A Perennial Feast celebrates a triple win at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2013

Singapore, December 27, 2013

To conclude an exciting year for YTL Hotels, A Perennial Feast, the Malaysian hospitality group’s culinary coffee table book, emerged triumphant as a country winner in three award categories at the annual Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2013. A Perennial Feast won Best Entertainment Cookbook, Best Corporate Cookbook and Best Cookbook Photography in Malaysia. The book showcases the culinary excellence that is best exemplified by YTL’s hotels, resorts and restaurants worldwide.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards began 18 years ago. Books can be submitted for competition by anyone: authors, publishers or even readers. The Jury decides in which categories those books would compete. The winner in each country will proceed to compete against winners in the same category from other countries for The Best in the World. The results will be announced on May 20-21, 2014 at the annual Awards event which will take place in Beijing during the first Beijing Cookbook Fair held from May 19-21, 2014. 187 countries participated in the Awards this year.

Published by Talisman Publishing, A Perennial Feast was a natural progression from the spa and nature-inspired books YTL Hotels had previously published. Authored by Ms Kim Inglis, this book takes the reader on a gastronomic journey from Malaysia to Japan and China, and all the way to Europe. Beginning in Malaysia, the heart and home of the YTL Group, it showcases island resorts, city heritage hotels and restaurants, all the while providing an overview of Malay cuisine. Recipes for traditional Malay fare are combined with some East meets West fusion food and innovative seafood dishes. The book then branches further afield into the snowy landscape of Hokkaido and the cityscape of modern Shanghai, whilst exploring both recipes and cuisines from Japan and China. Sections on Indonesia, Thailand, England and France follow – showcasing not just the cuisine but also the iconic properties in full colour photography by Danish photographer, Jacob Termansen, which further enhances the reading experience.

Food enthusiasts will savour the finest in gastronomy recommendations with sustainable ingredients and preparation styles which range from simple to complex. At-home chefs will find the carefully researched signature dishes, as selected by the Group’s celebrated chefs de cuisine for authenticity, taste and visual appeal, easy to recreate in their own kitchens. The book is simply much more than a restaurant review or a recipe collection.

“It is a privilege for us to be bestowed such a distinguished recognition by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Our vision of fulfilling a series of uniquely crafted coffee table books has come true and we aspire to publish more books for avid readers and travellers in the future”, offers Dato’ Mark Yeoh, executive director, YTL Hotels.   

Author Ms Inglis says, “The awards are very prestigious and a testament to YTL’s commitment to producing a quality product, whether it is in their hotels and restaurants or in their books. I am very proud to have been part of the team.”

A Perennial Feast is available at the following bookstores in Malaysia - Kinokuniya, Borders, MPH Bookstores, Times the Bookshop, WH Smith, and major bookstores in Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom. The book is priced at MYR125 per copy.