Chef Pino Sees Red at Tosca The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

At The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, Michelin-starred Chef Pino Lavarra looks to his homeland for tasteful inspirations for a menu that creatively uses ten specially imported varieties from Southern Italy. Click here for high-resolution version

HONG KONG, CHINA--(Marketwired - Aug 5, 2014) - Pomodoro, a.k.a. tomato, is considered by the chef as both a fruit and a vegetable. A variation of the word, pomo d'oro, is the Italian term for "golden apple." At The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, Michelin-starred Chef Pino Lavarra looks to his homeland for tasteful inspirations for a menu that creatively uses ten specially imported varieties from Southern Italy. The "All About Tomato" menu is available at Tosca from August 6 to September 30, 2014. From the amuse-bouche through the dessert, Chef Pino will have you thinking about tomatoes in a colorful new light.

"Tomatoes were originally native to South America and had always been considered as a fruit until they were introduced to the chefs in Italy. Then we started using them as a vegetable," said Chef Pino. "Without a doubt, tomato has been a principal ingredient for Italian cuisine, somewhat similar to soy sauce for Chinese cuisine, in my opinion. Many are amazed by the fact of the tomato having every color of the rainbow except for blue, but I am also intrigued by the variety of tastes and shapes of the different parts of a tomato - skin, flesh, seeds, juice, and when accompanied by the right ingredients, they reveal many amazing forms and textures as well as flavor pairings."

The menu starts with Chef Pino's homemade 24-karat gold tomato as amuse-bouche, followed by a choice of starter, Tomato-Coated Buffalo Mozzarella with Truffle Caviar or a delightful and tasteful mix of fruit and vegetable, Cold Tomato and Strawberry Soup with Smoked Herrings. Pasta course features San Marzano Tomato Risotto with Veal Sweet Bread or Stuffed Gnocchi with Tomato Seed Jam. Main course spotlights Crispy Scorpion Fish on Clear Tomato Water and Sour Neapolitan Vegetable Salad, complemented by the sensational dessert Cheesecake with Tomato Jelly and Lemon Curd.

The "All About Tomato" is priced at HK$1,280+10% per guest (four courses) or HK$1,480+10% per guest (five courses) or HK$1,680+10% per guest (six courses). The menu is available from 6pm to 10:30pm (Monday to Sunday) from August 6 to September 30, 2014. For full menu, please refer to the appendix.

For reservations and inquiries, please contact Restaurant Reservations at +852 2263-2270 or email restaurantreservation.hk@ritzcarlton.com.

Chef Pino Lavarra
Hailing from Italy to helm Tosca at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, two-star Michelin Chef Pino Lavarra has a wealth of experience working in renowned hotels and restaurants around the globe. His gastronomic talents have earned him prestigious recognition including "One of the Best Chefs in the World" by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. Tosca was honored with one Michelin star only eight months after Chef Pino took over as director. Chef Pino, Cucina d'autore extraordinaire, presents Italian cuisine in an innovative style, creating a gastronomic memory at Tosca that will last a lifetime.

About The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
Occupying floors 102 to 118 of the International Commerce Centre in Kowloon, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong is the highest hotel in the world, with 312 guest rooms all providing spectacular city and harbour views. Six dining venues include state-of-the-art designer Italian restaurant Tosca, Michelin-starred Chinese Restaurant Tin Lung Heen and The Lounge and Bar that serves a signature afternoon tea. The rooftop bar, Ozone, is a truly stunning venue at 490 meters above sea level. For those wishing to relax and indulge, The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA, located on 116th floor, features nine deluxe treatment rooms and two couple's suites, re-defining the urban spa experience in the city and across Asia. The hotel features a fully-equipped fitness centre and an indoor pool on the 118th floor with a 28m x 7m LED screen on the ceiling. The hotel also boasts one of the largest ballrooms in the city at 870sqm. Complemented by an additional four meeting rooms, it has fast become the new social centre for Hong Kong and has set the benchmark for events in the region. For more information, please visit www.ritzcarlton.com/HongKong.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 86 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, an award that originated in 1987. Its purpose is to promote the awareness of quality excellence, recognize quality achievements of companies and publicize successful quality strategies. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company won the award in 1992 and 1999. For more information or reservations, contact a travel professional, or visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR).

APPENDIX

All About Tomato Menu

Amuse-bouche homemade 24-karat gold tomato

• • • • • • • • • • •

Tomato coated buffalo mozzarella with mozzarella pearls dressing, and truffle caviar

or

Cold tomato and strawberry soup, smoked herrings
sugar cookies and soya milk mayonnaise

• • • • • • • • • • •

San Marzano tomato risotto with caramelized pancetta bacon and veal sweet bread

or

Stuffed gnocchi served in cold Parmigiano broth
tomato seed, dried pesto and baby basil

• • • • • • • • • • •

Crispy scorpion fish served in clear tomato water
anchovy emulsion and sour Neapolitan vegetables salad

• • • • • • • • • • •

Cheese cake with tomato jelly, bay leaf ice cream and lemon curd

• • • • • • • • • • •

Petits fours and coffee or tea

4 courses HK$1280
5 courses HK$1480
6 courses HK$1680

All prices are in HK$ and subject to 10% service charge