Hotel briefs

InterContinental Seoul COEX recently appointed Maksood Mohammad as head chef for Indian cuisine at the hotel’s restaurant, Asian Live.

Born in northern India, the chef worked in hotels and restaurants across India for 20 years. Before joining InterContinental, he was with the Sheraton Bangalore at Brigade Gateway located in southern India where he served as sous chef for five years.

With his new job, Mohammad is launching the “Holi Festival” at Asian Live in March, celebrating the arrival of spring. He will feature six dishes including chole bhature (fried bread dipped in masala made with split chickpeas), masala mini gujiyas (dumpling-shaped fried dessert stuffed with dried fruit), Aloo Tikki (croquette) and chicken biryani (a steamed rice dish using stir-fried chicken).

“Indian cuisine is as diverse as the country’s 1.3 billion population and 13 official languages,” the chef said, adding he’d like to “bring as much diversity as possible to Asian Live and create new exciting recipes through various combinations of flavors.”

JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square begins wine and cocktail workshops on March 7 at its rooftop bar, The Griffin.

The workshop is open for 20 people with prominent wine sommelier Jeong Han-bong and bartender Seo Jeong-hyun.

The first class on March 7 is about wine, which will be followed by a cocktail class in two weeks. The presenters will not only teach making cocktails but share interesting stories behind wines and cocktails.

Each workshop costs 37,000 won per person, including tax and service charges. For more information and reservations, call (02) 2276-3344/3000.

The workshop will be free to members of the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul Dining Club.

Park Hyatt Busan’s Lumi Spa offers its “Neroli Blossom” package for those in search of skin treatments at the end of a bitterly cold winter.

The package guests will receive entire body treatment, including a 50-minute body and foot massage and a 40-minute facial treatment.

The spa will use special body oil with the effect of soothing the skin and relieving muscle pain. The facial treatment will start with deep cleansing, followed by a soothing facial massage that will moisturize the skin.

The package costs from 209,000 won per person, including tax and service fees, and is available until April 30. For more information and reservations, call (051) 990-1440.

Millennium Seoul Hilton’s Chinese restaurant, Taipan, features Shanghai spring cuisine in March.

The restaurant’s chef will feature Shanghai-style cold appetizers, hot and sour soup with black vinegar, braised sea cucumber and abalone with aralia sprouts, Shanghai-style smoked mero fish, wok-fried sliced beef with Shaoxing rice wine sauce and noodle with dried shrimp and scallion oil.

The meal costs 98,000 won per person including tax and service fees and is available for lunch and dinner. A minimum order of two is required.

For more information and reservations, call (02) 317-3237.