Minus 8, A special treats from Blu, Shangri-la Hotel Singapore

On Tuesday (26th Jun 2012), me and my wife went to the Blu Restaurant, Shangri-la Hotel Singapore for my wife's early birthday dinner celebration (our annual "ritual"). The reason why we have it much earlier is because the fine dinning restaurant, Blu that we frequent is going to close down for good (what a shame!).

This being our last fine dinning there, it was also one of the best fine dinning experience we have had (in Singapore, at least). On top of the knowledgeable and top-notch hospitality of the waiting staffs (always serve with a homely smile), there are wave upon wave of surprises hit us like lighting, the personalized birthday card, the martini treats and the best of all, a special invite to the kitchen (yes, you heard it right) to have our mother of all surprises of the night: A special treats from chef Kelvin Chia called Minus 8.

It's a mix of science and dessert preparation! Minus 8 is actually a small strip of chocolate with mint flavor, covered with marsh-mallow. It was dipped into a pot of -110 degree C liquid Nitrogen. Chef Kelvin reminded us that once he lift up the Minus 8, we need to consume it in one mouth. The coldness of Nitrogen transformed the marsh-mallow into crispy pieces that melt inside our mouth and the lingering after-taste of mint made us a pair of very happy customer.

Bad news is that not many people will have the chance to experience this little magic of Chef Kelvin but hope that our next visit to Shangri-la Hotel will be hit will another wave of surprises! 

Well done and thank you Chef Kelvin for this special surprise!

Following are some photos taken while we are at Blu:

Taken before the dinner

Magic hands of Chef Kelvin carefully dipping Minus 8 inside the pot of Nitrogen

The little magic called "Minus 8"

Chef Kelvin Chia and my lovely wife

My wife and me after the satisfying dinning experience

Cheers!            

Your Blue Ocean Strategy In Life

A few weeks ago, during the townhall meeting conducted by my company's CEO, he mentioned about the Blue Ocean Strategy in business context. "Blue Ocean Strategy" is a popular business strategy that aimed not to out-perform the competition in the existing industry, but to create new market space or a blue ocean, thereby making the competition irrelevant.

In short, in order to survive in the longer run, you need to constantly find or create new market(s) instead of "fighting" with the competitors on the existing market. For example, Apple's iPod or iTunes, Amazon's online business are some of the well known product of the Blue Ocean Strategy... This has set me thinking about our personal life i.e. can we not apply the Blue Ocean Strategy to our personal life?

I am aware that life is not like market whereby you can choose the familiar market to begin with (i.e. your choice of industry, products or services). We can't choose how/where to start our life, however, I believed that we are free to change the path/course of our life to our desired destination. So, if you equate the market of business = path/direction of your life, I am sure you can find some similarity in the strategy in preparing for your business as well as for your life!

Of course, Blue Ocean Strategy comprises of many tools, frameworks or methodologies that are applicable only to the business environment, but the key is we need to think out of the box, not only in business environment but also in our personal life! Open your mindset and not to be stereotyped by your experiences or existing knowledge... as my CEO always said "The best is yet to come".




So, why not create your own Blue Ocean (in life) instead of just living in a river or sea! I am sure you folks know what I meant! ;-)

Cheers!

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