“When it comes to Italian cuisine, it’s all about the ingredients,” says chef Cristina Bowerman when I met her for a hands-on cooking session at The Datai Langkawi.
It’s difficult to remember why I signed up for this when I could have easily used this time to laze by the pool with a perfectly chilled coconut in hand. We are, after all, in The Datai Langkawi, the most beautiful island resort in this part of the world. But when the opportunity to be tutored by one of the most celebrated figures in Italian cuisine arises, it would be silly to say no, even if it meant forfeiting some time idling in the sun.
We are making a simple Italian dish: handmade pasta with fresh tomato sauce. Sounds easy enough, but there’s a catch. The pasta we’ll be making is the orecchiette or “little ears”, typically used in dishes with chunky sauces and a rather advanced pasta variety for a novice.
Chef Cristina Bowerman at The Datai Cooking Class.
Bowerman explains how the success of the dish comes down to the consistency of the pasta dough and it doesn’t really matter if you don’t get the shape right (thankfully!) as long as the pasta serves as a kind of “bucket” to hold the sauce. While she inspects my amateur kneading skills, it’s easy to tell that she is a no-nonsense chef with a sharp eye for detail.
Chef Cristina Bowerman is one of the latest critically acclaimed names to take part in The Datai’s Chef-fe series. Born in Cerignola, Puglia, Italy, Bowerman studied law and eventually ventured to the States to live in San Francisco.
Her love for food was inspired while residing in the States and it was the multi-faceted culture she would later discover in Texas, where she was based for several years, that influenced her culinary style. Attending Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Texas, she went on to work at prestigious restaurants such as Driskill Grill.
Bowerman returned to Italy in 2004. Soon after, she became the head chef of Cuoco A Domicilio and later Glass Hostaria. In 2010, she was awarded a Michelin star and was recently honoured by Il Gusto as the Ambassador of Italian cuisine in the world, receiving the award in the category including three other Michelin-starred chefs.
While I could tell Bowerman was not entirely impressed with the results of my oddly-shaped orecchiette, I was looking forward to switching sides, as I had the opportunity to sample her exclusive Chef-fe Series dinner menu later that evening.
Held at The Datai’s The Dining Room, overlooking the Andaman Sea, it’s only fitting that a constant theme of the menu tonight is seafood. Starting with three delicate amuse bouche: the oyster with tarragon pesto and lime granite made for a tangy opening note.
Taco filled with lettuce, crème fraîche and sea snails.
Next, a delicious ravioli filled with tuna tartare and bonito in a tomato cold broth and lastly, a taco filled with lettuce, creme fraiche and sea snails – a subtle nod to Chef Bowerman’s Texan years.
True to her style, the menu presents modern touches to classic Italian cuisine. The orzotto pasta with Juncu cheese with mixed peppercorns and black truffle is one such dish that solidifies her expertise in this area.
Orzotto pasta with Juncu cheese, mixed peppercons and black truffle.
Whereas, the marinated amberjack sashimi with red beet miso, coconut milk, green curry and jicama dish is no doubt influenced by Bowerman’s visit to The Datai’s on-site herb garden. It’s an unusual blend of Asian herbs and spices combined with the Italian cooking philosophy of using the simplest ingredients to bring out extraordinary flavours.
For the mains: the wagyu prime loin, tamarind demi-glace, yam with crispy lotus root and banana oxtail foam is simple and smart and is a delightful play of Western and Asian ingredients. As for dessert, the passion fruit pannacotta with dulce de leche and popcorn ice cream brings an unexpected playful twist to an otherwise stately presentation.
Wagyu prime loin, tamarind demi-glace, yam with crispy lotus root and banana oxtail foam.
This unpredictable quality is part of Bowerman’s approach, where each dish brings something delicious, surprising and smart. “I learnt not to be afraid to be a woman in a professional field, including the kitchen,” says Bowerman on her success. “It’s taken me years to succeed, and I still continue to have no fear. We don’t want riches; we reinvest everything back into the business. Ultimately, I wish to be a role model for women in the kitchen.”
No doubt, she has certainly inspired me to give the orecchiette another try.
