Ask the Chef.

Ask the chef, not me. Surely there are some chefs on this board that are willing to exchange their advice on how to prepare good food given the bare essentials often provided in hotel rooms?

I am fortunate enough to be a previous part owner in a successful Michelin starred restaurant. I am not a chef, but through working with colleagues I gained several helpful habits. Now, none of these are particularly helpful when traveling given the typical hotel room has no cooking devices, except maybe a microwave. Let's try and remedy that.

For example, the best scrambled eggs I ever tasted were made by myself at Holiday Inn Phuket in a perfunctory room about 10 years ago. I bought three fresh eggs individually on the street, mixed them with one of those small milk capsules with added salt from a satchel, and a hot sauce tablet I'd commandeered from the restaurant the night before. Mixed in the microwave and voila! Not terribly elegant but they tasted fantastic.

Do other FTs/ chefs have advice on how to make simple and tasty food given the constraints of a typical hotel room?

Maybe it's just me, but in the types of places where you can buy eggs individually on the side of the street, I'd much rather spend the pittance it probably costs to enjoy a hot, local meal.

I follow a hard and fast rule..

Frequent places that are popular with locals.. chances are you can enjoy authenticity without getting sick..

Lots of park cars at an establishment.. means excellent food..

Your logic is sound, but I was asking about hotel/ serviced apartment cooking tips.

Cool link - thanks for that!

That is fabulous. You are the link guru.

Fair enough. I do like the grilled h&c sandwich idea though!

Please continue to follow this thread in the Dining Buzz Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

Certainly entertaining...but could he really purchase all those ingedients for ~2 pounds?

For those that could not face the stuff served in the hotel restaurant on extended periods away from home, one of the great tragedies of hotel room improved design was the removal of the bed side tea maker.

In this, it was possible to make frankfurter, instant mash and (dried) peas. The ingredients did not need a fridge.

Much better if you omit the foil!

I'm a chef and have a background in hospitality. I have a keen sense for being budget minded when traveling, and I do enjoy a good meal, as opposed to having an Egg McMuffin or manufactured food when I don't have to.

Sorry to be a spoil sport, but I don't condone using hotel appliances for things beyond their intended purpose. Heating hot water and then pouring it into a cup with bullion or over noodles is one thing, but putting the food into the kettle or making a grilled cheese on an iron? That's disrespectful of the hotel's property, let alone the next guest using the appliance.

Now if you're talking about staying at an extended stay hotel (or even a hostel) that has a true kitchen, I can tell you many stories about foods such as a blueberry pancake breakfast for a crowd that I have made from the basics; that's a real challenge.

A bit sanctimonious! I'm not certain anyone sought your approval.