SATISFYING members’ passion for world-class cuisine and luxury travel, SPG Moments has unveiled an enhanced schedule of culinary events that offers even more access to legendary culinary experiences.

    Members will have the opportunity to participate in mouth-watering evenings of cocktails, kitchen tours and tastings menus at world-renowned restaurants, plus access to the top food and wine festivals in destinations including New York, Chicago, Tokyo, and more. These intimate evenings hosted by the stars of the global culinary stage as well as VIP access to renowned food festivals make each SPG Culinary Moment a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

    “Food often acts as the center around which life’s greatest moments are celebrated and shared,” said Chris Holdren, senior vice president of Starwood Preferred Guest. “Expanding our Culinary Moments program is an excellent way to provide members with opportunities to share these once-in-a-lifetime memories with their family and loved ones.”

    Every chef — cooking in award-winning restaurants or in the privacy of their own home — has one ingredient that defines their signature touch.

    To whet members’ appetites for the expanded schedule of unmatched dining experiences, SPG asked participating celebrity chefs to reveal the one ingredient they can’t cook without in 2016. Here are the food trends for 2016:

    Chef Curtis Stone: The earthy, sweet and humble, carrot hits peak season in winter.

    Application of ingredient: Carrots star in every course of Curtis’s January degustation menu at his restaurant, Maude. He thinly shaves purple carrots and pairs them with bonito carpaccio, perilla and dashi gelée for the crudo dish, serves tortellini filled with house-made ricotta, carrots pickled in verjus and a roasted carrot brodo, and for something sweet, he finishes with carrot-inspired petit fours.

    Chef Daniel Boulud: Rye berry and seasonal quince.

    Application of ingredient: Used in his frog leg dish, the rye berry matches well and adds a rustic and nutty flavor to the dish. He is sure it will continue to make appearances in other dishes, and he is looking forward to being creative with it this year.

    Chef Eric Ripert: The mystical and rare black truffle.

    Application of ingredient: Thinly shaved directly onto fish and incorporated into sauces and emulsions.

    Chef Morimoto: Pork.

    Application of ingredient: Morimoto will use pork for ramen soup, sliced slow-cooked pork as a topping, pork dumplings, and more.(SD News)