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Washington,
DC – November 2023 / NewsmakerAlert: Historic
Hotels Worldwide® celebrates iconic and legendary hotels around
the globe, beautiful locations where travelers can indulge their palates
with delicious fare curated by some of the world’s most innovative chefs
throughout history. The 2023 Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Culinary
Heritage and Traditions List recognizes the historic hotels that preserve
their culinary traditions and share them with guests.
Many
of these hotels have made important contributions to the world’s favorite
recipes, while others create dining experiences for guests centered around
the region’s history and heritage, or preserve traditions of indigenous
agriculture and animal husbandry or hunting. While some hotels prefer to
keep their culinary secrets locked away and only for guests to experience
on site, several hotels honored in the 2023
Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Culinary Heritage and Traditions List
offer recipes for recreating their special offerings at home.
From
original recipes that were created or popular recipes that were perfected
at a historic hotel, to specialty drinks and cocktails that are closely
connected to the histories of hotels, the 2023 Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide
Culinary Heritage and Traditions List offers something sweet, savory, or
refreshing for foodies and explorers everywhere to enjoy.
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Nermo
Hotell & Apartments (1442)
Øyer,
Norway
Dating
back to the 1440s, Norway’s historic Nermo Hotell & Apartments was
once a modest guesthouse for travelers exploring the nearby valleys of
Gudbrandsdalen and Østerdalen. The Nermo family purchased the estate
during the 19th century, when it was a potato and grain farm, converting
the location into a popular hotel. Although the hotel has been renovated
and expanded to meet modern guests’ expectations, the Nermo hotlier family
balances modernization with tradition, especially through its culinary
heritage. The family serves moose and pork through traditional moose hunting
and husbandry of mountain pigs. Johannes Nermo, 5th generation owner and
hotelier, explains “Since the first guests came to us almost 150 years
ago, one of our cornerstones has been that we harvest what nature gives
us. For us, it is both necessary and very important that the whole animal
is used at the hotel and the menus are also set accordingly.” All of the
moose served at Nermo Hotell & Apartments comes from the hotel’s hunting
team, led by the Nermo family. The family has hunted moose for generations,
and one of the hotel’s signature dishes is moose tenderloin, which is popular
at weddings hosted at the hotel. The hotel also serves elk stew in the
winter, moose burger in the summer, and cured ham throughout the year.
The ham is butchered and salted in the same way as it has been for hundreds
of years, and hung in the storehouse for a minimum of two years before
being used by the kitchens. “Our most famous dish is probably our own cured
ham,” Johannes Nermo says. “Although we could very easily sell our cured
ham to individual customers, it is only as a guest at Nermo that you get
to experience our cured ham. Our recipe for cured ham is secret and securely
locked in the hotel’s safe.”
Nermo
Hotell & Apartments Moose Burger Recipe (serves 4)
Ingredients:
-
500 g
minced moose (ground moose meat)
-
1 teaspoon
of salt
-
1 tablespoon
potato flour
-
1 tablespoon
wheat flour
-
1 egg
-
½
teaspoon of pepper
-
¼
teaspoon grated nutmeg
-
1 teaspoon
dried thyme
-
4 oz whipping
cream
-
2 tablespoons
margarine for frying
Preperation:
Stir salt into the minced meat until it becomes chewy. Stir in potato flour,
wheat flour and spices. Add eggs and mix well. Whip the cream in two batches,
stirring well between each batch. Divide the dough into eight parts and
shape into patties on a wet sheet pan. Bake for approx. 2 minutes on each
side until barely cooked through. Serve moose burgers with vegetables,
boiled potatoes, and cranberry jam.
Chablé
Resort & Spa (1650)
Chocholá
, Mexico
At
the heart of Chablé Resort & Spa—a luxury resort in the Yucatán—is
a traditional, organic Maya Garden, where gardeners preserve and celebrate
indigenous harvesting techniques. An award-winning retreat, Chablé
Resort & Spa is located on an estate founded in 1650, and was inducted
into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2017. Chablé Resort & Spa’s
culinary experience of farm-to-table cuisine is based on the fruits, vegetables,
and herbs sourced from this garden. The Maya Garden consists of raised
garden beds made from local wood and constructed using no synthetic elements.
Each bed, called a Ka’anche’, is filled with organic soil and seeds harvested
through traditional Maya methods by Chablé Resort & Spa’s resident
Mayan horticulturist. Upon request, guests will have the opportunity to
partake in the gardening process during their stay. The garden supplies
Chablé Resort & Spa’s restaurants, Ixi’im and Ki’ol, with fresh,
flavorful local produce throughout the year. In the words of its General
Manager, Chablé Resort & Spa “honors Mayan traditions without
sacrificing the global standards for luxury.”
Hotel
Hacienda Uxmal (1683)
Uxmal,
Yucatán, Mexico
The
historic Hotel Hacienda Uxmal has been serving Yucatán delicacies
for generations. Inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2016, the luxury
resort’s history dates back to 1683, when it was a hostel for European
and other colonial travelers wanting to see and experience pre-Columbian
culture. Today, as it did in its earlier iterations, the recipes served
at the resort are based on the region’s pre-Hispanic gastronomy. The contemporary
restaurant has catered to celebrated guests, including Queen Elizabeth
II, Mexican presidents, and illustrious American families, including the
Rockefellers and Kennedys. Serving a menu of traditional Yucatán
recipes, the exquisite cuisine served is celebrated for its blend of exotic
spices, Mayan cooking techniques, and organic ingredients grown at the
resort. One of these Yucatán recipes is Sikilp’aak, a paste made
of pumpkin seeds and tomato.
Hotel
Hacienda Uxmal Sikilp’aak Recipe
Ingredients:
-
1 cup
toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
-
2 tomatoes
-
½
cup finely chopped white onion
-
¼
cup finely chopped cilantro
-
1 green
pepper
-
2 tablespoons
fresh sour orange juice
-
Salt to
taste
-
Tortilla
chips to dip
Preparation:
Blend toasted pumpkin seeds in the food processor until smooth. Grill tomatoes
on a griddle or over charcoal until softened. Place the tomatoes in the
food processor with the pumpkin seed paste to mix thoroughly. Add onion,
green pepper, cilantro, and fresh sour orange juice to the food processor,
and grind until it is almost smooth. Add salt to taste. Transfer the sikilp’aak
to a bowl, and serve with tortilla chips.
Tivoli
Palacio de Seteais (1787)
Sintra,
Portugal
More
than a luxurious hotel, Tivoli Palácio de Seteais is a breathtaking
18th-century romantic retreat exuding and celebrating Portuguese history
and heritage. One celebrated aspect of that history is the nation’s role
in the popularization of tea. The estate is located on the Sintra hillside,
a UNESCO World Heritage site, with views of the Moorish Castle and Pena
Palace, and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2016. Afternoon
tea at Tivoli Palácio de Seteais Hotel was revived in 2021 with
the arrival of the new pastry chef, Cíntia Koerper. Koerper designed
The Queens’ Tea menus, served daily at 5 p.m., to spotlight the Portuguese
connection to this genteel tradition. The Queens’ Tea is inspired by two
Queens of Portuguese history: Carlota Joaquina and Catarina de Bragança.
The first menu is inspired by Queen Carlota Joaquina of Bourbon. She visited
Seteais Palace with her husband, King D. João VI (John VI), in 1802.
The owner of the palace at the time built the monumental arch linking the
two wings of the Palace to celebrate their visit. The second afternoon
tea menu is an homage to Queen Catherine of Bragança, daughter of
the King of Portugal, who very famously popularized tea in England after
she married England’s King Charles II in 1662. Portugal was engaged in
a lucrative tea trade with China in the mid-1600s, and Catherine brought
loose leaf tea to England as part of her dowry. At the time, tea was used
only medicinally in England, but the young queen made it popular as a social
beverage by the end of the 17th century. Both menus are served in one of
the magnificent ballrooms of the hotel, surrounded by tapestries and frescoes,
thousands of art pieces, and exclusive fine China from the recognized Portuguese
brand Vista Alegre. The dinnerware of Tivoli Palácio de Seteais
was designed exclusively for the hotel by Vista Alegre, a very traditional
Portuguese brand, creating beautiful fine china since 1824. Visitors can
buy a selection of tea blends at the hotel, and can take with them any
leftovers from the tea service. Reservations are required for the Queen
Carlota Joaquina menu.
Hotel
Savoia & Jolanda (Early 1800s)
Venice,
Italy
The
signature restaurant of Hotel Savoia & Jolanda is Ristorante Principessa,
facing St. Mark’s Square and the island of San Giorgio, and it offers a
tempting array of Venetian cuisine specialties, as well as an extensive
wine list coming from the best Veneto and Italian wineries. At Ristorante
Principessa, guests can savor the traditional dish “Bragosso della Principessa,”
a Venetian spaghetti with mussels, clams, and shellfish. This delicacy
is served with a gold fork, an homage to the 11th-century Byzantine princess
Maria Argyra, who first introduced the utensil to the Venetians in 1004
A.D., when she married Giovanni Orseolo, son of the Doge of Venice Pietro
II Orseolo. Ristorante Principessa combines modern gastronomic elements
with the Venetian culinary tradition, in an authentic and magical atmosphere.
Overlooking the Basin de San Marco in the Venetian Lagoon, the Hotel Savoia
& Jolanda dates to the early 19th century. It was inducted into Historic
Hotels Worldwide in 2022.
Great
Southern Killarney (1854)
Killarney,
County Kerry, Ireland
Afternoon
tea has been served at Great Southern Killarney since it opened in County
Kerry, Ireland in 1854. Great Southern Killarney first opened as The Railway
Hotel in 1854 and was the first purpose-built railway hotel in Ireland.
The train journey between Dublin and Killarney took over nine hours at
this time, so the early morning train would arrive just in time for weary
travelers to enjoy afternoon tea after checking in. Tea was originally
served in one of the ladies’ drawing rooms on the side of the Grand Foyer.
In 1861, the town of Killarney hosted Queen Victoria and her entourage.
While Queen Victoria did not stay at Great Southern Killarney, the hotel
did host her entourage for the duration of their visit. While in Killarney,
the Queen’s party enjoyed afternoon tea daily in the drawing rooms. Today,
afternoon tea is served Wednesday through Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.,
beneath the gold-gilded ceiling of The Garden Room restaurant. The afternoon
tea menu includes three tiers of sweets and savories, including Irish smoked
salmon, egg, and watercress finger sandwiches, fruit and plain scones with
jam and cream, and freshly-baked cakes and other sweet treats. Guests can
select from a variety of Ronnefeldt Tea options or coffee, served in fine
China cups and saucers, and even opt to add a little sparkle to the afternoon
tea experience with a glass of Prosecco.
Hotel
España (1859)
Barcelona,
Spain
In
February 1923, just over a century ago, Albert Einstein spent a week visiting
Catalan academies and meeting with the regional political and scientific
leaders. His visit is legendary and celebrated by the region to this day.
While Einstein did not stay at Hotel España in 1923, this historic
hotel celebrates his famous visit to its city and shares that history with
guests today. In particular, the hotel recreates a menu from a dinner party
that Einstein attended. One evening during his visit, Einstein dined at
the Barcelona home of Rafael Campalans, a Socialist political leader and
university physicist. At the dinner, Campalans provided entertainment that
included live musical performances, and offered Einstein a clever dinner
menu, written in Latin and composed with clever scientific references,
such as nods to the Theory of Relativity, the Doppler effect, and Euclidian
geometry. Every dish had an enigma related to scientists, philosophy, or
theories. For example, the menu item “Phasianus nycthemerus Minkowskiensis,
quatriplex dimentiones” was a nod to a pheasant dish and to Einstein’s
old professor, mathematician Hermann Minkowski. Einstein referred to the
dinner in his personal diary, where he reflected on the warmth and hospitality
of Spain. Since 2019, Hotel España has offered guests an opportunity
to experience the menu at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Fonda España.
The
Editory Riverside – Santa Apolonia (1865)
Lisbon,
Portugal
The
Editory Riverside – Santa Apolónia in Lisbon, Portugal, offers diners
a journey through Portugal at its Impulso restaurant. The historic hotel
is located within Lisbon’s historic train complex, Santa Apolónia
Station, dating back to 1865. Visitors have the opportunity to savor the
regional flavors of Portugal at Impulso Restaurante & Bar. Inspired
by the foodways of the regions serviced by the rail lines that converge
at Santa Apolónia Station, Impulso is a culinary crossroads of customs
and ingredients. Guests are transported across the country through traditional
Portuguese recipes, passed down through generations, made with seasonal
products that have been brought in by rail to the train station. The dishes
and drinks are not the only aspects of Impulso influenced by Santa Apolónia
Station. The dining room itself takes its inspiration from train travel
though Portugal, too. Not only is the open kitchen designed to resemble
a ticket office, with windows that gaze out over the station, but the furnishings
and finishes are evocative of an elegant railroad dining car. Learn more
about the signature Portuguese dishes
served at Impulso Restaurante like Pastel de Nata and Bife à Portuguesa.
Raffles
Singapore (1887)
Singapore
The
Singapore Sling, widely regarded as Singapore’s national drink, was first
created in 1915 by Raffles Singapore bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. Primarily
a gin-based cocktail, the Singapore Sling also contains pineapple juice,
lime juice, curaçao, and Bénédictine. Grenadine and
cherry liqueur give the cocktail its signature pink hue. A little-known
fact about the Singapore Sling is that since 2018, the cocktail has been
made with ecoSPIRITS, making it more sustainable and better for the environment.
Raffles Singapore, which was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in
2018, was also featured in the 2023
Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Afternoon Tea Experiences. When the
Sarkies family of hoteliers acquired the building for the development of
a luxury hotel in Singapore, they named it “Raffles Hotel” in 1887, and
the business became one of the most sought-after destinations in Southeast
Asia. One of the newest offerings of the hotel under the Sarkies’ management
was afternoon tea, and it has been a mainstay ever since.
The
Savoy London (1889)
London,
England, United Kingdom
The
Peach Melba recipe was created by Chef Auguste Escoffier in 1893, when
he was the chef of the signature restaurant of The Savoy, in London, England.
This sweet palette of summertime flavors is named after opera singer Nellie
Melba. When she performed in Covent Garden, she was widely praised. The
Duke of Orléans wanted to celebrate her achievement, and organized
a dinner cooked by Auguste Escoffier. In honor of Dame Melba, the gastronomic
icon created a new dessert: Pêche Melba. He served his dessert in
a silver bowl that he placed in an ice sculpture in the shape of a swan.
The swan ice sculpture was a direct reference to Dame Melba’s performance
in the opera Lohengrin, which featured a swan-shaped boat. The poached
peaches were arranged on vanilla ice cream and topped by a nest of spun
sugar. The dessert was thus originally called “Pêche au Cygne” (peach
with the swan) by Escoffier. Only seven years later, when Chef Escoffier
opened the Ritz Carlton restaurant in London with his partner and former
General Manager of The Savoy, Cesar Ritz, Escoffier replaced the sugar
confectionery with raspberry purée. He then renamed the dessert
Peach Melba. Recreate the treat at home with the Peach
Melba recipe from Historic Hotels Worldwide.
Støtt
-Top of Helgeland (1897)
Støtt,
Norway
Founded
in 1897, Støtt - Top of Helgeland hotel began as a rustic 19th-century
trading outpost for mariners who traversed the shoreline of Norway’s Helgeland
archipelago. The shoreline of Støtt was regularly filled with rows
of wooden drying racks—known as hjell in Norwegian—that used the cold,
polar air to preserve seafood, including halibut, cod, and whale. The racks
attracted the attention of sailors who passed Støtt on their way
further north into the Vestfjorden, and fishing made it an important stop
along the route. Today, just as the historic STØTT - Top of Helgeland
hotel has been beautifully preserved, so have the culinary techniques and
dishes served at Restaurant Gammelbutikken. The hotel’s signature dining
establishment is the last restaurant in Norway that still produces its
own dried fish. The inspiration for the restaurant was derived from the
old trading posts with hundreds of years of culinary heritage techniques.
Restaurant Gammelbutikken embodies much of the coastal culture of the island,
and serves dishes with the best ingredients that the island and the sea
have to offer. Ingredients are locally harvested, and fresh fish are caught
out on the Vestfjord. This combination of sourcing local ingredients creates
unique and memorable dishes for guests.
The
Strand Hotel (1901)
Yangon,
Myanmar
The
Strand Hotel has stood as a cultural landmark in Yangon, Myanmar since
the early 20th century, when Myanmar (Burma) was colonized by the British
Empire. In the 1960s, The Strand Hotel became the first luxury hotel in
Myanmar to serve a Myanmar version of England’s afternoon tea ritual, inspired
by the local Myanmar cuisine and beautiful surroundings of the Colonial
hotel. The tea setting includes local savory and sweet treats that bring
an unexpected twist to a traditional high tea, like rice dumplings, springs
rolls, ginger salad, and pandan. Guests can enjoy black Myanmar tea sourced
from the country’s Shan region, or select more traditional Western staples
like Earl Grey, English Breakfast, and peppermint. A classic tea menu with
traditional English tea favorites is available. Afternoon tea is served
daily at The Strand Hotel from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Strand Hotel was previously
featured in the 2023
Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Afternoon Tea Experiences.
The
Grand York (1906)
York,
England, United Kingdom
The
Grand York was built in 1906 as a “Palace of Business” for the North Eastern
Railway Company, which was one of the most powerful enterprises in Great
Britain at the time. As a luxury hotel today, it offers a variety of modern
and traditional culinary experiences, in addition to elegant guestrooms.
The hotel’s restaurants feature family-style dining and child-friendly
activities, such as a children’s afternoon tea. The Grand York opened a
state-of-the-art cookery school in 2019, perfect for both the beginner
and the expert, with 42 classes to choose from. The Cookery School at The
Grand offers express, half-day, full-day, and even parent-child courses,
focusing on a selection of international cuisines and specialty classes.
Led by Cookery School Director, Marc Williams, the Cookery School is designed
for novice and aspiring chefs, with classes inspired by cuisine from around
the world. The Grand York was previously featured in the 2023
Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Afternoon Tea Experiences.
Hotel
Adlon Kempinski (1907)
Berlin,
Germany
In
1949, Herta Heuwer prepared the very first currywurst at her snack stand
in Berlin-Charlottenburg, while mixing a sauce consisting mostly of tomato
paste, curry powder, and Worcestershire sauce. The German classic of “currywurst”
was born then, and it remains a favorite dish for tourists to sample. In
Berlin today, Hotel Adlon Kempinski offers guests an elevated version of
this regional dish. The hotel’s Adlon-Currywurst comes with its own special
sauce, a Kempinski secret recipe. The hotel sells about 6,136 currywursts
each year to guests from around the world. Visitors can order this signature
recipe at Hotel Adlon Kempinski’s Lobby Lounge & Bar.
Hotel
Moskva (1908)
Belgrade,
Serbia
A
celebrated landmark in Downtown Belgrade, Hotel Moskva is one of the most
important historic hotels in Serbia’s capital city. This beautiful building
is designed in the Russian Art Nouveau style and has been entertaining
guests since King Peter I of Serbia officially opened it in 1908. In recent
history, the hotel has become well-known for its Moskva Pastry Shop, which
has produced Belgrade’s favorite sweets for decades and is famous for its
signature cake, the Moskva Schnitt (also translated as the Moskva Snit
or Moscow Shnit). Moskva Schnitt is a refreshing fruit cake made with almonds,
cherries, pineapple, and homemade cream. Created in 1974 by Pastry Chef
Anica Dzepina, the original recipe is still used today, and the cake is
served at birthdays, weddings, and other special events throughout Europe
and around the world. Hotel Moskva’s pastry shop makes upwards of 20 tons
of Moskva Schnitt a year. Visitors can enjoy the cake by buying it directly
at the pastry shop or ordering it for dessert at the hotel’s signature
restaurant, Tchaikovsky Restaurant.
Hotel
Waldhaus Sils (1908)
Sils
Maria, Switzerland
Hotel
Waldhaus Sils served The Omelette Surprise—otherwise known as the “Omelette
Norvégienne” or the “Baked Alaska”—when it first opened in 1908
under the direction of owners Josef Giger and his wife, Amalie. The newly
christened “Hotel Waldhaus Sils” became an immediate overnight sensation
due to its then cutting-edge amenities and unrivalled hospitality. The
complicated dessert the Gigers served added to the new hotel’s charms.
Consisting of a sponge cake, ice cream, and meringue, the Omelette Surprise
is an exhilarating experience for any fan of the culinary arts. After a
brief period in which the dish was no longer prepared, the kitchen staff
decided to resurrect the Omelette Surprise in 2019 during the hotel’s 111th
anniversary. Now offered at the Chef’s Table, the Hotel Waldhaus Sils creates
the Omelette Surprise fresh for its guests to enjoy. Learn more about the
history and significance of this
dessert at Historic Hotels Worldwide.
Grand
Hotel Tremezzo (1910)
Tremezzina,
Italy
Immersed
in the beauty of Lake Como and offering a spectacular view of the surrounding
Alps, the historic Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a treasured example of the finest
authentic Italian palaces. With intricate period furnishings and unparalleled
views, Grand Hotel Tremezzo invites guests to experience a sensation of
historic elegance and tranquility. The iconic dish that is served in Grand
Hotel Tremezzo’s fine dining establishment, La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi
restaurant, is the saffron risotto with golden leaf dish created by the
Maestro Gualtiero Marchesi in 1981. This dish has been a staple of diners
at the hotel for 42 years. The dish was created by the Maestro Gualtiero
Marchesi, who is known as the “Maestro of modern Italian cuisine.” He became
the first Italian chef to win three Michelin stars; he was also the first
chef from Italy to hand one back. This special risotto recipe includes
common cooking ingredients such as butter, onion, and parmesan cheese,
but it is known for the gold leaf that is placed on top of the risotto
dish, making it not only delicious, but also beautiful.
Mayaland
Hotel & Bungalows (1923)
Chichen
Itza, Mexico
In
1923, when Mayaland Hotel & Bungalows opened its doors to travelers
as The Mayaland Lounge, it served cochinita pibil, and it serves the same
dish to travelers today. Cochinita pibil is a traditional slow-roasted
pork dish that originated on the Yucatán Peninsula during the Spanish
Conquest. The Mayans cooked the pork in an underground oven called a pib,
which is how the dish got its name. The pork is seasoned and marinated
in a solution of bitter orange juice and annatto paste, which gives the
dish its characteristic burnt orange color. The pork is then wrapped in
banana leaves and slow roasted in the oven. The color and flavor of the
marinade are characterized by achiote (annatto seed). This traditional
dish has been served at the Mayaland Hotel & Bungalows for a century.
Try it at home with the Mayaland
Hotel & Bungalow’s signature recipe.
Hôtel
Paris Bastille Boutet - MGallery (1926)
Paris,
France
Hôtel
Paris Bastille Boutet - MGallery, a member of Historic Hotels Worldwide
since 2018 and a former chocolate factory, dates to 1926. That year, the
Maison Boutet carpentry company hired famed French architect Achille Champy
to construct a factory building in a historic Paris neighborhood on Rue
Faidherbe. The factory building debuted with a dazzling Art Deco façade
design and beautiful ochre mosaics. Before it was a hotel, it served as
a wood manufacturing plant and then as a chocolate factory. Today, the
building has been transformed into a luxury boutique hotel, and offers
guests an immersion into French culture, with chocolate featured in many
of its prized desserts. Notably, the hotel offers foreign guests the opportunity
to experience Le Goûter, a light and sweet French meal taken in the
afternoon. This “afternoon snack” is often compared to the English tradition
of afternoon tea; it is not casual eating but a light meal. It is commonly
taken as an afternoon snack for school children. At the hotel, Le Goûter
comes with a sweet treat and a house-made madeleine, and it is served alongside
Hôtel Paris Bastille Boutet - MGallerys’s iconic hot chocolate.
Hotel
New Grand (1927)
Yokohama,
Japan
In
the 1930s, Hotel New Grand made culinary waves in Japan when it brought
in Swiss Chef Saly Weil to manage its menu offerings. Chef Weil, who served
as the first Master Chef at the Hotel New Grand, introduced French and
Italian recipes, including rice gratin, spaghetti Napolitan, and pudding
à la mode, that are now widely enjoyed throughout Japan. The hotel
also credits him with popularizing the à la carte menu to Japan.
The hotel’s signature menu item, Seafood Doria (seafood rice gratin), was
invented by Chef Weil, and first served during this era. Seafood Doria
consists of rice, shrimp, and scallops covered in a rich béchamel
sauce. Today, visitors can dine at several restaurants at Hotel New Grand,
each featuring French, Italian, or Kyoto cuisines. Seafood Doria, along
with other favorites introduced by Chef Weil, is served at The Café,
located on the first floor of the historic main building. The historic
Hotel New Grand was established in 1927 and was inducted into Historic
Hotels Worldwide in 2012. A relaxing respite in the heart of the city,
this culturally rich hotel offers unparalleled views of Yamashita Park
and Yokohama Bay.
Raffles
Hotel Le Royal (1929)
Phnom
Penh, Cambodia
Restaurant
Le Royal at Raffles Hotel Le Royal is one of two historic restaurants in
Cambodia that has been given the official blessing, by special decree,
to use Royal Khmer recipes of the Royal Palace of Cambodia. The restaurant’s
2023 Khmer Royal Cuisine Tasting Menu includes Noam Svay (green mango salad
with grilled scallops, peanuts, and nuoc mam sauce), Samlor Machou m’Noas
(fish soup with pineapple and herbs), Chaen Trey Domrey Teuk Ampil Tom
(seared elephant fish with tamarind sauce), Sach Ko Changkak (grilled beef
skewered on lemongrass), and Amok Bangkang (Mekong lobster served on coconut
shell). The finest ingredients are carefully blended to create a distinct,
exhilarating, and elegant gastronomic experience. Set beneath a glorious
hand-painted ceiling, Restaurant Le Royal showcases centuries-old dining
rituals and traditional recipes from the Cambodian royal family, alongside
modern Khmer gastronomy, as well as a unique signature guéridon,
or tableside service. Established in 1929 and inducted into Historic Hotels
Worldwide in 2018, Raffles Hotel Le Royal is one of the finest hotels in
Cambodia today.
Garden
Hotel Suzhou (1930)
Suzhou,
China
When
former U.S. President Jimmy Carter dined at Garden Hotel Suzhou’s signature
restaurant, SOO He 1929, Chef Yao served him the same dish that he had
served numerous foreign heads of state: Golden Dragon Shaped Salad. Invented
by Chef Yao, the Golden Dragon Salad is the signature dish at Garden Hotel
Suzhou’s signature restaurant. This fine dining restaurant specializes
in classic Suzhou cuisine and delicacies from the Yangtze River and nearby
Lake Tai, such as sweet and sour Mandarin fish. Freshly-caught fish, shrimp,
and crab are accompanied by seasonal produce from the gardens to create
dishes that are flavorful and nutritious. Garden Hotel Suzhou was once
a retreat for China’s political elite, and remains a favorite destination
for world leaders. Chef Yao’s signature dish is served in the shape of
a golden dragon to note the auspicious meaning of a banquet among political
leaders or a shared meal with friends and family.
Fairmont
Le Château Montebello (1930)
Quebec,
Canada
At
Fairmont Le Château Montebello, the Château’s Maple Cutter
Crêpes and Montebello’s Famous Sugar Pie are cherished culinary traditions
connected to Canada’s maple sugar culinary heritage. Maple sugar was first
discovered and enjoyed by the First Nations people, who predated French
and English colonists in the region. They developed ways to harvest the
maple tree sap from living trees, and carefully process it into syrup or
sugar. Non-Native Canadians embraced maple sugar when they settled there,
many preferring it to cane or beet sugars. Fairmont Le Château Montebello,
built in 1930, has made this full-flavored maple syrup and sugar an integral
part of the dining experience for generations of guests and staff. The
chefs at the resort design their menus to honor the local culture and share
the delicious flavors of nature with guests.
Montebello’s
Famous Sugar Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
-
2 pie
crusts
-
1 ¼
pound of brown sugar #1
-
2 oz of
cake flour (Monarch)
-
6 large
eggs
-
8 oz.
of brown sugar #2
-
3 oz.
of maple syrup
-
3 oz.
of honey
-
2 ¼
cup of 35% cream
-
3 oz.
of milk
-
3 ½
oz. of unsalted butter
Preparation:
In a bowl, mix the first quantity of brown sugar, cake flour and the eggs.
Whisk until smooth and set aside. In a pot, mix the second brown sugar,
maple syrup, honey, cream and the milk; place on stove top, and using a
wooden spatula, stir and bring to a simmer. Pour part of this mix into
the first one to heat, then combine both and mix into the pot; simmer for
about 10 to 15 min and then add the melted butter. Mix, and then remove
from heat. Pour into a bowl and let the mixture cool down. Refrigerate
overnight. Preheat oven at 325º F. Pour mixture into two unbaked pie
shells, cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes, cool down to room temperature,
and refrigerate before eating.
Raffles
Grand Hotel D’Angkor (1932)
Siem
Reap, Cambodia
Raffles
Grand Hotel D’Angkor opened in 1932 to accommodate tourists traveling to
the Angkor Wat temple, which is now part of a famous UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Named for the capital city of the historic Khmer Empire, the Grand
Hotel D’Angkor displays timeless architectural designs of ancient Khmer
culture throughout the hotel. An homage to the past, the hotel’s signature
restaurant—1932—is a celebration of the rich culinary heritage of Cambodia.
The menu at 1932 is a journey into the past; not just the hotel’s historic
cuisine, but the Kingdom’s history, through its special dishes. This signature
restaurant is, in fact, one of the country’s two restaurants given official
blessing, by special decree, to use the royal Khmer recipes of the Royal
Palace of Cambodia. Nearby, The Elephant Bar is Siem Reap’s most celebrated
lounge. A visit to Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor would be incomplete without
trying the Elephant Bar’s famous signature cocktail, the Airavata. The
Airavata includes an enchanting blend of rum, coconut, passion fruit, lime
juice, crème de banana, and pineapple juice. Raffles Grand Hotel
D’Angkor was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2018 and won the
award for Historic Hotels Worldwide Best Historic Hotel in Asia/Pacific
in 2023.
Casa
das Lérias (1930s)
Amarante,
Portugal
Casa
das Lérias, a member of Historic Hotels Worldwide since 2023, dates
to the 1930s, when it was established as a magnificent bakery known for
creating a famous pastry, the Lérias. For centuries, the pastoral
community of Amarante, Portugal, had been known throughout the nation for
its baked goods. The Lérias, a sweet, jam-based cake, was the region’s
favorite sweet treat, and was perfected by the nuns of the Santa Clara
Convent. The nuns’ recipe was thought to be lost forever when the convent
closed in the 1860s, but by 1910, a baker by the name of Alcino dos Reis
pieced together the recipe from interviews and experimentation. With the
recipe in-hand, he started his own bakery. When the operation expanded
in the 1930s, he built Casa das Lérias and operated it as a bakery—producing
delectable Lérias along with other sweet treats—through the end
of the 20th century. Casa das Lérias was transformed into a boutique
hotel and reopened to the public in 2021. Guests and visitors alike can
try a variety of local baked goods, including the convent’s special recipes,
at the hotel’s Café & Bar.
“What
better way to experience a part of history than to taste the recipes created,
invented, or perfected over the past 1,000 years at a Historic Hotels Worldwide
destination,” said Lawrence
Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America®
and Historic Hotels Worldwide®. “These tastes of history, many created
for a special event for world leaders, celebrities, special guests, and
local events and celebrations are now part of the world’s culinary heritage
and culinary traditions. At Historic Hotels Worldwide, learning about history
can be fun, delicious, savory, sweet, and tasty.”
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About
Historic Hotels Worldwide®
Historic
Hotels Worldwide® is a prestigious collection of historic treasures,
more than 350 legendary historic hotels including many former castles,
chateaus, palaces, academies, haciendas, villas, monasteries, and other
historic lodging spanning ten centuries. Historic Hotels Worldwide recognizes
authentic cultural treasures that demonstrate exemplary historic preservation
and their inspired architecture, cultural traditions, and authentic cuisine.
To be nominated and selected for induction into Historic Hotels Worldwide,
historical lodging properties must be at least 75 years old; utilize historic
accommodations; serve as the former home, or be located on the grounds
of the former home of famous persons, or a significant location for an
event in history; be located in or within walking distance to a historic
district, historically significant landmark, place of a historic event,
or a historic city center; be recognized by a local preservation organization
or national trust; and display historic memorabilia, artwork, photography,
and other examples of its historic significance. For more information,
please visit HistoricHotelsWorldwide.com.
To
learn more, please visit:
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Media
Contact:
Katherine
Orr
Historic
Hotels of America | Historic Hotels Worldwide
Director,
Marketing Strategy and Communications
Tel:
202-772-8337
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Release: 2023
Historic Hotels Worldwide® Annual Awards of Excellence Winners Announced
(10/17/23) |