Mick Elmore is a writer and friend and he thought that readers of my BangkokRestaurant Reviews might find the below story interesting.

It's being billed as a million-baht(29,000-dollar) meal, but the organizer said there are plenty ofpeople who can afford it, and Thailand should cater to theirexpensive tastes.

In fact, 15 people have reserved plates for the Saturday dinnerand they are still taking bookings, the managing director ofChallenge Hospitality and organiser of the event, Deepak Ohri, toldDeutsche Presse-Agentur dpa Friday.

The event is about food, but the motivation is to showcaseThailand as an upmarket tourism destination, Ohri said.

Branding his Challenge Hospitality as a company catering to thatmarket is also a big part of the event, and Ohri said he is"forthright" about that. Putting Thailand on the culinary world mapis another.

A third goal is for the international chefs and local chefs tolearn from each other, he said.

The "teachers" jetting in to share lessons at the event, billed asthe Epicurean Masters of the World, are six three-star Michelin chefsfrom Germany, France and Italy.

Each chef will whip up a signature dish or two that will each beaccompanied by a different vintage wine. The wine will be the mostexpensive item on the menu, with some costing 60 dollars a drop, or acouple hundred dollars per sip.

The 11-course menu is entirely European and opens with a cremebrulee of foie gras and also includes Japanese beef tartare withbeluga caviar and veal cheeks with French truffles.

Ohri said he could not give the names of the diners but said theyare mostly from Asia and will be joined by 25 invited guests at theDome restaurant at the State Tower overlooking Bangkok.

It is a costly event to cater, but the crumbs left over shouldstill be substantial and all the profits will go to two charities -Medicines Sans Frontiers and the Thai king's Chai Pattana Foundation.

The event has generated a lot of interest in Bangkok, with manypeople shocked by the price, but others calling it a great thing forthe country.

"It's wonderful, the fact it is happening here instead of Londonor Tokyo. It's a catchy idea, but it's not just a gimmick," BangkokPost restaurant reviewer Brian Kent said.

"It's for the charity, and they couldn't get away with itotherwise," he added.dpa me jh