Restocracy

My Name is PHURSANG LAMA and I was born in Nepal with Lama (Buddies monk) family. And I did not became a monk because my father was in the Nepalese army, where he served the nation for 30 years. After my high school, I worked as a cook’s assistant in Thamel, a popular tourist destination of Kathmandu Nepal, in a Japanese café. It was then when I realized that’s what I wanted, and then I joined the Kathmandu culinary diploma school at Shangri-la tourist & hotel training centers.

My journey as a chef began more than 13 years ago in different international hospitality industry sites. My first job was at “The station pup & cafe”, as a kitchen helper, in 2004. After this job I decided to do my own local business at Kathmandu, where I kept my business till 2007. I got the chance to work as a pre-opening team commis III at Amwaj Rotana Resort Jumeirah Beach for a year, which is the best hotel chain in The Middle East. After another year I moved to a different property of the same group, namely Al Ain Rotana Hotel, as a commis II in the best all day dinning restaurant from 2009 to 2010.

I joined Intercontinental hotel Abu Dhabi as a Japanese cook since in 2010, stayed there by 2012. Here I had the chance to work with many celebrity chefs, like the Japanese celebrity chef Hal Yamashita and the Thai celebrity chef Iankittichai. Then I move to Grand Millennium Al Wanda Abu Dhabi in 2012, as a chef de partie with the Asian restaurant Toshi, which was shortlisted top 5 Japanese restaurants by the Time Out Awards Abu Dhabi. I got a new challenge again, to open a new restaurant in Abu Dhabi, Sushi Maru Japanese Restaurant, working there as the head chef until 2015.

A great opportunity arises when Yokari Fine Dining Japanese Restaurant, a contemporary Japanese cuisine famous restaurant, invited me to join as a sous-chef. Remained there until the 8th of September 2017, when I came to Romania to take the Asian Chef de Cuisine role and open the Ginger Restaurant with the Radisson Blue Hotel in Bucharest. Until the pandemic closed it, in July 2020…

My story turns to love about my new country. Naturally beautiful, cultured, with friendly people and a cuisine which definitely conquered me. That is why I considered myself lucky when I got a call from The “Domeniul Manasia”! Now I am it’s head chef and feel great!

To become a Chef is not necessarily a matter of time. It takes passion, patience and love in this job. And we have to experience the chaos of the kitchen for many years before becoming a real chef. There are a lot of different ingredients for different dishes in different cuisines, but my main ingredient in the plate is where I put my love. According to my culture and religion, Love Is a pure feeling that you give unselfishly to another living being. It comes with a total feeling of comfort, knowing that you haven’t caused suffering to anyone. Instead, you have helped bring them joyful and wish.

The main „secrets” in food are freshness, quantity of the products and ingredients used for dishes and how you handle the receipt. But besides being tasty, it’s packed with healthy benefits. I use in my kitchen tuna belly (otoro/ chotoro), fresh salmon for sashimi and hamachi (yellowtail) and yuzu juice which helps to reduce omega -6, cholesterol, prevents heart attacks, blood circulation and it is full of neutral omega-3, potassium and saturated booster.

My roots from the Asian culture made me understand that we want everything to be a perfect well thought out and meaningful. This is also reflected in our food. Food is a cultural feature of the people. Rice and seafood are very important in everyday Asian life. The evolution of the culture was directly reflected on our cuisines. And I have to mention that fish is part of the Japanese diet, for example. Whether it is eaten almost alive (odorgui-still dancing), raw (nama or shasimi), grilled (yaki) or fried (tempura), it seems that the Japanese have tried almost all possible methods.

And a few words about my soul… What is the meaning of „Lama” and what we should do to became “Lama”? LAMA is the Tibetan word which refers to Higher Priest or Spirituals teacher. The “LAMA” doesn’t stand for a name or cast, it is a principle, namely the highest. In ancient times, lama refers to highest venerable spiritual master, but nowadays it is used as an honorific title for a Buddhist monk and nuns.

There are three kinds of path so called YANA in Buddhism: Hina yana, Maha Yana and Bajra Yana. Hina yana stands for small vehicle, Maha yana stands for great vehicle, and Bajra yana stands for secret vehicle through which we can travel from this place to another place. But we can find Lama in two Yana or vehicles only, in Maha yana or Bajra Yana, but in Hina yana, one calls Lama as vante, like that! To become a “LAMA”, we should tack a vow from profound spiritual teacher, and follow the path which shown by Buddha and our Teacher.

Chef Phursang Lama antrenându-se la marile restaurante din Asia sa natală…

… pentru a deveni Head Chef la Domeniul Manasia.

Cina memorabila la Conacul Hagianoff de pe Domeniul Manasia cu Ariadna Lowendal-Danila

Dupa surpriza de proportii pe care am avut-o cu putin timp in urma, cand am descoperit tocmai in Covasna, la Balvanyos Resort, ca exista fine dining si in afara Bucurestiului, mi-am propus sa descopar si sa scriu despre alte locuri din tara in care poti avea niste cine memorabile si experiente gastronomice comparabile cu cele de la marile restaurante.

M-am bucurat, asadar, si nu am mai stat deloc pe ganduri cand am primit o invitatie la cina de la Ariadna Lowendal-Danila, la conacul sau de la Domeniul Manasia. Auzisem multe lucruri in ultimii ani despre Conacul Hagianoff de pe Domeniul Manasia, din Campia Baraganului, langa Urziceni. Am vazut si poze foarte frumoase, si mi-am zis ca voi ajunge si eu negresit acolo, intr-o zi. Insa nu am asociat pana acum luxul aristocratic provincial din Romania cu mancarea fina. Ci, in cel mai bun caz, cu mancare destul de buna, insa preponderent traditionala si nesofisticata.

De la Bucuresti am ajuns intr-un ceas. Am gasit conacul in mijlocul satului, fata in fata cu biserica, despre care mai apoi am aflat ca au fost construite astfel cu intentie, ca sa faca impreuna un ansamblu, cu parc cu tot. Desi vazusem pozele, surpriza a fost consistenta, totusi, sa nu gasesc nimic rustic si provincial la Manasia, ci dimpotriva. Au restaurant in intregime Conacul Hagianoff. Le-a luat vreo cinci ani si o multime de bani, desigur. Fiind de artisti marile acum unite familiile Lowendal si Danila, au stiut foarte bine ce sa faca. Au pastrat tot ce se putea restaura in forma originara, iar ce lipsea a fost inlocuit cu lucruri cu aceeasi valoare arhitecturala si artistica.

Conacul Hagianoff

Rezultatul e impresionant. De la inceput Conacul Hagianoff nu a fost proiectat de arhitectul elvetian ca un mare casoi de tara, ci ca o impunatoare vila aristocratica ce ar putea sta la fel de bine pe vreuna dintre strazile celebre ale oricarei mari capitale din Europa. Si la fel de bine in urma cu o suta de ani, cand a fost construita, si acum, in egala masura.

Conacul are patru niveluri: o crama imensa si impresionanta la subsol, desigur, saloane mari si mici la parter si la etaj, si o mansarda moderna, minimalista, dupa moda si obiceurile anilor de acum, in contrast cu tot restul ansamblului.

Si toate acestea pline cu adevarate opere de arta. Si chiar dincolo de ele, in parc. Unele oarecum asteptate, cum ar fi sculpturile, tapiseriile si tablourile, altele o adevarata surpriza, ca papusile de dupa geamurile vechi din pod, ori caleasca nomada din gradina. Si tot neasteptat de bun e si un pian Yamaha de concert, caruia nu i-am dat nicio atentie pana la primele note, care m-au readus brusc inapoi in foaierul elegantului Conac Hagianoff. Mai ales ca am vazut-o pe Ioana Maria Lupascu, o talentata pianista, pe care o stiu de multi ani.

Parcul imens e si el impresionant. Peisaj de film cu tema clasica, in toata regula. Gazon englezesc impecabil, fantana arteziana, copaci mari de sute de ani, copaci mijlocii, copaci mici si alte verdeturi, alei si aranjamente proiectate de peisagisti cu portofoliu, iaz cu apa si cu rate, porumbei, pauni. Toate vii.

Mancarea de la Domeniul Manasia

e si ea la fel de mult luata in serios, ca si tot restul. Au o bucatarie foarte bine echipata, toate noi acolo. Se mananca in cele doua saloane mari de la parter, care se pot si uni intr-o sufragerie regala.

Conacul Hagianoff de pe Domeniul Manasia nu e un restaurant, insa poti manca acolo daca mergi la cinele si evenimentele tematice organizate de ei si anuntate dinainte cu mult timp, sau daca ii rogi sa gateasca pentru tine si pentru ceilalti cu care te duci acolo, cine stie cu ce treburi de petrecere sau de business.

Pe noi ne-a invitat Ariadna Lowendal-Danila la o cina lunga, pregatita de Andrei Carp, cheful lor permanent, si de Daniel Palici ca guest chef, pe care, acesta din urma, il stiam deja din Bucuresti. Cu atat mai interesant, am realizat repede ca nu va fi o masa cu bucatarie romaneasca bioereasca (veche, adica), si cu atat mai putin din cea traditionala, taraneasca. Chef Daniel Palici e un tanar chef ambitios, din grupul restrans al bucatarilor de elita din ultima generatie. Cei care au inventat Noua Bucatarie Romaneasca Fina, acum mai putin de doi ani, si care lucreaza de zor la dezvoltarea si la promovarea ei. E o noua bucatarie creativa, care porneste fie de la retete traditionale, clasice, cunoscute, insa adaptate si modificate cu o imaginatie debordanta, fie vine cu unele complet noi. Si, ca punct focal, facute din cat mai multe produse si ingrediente locale, din gradina, din cocina si din coteneata de la ferma, si din cat mai putine de la Metro. Sofisticate, cele mai multe, cu tehnicile Haute Cuisine, fiindca nici nu prea se poate altfel. “Fin” si “simplu” sunt aproape imposibil de alaturat in gastronomia care incanta pe toata lumea, fara exceptie.

Or, cand vine vorba despre produse si ingrediante luate direct din curte, cu greu poate sa fie imaginat ceva mai drag unui mare chef decat Domeniul Manasia, satul si campurile din jur.

Asadar, dupa recitalul Ioanei, am intrat ca niste aristocrati in salon si ne-am asezat la masa. Si am mancat si am baut cateva ceasuri bune.

Meniul lui Daniel Palici si al lui Andrei Carp la Manasia

Vanata cu alune, o vanata care a fost maturata in sare o zi, apoi prajita in unt si imbracata in pasta de alune, si excelenta sampanie (sic!) Carassia Blanc de Blancs
Tartar de berbecut in suberek, cu La Croix de Carbonnieux Blanc 2016
Texturi de conopida, cu Pouilly Fumé Jean Redde 2017
Picior de porc umplut cu rosii afumate, cu Tignanello Antinori 2011
Coaste de porc, cu Les Tourelles de Longueville Pauillac 2015
Friganea cu lapte ars, cu licorosul Liliac Transylvanian ice wine
si am continuat afara, pe terasa, cu branza Comté si sampanie Taittinger, sucuri de morcov, ananas, castravete si ghimbir…

Toata mancarea a fost buna si foarte buna. Vanata chiar potrivita ca amuse bouche. Suberekul e un aluat, am aflat acum, si a fost un fel de placinta umpluta cu carne, de fapt, chiar buna. Conopida a fost excelenta, cu un sos alb bine facut. La fel si coastele dezosate de porc, cele mai bune din cate imi amintesc sa fi mancat vreodata. Tot de porc a fost si rulada gelatinoasa cu rosii uscate, foarte buna. Apoi am descoperit ca numele desertului nu era o metafora. Chiar o felie de paine insiropata si aromata, cu gust pregnant de cuptor de casa, din grau dur si cu maia. Surprinzator de buna ca desert, dar nu de prea multa mirare, fiindca painea facuta de ei acolo, la conac, a fost excelenta.

Am mancat foarte bine la Manasia, la Conacul Hagianoff. Ca bucurestean, ti se poate intampla des asta, daca stii cateva lucruri si locuri. Dar sa te simti si ca un aristocrat, in acelasi timp, asta e rar, foarte rar, chiar si cu multi de tot bani pe card… (GB – septembrie 2019)