Avner On, General Manager of the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem hotel, said, “Our market leader hotel is always striving to enhance its event offerings and planning services. The famed Master-Chef Itzik Barak that participated in the “Taste of Waldorf Astoria 2016 top culinary event in New York and renowned Pastry Chef Claude Ben-Simon are the key team members responsible for making each banquet an unforgettable success”.
The event, attended by fifty event planners and designers, started with a reception at the hotel’s spacious foyer decorated with over hundreds of candles. It was followed by a six course dinner at the hotel’s ballroom, a 700 square meters pillar-less ballroom with a six meters high ceiling, the biggest and most luxurious in Jerusalem. Seating was around a 22 meters long and 2.5 meters wide elegantly decorated table in silver and white colors, and an endless number of white and pastel flowers, plants and candles. A Jazz band of new immigrant musicians played in the background and local wine from leading Israeli wineries was served.
Waldof Astoria - Event Showcase, photo Daniel Cohen
Dinner was extravagant; each plate of fish, beef or lamb was carefully composed into a scene, garnished with the season’s best vegetables, mushrooms, nuts and herbs, and served with the most beautiful and tasty sauces. The cooking style combined Fusion of International cuisine with Middle Eastern influence and use of local ingredients. Serving was orchestrated and timed for all the diners!
One of the starters was a plate of Red Tuna Sashimi with Bulgur salad in herbs, pomegranates and Tahini sauce. The plate looked like a garden, three dimensional and colorful, and combined a touch of spicy Wasabi sauce. A most sophisticated and pleasurable cold starter plate!
Tuna Sashimin, photo: T.Sharon
Though the food is Glatt Kosher, desserts are fantastic in their appearance and taste. The main dessert at dinner was chocolate with strawberry and raspberry “eye”, a truly appealing and tasty treat. There were also edible chocolate trays with confectionary that turned into a celebration as the diners bit them.
Chocolate Eyeball, photo: T.Sharon
Waldorf Astoria was rated three years in a row as the best hotel in Israel according to the Conde Nast Traveler magazine and one of the ten best hotels in the Middle East. It was built on the historical Palace hotel building while preserving its architecture. It is a stone throw from the Mamila mall and the Jaffa gate. The hotel features 226 luxurious rooms and suites, 150 underground parking spaces, and a private concierge service. The events facilities include the large 700 square, six meters high pillar-less ballroom, a 500 square meters pillar-less event foyer and the terrace bar that is ideal for weddings. The location is also well-suited for Bar Mitzvas because of its vicinity to the Jewish Quarter and the Kotel. The hotel’s food is gourmet Glatt Kosher.
To read more about the event facilities and the food, see the article: “Waldorf Astoria Events”.Disclosure: the writer was a guest of the hotel