Nick Harman, editor of leading UK food website Foodepedia has the unenviable title of having come second in the Guild of Food Writers Restaurant Reviewer of the Year list. He recently stayed at the 5-star Hotel Phoenicia where the Executive Chef Saul Halevi and his brigade of award-winning chefs entertained Mr. Harman together with David Blake from Planet Confidential, Salutations media’s Beverley Uddin-Khandakar, Sid Raghava from Kensington and Chelsea Review and stylist Emma Sleight.
The influential Foodepedia’s success is based on its in-depth food writing, unbiased reviews of restaurants, articles on, and interviews with the people making the news in the food business, along with detailed cookbook reviews. Nick Harman writes restaurant reviews and food/travel pieces for foodepedia. In his latest article entitled, "In a Maltese City Garden" Mr. Harman says, "At the Phoenicia Hotel they take luxury and food very seriously." This article follows on a spate of interest in Malta with Jamie Oliver’s team here recently lauding praise on the Maltese culinary scene.
Mr. Harman had words of encouragement for the Phoenicia’s ambitious kitchen garden project which has now expanded to over five tumoli within the 7.5 acre garden and has fresh, healthy eating at its core, “The gardens are grand and have bird’s eye views over the harbour, especially from the luxurious Bastion swimming pool... Now Saul has the remit to use large parts of it for the kitchen’s needs, a new use which will not only enhance the gardens’ pleasure for guests wandering around in it, but will have a great influence on the dishes he serves in the hotel’s fine dining Pegasus restaurant.” He says of Chef Halevi, “He has a vision for Pegasus that will set it apart from the average restaurant in Malta and it’s one the owners share.”
Quickly returning to the Maltese Islands after an initial trip last March, his follow-up visit centred on Valletta with a stay at Hotel Phoenicia. A foodie to the core Mr. Harman says, “Just like everything else at the Phoenicia breakfast is done perfectly and in the grand manner.”
Currently the lead story on foodepedia Mr. Harman assesses how the kitchen garden concept is translating into creativity in the Phoenicia’s signature eatery Pegasus, “In the Phoenicia I get to see what Saul can do with his garden produce. A starter of pumpkin and lentil velouté, crispy calamari on a petit salad was a perfect example, the veloute poured at table and packed with flavour. A mid course of risotto with porcini mushrooms, coffee dust buffalo mozzarella foam and red berries was creative, without being oppressive, and the main of juicy fresh red Maltese prawns with Grand Marnier emulsion served with nuts, grilled pumpkins and coral beans, was a riot of texture and taste. Fine cooking with playful touches, as well as grand gestures.”
Food & Beverage Manager Francesco Perricone says that the visit by this select group of some of Britain’s top food writers was a great success as it gave opportunities for key personnel at the hotel to discuss the latest food trends and see how professional developments in the industry in Malta compare with other select locations across the world. He says, “I am delighted that Mr. Harman and the rest of the UK writers were able to have such great weather and enjoy all the very best that Malta has to offer. As you can see from the articles, we’re on the right track here.”