With the first month of 2017 underway, the Creation team has already been up to some exciting innovations and we take pleasure in sharing the latest culinary adventure with you.

Our Swiss friends Cynthia Lauper and Marc Joshua Engel recently visited Creation. Marc is the executive chef at Aux Trois Amis, a restaurant in Schernelz overlooking the lake of Biel in Switzerland where he and Cynthia run the show.

Cynthia, a trained chef and sommelier, manages the front of house. She is the daughter of Daniel Lauper who is an incredible chef, and we have known her since the days she did an internship under Horst Frehse at the Grande Roche in Paarl, South Africa.

Marc completed his practical chef training in the Michelin-starred Falconera restaurant on Lake Constance near the town of Stein am Rhein in Switzerland. “It was clear from the beginning that I would like to learn the craft properly and conscientiously and not to be satisfied with convenient, processed products,” he comments.

Among the highlights of his career has been the time spent in what he calls “one of the best kitchens in New Zealand” – The Larder in Wellington – where he worked as a junior sous chef. “Here I learned what sustainability really means, as well as the respect for food.”

Back in Europe he was employed at the highly-rated Meridiano restaurant in Bern, Switzerland where, according to Marc, he discovered pretty quickly that despite his experience, he still had a lot to learn. “Then I got the opportunity at a newly opened restaurant in Bern (called ‘& Söhne’) to take over the whole kitchen and was able to do my own thing.”

In June 2016 Marc and his friends Cynthia and Daniel Lauper took over Aux Trois Amis where he constantly strives “to expand my guests’ culinary horizons with new interpretations”.

Creation of course is renowned for catering for a variety of dietary and lifestyle preferences and during his visit Marc was kind enough to share some of his vegan secrets with the Creation Culinary Team. This resulted in an exciting and delightful menu with each course beautifully paired with a Creation wine.

The starter was an irresistible homemade falafel consisting among others of red lentils, silken tofu and dukkha spices. The deep-fried, flavourful puffs were served with some avocado salt, lemon juice, pomegranate, lemon rind, sumac and fresh herbs. Paired with the Creation Syrah, Grenache it was a true winner!

Vegans, delight!

The main course consisted of shiitake and king oyster mushrooms, deep-fried aubergine with some pickled beetroot and raw cauliflower. It was served with a delectable reduction of vegetable stock, shiitake and king oyster mushrooms and soy sauce. The Creation Pinot Noir proved to be the perfect pairing.

Then there was the scrumptious dessert: chia seeds (said to be among the healthiest foods on the planet) soaked in coconut cream with coconut sugar … chocolate mousse consisting of avocado and cocoa powder … fresh berries, seeds and dried cranberries on top. A superb sweet and savoury treat magnificently complemented by the Creation Chardonnay.