Winners master the art of cooking with a touch of Verre
As Air Miles members show off their creativity
Release Date: 20th May 2009
Over 2,500 entries flooded onto the Air Miles web site in under a month from people across the UAE, all hopeful of being one of the top three winners selected in a unique competition in which members could be taking part in a culinary Master Class at Verre – the restaurant of Michelin star chef Gordon Ramsay which is located at the Hilton Dubai Creek.
The prize, which included an intimate Master Class with Executive Chef, Matthew Pickop at the multi award-winning restaurant, was won by Ali Hemani, Tanya Johnston and Sharon Wright.
Air Miles’ Head of Marketing and PR, and one of the judges, Fiona Leslie, explained that all entrants were required to log on to the website at www.airmilesme.com and explain in under a hundred words why they should be the selected as the lucky winner. “The overall standard of entries received was extremely high,” she said, “and deciding on the top three was difficult.
“These lucky three members and their guests were taught some of the ‘tricks of the trade’ before having the opportunity of cooking in a professional kitchen and trying their hand at producing a three-course Gordon Ramsay menu. All the winners are also being given personally signed copies of Gordon Ramsay’s cookbook – Cooking for Friends.”
Matthew Pickop, who was also a judge, said that some of the entries were highly original, and in some cases amusing, but almost all showed an amazing passion for good food. “We enjoyed reading the entries and at the same time were thrilled that so many took the time to write in, hoping to come and learn from our team.”
Sharon Wright’s entry was a plea from the heart: “I need help with my cooking skills, or lack of,” she wrote. “When my son was in his first year at school he was asked to write about his Mum and Dad. He wrote ‘Dad is great - he cooks yummy pasta and Mum cooks me toasted cheese sandwiches.’ When he read this out in class I was very embarrassed. Please help me make my son proud of his Mum's cooking.”
Ali Hemani, on the other hand, had romance on his mind when he wrote: “The way to a man's heart is through his stomach and I participated in the contest on behalf of my wife, so she can be closer to my heart! I must confess, being married for 6 years, I am tired of telling white lies that the chicken is cooked to perfection, the fish is perfect and let me not even talk of the deserts! So, if selected,not only would it be a perfect pre-birthday gift to my wife, I would not have to sneak out from home everyday to grab a bite.”
On being told he had won, Hemani admitted that though it was fantastic news, it wasn’t really the truth that he had given. “My creativity and imagination just clicked! I should lie more often if I can win such fabulous prizes!” he said.
Tanya Johnston’s entry might have had a touch of the Frank Sinatra about it: “Start spreading the news... I'm cooking today... I want to be a part of it! To cook, to cook! These vagabond hands, Are willing to learn. And get to be a part of, Lets cook lets cook!!! I want to show up, At a hotel, And be shown how... And find I'm queen of the cooks, Top of the heap; A babe in the kitchen.... To cook, to cook....And start to be a part of it. To cook, to cook!!!!”
“The Master Class was everything I hoped it could possibly be,” said Sharon, reflecting the mood of all the winners at the end of an exhilarating day. “In fact for me it really was a once in a lifetime experience – something that not only did we all thoroughly enjoy, but hopefully something that will make my husband and son proud to be served more than just a cheese sandwich in the future! Thank you Matthew Pickop, and thank you Air Miles for making it all possible!”
Leslie said that Air Miles is thrilled by the excellent uptake of this competition. “We held this promotion online on our website,” she explained, “and in view of the enormous interest from our members, I can assure them that this will be just the first of many such interesting and exclusive online promotions.
“Our web site continues to attract new members all the time and reflects the intrinsic value in our partnership with leading brands across the region. At the same time it has been excellent working in collaboration with one of our participating companies – Hilton Hotels – with a view to rewarding the loyalty of our ever increasing number of members and delivering such a once in a lifetime prize – something unique and special that money simply cannot buy.”
