Memorable feasts from chefs big and small

Size doesn’t matter. Whether it’s an animated 6-cm-tall French cook or an esteemed chef with three Michelin stars, the proof is still in the pudding. And in the case of The Grand Hyatt Manila’s Le Petit Chef, as well as the five celebrated culinary rock stars flown in by Solaire Resort recently, the pudding is, as the younger generation would say, so legit.

Small wonder

The maiden menu of The Peak’s immersive theater and dining experience has extended beyond the usual. Normally, six months was allotted for its limited run, but the demand was surprisingly strong that the management decided to let it run beyond its usual duration. In fact, according to the Grand Hyatt Manila’s general manager Gottfried Bogensperger, some customers have subscribed to the very same menu four, even five times.

But as with many things, all good things come to an end. And so, Le Petit Chef rolls out his French menu for the very last time this March and is all set to release a new one next month.

Starting April 1, the tiny talent embarks on a new adventure as he trails the journey of famed Venetian merchant and explorer Marco Polo through the Silk Road, and immortalizes it via a six-course meal.

He starts his trek in France and whisks up a warm bowl of chaudiere de poisson or a smooth and creamy seafood soup dotted with clams, mussels, salmon and smoked haddock. He then sets sail for Arabia and explores the ancient Levant with a piece of chargrilled lamb cutlet rubbed with ras el hanout, complemented with smoked eggplant mousse, hummus, tabbouleh and pide bread. He then travels to India after, through Hindustan, and serves a plate of butter king prawns, saffron rice, samosa chaat and papadum , to be dunked in either tamarind or mint chutney.

A lemon and lime sorbet continues the adventure through the snow-capped mountains of Nepal before flying, with the help of a mighty bird, to China, where he plates a braised sea bass with abalone and a ginger-garlic-black bean sauce. From there, he heads back to France and caps the culinary journey with a trio of creme brulees, the flavors of which are derived from the odyssey—Arabian coffee, cardamom and ginger.

The food, albeit traditional, is cooked to a T and makes for a great meal, but matched with the live entertainment provided by the lovely host (who changes costumes several times), wine pairing and 3D projected animation, the Le Petit Chef should not be belittled (pun intended) as it makes for an interesting multisensorial experience. (Le Petit Chef runs at The Peak in Grand Hyatt Manila, 8th Avenue corner 35th St., Taguig.)

Grand Hyatt’s Le Petit Chef has a new menu starting April 1; Solaire gifts Manila foodies with a meal of a lifetime

Starry, starry nights

For four consecutive nights, the Solaire Resort beamed not just with excitement but also much adulation from hundreds of food lovers as they got to sample five different tasting menus matched with wines, sakes and even nonalcoholic beverages by some of the most renowned mixologists and sommeliers in the world.

In celebration of their 10th anniversary, the entertainment city flew in five Michelin-starred chefs to take over the kitchens of five of their restaurants. There was Tohru Nakamura at Yakumi, Enrico Bartolini at Finestra, Alvin Leung at Red Lantern, Rene Frank at the Oasis Garden Café and Rui Silvestre at Waterside.

But before they realized the milestone event, the celebrity chefs each served selected media guests two of their signature dishes during a special lunch at Finestra. And I must say, each held his own, as every plate that came to our table was nothing short of amazing. The savvy presentation was as stunning as the clever blend of flavors and textures of the dishes.

Bartolini’s tender bottoni pasta burst with a tangy oil that balanced the richness of the cacciucco sauce, while Nakamura’s chawanmushi perfectly provided a custard canvas for the leads, namely lightly grilled wagyu and Sturia caviar. Silvestre’s plates acted as a crescendo to the 10-course meal as his curry carabineiro and masala lobster hit guests with very potent flavors.

Leung, meanwhile, had me gushing with satisfaction when I tore through the bronzed pastry and had a deliriously delicious scoop of his brothy chicken congee with morel mushroom.

I had to pick my jaw off the floor, though, after I had the eggplant dish by the World’s Best Pastry Chef 2022. Frank managed not just to blur the line between savory and sweet, but also wowed guests by shining the spotlight on a humble vegetable and letting it stand its rightful ground next to heavyweights like turbot, black truffle and wagyu beef.

His grapefruit and mascarpone with savoy cabbage dessert managed to do the same. It didn’t have to rely heavily on sugar to cap our meal on a sweet note. Instead, it gently caressed our palates with a frozen cheese crumble that melted with the slightest heat from our tongue and a peach-hued soup that sent a degree of bitterness that wasn’t off-putting, but arresting.

It might have been your birthday, Solaire, but it felt like we were the ones who received the best gift. (Solaire Resort is at Entertainment City, 1 Aseana Ave., Tambo, Parañaque.)