An Evening With Chef Emmanuel Stroobant & U.S Potatoes

 Let's just all admit it : we have a die-hard love for potatoes! As Malaysians, there seems to be a potato dish at any meal in any household on any given day! Think about it, we have hash browns in the morning during breakfast, some mashed potatoes during lunch with some fried chicken, a bag of potato crisps as snacks, chunks of potatoes in our curry dinner, and maybe some french fries for supper/yimcha sessions/beer time.

That's pretty much why it is so darn important to have quality potatoes when having them! So, the next time you're at the supermarket, pick up some USA Potatoes. Potatoes USA is the marketing organization for the 2,500 commercial potato growers operating in the United States.  They promote five main good quality potato products: fresh table-stock potatoes, fresh chipping potatoes, seed potatoes, frozen potato products and dehydrated potato products.

As proof that the humble potato can also be a star ingredient in a world-class restaurant or even in your own home, is Chef Emmanuel Stroobant!

Born in Belgium, he took a chance in 1997 and decided to make Kuala Lumpur his first stop and after a few years of grueling hard work, he was awarded the "1999 Best Expatriate Chef' by World Asia Media.It will be in that same year, Chef Emmanuel and his wife Edina move to Singapore to open their first restaurant that will become a Michelin star restaurant and the only Singapore member of the world renown Relais & Chateaux- a prestigious association of the world's finest hotels and restaurants.

Here in Shangrila Resort, Kota Kinabalu, he showcased his culinary skill, wit, humor and love for food. Demonstrating in detail how he would use USA potatoes as the main ingredient for 4 dishes.
Let's get to it!

US Potato Wedges with Ikura

Eggs Benedict with Hashbrown

Us Potato with Caviar

US Russet Potato Salad with Squid

Stunning in execution, presentation and taste! Loved how Chef Stroobant was able to explain and describe each dish he made with such enthusiasm and passion! I was definitely a believer now that something as simple as a US Potato can really bring a dish to another level and boy, am i ready to impress my friends and family during the next dinner hosted in my home!

It's pretty sad to know that potatoes have had such a bad rep in recent years as a food item to avoid while on a diet or on a journey to healthier eating habits. Consultant Dietitian and founder/owner of Indra Balaratnam Nutrition, gave a insightful talk on all the nutritional benefits of US Potatoes!

Did you know that potatoes are a rich source of iron and vitamin C? They give just as much energy as a banana too! It's a pretty eye-opening talk that Indra gave us, totally debunked so many myths that surrounded the potato.

Thank you to the good people of USA Potatoes! It was an enjoyable and educational night on a misunderstood vegetable. I can't wait to experiment with new recipes with my bag of USA Potatoes!