FOOD & DRINK
DAREN LIEW INTRODUCES ‘ NEW ASIA ’ CUISINE CONCEPT TO THE SOUTH COAST
The South Coast has a new fine dining destination , with the opening of Southeast Asian restaurant , Blue Jasmine , in the heart of Southampton .
The kitchen is headed up by Executive Chef , Daren Liew , who has decades of experience in London and Asia , having previously worked with prestigious venues such as the Hakkasan Group , Duddell ’ s and the Mandarin Oriental .
Daren ’ s ‘ New Asia ’ concept is based on authentic Southeast Asian cuisine , pairing ingredients from Malaysia , China and Thailand with top-quality local produce and elevating each dish with unique flavour combinations , like his Hampshire pork belly with orange and white chocolate .
This theme also translates through to the Asian-inspired cocktails , which Daren developed with a mixologist to pair with his ‘ To Taste ’ menu – smaller tapas-like dishes for guests seeking a lighter meal . These include Japanese whiskies and plum and yuzu sakes , complementing dishes like turmeric chilli octopus and blue swimmer crab salad .
Furthermore , Daren worked closely with a sommelier to match an extensive range of fine wines with his menu , further enhancing the flavour notes .
Daren explained , “ In creating Blue Jasmine ’ s menu , and developing the New Asia concept , I ’ ve returned to my Malaysian roots , serving our guests many of the flavours I grew up enjoying .
160 The Art of Luxury Issue 45 2020