
August
13-23 |
| Tea
for Two |
The
Ritz, London |
September
1-10 |
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“Life goes on and the
show goes on,” Avrami said, as four colorfully clad dancers
performed for the dining guests on the opening day of the food
festival.
But there is absolutely no
reason not to visit Israel yourself and experience first hand the
superior menu at the historic King David Hotel, under the keen
guiding hand of its executive chef, Avi Steinitz.
“There are thousands of
tourists in Jerusalem right now,” said Arie Sommer, Israel
Commissioner for Tourism, North America.
“They are visiting Masada,
they are strolling in Tel Aviv, they are exploring the Old City, and
they are having a great time.”
The new consul general in
New York, Alon Pincas, said that while he was a young student at
Hebrew University he worked for three years under Chef Steinitz at
the King David.
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Gary
Schweikert, Plaza general manager,
welcomes Irith Federman of the family that
owns the Dan Hotel chain in Israel, which
includes the King David.
Photo
by Shahar Azran
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“I ate for free,” he
said. “I really enjoyed it.” The perks of diplomacy can’t get
any better than that!
At the premiere of the
Israeli showcase at The Plaza, I started with a gorgeous selection
of Jerusalem salads. Then came a plate of Mediterranean grouper with
bell pepper “chraine” and fava beans.
The third course consisted
of lamb chops with fig and shallot confit. Don’t ask about the
various desserts – they were as close to heaven on earth as only
the King David can create, thanks to executive chef Avi Steinitz and
his staff of five chefs.
During the course of the
festival, the King David menu includes such dishes as Cream of
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Negev Truffle Oil, and Grilled Sea
Bream on a Concasse of Artichokes, Olives and Tomatoes. For dessert
you have a choice of Quince and Shredded Phyllo Gateau with Apple
Sorbet, and a Citrus Fruit Soup with Granite of Red Pomegranate.
Mark your calendar to enjoy
the most excellent foods and wines on the planet from the world’s
most celebrated hotels at this year’s International Food and Wine
Festival at The Plaza’s Palm Court. The festival is co-sponsored
by Cuisinart, Rosenthal, and Frette. For a taste of the outstanding
cuisine from these world-class hotels, call The Plaza restaurant
reservations department at 212 546-5200.
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