Whenever you stay in a hotel, there is one interesting staff to meet. The chef is not seen at every corner of the hotel but impacts guests who make effort to find him through his creative offerings.
Chef Jerry Umuteme is one chef to meet because of his creative ingenuity with food. He is a sous chef who does things differently because of his wilder view of life, adaptability and flexibility.
While his mates were trying their hands on familiar recipes, he trailed a different path. First, a culinary career was not what many of his close relations and even friends thought Jerry should pursue, but he insisted.
Again, Chef Umuteme left Nigerian menu and even continental dishes, which are common grounds for emerging Nigerian chefs to the seemingly difficult Asian menu. He calls it love for adventure, experiment, and better still, passion. “While starting a culinary career, one should be able to explore different menus and regions, and that was exactly what I did with the Chinese menu and it worked”, the chef says.
READ ALSO: How telehealth reshapes healthcare delivery in Nigeria amid pandemic
Today, the Delta State-born chef is master of Asian menu, particularly Chinese delicacies with several commendations from both Asian and other nationals who explore his culinary offerings at Transcorp Hilton Hotel’s Oriental Restaurant.
For over 10 years now, the chef has led his team members to deliver world-class Chinese cuisines to the guests. But another intriguing thing for the chef is the growing patronage at the restaurant. He sees customers from different regions of the world including Nigeria visiting, getting satisfied and repeating visits.
“Since the re-birth of the Oriental Restaurant on February 22, 2016, we now give more attention to the guests and have on the spot interaction with them in order to get their feedback. We have also introduced the “Lazy Suzan”, which allows guests on a table of more than five sitting capacity to have easy access to varieties of dishes served on the table with ease.
“The guests have been returning and we have several birthdays for both corporate and individual groups. We equally have returning guests who come with other groups of guests to introduce and have a taste of the Asian cuisine” Chef Umuteme explains.
However, the indigenous chef has also paid his dues. He was diligent while being trained by four Chinese master chefs at different periods on several Asian menus. While on training, he mastered marination and cutting, which he described as the most difficult aspects of preparing Chinese cuisines.
Of course, with the several approvals and commendations from his four masters, Chef Umuteme is unequivocally inducted into the hall fame of Chinese master chef in the Diaspora.
You need a visit to the Oriental Restaurant, Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, to taste and approve the chef on a personal assessment.
Chef Umuteme is interested in your visit to witness how a Nigerian is in-charge in a Chinese restaurant and helps to offer guests a culinary journey to the Oriental.
Nestled on the mezzanine floor of the multi-award-winning hotel, The Oriental recently transformed from a buffet-style Asian restaurant to an a la carte restaurant offering extensive Asian menu cooked fresh on-site every day by the experienced chefs led by Chef Umuteme.
Beyond the variety of spicy Oriental menu on offer, the restaurant is an attraction on its own. The decor of the restaurant straddles the exotic and the chic, featuring colourful Oriental chandeliers, original oriental crafts and beautiful flower arrangements. The attractive restaurant bears the influence of Fengshui principles and Eastern minimalism, both of which impart a sleek, futuristic feel that seems to suit the hotel’s discernible clientele. The restaurant’s atmosphere is defined by its red-stained furniture, Asian aesthetics, and celebrity sightings.
As well, the food displays a creative approach in dishes such as Sizzling Szechuan Beef, Teriyaki & Honey Glazed Salmon and Kung Pao Chicken. That is a credit to our Chef Jerry Umuteme.
On a typical visit, guests start with Appetisers and Soups ranging from Peking Duck Soup, Egg Drop Soup, Togarashi Fried Squid, Thai Fish Cakes, Malaysian Chicken Satay among others.
On the menu for the Main Dish are Sizzling Beef in Black Bean Sauce, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, Chilli King Prawns, Kung Pao Chicken, Thai Red Curry among others.
Also, the Set Menu comes with exciting options: Set menu for two and four guests, Chef’s Set Menu, Mongolian Set Menu and Vegetarian Set Menu. The restaurant also offers a special Mongolian Barbecue (BBQ) that allows guests to choose from the selection of ingredients available for the chefs to prepare their chosen dishes. All the guest need is to decide on the selection and tick the boxes on the table order pad.
Chef Umuteme appreciates the fact that a lot of guests enjoy the spring rolls, Vietnamese in derivation, combining lightness and impeccable flavour combinations. The reasons for him may probably be because the portions are generous, especially when it comes to noodles, and service is unfailingly polite.
Another reason guests are thronging the restaurant is that whether you choose your favourite all-time dish, or try something new, the professional waiting staff will guide you through the sumptuous menu to make sure you taste the real Oriental experience.
