Two award-winning culinary talents to join Singapore Airlines International Culinary Panel

Restaurateur-chefs Matthew Moran of Sydney and Alfred Portale of New York City, two award-winning culinary talents are to join Singapore Airlines International Culinary Panel (ICP) from 1 April 2003.

"The ICP is a constantly evolving body, designed to reflect the diversity of excellence in cuisine around the world, and to satisfy the demands of an increasingly sophisticated traveller," said SIA's Senior Vice-President, Product and Services Mr Yap Kim Wah.

"We are always on the look out for chefs who can work with the panel to build on its achievements and add to the variety of the menus onboard."

Mr Moran and Mr Portale will join Satish Arora (India), Georges Blanc (France), Yoshihiro Murata (Japan), Nancy Oakes (USA), Gordon Ramsay  (UK) and Yeung Koon Yat (Hong Kong) in creating a tantalizing array of dishes that reflect the contemporary style of cuisine in their respective countries and to provide expert advice on the latest dining trends around the world. ICP meals are served in all first and raffles (business) class and select economy class routes.

As the ICP welcomes chefs Mr Moran and Mr Portale, two members, David Burke and Dietmar Sawyere will be leaving the panel on 31 March 2003. Mr  Burke and Mr Sawyere have been with the ICP panel since its inception and have made significant contributions. Their specially created ICP dishes have been popular with customers and will continue to be featured on the Airline's menus.

The International Culinary Panel was first formed in 1998 to offer SIA passengers more contemporary and exciting choices in inflight cuisine.

Matthew James Moran

Commencing his career at age 15, Matthew Moran gained experience in some of Sydney's finest restaurants before taking the leap at age 22 to open  his own restaurant, the Paddington Inn Bistro. As Head Chef, he also became the youngest chef to be awarded One Chef's Hat in the influential Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.

Mr Moran went on to open Morans Restaurant and Café in 1995, and the famed Aria Restaurant in 1999. He also co-owned and managed bonne  femme in 1998. Along the way he garnered a list of awards that included the "Best New Restaurant" award for Morans in the Sydney Morning Herald  Good Food Guide in 1996, the Two Chef's Hats rating in 1998 for Morans, and again in 2000 for Aria.

Mr Moran's food is inspired by his passion for sourcing the finest seasonal produce available to achieve a flavoursome, balanced and premium menu  that is all at once eclectic, skilled and unpretentious - contemporary Australian cooking at its best.

Alfred Portale

When Alfred Portale crafted his first menu for the Gotham Bar and Grill in 1985, the unprecedented and sophisticated playfulness that he introduced soon established him as one of the pioneers of New American Cuisine.  Since then he has become a United States dining institution, and Gotham Bar and Grill has earned an unprecedented four consecutive three-star reviews from The New York Times, among other accolades.

Mr Portale who graduated first in his class from the Culinary Institute of America in 1981, continues to create revolutionary new dishes today, earning him much national and international recognition. In 1993 he was  rated the Best Chef in New York by the James Beard Foundation, while his restaurant Gotham Bar and Grill received the James Beard San Pellegrino Outstanding Restaurant Award in America in 2002.

To share his recipes, he published the Gotham Bar and Grill Cookbook in 1997. Three years later, Mr Portale sequeled his effort with 12 Seasons Cookbook to rave reviews.