With mind-blowing confections and heavenly baking, Chef's Table: Pastry could very well inspire your sweet tooth to run away from home and hop a jet to one of the restaurants featured in the fourth season of this documentary series.
More than four hours of culinary ambrosia are to be served up by Netflix this Friday, so get set for eye candy and cravings as American director and series creator David Gelb welcomes us into the lives and kitchens of the world's most renowned pastry chefs.
Gelb's cinematic artistry and in-depth style of storytelling won rave reviews from foodies in 2011 for Jiro Dreams of Sushi, his spellbinding study of Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old sushi master, considered by many the world's finest, and Sukiyabashi Jiro, his Michelin three-star restaurant situated in a Tokyo subway station.
The first three seasons of Chef's Table scored several Emmy nominations, and last year won the James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Award for best television programme.
Each Pastry episode will focus on the life, talent and passion of one chef and the unique specialities that have put them on the map – and the sacrifices, choices and challenges they've faced en route to kitchen glory.
“When I was in Paris for pastry school, they made it pretty clear that this was a bad career choice,” says Will Goldfarb, a notable pioneer of New York City’s dessert-only restaurant scene. He proved the naysayers wrong when he relocated to Bali, Indonesia, where his tropical creations now grace the tables of his Room4Dessert restaurant.
Christina Tosi, a pastry chef who's very much at home in the Big Apple, talks about how the art of cakes and pastry connects her to her past. "I love baking because it reminds me of my grandma, and it makes that moment in life a little sweeter."
Tosi is the cordial, creative force behind Milk Bar, an expanding American bakery and dessert chain known for its cereal milk ice-cream, bagel bombs, compost cookies and turning "naked" cakes, which have no icing on their sides, into a major dessert trend.
In Sicily, we'll enjoy cool licks at Caffé Sicilia, home to the luxurious Italian gelato of Corrado Assenza, a man with pastry in his genes. His gelato, granita and cannoli are among the best on Earth, and his family has been crafting it for generations.
“When you taste Corrado’s gelato – it’s tasting it for the first time,” says a friend.
Rounding out the greats is Spanish chef Jordi Roca, considered an avant-garde savoury master, who's been known to invent desserts inspired by football goals and exotic perfumes. "For him, flavours are like colours, and he wants to paint with the whole box," a devotee says.
Roca is the youngest of three brothers who opened El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Catalonia in 1986. Since then, Jordi, along with siblings Joan and Josep, have acquired three Michelin stars, and their establishment was named the world's best by Restaurant magazine in 2013. While the pastries are heavenly, the added profile and business Chef's Table brings to the dining establishments of these famous chefs is even sweeter.
Berlin's Tim Raue, who appeared last year to share his bold Asian-inspired fusion cuisine, says being on the show is better than a Michelin star (of which he has two to date for his namesake restaurant). "To tell the figures, if you get a star, you know you have an increase of around 30 per cent in your restaurant. I know I have. If you get a second, you get another 15," he says. "Chef's Table [drives] the next big wave coming at you, with bookings three, four, five and six months in advance. That means people from around the world are travelling ... and coming to visit you. That's amazing." Unfortunately, Raue's Dubai restaurant – Dragonfly in City Walk – closed last year.
"As I [understand] it, we have 19 million [viewers] with Chef's Table around the world on Netflix. You can be sure that, for me, there's no other way to get so close to so many people to see my restaurant and see me. That is absolutely amazing," he says.
Chef’s Table: Pastry is available for streaming on Netflix from Friday, April 13
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FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
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The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed PDK
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 820Nm
Price: Dh683,200
On sale: now
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
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Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m
6.30pm: Liwa Oaisi Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
The National selections: 5pm: Flit Al Maury, 5.30pm: Sadah, 6pm: RB Seqondtonone, 6.30pm: RB Money To Burn, 7pm: SS Jalmood, 7.30pm: Dalaalaat
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: N2 Technology
Founded: 2018
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Startups
Size: 14
Funding: $1.7m from HNIs
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Date of birth: April 18, 1998
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Name: Yousef Al Bahar
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Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
AUSTRALIA SQUAD v SOUTH AFRICA
Aaron Finch (capt), Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa
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STAGE
1 . Filippo Ganna (Ineos) - 0:13:56
2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14
3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:21
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24
5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05
2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05
3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18
4. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) - 0:00:33
5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39
Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race card
5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
6pm: Maiden (PA); Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed; Dh180,000; 1,600m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 2,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (PA); Dh100,000; 2,400m
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
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3. Amaranth
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Fighting with My Family
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Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
LUKA CHUPPI
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Defined Benefit Plan (DB)
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Defined Contribution Plan (DC)
A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.
Brief scoreline:
Tottenham 1
Son 78'
Manchester City 0
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
Brief scoreline
Switzerland 0
England 0
Result: England win 6-5 on penalties
Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England)
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MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
Summer special
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23
Dragons
Tries: Hayes, Richards, Cooper
Cons: Love
Pens: Love 3
Bahrain
Tries: Kenny, Crombie, Tantoh
Cons: Phillips
Pens: Phillips 2
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- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Al Barzakh Festival takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm in the Red Theatre, NYUAD, Saadiyat Island. Tickets cost Dh105 for adults from platinumlist.net
The specs: 2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS
Price: base / as tested: From Dh632,225
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 540hp @ 8,250rpm
Torque: 540Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L / 100km
Roll of honour
Who has won what so far in the West Asia Premiership season?
Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Cup - Winners: Bahrain; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Trophy - Winners: Dubai Hurricanes; Runners up: DSC Eagles
Final West Asia Premiership standings - 1. Jebel Ali Dragons; 2. Abu Dhabi Harlequins; 3. Bahrain; 4. Dubai Exiles; 5. Dubai Hurricanes; 6. DSC Eagles; 7. Abu Dhabi Saracens
Fixture (UAE Premiership final) - Friday, April 13, Al Ain – Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
