Sofitel Unveils Thalassa Sea & Spa Wellness Gastronomy Program
- Published: Wednesday, February 9th 2011
- in Nutrition
Lunch today wasn’t my usual leftovers from the night before, or lunch special from a local restaurant – no, today, I went to the luxurious Sofitel New York Hotel’s chic French brasserie and bar, Gaby restaurant. The occasion: the unveiling of the hotel’s innovative, low-calorie gastronomy initiative based on the European wellness brand of Thalassa Sea & Spa.
The new ‘De-Light’ menus will offer guests year-round options for a gourmet three-course meal – all in less than 500 calories. A total of six Sofitel properties will feature the new culinary program, incorporating concepts and aspects of the intrinsic healing powers of seawater, and balanced nutrition void of added fat, sugars, and additives.
The Thalassa-inspired lunch included appetizers each tallying in at under 185 calories, entrees with less than 272 calories each (the Free Range Chicken Breast with Savoy Cabbage and Wild Mushroom Fricassee is only 92 calories!), and dessert, all under 95 calories each!
From left: Entrees, sea/Thalassa-inspired centerpiece, and desserts.
With appetizers like Crème of Green Peas with a Truffle Floating Island (185 calories) and Lobster Raviolis, of which the dough was actually made from celery root (92 calories), and entrees like Monk Fish Cassolette flavored with Mint and topped with Quinoa (135 calories), and Filet Mignon served with a Béarnaise Sauce, Eggplant Pizza, and Baby Brussel Sprouts (272 calories), there was nothing left to be desired. Dessert options included an Iced Nougatin with Confit Fruit and Meringue (85 calories), Seasonal Fresh Fruit Gratin (75 calories), and Red Fruits PannaCotta (95 calories, and AMAZING). And, to make the experience even more mind-boggling, Executive Chef Sylvain Harribey explained to us that no butter nor any cream was used in any of the dishes; fromage blanc worked its magic instead.
While the low-calorie Thalassa menu complements weight-loss goals, according to Jaques Bourguignon, general director of Thalassa Quiberon, the idea is to make guests feel good both physically and mentally, which can be achieved through the combination of thalassotherapy and balanced nutrition.
After the program rolls out to its Philidelphia, Chicago, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Montreal locations, the culinary initiative will be introduced at Sofitel Luxury Hotel properties worldwide.
