Confessions of a gourmand

An invitation from a top hotel to spoil your taste buds as never before cannot possibly be refused

What do you call someone who samples four major beef courses at one meal sitting? A gourmet or a glutton? I will happily go along with the former, having relished exactly that at the Waldorf Astoria Beijing recently.

The five-star downtown hotel, known for its impeccable service and its vibrant soul, is eager for its dining experience to be seen as one that is "consummate without being extremely costly", to quote Benoit Chargy, the hotel's executive chef.