Johnnie Walker and Madame Fan Team Up for an Exclusive Whisky Pairing Menu

You have only have a limited period this April to savour executive Chinese chef Pak Chee Yit’s delectable menu inspired by the whisky brand

Food and whisky are a match made in heaven, and you will be able to taste why as Madame Fan’s executive Chinese chef Pak Chee Yit and Johnnie Walker have teamed up to craft an exclusive and delicious pairing menu. Available this month, the menu will be served as part of Tatler’s Blue Vault dinner series, a curation of experiences launched to celebrate our 40th anniversary this October.

For the inaugural event, Yit has whipped up seven dishes comprising signatures and new creations that are rooted in Madame Fan’s east-meets-west culinary philosophy. Yit elaborates that he wanted to “showcase the essence of Cantonese cooking while offering fresh perspectives”, and Johnnie Walker Blue Label’s smooth, velvety flavours and hints of smokiness provided his creations with an extra depth.

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Above Amuse bouche

Johnnie Walker Blue Label smoked live abalone, caviar and goma sauce

Above Signature double-boiled chicken and sea whelk soup

Sit back, relax and witness the chef’s creativity shine, beginning with the amuse-bouche of sweet and spicy deep-fried prawns served on a specially designed platter decorated with the Johnnie Walker logo. It sets the bar high, and Yit doesn’t waver in his next course—the plump abalone imbued with the smokiness of the whisky. It is further enriched with a dollop of briny caviar and a side of goma sauce that is nutty and spicy, with the addition of crushed Sichuan peppercorn.

Yit tells us that the essence of Cantonese cuisine is in its soups. “Nothing brings out the spirit of Cantonese eating more than a well-boiled soup,” he declares, which is why the next dish is the warm and comforting double-boiled chicken soup bobbing with luxe ingredients like sea whelk. Boiled for hours to achieve the desired rich and silky texture, the soup is the only signature on the menu that wasn’t tweaked or paired with whisky so diners will be able to savour a Cantonese classic.

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Above Pineapple pork ribs

It also gives the palate a break before the fork-tender pork ribs. When eaten on their own, the meatiness might be too heavy on the palate, but the chef serves them with zingy pineapple chunks and a rich reduction sauce that retains the whisky’s sweet and velvety profile.

In order to let diners savour the Johnnie Walker Blue Label on its own, the succeeding Chilean sea bass is simply pan-fried until the skin is crisp and the meat succulent, then showered with a refreshing yuzu supreme sauce. It is accompanied by a dram of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and its vanilla creaminess and wisps of peat smoke accent the delicate sweetness of the fish.

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The last savoury course is the inaniwa udon, cooked until it is soft and bathed in an umami-packed and potent Johnnie Walker Blue Label drunken soup. To make it even more indulgent, the chef crowns it with a gigantic prawn. The best way to eat this is to let the noodles absorb all the flavours of the soup before slurping.

Down to the desserts, Yit still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Served lavishly on a platter is the bittersweet dark chocolate ice cream paired with a Johnnie Walker Blue Label-infused lychee mousse crowned with Johnnie Walker’s signature top hat (made of chocolate).

Created to engage all the senses, the inaugural menu of the Blue Vault dinner series will be one of the most memorable meals you will have this year. Shares Yit: “The Blue Label boasts a well-rounded profile and by using different culinary techniques like smoke and infusing, and pairing the dishes with whisky, each course will captivate your senses.”

The Blue Vault dinner series at Madame Fan is available from April 14 to 17 and 21 to 23 April. An advanced reservation of three days is required. For reservations, please call 6818 1921 or email dining.reservations@thencoclub.com.

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johnnie walker blue label madame fan whisky pairing menu cantonese cuisine scotch whisky

Tatler Asia

Johnnie Walker and Madame Fan Team Up for an Exclusive Whisky Pairing Menu