Menu of a princess

The menu created for the wedding of Sweden’s Princess Madeleine was served again for the first time, and we enjoyed every mouthful.  The event was organized by the top luxury hotel chain One&Only Resorts, Mazagan Beach Resort and Atlantis the Palm, Dubai, and was held at restaurant Operakällaren in Stockholm.

The dinner was a treat for the Kerzner resorts' top partners in the travel industry.  I sat at the main table with Select Collection colleagues in good company.


With Saskia Schuller
Director, International Leisure Sales
Atlantis The Palm, Dubai

 

Select colleagues Neil Bedford
and Max Albrechtsson

Eva Hylander with Stephan Killinger

Managing Director, Mazagan Golf & Beach Resort

 

In splendid setting at Café Opera



Fine dining

 

Mingling

 

With Max, Saskia Schuller and Fredrik

The chef explains that the Royal Wedding menu
is being served with special permission

Starters - a plate of flavours from local produce
 ("L'assiette: Mets aux saveurs des
produits du terroir du pays")

The following courses were served: all from the menu at the wedding on 8 June between Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill:

• Skagen on crispy rye bread, bleakroe cone with wasabi, gratinated matured Swedish cheese tarlette, creamy baked farm egg with smoked cod roe

• Slowly baked salmon with white and green asparagus, salmon roe and tomato concassé

• Mustard gratinated fillet of veal from Holmbergs farm with roasted spring carrots and cauliflower, crispy onion and cider sauce

• Wild strawberrie Pavlova a la Operkällaren

Timeless London

Café Royal in elegant Regent Street. Embracing the deep traditions of the Empire and newer influences, this hotel showcases sumptuous Louis XVI ballrooms, along with trendy meeting places. It was a centre for London society way back in the 1800s, and its famous guests run from Rudyard Kipling and Winston Churchill to Mick Jagger and David Bowie…

After closure for extensive renovations the new Café Royal hotel opened in December 2012.

Always on the lookout for hotels for our Collection, I had an enjoyable visit to Café Royal, and felt its charm and history …

Met by Rachel Smith

And taken back in time…

Original staircase

 

Ballroom with sumptuous details

Old charm along with contemporary comforts...



Junior suite

Regent suite

Great mix of contemporary and old

Here we had a delicious meal...

Lovely meal at The Ten - Dover sole

...and halibut

A place to meet and sip wonderful beverages...

The Cafe - embracing old and new

 

Honoured guests...

I have just received these lovely images from the pre-opening evening of Coba, Stockholm's new Mexican restaurant. The first is a picture of His Excellency Mr Jorge Lomonaco Ambassador of Mexico with his wife  Mrs Claudia Campbell.

We were honoured that the Ambassador said words of welcome to declare the restaurant open.

The other image is of my son Jonatan and me; he was remarkably calm despite the excitement of opening his own restaurant.

The newsletter of Quintessentially Scandinavia also spreads the word about Jonatan’s Mexican restaurant. Quintessentially is a highly exclusive members-only concierge service that offers the ultimate in knowledge on where to dine around the world, and gives other assistance to members as part of its luxury lifestyle management service in 65 countries.

Mexican flavours at Coba

“COBA is the latest addition to Stockholm’s superb food scene. Behind the scenes of this Mexican restaurant is a mother-son duo - Leija Graf, a renowned travel industry entrepreneur and her son Jonatan," explains the Quntessentially newsletter, continuing:

"During their many visits to Mexico and Los Angeles, they have collected inspiration and recipes for sophisticated Mexican cuisine, where close attention is paid to the produce and heritage of the Yucatan peninsula.

With a stunning interior, designed by Alexander Lundfeld and Jim Grundström from Oscar & Clothilde, this exciting new establishment will be premiering at the beginning of June when the doors open in Birger Jarlsgatan 44."

As one of the exciting developments at Select Collection, our valued clients can enjoy the perfect extension to luxury lifestyle: when on holiday they can use our concierge services at the destination in cooperation with Quintessentially.

Note Coba opens on 5 June.

Coba in action

Exciting. Jonatan's restaurant Coba opens to the public on 5 June, but we have already had a pre-opening evening. The whole team rose to the occasion to delight our first invited guests...

Jonatan as host

Chefs in action

Compliments of the chef: Tostada with
 Grasshopper served with Orange and
Mescal (tequila)

Very happy evening

Together with Juan Pablo and Edgar, two great chefs
from Maroma (Orient-Express, Mexico).

Jonatan and his girlfriend Louise

Coba is at Birger Jarlsgatan 44. It's all about quality ingredients, authentic and creative Mexican food and a great ambience...

Ready to go...

All ready for the first invited guests tonight, Restaurant Coba is alive with Mexican feel and aromas. At number 44 in Birger Jarlsgatan in the heart of Stockholm, my son Jonatan’s dream of a contemporary Mexican restaurant is being realized. While the chefs have created authentic yet creative flavours to enchant the palate, the decorators have done a great job.

We are more than pleased...

The décor is sophisticated yet playful; warm and inviting yet discreet. It plays with the fabled past and modern vibrant Mexico.  And is full of little surprises…

...even here in this little room exotic colour greets you 

Upstairs - chairs to invite total surrender
to the charms of the menu

Artwork by Jenni Porkka lines the staircase
up to the dining area

Yet another installation full of imagination and playfulness

Cool...really cool place for just being
 great scene for after work

...and more light-hearted art on the walls

In the background two gifted chefs from Orient Express hotel Maroma on Rivera Maya in Mexico have worked on creative flavours especially for the opening, while our head chef Manu Arriaga is making culinary magic and a menu to awaken appetites.

I won’t say more today. Stockholm people have  a chance to try this exciting addition to the city’s dining scene when the restaurant opens to the public on  5 June.

Coba opens soon

My son Jonatan's restaurant Coba opens soon in Stockholm, offering a contemporary Mexican taste experience. Here is the logo...

And the team is ready to go, full of passion...

At Birger Jarlsgatan 44 there are not many days left to the opening. The last touches of the decor are being perfected, the wine list getting its final polish, the chefs cooking up and tasting their own masterpieces. The intimate locale is full of the aromas of Mexican spices and furnished with remarkably comfy chairs just waiting  to enfold the first guests. The walls may still lack decoration, but all will come with time.

Jonatan's love of Mexican goes back to his babyhood. I headed around the world with Jonatan soon after birth. And so over the years he experienced not just the world’s best hotels and resorts but also the cultures and cuisines of  exotic destinations.

In his preschool days  he was already excited about Mexico as a country, and Quesadillas, Tacos and Nachos in particular. We were on a constant search for the perfect Tacos - a soft tortilla baked with 100% Maize meal, enlivened with fillings that exploded with taste.

Gradually it dawned that there was a new approach to Mexican fare out there, both in Mexico and Los Angeles. Presented with flair and aspiration, this is Mexican with loving care for the raw ingredients, finding the perfect way to sear tuna, create home made tortillas, mix luscious guacamole.

Meanwhile back in Sweden the contrast was only too obvious.  Hard baked mass-produced tacos shells filled with fried mince, basic (soapy) cheese and supermarket salsa. Now this deprivation is over...

Coba's Tacos and the other joys on the menu are from Mexican celebrity chef Manu Arriaga. Born and bred in Mexico city, his CV  includes several restaurants awarded stars in the Michelin guide. In honor of the opening Coba has also flown in two cooks from Orient Express hotel Maroma on Riviera Maya in Mexico. Head chef Juan Pablo Loza and Sous-chef Edgar Chavez will be making guest appearances on the opening nights.

Diners at Coba will enjoy a contemporary Mexican taste experience with roots in the cuisine's authentic origins yet open to inspiration from the  New World.

Jonatan sums up the restaurant philosophy:

'Love and respect for the  raw ingredients is vital. The dishes served should feel authentic, innovative, and full of quality.'

Invited journalists will sample the flavours of Mexico on Thursday 30 May at 1200.

In the evening of 30 May an opening for invited guests will be attended by His Excellency Mr Jorge Lomonaco, Ambassador of Mexico.

The restaurant will be open to the general public on 5 June.

About the head chef
Manu Arriaga the head chef has an infectiously happy personality.  He grew up in Mexico and has considerable experience from a number of restaurants in the Michelin Guide. He has been employed among others by Zortziko in Bilbao, Kursaal Restaurant by Martin Berasategui in San Sebastian and Marques de Riscal Hotel designed by Frank Ghery.

Top luxury invitation

With warm generosity, Four Seasons invited everyone at Select headquarters in Stockholm out to a great evening on Tuesday at Nosh & Chow, a classy dining haven a few steps from our offices.

This was a thank you for our excellent sales of Four Seasons hotels and resorts. Four Seasons suits our customers down to the last perfect detail, as the luxury chain is so remarkably consistent in its high levels of service, and everything else that makes a hotel utterly desirable.

With Jean-Pierre Soutric and Maud Licari 

Jean-Pierre is Vice President Corporate and Travel Industry Sales, Europe, and Maud is Account Director Travel Industry, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

The Select team gathered as guests of Four Seasons
at Nosh & Chow

 

On Tuesday night we had our own private area – in fact our own bar – at Nosh & Chow.
With three varieties of wine came the most delicious salmon wraps with apple and new potatoes. And for me alone something special – Pinot Noir…

Thank you Four Seasons. We love being pampered, the way we pamper our customers …

 

With MO in Stockholm

We were invited to have a lovely meal with Mandarin Oriental at a very Swedish gourmet haven in Stockholm – Frantzen.

Here together with Ambar Franco,
Regional Director of Sales for
UK and Scandinavia

 

Our MD Fredrik Ottosson together with Helena Suarez,
Director of Leisure Sales Mandarin Oriental Group

Helena made a speech to update us and thank us for good business. Mandarin Oriental sales to Scandinavia are going well, sales to Sweden particularly well, and to Select exceptionally well...

And yes, the food was great – all 7 courses, among which were…

Lobster with peas, mint and pistachio

...and this - so good - it's empty already! 

The Oyster with seaweed, elder flower, walnut and cream was so delicious I forgot to take the picture before eating…

Our Norwegian future

Beautiful posters mark the spot of our next big venture in Norway, Select Collection's new office in oil capital Stavanger.

Stavanger is the fastest growing city in Europe. Here the average salary is 650 000 NOK (86 000 EUR) per year. It 's a perfect launching point for luxury travel - with non-stop flights to 40 destinations...

Informing who we are...

Our office will open on 12 August. It is in a beautiful street level boutique on the most upscale shopping street. Next door neighbors include Acne, Lexington, L'occitane, Tommy Hilfiger and more.

Office manager will be Petra Humppila Nordbø. Petra has a long experience in the travel and hospitality industry, most recently as the manager of Berg-Hansen in Stavanger (one of Norway’s largest corporate travel agents).

Norway has shown excellent results since we opened our first office in Oslo. And this move will be great for the whole company, adding volume and buying power ...

VVIP – and Very Happy

It makes me so happy when our customers are more than satisfied with their holidays. Our treasured clients Roger and Lena Löf are lyrical about their long holiday in New Zealand and Australia, which was arranged as usual with their dedicated travel consultant Ulrika (also our sales manager). Luxury at every level...



Lena & Roger Lof travel with us extensively
Silversea is one of their favourites

On their latest trip the couple had fantastic itineraries that included charming boutique hotels, TOP service, and an amazing  train ride on the South Island through spectacular alpine scenery. Their guide then took them onto a mountain where you could see wilderness for miles and miles – set up table and chairs and served a delicious lunch.
It was mostly a self-drive itinerary including GPS (a must). Every time they drove up to a hotel the whole staff was there to greet them, take care of their car and make them feel immediately at home.

Roger & Lena got the most stunning rooms at all the hotels, one with a bathroom of 40 sqm with a fireplace inside. After each hotel they thought it could not get any better -  but it did!



Huka Lodge

One of their favorites was Huka Lodge – which is a must when you travel in NZ.

 

Here are some other highlights:

On North Island...

Auckland – city of sails – the new Sofitel

Bay of Islands – picturesque scenery and charming towns:

Eagles’s Nest

Rotorua – Maori culture and thermal landscapes:

 

Treetops Lodge

Palliser Bay – rural landscape and total luxury:

 

Wharekaukau Country Estate

 

Nelson – city of sunshine near stunning Abel Tasman National Park:

Eden House

On South Island...

Christchurch – historic garden city:

 

 Otahuna Lodge

 

Queenstown – Lake Wakatipu ringed by Alps:

 

Eichard’s Private Hotel

Western Australia

Perth – carefree Mediterranean style city – The Richardson

Margaret River – picturesque winelands – Cape Lodge

Every itinerary at Select is tailor made - so just talk to us about your dream trip "down under" or anywhere else you want...

 

 

Our coming Collection

Yes it is time again. Planning our next Select Collection 2014-2016, to be launched in March next year.

We have now finalized a  wonderful venue for the launch in Finland, Fiskartorpet.  It's a legendary place, old and very charming, beautifully located by the water. I love the idea as Fiskartorpet was the ultimate place for celebrations during my childhood in Helsinki.

Above: I was at Fiskartorpet on the First of May this year
for a traditional celebration

Apart from Finland, there will also be grand launches of the new Select Collection in Norway and Sweden.

We are working hard to compete with our gorgeous existing brochure Select Collection 2012-2014:

Our luscious signature brochure -
our current Collection

For a quick electronic peep inside our existing brochure, click here.

Meanwhile its back to work for me, choosing my next Collection of top hotels and resorts worldwide...