100 2nd edition: TASTE THIS

rob pengson

sparks a kitchen revolution

PHP295

Food & Beverage List: margarita forÉs • manila’s top chefs • best buffets in the metro • global gastronomic trips • museum of food

Fred Perry Laurel Shop G/F Greenbelt 5, Makati City Tel. 02 729 0949 or 0917 501-FRED fredperry@hommeetfemme.ph

Fred Perry Laurel Shop G/F Greenbelt 5, Makati City Tel. 02 729 0949 or 0917 501-FRED fredperry@hommeetfemme.ph

0 /foreword

Richie Yang Executive Editor

The Ultimate

MEAL

Not only do Filipinos share a passion for eating, but, somehow, Filipinos also love to get into the food business. I have met countless working professionals who—in their desire to be self-entrepreneurs—have decided to get into the industry.

Indeed, setting up your own food establishment, whether you open up a franchise or start a concept from scratch, can be very exciting and rewarding. Imagine seeing a lot of customers lining up in your own resto, besides having a chance to employ and help a lot of young Filipinos. However, many businesses fail to see the challenges and barriers of owning a restaurant.

I’ve been in the restaurant business for almost twenty years. Honestly, this experience has been very challenging. We have encountered a lot of start-up headaches and pains. But with patience, my partners and I have started to see and experience some of the rewards of our labor.

Going into our 2nd Edition, we’ve come up with a Food & Beverage List, which I’m sure our readers will be excited about. I hope you the personalities, chefs, and entrepreneurs we have covered inspire you. And, judge for yourself if the food biz is one that is right for you!

0 /foreword

Carlo Velasco Editor-in-chief

The Way to A

(Wo)Man’s Heart When it comes to food, we never run out of words to say.

Food is the one thing that fuels our body. It is the highlight of a foodie’s everyday. For the underprivileged, it could be the only thing that pushes them to live.

And for someone who adores the kitchen, food brings him to another dimension.

This sophomore edition of 100 magazine, “Taste This: The F&B List,” allows us to look at food and beverage in more than one ways.

It gives us a glimpse of history. Our “Museum of Food” highlights titans like Moet et Chandon and Evian, brands that have set standards since the 1700s. In Philippine food history, we honor iconic restaurants such as Max’s, Savory, and Aristocrat that have stood the test of time.

We also look into the future as we touch on molecular gastronomy, a cooking method that combines both physical and chemical processes. 100 also highlights the reinvention of hotel buffets, a trend that has kept Filipino diners wanting for more.

The list also transports us to the minds of the masters. Chef Gene Gonzalez, for instance, advocates the love for Filipino food. “And to do that, [we] Filipinos need to be more knowledgeable about the food we eat.” Chef Jessie Sincioco, on the other hand, has always been consistent when it comes to the quality of food she prepares. “I always have to maintain high standards. I cannot go lower,” she says.

Margarita Fores, one of our cover personalities, talks about the challenges of business in the Third World. “Your creativity is really challenged. You need to do your best with things that are [only] available to you.”

We also gain insight from Don Anastacio de Alba. “Simple is still the most beautiful,” he shares. “When you cook, and when you love what you are doing, you become a spirit. Like a painter or a musician, your spirit shows when you cook for [the] people you love.” As soon we heard those words, we already knew what were looking for.

2nd Edition, 2009 On the Cover Photographer: Jake Verzosa Stylist: Michael Salientes Makeup: Ivy Chang H a i r : R o w e n a F. Sonido Shot on location at Subic Bay and Nabasan Beach

Photographer: Lilen Uy S t y l i s t : S i d n e y Ya p Makeup and Grooming: Qua of Shu Uemura Shot on location at La Mesa Ecopark

COUNTDOWN Brands 1-2 CHateau Margaux The Million peso wine, p20-21

15-17 SÄNTIS DELICATESSEN House Charities World class gourmet products brought closer, p34-35

3-5 Alaska Milk The unbeatable brand, p22-23

18-19 Chili’s, Big Buddah ENTREPRENEURSHIP BROTHERHOOD, p36-37

6 MAgnolia ice cream A heirloom surviving through the years, p24

Creation

7 Chupa chups The pioneer of sweet sucking, p26 8-9 Yakult The fermented milk making everyday okay, p28-29 Firms 10-12 San miguel corp Staying ahead of the game, p30-31 13-14 McCafé Mc Donald’s new hodgepodge, p32

32-33 Sm hypermarket The Ultimate Fusion of shopping experience, p47

44 Top chefs The prime chefs and their inspiring stories, p61-65

34-37 Coca-cola bottles Your favorite thirst quencher up-close, p50-51

45-47 Margarita forÉs The culinary expert shares her life’s harvest, p66-73

38-39 RESTAURANTE PIA Y DAMASO the taste of old manila, p52-53

48-49 Rob pengson He’s more than a pretty chef’s Face, p74-81 Insights

22-24 Chef laudico Meet the filipino cuisine warrior, p40-41

Individuals

40 Socorro ramos The mother behind national bookstore, p54-55

25 K. BY CUNANAN CATERING continuing the legacy, p42-43

41 Dani aliaga Spanish blood in the young business scene, p56-57

26-29 Rolls royce The history of design without compromise, p44-45

42 Arthur gindap The big boss puts heart in service, p58

Structures

43 NORA DAZA the filipino cooking pioneer, p59

20-21 Karen’s kitchen From creative juices to premium homemade cakes, p38-39

30-31 WIne depot Finding its home, p46

50-53 Museum of food A taste of the world’s guilty Pleasures, p82-85 54-58 Biz insights the ABCs of commerce and organizational gems, p86-87 59 BFAD DEFENDING THE CONSUMERS, p88

COUNTDOWN Regions 60-61 Cavite The powerful boost from rising industries, p89 62-65 Baguio city The world class tourist spot, p90-91 66-69 Bacolod city Festivities all around, p92-94 R&R 70 Best hotel buffets A rundown on the most sumptuous hotel buffets, p96-98 71 Hotel celeste and Manila pavillion Your new and old plush oasis for relaxation, p100-103 72 Paris trio Take a french food trip on paris’ fabulous restos, p104-105

73 London Where living is the career, p106-109 74 Mongolia A disarming visual delight, p110-113 75 BALI find refuge at ayana resort and spa, p114-115 76 Dornier dassult alpha jet A ride on the fastest private jet in the Philippines, p116-117 77 Don alba’s spanish cuisine From home kitchen to fine dining, p118-119 78 Tibetan lamas diet A lifestyle of antiaging, p120 79 Zenses Molecular gastronomy fused into cooking, p122-123

Style + Design 80-84 Fashion Ed: Wet & dry, p124-130 85-87 Food styling Eugene raymundo’s edgy fashioning of food, p132-133 88-89 Louis vuitton The signature style of luxury, details and tradition of craftmanship, p134 Culture 90-91 Vince padilla and Lyle buencamino Artists on the rise, p136 92-93 Books The invisible man and like water for chocolate reviews, p137 94-95 Films Reviews of movies that will make you hungry and will make you think, p138

96-97 Food on tv The latest TV offerings thriving on food as the subject, p139 98-99 People & parties A sneak at the Dusit Hotel launch and Rupert Jacinto’s media exhibit, p140-141 icon 100 The curious case of the lechon, p154-155

Executive Editor

Editor-in-Chief

Richmond Yang Adrian Carlo Velasco

Art director

Teks Pabuayon

Correspondents Senior Corespondents Philip Abadicio, Leica Carpo, Anton Diaz, Everywhere We Shoot, Lilen Uy, Illac Diaz, Tom Epperson, Michael Salientes, Jake Verzosa

Editorial Assistants

Jr. EditoriAl Assistants

Nelissa Hernandez Kristine Galang Marie Laurice Lupoy Gaby Ignacio Kristy ann texon Jan Michellardi Ylagan

Mariveles, Rodalyn Masinag, Reuben Joel Mercado, Anna Oposa, Marane Plaza, Elka Requinta, Francis Roizard, Niño Mark Sablan, Jessie Joie Santos, Clarissa Tiglao, Diana Uy

Zig Mirasol, Owee Salva, Sheldon Senseng Illustrators Aldy Aguirre, Mikhaila Aldaba. Finness Calacal, Sam Feleo, AJ Omandac, Ray Zapanta

Photographers Writers Carlos Agustin, Anne Nerissa Alina, Richard Allan Aquino, Gino dela Paz, Benjamin Espina, Ovvian Castrillo, June dela Rosa, Anton Diaz, Paola Ebora, Robbie Francisco, Ferdie Manabat, Hannah

Assistant Media Directors Krim Ticlao

(kticlao@octobereighty.com)

Style Correspondents Mikhaila Aldaba, Bless Afable, G-nie Arambulo, Pranz Kaeno Billones, Charles Buencosejo, Will Cruz, Mae Gianina Cabalida, Ian Castañares, Isabel Cruz, AJ de Leon, Aila Fadera, Paolo Feliciano, Tricia Gosingtian, Eric Liongoren, Shaira Luna,

Sidney Yap, Mayone Bakunawa, Ivy Chang, Shu Uemura, Pia Reyes, Rowena Sonido

Media Managers Cyd Ponce Emma Mangalindan

Ian Belleza

(ibelleza@octobereighty.com)

Chief executive officer Cheryl Feliciano Chief creative director Patrick Apacible Business Development Director Cristina Chua Media and Marketing Director Heinz Ngo

Directors Judy Ang, Leah Aquino, Arianna Gimenez, Cristina Gonzalez, Alexis Langlois, Matthew Langlois, Finance Officer Christopher Atienza

magazine October Eighty Publications, Inc. 5F Agustin 1 Building, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines Telephone: (632) 631-9991 to 95 Fax: (632) 635-4455 E-mail: 100@octobereighty.com http://www.octobereighty.com

is published quarterly by October Eighty Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2009 October Eighty Publications, Inc. Printed in the Republic of the Philippines.

No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in any manner without permission from the publisher.

The views and opinions expressed by the authors in this magazine are not necessarily those of October Eighty Publications, Inc. Unsolicited manuscripts and images, which the publisher assumes no responsibility, will not be returned unless accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelopes.

correspondents

Everywhere We Shoot!

The duo behind Everywhere We Shoot!, Ryan Vergara and Garovs Garrovillo, started out as two kids who would meet up at a fast food near school, just to hang out. After indulging in more hangouts and awkward silences and some photobooth flirtation, they ended up smitten not only with each other, but also with each other’s good taste. Both were obsessed with magazines and irony, and working together just happened naturally. It also helped that they were trained under College of St. Benilde’s Design & Arts department (Ryan was a Multimedia Arts major, Garovs, Fashion Design and Merchandising).

Leica Carpo There are days when Leica gets confused on whether to whip on her Louboutins or her Nike Vomeros. But either way, you will find her on the run. Be it checking out “delicious” runway styles of her favorite designers like Marc Jacobs or tearing down some asphalt road at a race in Honolulu, New York or Boston, fashion--like running--is her passion. “I can’t seem to escape from either--regardless of how fast I run,” she says.

tom epperson “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. Sinners are much more fun.”—Billy Joel, “Only The Good Die Young”

Michael Salientes Michael Salientes is the first fashion stylist in the Philippines. He gained experience as the fashion editor of the avant-garde, New York-based Details magazine, and as the first fashion editor of Mega magazine. He was responsible for several groundbreaking magazine covers. He does freelance styling for advertising shoots and fashion shows. He loves searching for old and beautiful trinkets in various flea markets around the globe.

ILLAC DIAZ Illac is a social entrepreneur and travel writer currently based in the Philippines. This graduate of Harvard and MIT is currently focused on the creation of sustainable alternative architectural solutions for rural areas.

Lilen Uy Lilen is grateful to photography, as it has allowed her to discover and to remember the world. Her works can be seen in the local glossies. She is currently working on a project on personal space.

Jake Verzosa Jake Verzosa (b. 1979, Philippines) is a freelance photographer based in Manila. His work as a successful editorial and commercial photographer has given him a chance to expand his craft and has taken him to outside destinations around the region. He has traveled extensively around Southeast Asia and considers his documentaries and portraits as his personal work. He is currently working on a book documenting the lives of Filipino children.

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correspondents

MIKAILA ALDABA Mika is, by the very sense of the term, an evil genius. She brings life to all things pretty and brings death to all that is ugly. And she does it all with a bright bow on her head and a mean smile on her face.

ALDY AGUIRRE Aldy is a freelance illustrator, and comics and visual artist.

He is a member of a group of illustrators for children, Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (AngINK). He recalls having the infamous lechon baboy always present in his family reunions and the left-overs ending up as lechon paksiw.

BLESS AFABLE Bless has assisted different photographers for fashion editorials, beauty, advertising and weddings. She has also worked as photographer in a luxury cruise line for almost 2 years. She displays her works at ibless.multiply.com.

Richard Allan S. Aquino UP Diliman alumnus Richard Allan S. Aquino works as a financial market data research analyst at Thomson Reuters, handling the Spanish and Latin American markets. A freelance writer, he completed a postgraduate magazine editorial program at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

Mayone Bakunawa Mayone Bakunawa is a freelance makeup artist. She has done numerous work for TV, print and fashion shows but her passion for makeup artistry is evident when she does bridal makeup.

Finness Calacal Pin is a student of Communication Arts in Ateneo de Manila University. Her first language is drawing/painting. Her second language is photography. She speaks a bit of film as well.

Will Cruz Will is a senior from De La Salle University taking up Behavioral Science and Business Management. He is part of the photo staff of his school paper, The La Sallian. His works are posted at wilcruz.multiply.com.

Isa Cruz Living on the edge is what drives this young photographer to capture her interest in travel, art, and life in general. Trying to capture moments and things apart from normal, her works are inspired and driven by passion.

JUNE DE LA ROSA Compulsive ganache-nosher and caffeine guzzler, she writes freelance and habituates creative writing to adolescents when she is not skeddaling to quaint little cafes, scouting for good books or ‘scribbling’ in dog-eared notebooks.

PAOLA EBORA Paola is a senior Journalism student at UP Diliman.

She loves East Asian music and cannot go on a day without it. She also loves travelling and cannot wait to go backpacking all over Asia after she graduates.

SAM FELEO As an artist, Sam classifies her works as provocations of unsettling alertness – to sense, to association, to memories, and to the flexibility of the mind.

Paolo Feliciano Paolo Feliciano is a Pampanga-based photographer specializing in interior and furniture photography. While continuing to work with leading architects, interior designers and furniture manufacturers, he recently turned his lens toward shooting weddings and portraits.

Robbie Francisco Robbie is a publicist, a casting agent, and a home spa owner. Born a Libran, he enjoys making people and things around him beautiful. He collaborated with long time friend Anna Bella for the main fashion editorial spread of this issue.

Tricia Gosingtian Tricia Gosingtian is a 20-year-old photographer from the Ateneo de Manila University. She has been featured in a number of local and international publications and articles at a tender age, being a prolific creative icon in today’s online art community.

GABY IGNACIO In her third year as a Communication major at the Ateneo de Manila University, Gaby wants to believe that her life’s calling is to follow in Kevyn Aucoin’s and Nigella Lawson’s respective footsteps.

Joyce Macayan Joyce is an incoming 4th year student from DLSUManila majoring both in European Studies and Business Management. She has a fetish for dark chocolates, colors green and purple, and headbands. She loves listening to music and mixing and matching clothes. She dreams of going on a US road trip and flying to Europe someday.

Reuben Mercado Reuben Mercado studied journalism at the University of the Philippines. He enjoys strawberries-and-cream-flavored lollipops.

Anna Oposa Anna Oposa is a 21-year-old English major at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. It is her first time to write for 100.

Aside from being an aspiring writer, she spends her time traveling, blogging (http://ahnnabanana.livejournal.com), and performing. Anna has lived in Cavite all her life.

Jeff Salvado Jeffrey Salvado only started writing in high school; he joined the student publication in his third year and eventually became an editor. Four years later, he is still writing, and is constantly trying to improve his craft. The subjects he writes about are sporadic, but he is most proud of his critiques on music. He is currently the features editor of The LaSallian.

Kevin Watson So Tsai Kevin is beginning to fulfill his dream of working at a magazine company by currently holding an internship position. While he detests not having a full-time job, he looks forward to being a part-time instructor in Mandarin and Features Writing at a language center.

Ray Zapanta Ray is currently taking up Multimedia Arts at the College of Saint Benilde. He is an exhibiting painter and freelance graphic designer/ illustrator. Check out his site: batangkape. multiply.com

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01 / b r a n d s

A U T H O R n e l i s s a h e r n a n d e z / p hoto g ra p h e r p a o l o f e l i c i a n o

Here’s a bit of info every wine enthusiast should know: the most expensive wine in the country is a bottle of Chateau Margaux 1er Cru Classe 1900 and it carries a hefty PHP 1.3-million price tag.

Chateau Margaux

the cellar dweller

“[The year] 1900 was a spectacular year for wine-making. The wines created in that particular year are going to last for a long time,” Yats Club chief executive officer Denny Wang says.

Bottled in 1900, the country’s most expensive wine was made at Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux, France—one of the most respected wine regions in the world.

Chateau Margaux 1900 is way past its glory days. Created at the turn of the century, it was believed that the period between the 1940s and 1950s was the best time to consume the wine. It is still drinkable though, up to this point, if anyone is courageous enough to do so.

A hundred and nine years after its creation, a bottle of Chateau Margaux 1900 has obviously become a collector’s item. According to Yats Club operations manager Bastiaan de Valle, there are only three remaining bottles of Chateau Margaux 1900 in the world: one is at the Chateau Margaux in France, one in the United States, and one bottle here in the Philippines.

02 spotted at the yats club In the Philippines, Chateau Margaux is only available at the Yats Wine Cellar, tucked inside the Yats International Wine Club at the Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark, Pampanga.

Yats Club is a venue where “people can indulge in” as Wang describes. The wine cellar is home to a 40,000-bottle collection of over 4,500 brands of wine. With the kind of novelty in the wines Yats offers, the restaurant at the club serves special gourmet menu to complement those wines. The ingredients they are flown in from different parts of the world, including kangaroo from Australia, venison from New Zealand and crocodile from South Africa.

When the Yats wine cellar opened last 2003, there were still four bottles of Chateau Margaux 1900 available. Only one bottle remains today, which, De Valle says, is still for sale. The cellar also houses champagne, shipwreck wines, and port wines. Aside from Chateau Margaux 1900, there are also other legendary wines in the collection, including Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1902, Chateau Lafite 1975, and ETRVS Pomerol 1947.

YAT S C l u b o p e r a t i o n s m a n a g e r c a r e f u l l y p l a c e s t h e C h a t e a u M a r g a u x 1 9 0 0 b o t t l e a t t h e i r w i n e c e l l a r.

Chateau Margaux is one of the legendary wines in YAT S C l u b í s 4 0 , 0 0 0 - b o t t l e c o l l e c t i o n .

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/brand s Alaska Aces debuted on the Philippine Basketball Association during its 1986 season. In its very first conference, alaska placed third behind Tanduay, Great Taste, and ginebra. Currently, Alaska Aces has 6 Governor’s Cup and Invitational championships, 3 All-Filipino Cup championships, 2 Commissioner’s Cup championships and 1 Fiesta Cup championship on its belt.

03

alaska in the philippines It’s undeniable that Alaska Milk products have achieved much brand awareness among Filipinos for decades now.

“Alaska” may readily be known as one cold state in the USA, but for households and the foodservice industry in the Philippines, it may well be equated with condensed and evaporated milk used in halo-halo among other desserts and dishes.

Today, Alaska Milk has expanded its line to creamers, powdered milk, all-purpose cream, and ready-to-drink (RTD) milk like the Alaska Yoghurt Drink introduced in 2008. But not many people know that the Alaska Milk Corporation (AMC) did not exist until 1994. This is because its milk

brand was originally imported from the Netherlands. Production of the evaporated filled milk and subsequently other products were then localized in 1972 through Holland Milk Products Inc. Finally, the AMC was incorporated as a separate entity in 1994.

Over the years, AMC has forged strategic alliances in distribution and promotions with Kellogg’s breakfast cereals and has acquired licenses to Hershey’s RTD Chocolate Milk, and Nestlé’s Alpine, Milkmaid, Carnation and Liberty brands.

They have also acquired distributor rights to Quaker Oats and Nabisco’s Oreo and Chips Ahoy Cookies in the Philippines.

04 “wala pa ring tatalo sa alaska” The red and white Alaska logo and the smiling, blond-haired boy have been popular icons that remind us of the brand. Throughout the years, these icons have represented Alaska’s goal of providing quality products to consumers.

Despite the fact that Alaska Milk’s production has been shifted under different managements in a span of almost four decades, AMC has been true to its

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commitment to the quality and freshness of its products in order to promote proper health and wellness among Filipino families. This has been evident in its advocacy for an active lifestyle for the Filipino youth through the Alaska Power Camp. The sports development program provides training in various disciplines such as basketball, volleyball, and football.

A U T H O R k e v i n t s a i / i l l ustrator f i n n e s s c a l a c a l & t e k s p a b u a y o n

05 the boy on the milk can Although there have been speculations as who the boy on the Alaska can is, the image is merely an artist’s rendition used when the products were still imported from the Netherlands. It has been widely believed that the boy was Michael Uytengsu, brother of current AMC CEO Wilfred Uytengsu Jr. However, Michael was in fact the blonde-haired boy featured in the 1976 commercial along with basketball player Cisco Oliver.

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/brand s

A U T H O R r i c h a r d a l l a n a q u i n o / p hoto g ra p h e r M AE G IANINA CABALIDA

Magnolia has been part of the Filipino food culture since 1925.

Taking the place of their “Flavor of the Month” are “Limited Edition” flavors, which are introduced every summer and Christmas season.

06

DAiry Asset

Sometimes, a family’s most precious heirloom comes in a box. It could be a prized piece of jewelry, passed down from mother to daughter. It could be grandpa’s old vinyl records and a turntable shared with his grandkids. Or it could even be our grandmother’s favorite ice cream, like the irresistible classic ube (purple yam) flavor from Magnolia.

And why not? Since 1925, San Miguel Corporation’s Magnolia Ice Cream has been a big part of Filipino families for many generations.

The brand itself has endured various colonizers, natural calamities, and even wars. Throughout its eight decades of existence, Magnolia has taken part in countless social events and family celebrations.

Of course, there have been struggles.

The financial crunch in the late 1990s was the principal reason why San Miguel Corporation (SMC) decided to let go of its division that manufactured Magnolia Ice Cream. In 1996, it had to partner with Nestlé to continue with the production of the Magnolia Ice Cream line, which renamed the product Magnolia-Nestlé. The brand Magnolia was then slowly phased-out, as the ice cream was called Nestlé-Magnolia, and eventually, just Nestlé Ice Cream.

Exhibiting admirable resilience like the Filipino character, the brand Magnolia survived.

In 2002, SMC launched its wholly-owned dairy division called Magnolia Inc., a restructured business entity originally named the Philippine Dairy Product Company. In October 2004, Magnolia Ice Cream was ready for its second coming.

The resurgence of the brand was expected to confuse some consumers, according to Magnolia Ice Cream general manager Mauricio Alcon.

“There was some difficulty in terms of brand differentiation,” he notes, referring to the merger in the last decade. “On our part, the difficulty was starting from scratch. We had to attract new customers, mobilize our freezer cabinets, and set up a sales force dedicated to solely selling ice cream.”

At the time of its comeback, Magnolia was the second most-recognized ice cream product in the country, according to a 2004 AC Nielsen survey. Not bad, considering that it was out of the limelight for several years. Even the initial confusion that came during its re-entry in the market benefited Magnolia, as locally the name has always been synonymous with the term ice cream, even when buyers are referring to the competition.

Internationally, SMC is proud that Magnolia has put the Philippines on the world food map. It is not unusual for foreigners to take home boxes of Magnolia Ice Cream products when they return to their own countries, as the Queen of Thailand was reported to have done. In fact, brand recognition outside the country is remarkably impressive that several copycats have “stolen” the name Magnolia and registered it for their own ice cream line, particularly in Singapore, Malaysia, and the United States. In areas where imitators exist, the original Magnolia products take on the name San Miguel Gold Label. Presently, the product is exported to Japan, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe and it will soon be available in North America. But the main focus is always the Filipino consumer.

Four years after its relaunch, Magnolia is back to making everyday a celebration for everyone, especially with its bestselling “Classic” series. Although the “Flavor of the Month” concept has been scrapped, taking its place are “Limited Edition” flavors, which are introduced every summer and Christmas season, which began in 2008. So far, the change has been a success, as 2008’s Choco Chip Cookie Dough became part of the regular “Limited Edition” series.

Perhaps the best representation of the strength and durability of the Magnolia Ice Cream brand comes in its new, state-of-the-art, reusable and microwavable, in-mould packaging. The box is extremely sturdy, and the label doesn’t fall off at all—very much like the legacy that Magnolia has left us behind, similar to a family heirloom.

/brand s

A U T H O R REUBEN J o e l m e r c a d o i i i / p hoto g ra p h e r M AE G IANINA CABALIDA

There are a couple of interesting flavors Chupa Chups has released: the sourest formula produced is Super Sour Apple; the sweetest is the Cajeta flavor of Mexico.

The saltiest is Salmiak for Holland and the most chic is Ginger Ale.

07 love for lollipop

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Amid recession and the Cold War in 1958, Chupa Chups founder Enric Bernat thought up the idea of “eating a sweet with a fork,” thus the lollipop. He found inspiration in children’s sticky hands, which were sticky from constantly popping candies in and out of their mouths.

Hailing from football-crazy Spain, Bernat wanted to call his invention “Gol,” imagining the sweet as the ball and the open mouth as the football net. But that didn’t work out, so the advertisers were called in. It was supposed to be simply “Chups.” However, its radio jingle (“Chupa, chupa, chupa un chups,” which translates to “Lick, lick, lick a chups”) proved so catchy that the product’s name had to be changed to what it is today.

When the brand needed the perfect logo, who else stepped in but the famed Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali? There were no melting clocks or long-legged elephants, though.

The logo was just an iconic daisy shape with simple lettering, first sketched by the artist on a paper napkin.

Over the years, the brand has gone a long

way from its beginnings in Spain. Manufactured by the third-largest confectionery group in the world, Perfetti Van Melle, Chupa Chups lollipops are sold around the world, with its 127 flavors catering to local tastes.

Of course, almost everyone enjoys the standards like vanilla, chocolate, and caramel. All modes of fruit (apple, peach, watermelon) and beverage (cola, jasmine tea, piña colada) flavors are also available. Exotic tastes are also being offered. For example, the Mexicans have chiliflavored Chupa Chups, while the Dutch can suck on salty licorice lollipops. The Philippine market, meanwhile, particularly likes the strawberry and orange flavors.

What all these flavors have in common is the use of premium ingredients. These lollipops contain natural fruit pulp, concentrated fruit puree, and natural colorings.

Chupa Chups was invented for kids, but its fun appeal has attracted “children of all ages.”

Because no matter how hard the times get, there can be no denying the simple joy of having a lollipop.

/brand s

08

a trip down yakult lane

YAKULT FAST FACTS Is it all right to take Yakult when having diarrhea?

One of the major causes of diarrhea is a disturbed intestinal flora. In this condition, ingestion of a beneficial bacteria such as the Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain, found in Yakult, help normalize the intestinal flora. Thereby, taking Yakult is highly recommended when having a diarrhea.

However, other diarrhea may be caused by other factors, so in this case, it is better to consult a specialist particularly if the illness occurs further even after drinking Yakult and treatment.

Does excessive drinking of Yakult cause diarrhea?

Excessive drinking of Yakult will not cause diarrhea. Rather, it is effective in producing an intestinal flora in which beneficial bacteria dominate.

How many bottles of Yakult are appropriate to consume daily?

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In 1935, Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd introduced Yakult in Japan based on discoveries made by Dr. Minoru Shirota, the company’s former chairman. Dr. Shirota blazed a trail in the field of preventive medicine with his studies on a type of lactic acid bacteria known as Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain.

The Yakult brand became synonymous with good health and it made a tremendous impact throughout Japan. Its entry in the market gained immediate acceptance, which led to the establishment of the worldwide Yakult Organization. The company was founded on the principles of preventive medicine and has used its extensive research in Probiotics to enhance the health of its customers since the 1930s. In the 21st century, the company, with its subsidiaries and overseas companies like Yakult Philippines Inc., aims to use its role as Probiotics pioneer to expand its contribution in preventing diseases and to raise the quality of life for people throughout the world.

Yakult was introduced in the Philippines in 1978. Its popularity among Filipinos has

For a healthy person, one bottle of Yakult is enough for health maintenance. However, when one is sick or extremely tired, the level of Lactobacilli in the intestine goes down.

When is the most appropriate time to have Yakult?

Yakult can be taken anytime, but preferably after a meal when the acidity in the stomach is lower. Lower acidity in the stomach helps Yakult strain to reach the intestines alive.

However, for children, an excessive intake of Yakult before meals may spoil their appetite.

Is Yakult beneficial for persons on antibiotics for a long time?

Drinking Yakult has been effective in normalizing the intestinal flora of patients under antibiotic therapy. With antibiotics, the balance of intestinal flora is disturbed. As a result, pathogenic or detrimental bacteria may predominate and cause secondary infections.

Drinking Yakult with Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain could play an important role in controlling intestinal bacterial flora during and after an antibiotic therapy.

significantly grown in the past 30 years. The Yakult Plant in Makiling, Calamba, Laguna is one of Asia’s best production facilities in terms of technology, sanitation, and quality control.

Here, the Yakult product is produced in a totally sanitized environment following strict quality-control standards. It is produced with the least human intervention using modern and technologically advanced state-of-the-art facilities to ensure non-contamination of the product. Rigid quality control procedures assure the conformity of the product with the worldrenowned Yakult formulation.

Through the years, Yakult Philippines Inc. upholds its commitment in providing good health through the use of beneficial microorganisms. All the endeavors the company has undertaken and continues to undertake are guided by its principle to promote the health interest of the Filipino people. Consistent with this principle, the company continues to educate the Filipino consumers on the health benefits of the Yakult lactobacilli. It seeks to supplement its expanding market coverage with great missionary zeal that good digestion leads to good health.

p hoto g ra p h e r TEKS PABUAYON / p h o t o s c o u r t e s y o f y a k u l t

Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd. played a key role in developing the chemotherapy drug Irinotecan.

09 the good bacteria Yakult is a fermented milk drink containing the live lactic acid, Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain, which can survive in the human intestinal tract. In 1930, Yakult founder Dr. Minoru Shirota isolated these lactic acid bacteria, which play beneficial roles in the human intestine, in the human intestinal tract.

Subsequently, the product Yakult was developed.

This product provides consumers with a healthy drink that contains 8 billion live Lactobacillus casie Shirota strain, which maintains intestinal health and thus helps prevent disorders.

Microorganisms have to conquer various physiological barriers in order to remain alive in the human intestinal tract. These barriers— gastric juice and bile—are strongly bactericidal and kill most of the microorganisms that invade the human intestinal tract. The lactic acid in Yakult, however, is resistant to gastric acid and bile and is able to reach the intestines alive.

Once in the intestines, the strain acts to exert various activities, which retain and promote intestinal health.

More that one hundred million of these beneficial intestinal lactic acid bacteria are maintained alive in one milliliter of Yakult.

Ya k u l t p l a n t i n C a l a m a b a , L a g u n a

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10 / f i r m s Aside from making it possible for a usual month-long Oktoberfest to run for 120 days, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is proud of leading the Philippines in grabbing a record milestone of having the longest bar during last year’s Oktoberfest opening party.

San Miguel Corporation The man behind the success Enrique Barretto y de Ycaza, a Spanish national, can be considered the San Miguel Corporation’s founder. Under a royal grant from Spain, he established La Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel in September 29, 1890, which was Southeast Asia’s first brewery. Today, Ycaza Street in San Miguel, Manila is named after him.

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From small beginnings to household name

on top of the game

The name San Miguel is derived from three origins: St. Michael the Archangel; the local brewery in San Miguel, Barcelona; and the location of its first plant in San Miguel, Manila. The company was incorporated in 1913 and five years later, Andres Soriano y Roxas entered the company as an accounting clerk, which was the start of the reign of the Sorianos.

In succeeding years, SMC ventured into other businesses like glass, ice cream and dairy products (under the Magnolia brand name), and soft drinks. The corporation built plants and breweries within and outside Manila. In 1927, San Miguel secured the first non-U.S. Coca-Cola bottling and distribution franchise. In World War I, its beer was being exported to Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Guam. San Miguel also established a brewery in Hong Kong, the first of its kind in the colony.

In the early 1980s, SMC went into poultry farming and shrimp processing. In the mid-1980s, there were internal disputes over the ownership and management of SMC involving the Sorianos, Enrique Zobel (then vice chairman of the board), Eduardo Cojuangco, and the Aquino administration. In the end, control was handed to Andres Soriano III. He further expanded into beef and pork production, acquired majority of La Tondeña Distillers Inc., and exported products to 24 countries. In 1995, SMC established several plants in six key Asian locations. From 1999 onwards, SMC acquired a number of domestic companies like Purefoods Corp. and six companies in four nearby countries.

Today, SMC is the Philippines’ largest publicly listed food, beverage and packaging company and one of the largest employers of the country with 25,900 employees. San Miguel Beer, the company’s flagship product, is recognized as one of the 20 top beer brands in the world.

Being a prominent business conglomerate in the country, San Miguel Corporation carries the most formidable brands leading the Philippine food and beverage industry today. There are a wide variety of offerings for different markets all marked with San Miguel’s established name in quality and excellence. Some of these brands are Ginebra San Miguel, Monterey, Magnolia, Purefoods, and the world famous San Miguel Beer.

Brands under the corporation have become leaders in their respected segments. Monterey, for instance, has established itself as one of the country’s largest hog and cattle operation, introducing the latest technology in feed milling, breeding, livestock raising, meat retailing, and processing. Ginebra San Miguel, on the other hand, is acknowledged as one of the world’s largest selling gin. The flagship product, San Miguel Beer, is considered as one of the best-selling beers in the world.

As San Miguel continuously expands its horizons, it has also penetrated into providing real estates options. Its most recent addition is the San Miguel Properties Development Inc., which is making waves in the residential and commercial property development.

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A U T H O R k r i s t y a n n t e x o n / p hoto g ra p h e r i a n c a s t a ñ a r e s

Contrary to popular belief, Grimace does not represent taste buds; neither does he stand for halayang ube. Rather, Grimace is McDonald’s mascot for the milkshake.

McCafé

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Unstrange brew

Quality is king

Would you like a frappe with those fries?

While such a combination would have made people scoff a decade ago, McDonald’s is now having the last laugh.

Patrons have always loved McDonald’s for serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus some desserts at a fair price. However, these patrons had to go elsewhere to get light snacks in between meals.

Rather than lose the potential market, McDonald’s decided to establish McCafé. The whole idea was altogether unusual and ingenious.

In 1993, the first McCafé opened in Melbourne, Australia. The move was well received by the usual patrons. Moreover, McCafé attracted new customers. To date, there are 300 branches worldwide— the Philippines included.

McCafé opened in the country in 2001, a time when café culture was becoming part of the Filipino lifestyle. After eight years in the Philippine shores, McCafé boasts of a handful of branches dotting the metro.

A mix of flagship and in-line stores keep the customers coming. Flagship branches are located right next door to a McDonald’s branch. Such stores offer sandwiches. On the other hand, the in-line McCafé branches allow customers to order drinks and desserts from the fast food counter. Customers can also upgrade their value meal drinks to McCafé drinks.

Both the flagship and in-line McCafé shops offer cold drinks and coffee. Their bestseller is the Double Choco Frappe, which is a cold chocolate drink topped with whipped cream.

While McCafé’s drinks are sold at reasonable prices, they still offer premium coffee made of 100-percent Arabica beans. McCafé only employs certified baristas to man the coffee machines and mix the drinks.

In fact, regular crew are not allowed behind McCafé’s counters. This gives the customers the assurance that their drinks were prepared by well-trained experts.

McDonald’s has always been particular with its employees’ hygiene as well. A part of the McDonald’s jargon is time out—this means that the crew washes their hands every 30 minutes.

To adhere to global standards, McDonald’s and McCafé make sure that their accredited suppliers are consistent with what they have to offer. Food safety checks are done regularly. Moreover, they hold surprise inspections in provincial branches to maintain the standards of the stores.

Such products and practices reaffirm that McDonald’s has always kept quality in mind. With the brand’s firm principles, it is no wonder that the global recession is not posing a huge problem to the food chain giant.

While other companies are closing down and retrenching, McDonald’s is flourishing in these tight times. The brand enjoyed huge profits in 2008, as customers flocked to eat at McDonald’s. It all makes sense, because consumers need to be wiser with spending their money. With the need for good value becoming more rudimentary than ever, McDonald’s and McCafé are guaranteeing that quality remains affordable.

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A U T H O R g a b y i g n a c i o / p hoto g ra p h e r s H a i r a l u n a

Säntis’s namesake was inspired by Mt. Säntis, a famous mountain north of Switzerland.

SÄNTIS DELICATESSEN 17

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A Matter of Taste

Food Folio

The Swiss are known for many things, such as fine cheese, chocolate, some of the most precise wristwatches the world has ever seen, and responsibility for the protection of the Holy See—an army that, because of its regulation knives, may very well know how to open a bottle of Chardonnay under fire.

It is in these first three aspects—fine food and exceptional precision—that Werner Berger, internationally renowned chef and president of the Wernerberg Group of Companies, really shines.

Berger graduated from the Hotel School in St. Gallen, Switzerland in 1964, when celebrity chefs were unheard of, when creativity and skill—rather than the ability to sell millions of cookbooks and have a television show—were the measure of a chef.

Before moving to the Philippines in 1977 to work as executive chef for the Philippine Airlines, Berger ran the kitchens of premier establishments such as the Regent Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, the Hyatt Hotel in Teheran, the Peninsula in Hong Kong, and the Oberoi Imperial Hotel in Singapore. In 1985, he established his first Philippine restaurant, La Primavera, in Greenbelt Center.

“Your tape isn’t long enough if I name everything we carry,” Berger jokes, and, all attempts at humor aside, he’s quite right. The deli carries products from over 15 different countries, and the store’s portfolio contains more than 1,200 individual products. Today, loyal customers can check the deli’s products online. The product descriptions include information on the products’ taste, ingredients, and cooking suggestions. He adds, “Säntis has anything you need to make a good meal.”

The deli has, in fact, made a name for itself as the most accessible source for top shelf food products, most of which Berger himself has personally chosen. Local companies are constantly asking for their products to be sold at the stores, but are always turned down.

“Säntis should not compete with the supermarkets,” Berger says.

“We already have such a big portfolio that we can only take really special products.”

This dedication to providing exceptional food has kept Säntis Delicatessen the primary gourmet’s source for everything from coarsely ground polenta to prime Norwegian seafood. High quality food has always been equated with Säntis Delicatessen, and maintaining that level of quality is the company’s greatest challenge.

According to Berger, “When you look over all these years, we always kept the quality; we were always there. Our vision is to stay there, and to keep giving good service and good quality to all our clients.” Säntis, under the strict, precise and watchful eye of Berger, can be sure of its place as a haven of high quality food for its discerning consumers.

16 Of the Factory & the First Säntis Delicatessen, the Werdenberg Group of Companies’ most familiar brand, was founded in 1987 after an overwhelming number of requests for high-quality food from expatriates and local food lovers. What began as a way to keep the food-loving elite market happy has since flourished into a trade name 11 shops strong.

Its first branch on Yakal Street, near its factory, is still experiencing a steady influx of customers, particularly around the Christmas season when it seems all of Metro Manila is after the same portions of lox and wheels of camembert.

“We had housewives always coming into the factory buying sausages, meat and things like that. Every couple of minutes, someone would come up and say hello, so instead of working, you were serving these housewives. That’s why we opened our first shop, and the demand was for things like chocolate and specialized cheese,” Berger says.

1 Säntis features all sorts of food products from d i ff e re n t c o u n t r i e s . / 2 C u s t o m e r s l o v e S ä n t i s ’s wide selection of sausages. / 3 Good food must be accompanied by good wine. / 4 The sage derby is among the many varieties of cheese available. / 5 A medley of olives is displayed in wooden buckets.

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A U T H O R e l k a k r y s t l e r e q u i n t a / p hoto g ra p h e r p r a n z k a e n o b i l l o n e s

Looking out from Chili’s windows towards Greenbelt 3, it’s as if there is an invisible line one can draw from the establishment to its “brother” company, Big Buddha. It may not be intentional, but it could be a subconscious comfort to constantly looking out for each other.

18 Fun, fresh, flavorful Not all friendships survive the transition to business partner relationships. Yet four school buddies who simply love to eat, drink and go out managed to survive more than 12 years in a single joint venture that has expanded into three flourishing food-related companies.

A few years after graduating from college abroad, Luigi Vera, Richie Yang, Rob Epes, and Winston Chan started with a local franchise of Chili’s Grill & Bar, a popular Southwest-American restaurant in the US.

19 Uncomplicated eating A softening in the market after their third branch’s opening led them to their foray into Chinese-Japanese cuisine. They opened Super Bowl of China, which now has nine branches all over Metro Manila.

“We needed to think of another concept to offset any downturn so we talked about trying a rice-based concept that’s very understandable to the modern Filipino market,” says Yang, managing director for Big Buddha Restaurants Inc. “We did research, hired chefs from Hong Kong, brought them here, and worked on a menu for six months while looking for the right location.”

Super Bowl is a restaurant that serves Chinese—mostly Cantonese cuisine—with a Western ambience. Acceptable food prices appealed to a wider range of customers without sacrificing food quality and service.

The look and feel of Super Bowl is unlike any other traditional Chinese restaurant. The interiors are undeniably modern, and it exudes a very simple, contemporary ambience that promotes an “uncomplicated” style of eating.

“We used to frequent a branch near school when we were students,” says Vera, who handles day-to-day operations for AmPhil Food Concepts Inc. in all of their three locations: Greenbelt 5 (formerly in Greenbelt 1), Greenhills, and Tomas Morato. “Chili’s has a name already, so as long as there’s a market, we can open a branch anywhere,” he continues.

It has been almost 13 years since the four opened their first branch in Makati. They have maintained the same signature look as their American counterparts. Key elements of the restaurant—from the red-and-green color scheme, to the giant chilli pepper, table accents, and awning—were also kept for consistent branding. The local branches do not have entirely the same menu as the one in US, though.

Chili’s offers food that aim to “ease the day’s stresses away.” Succulent steaks, garden-fresh salads, and juicy burgers are served in a casual and relaxed atmosphere where people can unwind.

“[The restaurants] have to look and feel the same. But at the same time, some items were made to be more suited to the Filipino’s taste buds because that is our target market,” says Vera. More importantly, they make sure that they produce globally flavorful and consistently fresh food.

Shortly after opening Super Bowl, Big Buddha—a more posh version of the restaurant—was born. Located in Greenbelt 3, the spin-off that serves the same laudable Chinese food responded to the company and the property owner’s need of having a newer concept that would cater to a less common market.

Big Buddha turned out to be another huge hit. Yang said they are now looking into the possibilities of further expansion for both food establishments.

Epes, meanwhile, handles their trading company, Red Hot Trading.

They used to buy goods from abroad to supply their restaurants, but Epes was able to grow the company in such a way that it is also supplying allimported products to other restaurants and hotels apart from their own.

“Handling the businesses separately, actually, kept [the four of ] us together,” Vera said. “It was able to give the right leeway and flexibility so each group we handle can grow according to its own pace without having to share resources. There are still unavoidable big arguments, but we remain friends. We learned to let pet peeves go.”

“The way our business is set, each person has to be more accountable than others so there’s no confusion on who takes charge,” Yang added. “If there’s going to be a few partners in a business, someone just has to be more accountable than the rest and everyone has to defer to that person. You can’t have many heads in day-to-day decisions.”

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1 W h e n C h i l i ’s w a s b ro u g h t t o t h e c o u n t r y, t h e branding was kept consistent. / 2 Bold accents lend charm to the restaurant. / 3 Big Buddha is enjoying success, and there are plans for its expansion. / 4 The look of Super Bowl is unlike any other traditional Chinese restaurant.

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20 / c r e a t i o n Karen’s Kitchen usually sells almost 300 units of cakes (including individual to whole cakes) in a day.

karen’s kitchen

Cake craze Creative expression, for some people, translates to picking a charcoal pencil and creating a perfect portrait, strumming the guitar for a fresh rhythm or producing a heartwarming prose. For Karen Young, it involves baking powder, some bittersweet chocolate, and an oven.

Karen Young, baker and owner of Karen’s Kitchen, was heavily influenced by her sister Joy who used to bake sweets during their childhood.

She was always eager to see and taste what her sister was baking.

“I think I first learned to bake oatmeal cookies,” she recalls. She used to work in furniture manufacturing in California using Philippine rattan components, but ever since, she was already a dessert enthusiast. She then took baking classes with Frances Salazar and enrolled in the Ventures in Entrepreneurship course at the Asian Institute of Management.

From simple cookies to a Black Forest Cake she had created as a teenager, Young now

creates as many as 24 different types of cake at Karen’s Kitchen (officially Key Specialty Foods Inc.). The most commonly cited favorites among the product line are Chocolate Ganache, Red Velvet, Frozen Brazo, and Strawberry Shortcake.

Her newest releases, Tres Leches and Mulato Ice Cream Cake, are also expected to be a hit among her loyal clientele.

What started as a hobby business in the mid-’90s evolves to a sought-after desserts producer starting in 2003. She employed around 16 regular employees who go through periodic training in baking and cake decorating.

Ask Young about the secret behind the success of Karen’s Kitchen and she wouldn’t talk about a unique ingredient or a special way of baking.

Instead, she would utter that Karen’s Kitchen will always be a work-in-progress, and quote a line from the Bible. She credits Proverbs 16:3 (Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed) for the headway the business had gained.

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Sweet process One would really love to be inside Karen’s Kitchen. With smell of steamed milk in the air, chocolate and all the other ingredients organized at the table, and the view of frozen cakes from the refrigerator, it is a heaven for dessert lovers.

Young only uses local products in her cakes.

For the creation of a Chocolate Ganache, for instance, she uses chocolate, cream, butter, cocoa, vanilla, baking powder and eggs, all of which are available locally. Nothing really fancy, but of course, the secret is in the way it is baked.

“Each cake has its own story,” Young says.

She then elaborates an interesting process of how she creates her recipes.

Young gets inspiration from other types of 38 \

cakes she had seen or tasted. She admits that she has to get smitten by a cake by either seeing it or trying it. She will then eat this particular kind of cake while “shutting out the rest of the whole world.” She’ll experiment on the recipe and the wonders will start from there.

Young’s endless hours experimenting her kitchen pays. Karen’s Kitchen is already famous for its premium home-baked cakes. Her customers might be asking when she will put up a dine-in venue and a showroom with chillers containing her bestselling cakes. There are plans for this, of course, but since it hasn’t materialized just yet, her website (www.karenskitchen.com. ph) will remain to be a virtual showroom of her mouth-watering desserts.

A U T H O R n e l i s s a h e r n a n d e z / p hoto g ra p h e r m a e

gianina cabalida

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Pushing for Pinoy cuisine’s popularity If there’s one word that best describes Roland Laudico, that would probably be “brave.”

But considering he has chosen the life of being a full-time chef, it may not be that easy to reconcile that adjective to a man who wears a nice clean white outfit on a daily basis.

Those who know Laudico and are familiar with his story and style can understand why. He started his ascend to culinary fame by cooking special meals at his own backyard in a posh Makati subdivision. His business solely relied on word-ofmouth to attract customers. He had no signage and especially no public advertisements.

His growing popularity soon led him to open a real restaurant. His friends, especially fellow chefs, were all cautioning him against doing a Filipino fine-dining theme. After all, who wants to pay a premium for food that everyone eats at home? Laudico, however, considers promotion of Filipino cuisine as his personal advocacy, and he stubbornly believes that if people were willing to pay good money to eat Italian and Japanese, then why wouldn’t we do so for dishes that we grew up loving?

He then decided to offer something more

—to prepare traditional Filipino dishes in ways no one has heard of or seen before. He believes that people will be willing to pay to eat Kare-Kare if it is cooked in a really different way without losing its trademark taste and appeal.

Thus is the concept of his restaurant, Bistro Filipino. It has been running in The Fort for over two years now, and the packed tables every night have proven Laudico right. Dishes like Prawns Laing Tempura, laing in cake form coated in tempura batter with large prawns on the side; and Adobo Overload, chicken adobo stuffed inside sticky rice with foie gras on top; have gained popularity through word-of-mouth. His growing clientele of foreigners and expatriates has also shown that Laudico can sell his cooking to other markets. “An American may not eat Kare-Kare with bagoong because the smell would easily turn him off,” he says. What he did was to mix the bagoong into the sauce of his US Angus Beef Kare-Kare.

Chef Roland Laudico has never been afraid of doing things his way, and this attitude may have just led him to discover some of the missing elements needed to really start pushing Filipino cuisine into worldwide acceptance.

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The Lumpia Cone Laudico’s Ubod Spring Roll is a perfect example of his artistry. He once saw a kid about to eat the traditional lumpia on a street corner, and he took notice of how the boy would sprinkle the vinegar on it through an improvised catsup bottle. Laudico then decided that part of his effort to promote Filipino food would be to elevate the quality and appearance of popular Pinoy street food into something that the more discerning would appreciate.

With the lumpia, he decided to play with appearance and temperature. Instead of the usual cylindrical shape, he created a cone wherein he would stuff a mix of shrimp, chorizo and fresh 40 \

vegetables. The real difference would be the vinegar, which he decided to freeze. In tune with the cone shape, the frozen vinegar is placed into the top, the opening of the lumpia wrapper.

Eating it would be similar to eating small “dirty” ice cream cones. The bite would be tempered by a fusion of hot and cold, as the fried hot lumpia is tasted through the frozen vinegar. To complete the presentation, Roland designed a stainless steel tray that holds small glasses where the lumpia is placed.

Chef Laudico’s Ubod Spring Roll is a manifestation of his culinary expertise. It tastes as good as it looks, and the presentation does not betray the bite.

MAKING THE UNIQUE CONCOCTION: The ingredients are the same with any Pinoy lumpia: garlic, onions, chorizo and ubod. Chef Roland Laudico sautés all the ingredients then wraps them with the typical lumpia wrapper and fries them g e n t l y, m a k i n g s u re t h a t t h e f i l l i n g is stuffed tight. The Ubod Spring Roll is then served with frozen sinamak vinegar that eventually melts into the cone.

A U T H O R & p hoto g ra p h e r c a r l o s a g u s t i n

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Chef Roland Laudico used to be the lead singer of a rock band! He loves Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam, and still belts out his favorite rock tunes every chance he gets.

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/c reat i on The “F” in F. Cunanan’s Catering stands for Felipa, which is the founder’s name.

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k. by cunanan catering

Things are A-Okay It Is a wonder how one letter can alter the course of events.

F. Cunanan Catering has become an institution with 40 years of experience.

However, with the demise of its founder, the family had to find a way to keep the business going. Kaye Cunanan, granddaughter of Felipa Cunanan, was tapped to take over the family business.

From F. Cunanan’s Catering, the name of the business was changed to K. by Cunanan Catering. The namesake shift was done three years ago, and now the business flourishes in the fusion of traditional principles and modern sensibility. “I guess putting my name—or at least my initial—gave me pride to really work on the company’s image.

Making it K. by Cunanan Catering meant mixing old with the new,” says the young Cunanan.

The business may be thriving, but that doesn’t mean that Cunanan was ready to take on the job when it was offered to her then. She shares, “My dad asked me to try it out when my lola was sick, but I was into photography that I found it difficult to focus on the catering. It was during my lola’s wake that it hit me. Our captain waiter’s eulogy made me realize what a waste it would be not to continue the business.”

The business continued, but Cunanan realized that the brand had to represent

something more updated. She had to teach the staff about the new trends in table settings, but she was cautious about coming off as disrespectful to tradition. “It took a while for the waiters to understand that minimalism was the new thing. They learned skirtings and napkin folds from hotels, and it was something they were proud to do. I somehow had to be careful not to hurt their feelings,” she says.

While the company’s name and aesthetics have changed, the people at K.

by Cunanan Catering still value hard work.

A catering event takes a lot of preparation before the team can get the show on the road. To make memorable events, Cunanan collaborates with the clients. She says, “Concepts really come from client’s ideas.

What we do is just execute those ideas using what we have and what’s available.”

The whole pre-event shebang includes many meetings and e-mail exchanges between Cunanan and the client. Most of the time, the client sends pegs for the event, so that Cunanan will know what kind of arrangement will work best. Themes and other special requests are decided on this stage.

Ever since Cunanan took over the family business, she has made it a point to improve their menu as well. “We’ve added new dishes with fresh flavor combinations that are sure to be new favorites,” she quips. Food-tasting and

mock set-up sessions prep the client and the team for the big day. By conducting a dry run, all the possible snags are ironed out.

Things are crazy enough during the planning stage, but nothing beats the frenzy on the day of the event. Depending on the time of the actual party, Cunanan and her staff have to be up as early as four in the morning. The staff toils away to make sure that everything is perfect.

The food preparation and floral arrangements are done hours prior to the event; this ensures that everything is fresh. Finishing touches are done on the table setting.

When the event starts, Cunanan is on her toes. The team makes sure that they are aware of the program, because everything involves coordination. They are given cue when to serve the food, or when to carry out other tasks.

While Cunanan does ample preparation, there can still be minor hiccups. These include rain on an open space, the program starting earlier than expected, or an overflow of guests because they failed to confirm attendance.

Still, Cunanan is undaunted. “As long as you warn your clients beforehand about possible scenarios, these problems can be avoided. It is possible to have a perfect event,” she says.

With such buoyancy from the company’s owner, things will be a-okay for K. by Cunanan Catering.

1 A waiter prepares the glasses for a wedding reception. / 2 Bread and pastries on the buffet table await hungry guests. / 3 The chef presents the main course for the event. / 4 The team has prepared a simple and modern table setting.

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/c reat i on Rolls-Royce’s hood ornament, “The Spirit of Ecstasy” - or “The Flying Lady” - was modeled after Eleanor Velasco Thornton, a beautiful and intelligent woman who was the secretary and secret lover of John Scott, a pioneer of the car in England.

Rolls-royce

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Riding in Luxury I bet WE would be hardpressed to think of one single thing that could tie business tycoon Donald Trump, rapper Snoop Dogg, KISS lead singer Gene Simmons, American Idol’s Simon Cowell, actress Brittany Murphy and singer Christina Aguilera together. Well, all of them own or have owned one of the world’s most expensive cars. It is easy to see why, even in a world where the words “practical” and “green” have become household terms to live by, celebrities and

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royalty still choose a Rolls-Royce.

The elegance of the centuryold brand daringly goes way beyond mainstream appeal. A Rolls-Royce is not just any pretty girl-next-door you can probably woo over by serenading her with love songs and giving her flowers and chocolates on Valentine’s Day. A Rolls-Royce is that stunning supermodel you only see on TV and dream about, someone who’d probably require more than just your regular variety milk chocolate and red roses.

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the secret: handcrafting The Phantom, RollsRoyce’s latest model, is testament to its legacy. Launched in 2003, the handcrafted Phantom takes at least two months to build. Its space frame (the largest in the automotive industry to date) is made up of about 200 sections and more than 300 parts, all of which are welded by highly skilled craftsmen by hand. While other manufacturers boast of the fastest and most efficient machinery, Rolls-Royce believe that there is no substitute for human involvement: only the trained human eye and the sensitivity of human finger tips can ensure the highest quality hides and finest wood veneers used in the Phantom.

Add to that a special Xirallic paint that becomes more vivid and alive under sunlight, a fiber optic loom that connects the car’s complex control system, metal matrix speakers for the best sound system, a magnesium dashboard, and exquisite A-grade bull leather interiors, and you’ve got the mother of pearl of all cars.

Rolls-Royce also rolled out Phantom’s two variants recently: the Phantom Drophead Coupé in 2007 and the Phantom Coupe in 2008. The former is the most driver-oriented model in the Phantom line, marrying cuttingedge technology with a beautifully proportioned powerful body and a luxurious interior that strikes a perfect balance between dynamism and comfort.

The Drophead Coupé, on the other hand, is definitely more than just a Phantom with its roof chopped off. Adhering to the ideal “design without compromise” that chief Rolls-Royce designer Ian Cameron strongly believes in, the Phantom Coupé was redesigned from scratch. “The Phantom Drophead Coupé is about emphasizing the essentials of pleasure,” says Cameron.

“Above all, we were determined to make this car a joy to live with.

Rolls-Royce is the opposite of stiff formality. Why would you design and build a car like this and not make it fun to use?”

A U T H O R c l a r i s s a c . t i g l a o / ima g e s court e s y of r o l l s - r o y c e

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where it all happens All three models are products of Goodwood, RollsRoyce’s newest home in Sussex, England. Goodwood opened for business in 2003, following the acquisition of the brand by the BMW Group in 1998. Designed

by Nicholas Grimshaw, one of Britain’s most celebrated architects, Goodwood is fast becoming as iconic as the brand that has come to call it home. True to its name, Goodwood marries both modernism and technology with environmentally friendly and sensitive landscaping, resulting in buildings that keep in harmony with their natural setting. This concern for the environment is taken inside the compound as well, with 1

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efficient use of energy, prevention of polluting emissions, the use of recycled materials, and reduction of wastes. That should, at least, keep diehard environmentalists at bay and let Rolls-Royce fans enjoy the ride of their lives without the guilt.

Sir Henry Royce, one of the two founders of the world’s most respected brand, demanded “perfection in everything,” and since 1907, that ideal has helped Rolls-Royce maintain its tag as “the best car in the world.” People know that the steep price one pays for a Rolls-Royce does not only buy them the visionary engineering and exceptional craftsmanship of the car, but the ultra-refined experience that comes with driving luxury itself.

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Fifteen to 18 half hides are used for every Rolls-Royce Phantom—each from the same batch to ensure perfect color matching. There are 450 individual leather pieces and 200 foam and padding parts in each Phantom.

1A craftsman performs hand-finishing at the Rolls-Royce leather shop. / 2 The 6.75-liter V12 Rolls-Royce engine is unique to the Phantom / 3 A Rolls-Royce handmade painter checks a model from the coach line.

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30 / s t r u c t u r e s

A U T H O R k r i s t y a n n t e x o n / p hoto g ra p h e r o w e e s a l v a

The Grape Escape Tucked among the row of traditional buildings in Westgate, Alabang is the newest branch of Wine Depot— a block of red building which houses a wide range of high-end and affordable wines. While the edifice looks very different from most establishments in the vicinity, it does not stick out like a sore thumb. Rather, it provides an escape from the usual structures in the area.

The façade offers minimal but charming details that add character. Wooden posts akin to looming sentinels stand at the entrance. These posts were sourced from Laong Laan, says Gerry Abriera, architect/contractor of the building.

Moreover, the vines crawling up the posts are real plants.

Guests are greeted by the huge front doors that have a Mediterranean feel; such features

keep the shop from looking stark. The building exhibits the interesting fusion of traditional and modern design elements.

The structure is arresting, but laid-back and unimposing. Providing contrast to the rustic feel of the details is the striking hue of the shop.

The brightly painted building is very hip—not something people would expect from a wine chain that has been around for quite some time.

But then again, the physical overhaul somehow represents Wine Depot’s evolution, and the shop’s plans to attract new customers.

Wine Depot aims to educate the regular Juan about wines. “I’m not just talking to wine snobs,” Wine Depot owner Brett Tolhurst says. He understands that most people would find a trip to a wine store intimidating; “It’s like buying lingerie for your wife,” he jokes.

A customer needs to take his time scouring the aisles at his own pace, thus Tolhurst came up with the idea to make Wine Depot more welcoming.

Inside, Wine Depot does succeed in making a customer feel comfortable. The interiors are unfussy and minimalist. There is a utilitarian feel, as every bit of space is used wisely. The lofty ceilings allow enough light to come in, therefore allowing the customer to feel at ease with the racks of world-class wines.

The global economic crisis may have people thinking that this is the worst time to drink and be merry, but eternal optimist Tolhurst believes otherwise. Now that there are more troubles concerning people, there is an even greater need to find a diversion from the circus. Wine Depot just might be that grape escape.

Clockwise from left: The striking red building makes passers by do a double-take. / A wooden trellis adds charm to the veranda. / Real plants crawl up the wooden posts.

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Heard from the Grapevine Other Wine Depot branches will soon be renovated to follow the moder n feel of the Westgate, Alabang branch. This move will reinforce the mana g e m e n t ’s s t r a t e g y t o e n c o u rage more people to come into the shop.

Wine Depot is host to the Wine Club, a group for wine enthus i a s t s i n t h e c o u n t r y. M e m b e r s are constantly updated through W i n e D e p o t ’s n e w s l e t t e r ; t h e y also enjoy special deals and gets invited to wine tasting sessions.

/st r u c t u res

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A U T H O R n e l i s s a h e r n a n d e z / p hoto g ra p h e r w i l l c r u z

sm hypermarket has 6.5 million visitors every month

sm hypermarket

In sync with its shoppers SM Hypermarket lives up to its name. With the idea of combining the best of both SM Supermarket and Department Store under one roof, Hypermarket refines the customer’s shopping experience.

Walk inside a Hypermarket and you’ll notice that it retains the grocery store feel of the Supermarket alongside the prescribed set-up of the Department Store. The regular 10,000-square-meter Hypermarket is divided into the Fresh Section, Grocery, and Non-Food Section.

The Fresh and Grocery sections are copied from the concept of the Supermarket, but with a little twist. It also incorporates a bakery, a chicken rotisserie stall and in some branches, a dampa-style dining area called Taste Asia. The Non-Food section, on the other hand, is a replica of the Department store, with displays of apparel, furniture and appliances, only with a more greenish theme, instead of the yellow-hued Supermarket.

Inspired by leading global retailers to deliver quality services to as many consumers as possible, SM has already developed 13 Hypermarkets around the country, the latest of which are the ones

in Baliwag, Bulacan, and Rosales, Pangasinan. The first branch opened at SM Sucat in 2001.

Not that Hypermarket is too much focused on being the country’s premier retailer, but it is also participating in the protection of the environment.

It has launched the GreenBag, a reusable shopping bag launched in partnership with Unilever.

“The shoppers these days are also concerned about the environment and we find the need to assist in that portion,” executive vice president for SM Hypermarket Robert Kwee says.

Initially targeted for people who are short of time, Hypermarket now caters to different types of customers, even extending to shoppers who are Internet savvy. The SM Hypermarket team posts promos and events in its very own blog at www.smhypermarket.blogspot.com.

Fusing the Supermarket and Department Store in one establishment maybe SM’s answer to the dilemma of creating huge malls in highly-congested places.

With the Hypermarket, SM can deliver its services without occupying too much space. The shopping experience, however, is still nothing short of hyper.

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SM CARES

SM aims to help reduce solid waste in the country by teaching their consumers to reuse and recycle their grocery bags. Thus, the company launched the GreenBag, a project of SM CARES (Concerned and R e s p o n s i b l e E c o - s h o p p e r s ) , S M ’s n e w e n v i ro n m e n t a l p ro g r a m . T h e G re e n B a g w a s re l a u n c h e d l a s t J a n u a r y, with UNICEF artist Manny Baldemor improving the design of the bags. There are currently 2.5 million shoppers who are using SM Greenbag since it was launched in 2007.

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/st r u c t u res

AUTHORS jessie joie santos, gaby ignacio & nelissa hernandez

Coca-Cola was first imported into the country in 1913 and in 1927, with San Miguel Brewery acquiring the franchise to bottle Coca-Cola in the Philippines.

Coca-cola

1 Coca-Cola advertising signage, 1931 / 2 Coca-Cola advertisisng signage, 1943 / 3 Original Coca-Cola contour bottle / 4 Coca-cola bottles through the years

35 Always coca-cola

34 Making history Pharmacist John Stith Pemberton cooked up the most popular drink known to man in a three-legged kettle at his backyard on May 8, 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia.

At the hands of this man, Coke, a beverage dear to us, was once known as Pemberton’s French Wine Cola until the prohibition in 1886. Pemberton then had to replace the wine ingredient with sugar syrup, but retained, however, the cocaine and kola nut extracts. This syrup was mixed with carbonated water, and sold for five cents a glass.

Along with this change came a refinement of the product name and the actual creation of the cursive Coca-Cola logo care of bookkeeper Frank Robinson. Pemberton then sold this addicting brew for five cents a glass at a pharmacy nearby, fueling soda fountains.

Coca-Cola’s growing reputation caught businessman Asa Candler’s eye, and he gradually took hold of the Coca Cola business after buying pieces of it over the years. In 1894, Candler registered the Coca-Cola trademark in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and, by the following year, everybody in the U.S. was drinking Coke.

Ernest Woodruff, a man with an uncanny talent for sprucing up businesses, then buys The Coca-Cola Company from Candler for $25 million after 25 years. The company has then tackled successes by the dozen, with Woodruff laughing his way to the bank.

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Coca-cola was originally created as a medicinal drink to treat everything—from headaches to substance addiction—ironically enough, considering that its original list of ingredients actually included a cocaine derivative.

The ubiquitous presence of Coca-Cola, however, is far from accidental. Since its heyday in the early 1900s to the 1920s, the company has aggressively ensured that their product would become a household name. Targeting everyone from schoolchildren to soldiers fresh from the Second World War, Coke ads promoted the product— which was until the 1960s mostly sold at local soda fountains- as a symbol for the good life: Coke is relaxation, enjoyment, happiness, and success, all rolled together in a curvy little bottle. Not even the Great Depression could stop a force like Coca-Cola, which has become sysnonymous to an attainable American Dream.

In the decades that followed, more than 20 varieties of the product, from Cherry to Kosher Coke, popped up in shelves around the world, cementing Coca-Cola as both a traditional and innovative brand. Despite the modern fixation on the hip and edgy and newfound disdain for the old-fashioned, Coke—a brand that has always banked on tradition as its selling point—has managed for more than a century to stay not only successful, but socially relevant.

36 Bottled up Just like the discovery and foundation of Coke itself, its bottles have its own history of evolution.

In 1899, the Coke bottle was far from remarkable, resembling a regular milk bottle with its rectangular shape, and slighty embosed cursive logo. It was not until 1915 that a particularly curvaceous bottle was developed and retained until 1957. With a heavy upper torso slimming down to the base, it provided both a sturdy grip and a visually appealing façade.

In the ‘90s, due to certain changes in the economy (and, perhaps, consumer demand), manufacturers developed the more plump, plastic Coca-Cola bottle that we have today. The bottle is less prone to breakage, is reusable, and has more capacity.

ima g e s court e s y of

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w w w . t h e c o c a - c o l a c o m p a n y. c o m / p r e s s c e n t e r / p r e s s k i t _ c o n t o u r _ b o t t l e _ i m a g e _ l i b r a r y. h t m l 2

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37 the Coca-cola PAvilion Being one of the world’s most recognized brands is a good enough reason for Coca-Cola to establish its very own museum.

Established in 1992, the Coca-Cola Pavilion in Sta. Rosa, Laguna was initially targeted to be Coca-Cola’s marketing tool, as well as a means to educate its visitors about the company’s different programs.

The 1,000-square-meter Pavilion boasts of the brand’s history, from its humble beginnings in Atlanta, Georgia, to its top-of-mind position in the market today.

Hanging on the walls are photos of different Coca-Cola plants, old delivery trucks, and even the first Coke bottle made in Manila, with the commemorative tag signed by General Douglas McArthur.

As you continue to walk, an assortment of Coke bottles come into view, called “Coca-Cola Around the World”. Of course, all bottles have the distinct contour shape, only with inscriptions in various languages.

In the “Memorabilia” section, one can find photos of Coca-Cola

endorsers like Gloria Romero, Nora Aunor, and Sharon Cuneta. Special Coke bottles are also on display, such as the Department of Tourism’s Coca-Cola 2006 Limited Edition Bottles.

There is also a section showcasing the Coca-Cola Foundation’s programs, including Guhit Bulilit, an art competition; and the construction of Little Red Schoolhouse, a three-classroom multigrade building.

A spot is also devoted to Coca-Cola and its sports involvement, with photos of The Coca-Cola Tigers, the company’s team at the Philippine Basketball Association league; memorabilia of different Olympic games such as Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000.

Since it is part of the Science and Technology Museums endorsed by the Department of Education, the Pavilion makes sure that every trip inside is an educational experience. LCD screens called “Interactives” machines flash information on healthy lifestyle, and Coca-Cola’s Waste Water Treatment.

Entrance to the Pavilion is free of charge, and visitors are simply encouraged to bring empty cans or 1.5 liter bottles to help the company’s recycling program. These cans and bottles are bought by a certain supplier, and proceeds are given to the Girl Scouts of Sta. Rosa.

In 2008, the Pavilion had almost 31,000 visitors. This year, the management is eyeing to share Coke’s heritage to a wider audience.

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/st r u c t u res Noli Me Tangere is an 1887 novel written by Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. The title came from the Latin phrase in the Bible meaning “touch me not.” Noli Me Tangere is now published by The Penguin Group, one of the largest English-language trade book publishers in the world.

Restaurante pia y damaso

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Colonial Cuisine

remembering old manila

Whose high school memories would not flashback upon encountering Restaurante Pia Y Damaso? Think history class.

Customers find themselves discussing certain details of Rizal’s most famous works in the comfort of a salon-inspired interior complete with rattan chairs, chandeliers, and a confession box at one corner.

There is more to the restaurant than it looks though, since most of these articles of furniture and decoration were merely transplanted by owner Bambi Sy Gobio from her house. “People pass by here, and it isn’t that hard to read their lips when they look at the chandeliers and say that [it looks expensive here],” she says, “Truth is, I just did some recycling with the stuff I have at home, and the ingredients I use here are of premium quality and [are priced] in accordance to a formula.”

If the infamous friar’s name and sketch on the restaurant’s logo doesn’t ring a bell, then the Noli Me Tangere-inspired dishes are sure to remind any Filipino of his colonial past. Restaurante Pia Y Damaso features a Spanish-Chinese-Filipino cuisine which is the heart of that time.

We asked Sy Gobio for her recommended dishes, and she first served her favorite Fideos with Seafood (PHP 350), which is Spanish paella with a twist: noodles instead of rice! Having been trained as a chef for nine years, she gets creative with her dishes, though these are usually for diners who are willing to give the eccentric a shot. “They don’t get it sometimes, but believe me when I say that it’s still good!” she says, referring to the Fideos. Next in line is the Creamy Tinapa, Asparagus, and Fish Fillet (PHP 300), which is a dish resembling the classic carbonara. This is creamy white sauce noodles with lovely bits of fish thrown in, more on the safe side, but a true crowd pleaser indeed. Then comes Sy Gobio’s version of the Kua Pao Pan de Sal (PHP 225), which has that distinct sweet taste of the Kua Pao we grew up with, except this one didn’t scrimp on the filling.

“Honestly, this dish came out of my frustration for the Kua Pao,” she shares, “The Kua Pao we know has such a thin strip of meat inside it!” Another main course dish is the Fileto Empanado with Dayap Caper Butter (PHP 280). The Fileto Empanado is a crisp beef steak marinated in lemon juice, which has an interesting tangy flavor. Now to our favorite part: the desserts! Sisa’s Dementia (PHP 160), a truffle cake which we claim to be Nirvana for chocolate lovers. We tell you, the restaurant could have been successful as a dessert bar given the melt-in-your mouth cakes and the head-turning presentation.

A U T H O R j e s s i e j o i e s a n t o s / P H O T O G R A P H E R PAELO PEDRAJAS

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40 / i n d i v i d u a l s Socorro Ramos put up the first National Bookstore in an area not bigger than five square meters on Escolta. She named the business after a cash register brand.

National Pride 54 \

A U T H O R o v v i a n c a s t r i l l o / p hoto g ra p h e r s h a i r a l u n a / m a k e u p M a y o n e b a k u n a w a

Often we hear success stories of tycoons and entrepreneurs having reached pinnacles by keeping their eyes on a monetary prize. While others have ultimate goals of simply amassing, Socorro Cancio Ramos, by practice and vision, always had something else in mind: family.

Known as “Nanay (mother) Coring,”...

... the legendary woman has the dignified and warm smile of a doting mother. Her presence is formidable yet unassuming, confident and secure. This perhaps could be expected demeanor for the woman who birthed the National Bookstore empire we all grew up with.

In spite of her being the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees and published writer of a widely popular advice column in a national daily, she is quick to herald her humble beginnings.

When asked about her childhood, she speaks of hardships. At the early age of 5, the young Socorro helped out at her grandmother’s dry market stall so that she would be able to eat bananas for free. Her grandmother reminded her to snack on ripened bananas, as the yetto-ripen ones may still be sold. This kind of entrepreneurial wisdom and instinct was what Nanay Coring fed on when she was growing up. During those days, she witnessed her lelang (grandmother) sell goods on credit, without even having the buyers sign a voucher. In spite of this, they would be diligently paid. She grew up at a time when trust, honesty, and values were paramount—when honor was the norm.

“It was different in those days, you knew everyone, and people kept their word.”

What she learned were old-fashioned business practices: hard work paid off, honesty was key, and perseverance brought success. She attributes her success to these practices, and much of her acumen to her grandmother, Aling Akang. Through her early exposure to the need

for survival, Nanay Coring showed signs of empowerment and industry at a very young age.

Well before reaching her teens, she would seek for odd jobs during school break, if only to help out and have extra change to buy notebooks and school supplies.

“If you are short on cash, you will have to think of ways,“ Nanay Coring says. “I was forced by circumstances.”

Upon reaching high school, she worked for her elder brother who had opened Goodwill Bookstore on Avenida Rizal in Manila. Socorro, who started out as a sales lady, graduated to managing the store by being a fast learner and a diligent worker.

Recognizing that she could do more as an entrepreneur than as an employee, Socorro Cancio put up her own store no bigger than five square meters on bustling Escolta. She later officially named the business National—after a cash register brand. When WWII broke out in December 1941, Nanay Coring had to shift her business (to selling other items like candles, slippers, toothpaste) after much censorship of reading materials was imposed and in the absence of American imports. After other trials such as floods and typhoons—virtually meriting that Socorro and her husband re-built the business from scratch—National Bookstore grew into the industry leader that it is today, employing more than 5,000 people nationwide.

In truth, Nanay Coring and National Bookstore has done more for the nation than they have been given credit for. Aside from

providing employment for over 65 years, it was through her efforts that much of the schoolbooks have become affordable for generations of Filipino schoolchildren. By seeking reprinting rights from major text book publishers in the US and printing books in affordable newsprint, she has effectively lent her hand in providing accessible educational materials to the largest of Philippine exports: human resource.

When asked if she ever envisioned National Bookstore being as big as it is today, she replies, “No. I just wanted to send my kids to the best schools. I just wanted them to finish their studies.”

Although success was something she desired, it was in itself not her motivation.

Instead, her motivation was primarily survival and her unyielding love for the family she raised so well.

It is Nanay Coring’s constant awareness of her own past that has brought her to where she is today. Because she realizes that schoolchildren need supplies, she sees that her products are affordable. Because she values honorable business practice, her suppliers and customers continue doing business with her. Because she recognizes that like her, many parents want nothing more than to see their children get a decent education, she aids by carrying the supplies and books they need at affordable costs.

It is because of Nanay Coring’s mothering that National has indeed become the Philippines’ national bookstore.

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/i nd i v i d u al s

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El Hombre de Negocio 56 \

A U T H O R n e l i s s a h e r n a n d e z / p hoto g ra p h e r s h a i r a l u n a

If there’s Chinatown in Binondo, there’s a bit of Barcelona, Spain in Pasig, but occupying just a small space. It is actually called Barcino, a Spanish tapas and wine bar in Ortigas owned by entrepreneurs Dani Aliaga and Sergi Rostoll. What started out as a resto with merely three tables, serving good quality wines straight from Spain, now evolves into a sought-after bar, with another branch at The Fort. Aliaga describes Barcino as “something simple: wood, barrels, and boxes of wine all over the place” but its simplicity is one of the reasons why Filipinos love it.

Daniel Aliaga’s life in Manila meant business.

After all, he was not a European jetsetter who found the Philippines on the map, and then decided to spend the rest of his life here.

In fact, he had the slightest idea of the Philippines when he arrived two and a half years ago.

“Where can I kite surf?” he asks, ten minutes after landing on Manila soil. With him were his surfboards and some 40-kilo baggage, which included his sport equipment. Having a vague idea of the country, he thought that an archipelago of 7,100 islands is a place where one can surf everywhere.

He then learned that he could not kite surf unless he flew to Boracay or took a car to Subic.

But how could he go to the beaches when he didn’t know the country yet? Aliaga reminded himself that he was here to work, and he had to prove himself.

“It’s really hard at the beginning. I need to work a lot. We didn’t come here and have lots of money. We came here and we would earn like two pennies, just for the company,” he admits.

Barcino became a hit and when he thought he had already proven himself, he was

up for a new challenge.This challenge happens to be a resident manager post at 7Stones Boracay Suites, managed by Fuego Hotels & Properties. He now ventured into hotel management.

Aliaga is no stranger to the hospitality industry anyway. Back in Barcelona, he studied Tourism and Hotel Management. “In Spain, I’ve been working in hotels. I like hotels, it’s like a big family. So many departments, all of them [have] to be coordinated. So it’s a big challenge,” he elaborates.

Another challenge for him is for Filipinos to see wine as ‘something common’. “When we arrived in the Philippines, we realized there was a big opportunity because people are not into wine. People would see wine as “something common.” What we wanted to do is to show everyone that it’s nothing exclusive,” he says.

Before coming to the Philippines, Aliaga, along with his partners, spent 30 days visiting wineries in Spain. They learned the process of producing wine, how to drink, and how to appreciate it. His next move was opening a wine shop at Greenbelt 5. “We are the ones importing our own wines, so we want to be

strong as importers,” he says.

Though he’s only 25, he is already an accomplished el hombre de negocio (businessman). On his occasional free days, he can be found wakeboarding in Camarines Sur or exploring the country. Several months ago, he went with a group (which includes actor Deither Ocampo) to Banaue Rice Terraces to distribute books and shoes to the locals. Aliaga was surprised when the villagers clad in their in their Ifugao outfit performed a dance for them.

“Maybe this is the way Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie feel when they go to Africa, maybe they were used to it. But for me, it was wow! [It is] really amazing,” he recalls.

Dani Aliaga has been in the Philippines for a little less than three years, but he’s bold enough to say that “he doesn’t want to go back to Barcelona.” Truth is, he only visited Spain once in the last two and half years. He describes his stay in Manila as an amazing experience, and quickly added, “Well, to be honest, it’s been the greatest experience in my life. Even [though] it’s a Third World country, people are happy. People are smiling and kind. And it challenges you everyday to improve yourself.”

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/i nd i v i d u al s

A U T H O R p a o l a e b o r a / p hoto g ra p h e r a j d e l e o n

Ascott International Management is the largest global serviced residence operator in Asia Pacific, Europe, and Gulf Region with its Ascott, Somerset, and Citadines brands in 23 countries.

42 Service with a Heart A man with a good number of years in the service industry, Arthur Gindap definitely knows how it is to deal with people. As country general manager of The Ascott Group in the Philippines...

...his job is to oversee the business side of the largest global serviced residence operator’s brands Ascott and Somerset in Makati, and eventually Citadines once it is launched here in a few years time.

The operations are left under the care of the property managers but he still sees to it that all the people under his wing are contented, satisfied, and happy.

“We work together, we make decisions together. It’s a collective work, not a one-way communication wherein they’re just told what to

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do,” Gindap mentions of his management style.

Compared with other countries where he also held managerial positions in hotels and in his native Canada, he says that people are very “transactional” where work just has to be done and over with. But he mentions the Filipino way of doing things is “very human” wherein one works “with heart.”

“You have to balance work with the human side of things and create an environment where it’s family at work. People can contribute more with that kind of atmosphere,” he continues.

Though Gindap only has the property managers to speak with regularly and should not at all be bothered with the operations as it is not his job, he still goes down all the way to the employees at the ground level whom he prefers to call “associates.”

“They are the ones who are really taking care of our clients. They are, for me, very important because they are very close to the guests. I make sure that they are also very happy because a happy staff produces a happy guest,” he elaborates.

A U T H O R a d a d i z o n / p hoto g ra p h e r m i k h a i l a a l d a b a

43 At home and abroad with nora daza Conquerors reach nations through their ports. The Filipinos have one warrior who taught us another way: through the kitchen and into the dining room.

Everybody knows Nora Daza, pioneering restaurateur and multimedia culinary personality.

Tita Nora, as she is called by people close to her, has been showing us for decades that cooking is both an art and a profitable venture. On top of it all, she made the first steps to introduce Filipino cooking to the world.

This gastronomic adventure, she recalls in an interview with Manuel Noel Añonuevo for Filipinas Magazine, was propelled by pancakes.

When she was about eight years old, her mother’s friends asked her to make some. The coaxing inspired Nora Daza to experiment with what turned out to be her very first specialty.

The famous kitchen guru initially planned to study Chemistry in college. We are lucky though, because she went on to obtain her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics degree

from the University of the Philippines in 1952.

She earned her Master of Science major in Restaurant and Institution Management from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where she studied from 1955-1956. At Cornell, she was admitted into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

Nora Daza’s cookbooks are staple in Filipino homes, here and abroad. For several years, we were At Home with Nora and Cooking It Up with Nora through our television sets. She also wrote columns in several national dailies.

Aside from these achievements belt—or her regal apron—what sets Daza apart is how she translated her culinary expertise into a string of distinguished fine-dining establishments in three different countries.

For decades, she has been in a conquest to introduce the best of Filipino food in these

places. Her Aux Iles Philippines was the first upscale Filipino restaurant in Paris, France. The restaurant had an indoor garden, which was quite unusual at the time. Maharlika Restaurant was the first fine-dining Pinoy restaurant in New York, which started at a time when Pinoy food was usually served carinderia-style.

Both restaurants received great compliments and successfully put Filipino cuisine on the map.

Aux Iles Philippines merited high honors in the French Michelin Guide and the Gault-Millau Le Guide de Paris. Maharlika was among the top 37 restaurants in New York City.

While conquering other lands, she did continue her feats in her own fort. She also ran Au Bon Vivant, the first authentic French restaurant in the Philippines, and Galing-Galing, a highconcept Filipino restaurant in Ermita.

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/i nd i v i d u al s In late 1999, Chef Gene Gonzalez established the Center for Asian Culinary Studies and now, it is one of the best in the country, as proven by their National Certificate Level 4, awarded by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The Innovator Who would have thought that a former banker would turn out to be one of the most successful restaurateurs in the country? That’s the story of Chef Gene Gonzalez, who, despite everyone’s skepticism, became one of the most popular chefs in the local scene.

He decided to open Café Ysabel in 1981 without any experience in restaurant or business management, and he went through a hard time.

Good thing Susan Roces was just around the corner, and rented out a part of their home on Wilson Street in San Juan. Since then, the humble 11-table restaurant has become one of the best restaurants in the country.

Part of what makes Café Ysabel so successful is the willingness to introduce new things. One of the myths that Café Ysabel busted was that chocolate cannot be served all throughout the meal, a feat that the restaurant pioneered. Another is that cigars could not be paired with meals,

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which Gonzalez has also disproved.

Chef Gene Gonzalez is still in pursuit of his dream to put Filipino cuisine on the world map. “We have an archipelago of a few thousand islands, and if there’s a unique dish for every island, it will take you more than a lifetime to try all of them,” he says. In order to do this, the top chef says that it has to start with the Filipinos.

Before the world can appreciate Filipino food,we need to appreciate it better. And to do that, they need to be more knowledgeable about the food they eat, which he also advocates. In late 1999, Chef Gene established the Center for Asian Culinary Studies and now considered as one of the

best in the country.

With a successful restaurant, culinary school, and consultancy group under his belt, Chef Gene remains grounded. When asked about the secret to his success, he had a hard time answering. “I never really thought of the word ‘success.’ I never even thought of the word ‘goal.’ I was thinking more of words like ‘challenge.’”

What’s great about this chef is his attitude towards what he does. “I never considered myself working,” he says, indicating how much he enjoys doing what he does. In the end, this probably is his true secret to his success. “One should find the essence of enjoyment,” he advices.

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A U T H O R k r i s t y a n n t e x o n / p hoto g ra p h e r s h a i r a l u n a

While Chef Jessie Sincioco is in charge of the kitchen at Le Soufflé, she hardly cooks at home. Her cousin prepares her breakfast—the only meal she has takes at home.

Force of fine food “I hated the smell of onion and garlic,” says Chef Jessie Sincioco of her early experiences in the kitchen. Now an icon in fine dining, Sincioco is the part-owner of Le Souffle and chef patron of its Rockwell branch. Somewhere in between her abhorrence for pungent smells and her current flourishing career in the culinary world, there is definitely a fascinating story.

Equipped with a degree in Commerce, Sincioco was set for a career in banking and finance.

However, a series of small serendipities started when her aunt introduced her to baking.

It was through baking that Sincioco’s love for the kitchen started. She took this newfound passion further, as she joined a contest sponsored

by The Maya Kitchen. Her creation was called My Tita’s Special Treat, which consisted of three layers of mango cake and whipped cream; the dessert was prepared from scratch.

Even without formal training, she bagged the grand prize in baking. The contest was held at the Hotel InterContinental, where the resident manager spotted Sincioco’s potential. Sincioco was offered three months of training in pastry making, and eventually she took a position in the hotel

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kitchen. Everything took off from there.

A couple of years later, Sincioco opened Le Soufflé with her partners. It was her first time to own a restaurant, and she practiced hands-on management. “We slept for two months on the third floor of the restaurant. We were so busy,” she says. The hard work paid off, as Le Soufflé has been a paragon in the country for 17 years.

Nowadays, the kitchen master is busy with making sure that everything runs smoothly at Le Soufflé. “I always have to maintain high standards.

I cannot go lower than that,” she enthuses.

Her constant desire for perfection has kept the restaurant a favorite among the elite.

If Chef Jessie is hardworking, she makes sure that her staff puts the same principles in practice.

She puts great importance in diligence. “I like

people who are genuine and motivated,” she says.

It is no surprise that Chef Jessie admits that her worst critic is herself; she enhances her skills by exposing herself to other ideas through traveling.

Chef Jessie’s perfectionism is also evident in her activities at home. Continually organizing her things, she says, is among her pastimes. Other things that keep her busy are gardening, painting, and reading. Though she is already brilliant in the kitchen, she says that there are other things that will give her fulfillment. “I want to be a missionary,” she shares.

Her success as an exceptional chef and restaurateur is the product of her extreme perseverance. She got to where she is now because her efforts—like her pastries and desserts—were not half-baked.

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A U T H O R NELISSA HERNANDEZ / p hoto g ra p h e r BLESS AFABLE

44 / t o p c h e f s BASILIO’S RESTAURANT OFFERS FEEL-GOOD GASTRONOMY IT CALLS “CONTEMPORARY COMFORT FOOD.”

the scientist He’s not Einstein, but his name is as memorable nonetheless. Experiments are a big part of his life, too. Not that he’s stuck in a lab, brewing chemicals all day. He’s actually got a restaurant ... ...concocting dishes which are something familiar to the expectant diners.

Chef Pablo Basilio Valdez, more popularly known as PV, considers cooking as a science, but he’s not someone who would overdo it. His choices for his restaurant’s menu are a reflection of his deviance to fusion, as he offers his customers something that they already know, which he aptly calls “contemporary comfort food.”

This “contemporary comfort food” is the over-all concept of his restaurant, Basilio’s. Pinoys fancy American food and patronize local delicacies at the same time; hence, Valdez finds it necessary to incorporate these in his menu. Traditional

American food such as Mac and Cheese and other well-loved dishes like Spanish Adobo and Callos are part of the usual choices at the restaurant.

Being the chef-owner of Basilio’s, however, doesn’t mean that Valdez is the “super boss” that simply instructs and delegates tasks. He makes sure that customers feel at home the very moment they enter the restaurant. On busy days, he would be more than willing to do the valet parking or be the eager waiter ready to take the customer’s order.

“I treat them like my family,” Valdez says of both his customers and staff. Motivating his employees, for him, is the surest way to maximize their efficiency.

Though Basilio’s is Valdez’s first venture

as a restaurateur, he’s already got some business experience. He opened a catering business while he was still attending culinary school and he learned the ins-and-outs of entrepreneurship from there. He admits that good food is important, but it’s not the only thing that matters. “You can’t open a restaurant because you know how to cook,” he warns. “Good food and good service, that’s the core. Those are the ingredients for success,” he explains.

On what he considers as the greatest challenge in running a restaurant, he says, is “to be on top of things, to solve everything.” [After solving one problem], there will always be another one and that’s really part of the job.

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Seasoned Gourmet If there was something that Jeroen Van Straten was sure of when he was just seven years old, it was that he felt at home in the kitchen. He then pursued a career out of his love for food.

The years show evidence that Van Straten was right about choosing his career path. With his impressive work as a chef and restaurateur, Van Straten has established himself as one seasoned gourmet.

Running a restaurant may seem precarious for most people, but the chef knows that there are things even more unpredictable. One of those things is doing consultancy for restaurants and other establishments. This he describes as “very risky; they can fire you immediately.” Still, Van Straten flourished in this career, as he developed various menu items for restaurants and food shops.

While his skills would make it unimaginable for him to deserve a dismissal at a consultancy job, Van Straten would rather move forward. “I would not go back to being an employee,” he says. This declaration of desire to be his own boss had the potential of making him sound condescending, but he manages to make it resonate otherwise. He comes off as amiable; he peppers the conversation with his insights.

He fires off with his first nugget of wisdom.

“It’s not about working hard, it’s about working smart,” he says. He shares that people would save themselves from the unnecessary stress if they knew how to delegate tasks to the staff. Doing so maximizes the establishment’s efficiency; he

is also avoiding the hassle of having to nitpick about everything. Moreover, the move fosters trust among the employees.

Van Straten’s precept about assigning people their respective roles is evident in the new restaurant he owns, Pepper Lunch. In fact, he has taken it as far as converting hungry walk-ins into instant cooks. At Pepper Lunch, people are given the chance to become chefs themselves.

The idea is that the food is served half-cooked on a patented hotplate. By mixing and tossing, customers then display their cooking prowess or even the lack thereof; either way, the food turns out amazing.

Today, he would rather run the kitchen at Pepper Lunch than cook. And while running the kitchen would mean that he is the boss, Van Straten keeps his and everyone else’s ego in check.

He shares, “Treat your staff well. You should treat the dishwasher and the manager the same way.”

The Philippine franchise of Pepper Lunch, under Benmark Group Holdings Inc., opened in May 2008 at Powerplant Mall, and it has been enjoying a steady stream of customers. The corporation also opened to other branches at Shangri-La Plaza and at Alabang Town Center.

Things can get pretty busy at the restaurant, but he still manages to keep his cool. “I never get stressed,” he says. This may seem hard to believe

coming from someone who is in a fast-paced environment, but Van Straten shares how he eases anxiety. He puts aside time for kickboxing and boxing. He also travels a lot with his two kids and wife—Chuvaness.com blogger Cecile Zamora-Van Straten.

But then again, it’s not like he works in a pressured environment to need the stressrelievers. The atmosphere in his restaurant is pleasant, as Van Straten conducts daily meetings with the staff to pass on what he knows, and learn new things from them as well. He quips, “If you’re nice to them, it’s easy for them to be nice to the customers.”

Being nice to the customers is something that he staunchly advocates. Everyday, he reads customer feedback forms to see what Pepper Lunch should upgrade on. And while the impeccable service sets his restaurant apart from others, he wishes to improve the service in various establishments as well. In fact, he also owns First Class Solutions, a headhunter company that aims to offer first class service; the company helps skilled Filipinos get hired abroad.

This seasoned gourmet and businessman may have made a name for himself, but he continues to be levelheaded. Van Straten’s personable nature has put him where he is today: at the top of the food chain.

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a u t h o r & ART D I R E C TOR a d r i a n c a r l o v e l a s c o / P h o t o g r a p h e r j a k e v e r z o s a / S t y l is t m i c h a e l s a l i e n t e s / M a k e u p i v y c h a n g / H a i r r o w e n a s o n i d o / S h o t o n l o c at i o n at S u b i c B ay F r e e p o r t Zone and Nabasan Beach Resort

' margarita fores

the harvest

It was almost impossible to get hold of the busiest woman in Manila. But our trip to Subic with Margarita “Gaita� Fores, the most inspiring and probably the most successful restaurateur in the country, was meant to happen.

A few weeks before her 50th birthday, we felt that it was the perfect time to invite the renowned entrepreneur to a nostalgic journey.

“Everything is falling into place,” Fores reveals while we were on the road to her family’s Subic rest house.

The former American naval base was where she would spend summers in the mid ‘90s.

“We used to go back and forth Subic because my family bought a house here,” she says.

Now, Fores visits the Freeport to gather raw materials for her flower arrangement brand, Fiori di M. She uses materials that could have been discarded like coconut skin and tree bark. “[These materials are] reusable for a different purpose. We use things that would have otherwise been thrown away. This pushes our creative juices ten times over because of the scarcity of the materials available,” she adds.

She has come full circle. From being a child in Cubao to her coming of age in Manhattan to her beginnings as proprietor of Cibo, Fores is now harvesting the fruits of her labor.

Hence, we join this passionate woman as she gathers the most significant stories in her life.

Jersey top, Louis Vuitton Pants, Vintage Daryl K-189 Metallic flats, Jill Sanders Charmbracelet, Margarita’s own Earrings, Joaquin Berao

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Printed top, Marni at Homme et Femme, Shangri-La Plaza Pencil skirt, The Row H i g h - h e e l e d s a n d a l s , P e d r o G a r c/ i69 a Gold and jade earrings, Oledan

/individuals reminiscing her journey A child in Cubao “We were really entertained because every so often, they would have foreign artists like Paul Anka, Nat King Cole, Jackson 5, and The Supremes playing in the Coliseum, and my grandfather (J. Amado Araneta) would have to host them for lunch and dinner. I think that was also the time when Cubao was really the most developed commercial center.

During Christmastime, we were made to work at the department store wrapping desk. So, there was also learning the virtue of working with your hands. It was [also] nice growing up with the likes of A&W, waitresses in roller skates, Kobe chicken, and Kup n’ Saucer.”

Italy awakens the senses “I moved to Italy in 1986. I immersed myself and it was nice that there were no other Filipinos there, so I was forced to learn the language. I lived first with an Italian family in their villa outside Florence, and eventually, I got my own place and had an Italian roommate. I would just go to the market with them, and I would eat out, or eat at their homes, and learn from the way they cooked the food. It was a real total immersion, a real crash course. I really tried to make the most of it. I would rent a car and just drive around to all other parts of Italy.”

Back with Cibo “I fell in love with the Panini culture in Italy, so that’s what I wanted to bring back to Manila, and I figured in a mall setting, there was no real good place to eat. It was either fast food, or American franchised casual dining. And I [realized], would it be so hard to put up my own Italian concept without having to make our dollars get exported because of the franchises here? That’s really how Cibo was born. We were catering small dinners left and right while I was putting the Cibo concept together. And we started at a little hallway in the back end of the mall.”

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Jacket, Lanvin Wraparound skirt, Adrienne Vittadini Printed scarf, Liberty of London

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47 HER MOST ESSENTIAL

Son Amado Fores “I guess it was a time when I was sowing my wild oats and my son was born. It was the perfect time to start settling down and then I realized the responsibilities of being answerable for another person’s life. I had to decide once and for all, ‘Am I doing this thing with food as a hobby or is it really going to be a profession?’”

Partner Alvin Lim “He had just moved to Manila, and his first line to me was ‘If I ever get married, I want to marry a girl who knows how to cook.’ And I thought, ‘Is this guy playing me or what?’

Then I realized he really didn’t know who I was. We were brought together by food. That was the time when we would have these really late night dates.”

Parents Raul and Baby Araneta Fores “They always instilled in me to make sure you care for the people who work with you. My mom was my grandfather’s favorite, so [we learned] all the good things with regards to the way you should run your business and the way you take care of people.”

Looking Forward “It’s just everything kind of connects. When I think about it, the whole missionvision has [something] to do with making life and living just a little bit more beautiful. That’s really my mission-vision for other people. It doesn’t necessarily mean my clientele or the people that buy our products. It has to be for the people that work with me, the people that I interact with, the people that supply things to me.”

Poncho, Gaita’s own

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Author kristy ann texon / Photographer lilen uy / ART D I R E C TOR CARLO VELASCO / s t y l is t s i d n e y y a p / h a i r & m a k e - u p q u a o f s h u u e m u r a / s h o t o n l o c at i o n l a m e s a e c o pa r k

rob pengson

salt of the earth

‘LET’S DRINK TO THE HARDWORKING PEOPLE; LET’S DRINK TO THE SALT OF THE EARTH.’ –Rolling Stones, 1968

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“No shortcuts,” Chef Rob Pengson reminds himself everyday.

The chef, TV host, and school director is enjoying life wearing several hats—among those a toque, but he had to endure an arduous journey before he got to taste sweet success.

He loved the kitchen as a child. However, he had several career options when he was younger; among his choices were to be an artist, an architect, a soldier, or a president. When he was 18, he discovered that he could pursue a career in culinary arts. “Family and friends were doubtful. It was not a popular career choice here in the Philippines, but I was determined,” he says.

It was inevitable that events would test his character; he shares an anecdote about the time when he was studying abroad. There was a popular restaurant in the city where he stayed, and Pengson wanted to work for that establishment’s kitchen. He narrates, “One day I summoned up the courage to ask if I could speak to the chef and work for free. I explained to the hostess [that] I was a student, and I will work very hard.”

While the young chef had the moxie, it was no match for the hostess’s crassness. His request was turned down—quite rudely. Despite what happened, He soldiered on. He gained maturity by working for various kitchens in different countries.

Evidently, he learned quite a lot. He puts great importance on dedication for his work. “I want to be remembered as someone who lived for passion,” he emphasizes. Pengson sweats blood out there, because he doesn’t believe in pursuing things half-heartedly.

Chef Rob knows how to work hard, but he also knows how to enjoy life. The kid in him still makes time to play football with his buddies; he also finds pleasure in collecting footballs and jerseys. He has perfected the balance between toiling in the kitchen and chasing what thrills him. He says, “I love life so much and want to live it to the fullest.”

Gray v-neck tee, JPOI at Rugged Door, The Podium

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Opposite page: Gray v-neck tee, JPOI at Rugged Door, The Podium Gray distressed hoodie, Eairth by Melissa Dizon This page: Couple’s own clothes

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Soccer clothes, Rob’s own

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‘LET’S DRINK TO THE TWO THOUSAND MILLION; LET’S THINK OF THE HUMBLE OF BIRTH.’ Pengson’s zest for life is apparent in his recent endeavors. He is stepping out of his comfort zone to embrace what life has to offer him.

One of his stints was hosting the cooking show Chef to Go on QTV. The show enjoyed raves; recently, it took home the Bronze World Medal at the 2009 New York Television Festival.

Today, fans of the show recognize Chef Rob whenever he goes out, but he is still a bit uncomfortable with the attention. He explains, “I never aspired to be this guy who came out on TV. I only wanted, to this day, to be the best chef I can be.” While Pengson still needs to get used to the hordes of fans, he is happy that he gets to share his passion with other people.

He imparts his love for cooking through another way. With his business partner, he has put up Global Culinary and Hospitality Academy. The school aims to provide culinary aspirants with world-class education at a reasonable cost.

Aside from passing on what he knows to his students, he also gives to the underprivileged by getting involved in charity events. “It’s so easy to give money to a cause, but to devote time and energy to improve the world is priceless,” he says.

The chef-to-go has got it made. However, he still doesn’t let his accomplishments get into his head. “My wife and my family keep me grounded. [They] guide me and tell me the truth even if it hurts,” he says. Pengson’s combination of passion and humility proves that he is one genuine salt of the earth.

Lyrics from “Salt of the Earth” written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones

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This page: Gray v-neck tee, JPOI at Rugged Door, The Podium Gray distressed hoodie, Eairth by Melissa Dizon Gray cargo pants, Eairth by Melissa Dizon Opposite page: Couple’s own clothes / 81

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A U T H O R j o y c e m a c a y a n / i l l u s trator m i k h a i l a a l d a b a

Bound by tradition Icons are keepsakes of history.

When it comes to Philippine cuisine, decadeslong restaurants remind the world of the Filipino’s undying passion for cooking. We give honor to three of the most successful restaurants in the history of local cuisine: 1. The legendary Aristocrat restaurant is a Filipino-owned family corporation. It was established by the late Doña Engracia “Aling Asiang” Cruz-Reyes and her husband, Justice Alex Reyes. The restaurant started as a snack mobile during the 1930s, yet it has grown into an enterprise with numerous branches in Metro Manila.

It is hailed as “The Philippines’ Most

Popular Restaurant.” The secret to its success is perhaps Aling Asiang’s exceptional talent for native cooking. Aristocrat has also been determined to keep up with the modern times, thus customers keep coming back to this place.

serving its famous made-to-order chicken and Filipino cuisine. Max’s commitment to high quality Filipino food at a reasonable price, outstanding service, clean and warm ambience has contributed to its success story.

2. Max’s Restaurant, on the other hand, is inspired by Filipino-American friendship.

Maximo Gimenez opened the establishment after the Second World War. What started as a café in 1945 is now an empire known for its extraordinary chicken recipe.

The once exclusive family-established restaurant has become international. There are more than 100 full-service family restaurants in the country and in the USA, all of which are

3. Savory is a classic Filipino restaurant established in 1950s along Escolta. Savory climbed its way to success not only through its mouthwatering recipes, but also through the establishment’s homey ambience and family appeal.Today, it regains its fame with the recent establishment of new branches.

Like Max’s, Savory has been known for its inimitable recipe for chicken and the appetizing chicken gravy.

A U T H O R j E f f S AL V ADO & J o y c e m a c a y a n / i l l u s trator FINNE S S CALACAL

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Pinoy delicacies: hall of food fame Balut Being the quintessential Filipino delicacy, balut has been featured on international TV shows like Fear Factor and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. In addition to its spongy meat and flavorful juice, balut is popular for of its supposed aphrodisiac purposes. While the recognizable parts of the fowl embryo might turn some people off, to most Filipinos, it is the snack of choice, especially when washed down with ice-cold beer.

Puto Bumbong and Bibingka Carols, parols, and elaborate plastic pine trees aren’t the only signs of Christmas in the Philippines. To millions of Catholics in the country, no Simbang Gabi is complete without puto bumbong and bibingka.

Kutsinta Composed of rice flour, brown sugar, water, lye and coconut, the kutsinta is one of the many types of kakanin that Filipinos crave for once in a while.

The lively combination of this rice cake and grated coconut brings out a unique texture, making kutsinta an indispensable part of local food fare.

Adobo The curious mix of vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic gives the adobo, every Filipino’s favorite ulam (viand), its distinctive flavor. While its title as an indigenous Filipino food is still open to debate, there’s no denying its place in the hearts of Pinoys everywhere. It has become the Philippines’ national dish.

Kare-kare A fiesta is not a fiesta without kare-kare. Another well-loved ulam, the peanut sauce gives kare-kare its unique flavor and color. It is often served with bagoong or sautéed shrimp paste, which adds a salty twist to the sweet peanut sauce. One theory of its origin is that kare-kare used to be a dish served to the Moro elite, which may have given its festive reputation.

Sisig What was once a way to utilize pig heads—which were rarely used in cooking—has become the most popular pulutan (food paired with alcoholic drinks) in the country today. The native Kapampangan dish can be found at almost every local restaurant—served on sizzling plates—not only as a suitable companion for beer, but also as a great-tasting partner for rice.

Tapa, Longganisa & Tocino These three cured meats are typically eaten with garlic rice and fried egg to make up the silog triumvirate of Filipino breakfasts. The tapa is often made of beef or venison, cured with salt and other spices to give it its signature savory flavor, while the tocino gives pork a sweet tinge. Longganisa, on the other hand, varies from region to region. Some popular varieties include the garlic-flavored Lucban longganisa, while Vigan longganisa is popular for being prepared with sukang Iloko, the spicy cane vinegar originating from the Ilocos region.

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/insights

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CLASSIC MUNCHERS

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INTERNATIONAL ICONS

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/insights

A U T H O R m a r a n e p l a z a / i l l u s trator a l d y a g u i r r e

Investing 101: the risks and the perks

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“Savings and time deposits are no longer enough to help you achieve your financial goals. You’re losing money by saving it,” says Rex Mendoza, senior vice president and head of corporate sales and marketing at Ayala Land Inc., referring to most Filipinos’ attitude of securing financial stability through bank accounts.

Saving is a passive activity, focused on the safety of principal and less concerned with return, while the art of investment is a commitment of funds made in expectation of some positive rate of return, or in other words, “making your money work for you.”

Risk and reward go hand in hand when you’re investing. One should have a financial plan—the blueprint for the achievement of financial goals—and this has to be a very personalized process. Ask yourself “how much you have” and “what it is for” to clarify your financial goals. You can choose from a lot of options like mutual funds, forex trading, real estat,e or money market placements.

There’s no such thing as an ideal investment for everyone at all times. It depends on your financial situation, risk appetite, investment acumen, and the time frame you have in mind.

Numerous insurance companies in the country have filed for bankruptcy due to three major reasons: fraudulent activities within the firm, failure to pay investors accordingly, or simply the worsening condition of global recession.

In this light, consumers should be aware of the available laws that will protect ther rights as plan-holders.

Senate Bill (SB) 2077, entitled “An Act Establishing the Pre-Need Code of 2008,” intends to safeguard the plan-holders’ and consumers’ rights. The bill states that no entity can operate as a pre-need company unless licensed by the SEC. It also mandates that a preneed company with three-type plans should have PHP 100-million paid-up capital; those with two-type plans, PHP 75 million; and those with one-type plan, PHP 50 million.

Existing pre-need firms with traditional education plans should have a minimum unimpaired paid-up capital of PHP 100 million.

Upon insolvency, the commission will order the company to terminate operations and will designate a receiver to immediately take charge of its trust fund and assets and liabilities, protecting the interest of both plan holders and creditors.

People nowadays are getting more educated and conscious on valuing wellness and health. Aside from the fact that everybody wants to look and feel good, each of us also wants to have a good health and life.

This trend gave way to the rise of organic meals and special diets, with restaurants offering healthy options to a wide range of customers.

Organic meals come from homegrown crops that were raised the natural way. By choosing to eat organic foods, consumers get quality vitamins and minerals.

Many people complain that organic foods are more costly than the conventional. The question is not so much on how much they cost, but on how nutritious meals can benefit one’s health. If you start cutting down on soda and junk food, then you will save enough money for organic fare. For the budget conscious, there are ways to avail organic meals without spending too much. You can go to local farms to pick and to purchase regionally grown products.

Finance

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food

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another spark of hope Br. Augustine “Gus” Boquer of the University of St. La Salle says it right: “Juvenile delinquents or children in conflict with the law (CICL) not helped today will be hardened criminals of tomorrow.” In realizing the urgency to prevent the growing number of juvenile delinquents in the Philippines, Brother Gus Boquer established Bahay Pag-asa Youth Center.

Bahay Pag-asa is a facility that aims to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents in different communities. The first Bahay Pagasa was created in Bacolod City, and another one was inaugurated last January in Dasmariñas, Cavite, the latter being the flagship project of PLDT’s 80th anniversary. “Beyond the facility, it’s a campaign,” Anthony Pangilinan, project director of PLDT Bahay Pag-asa, says.

Recognized by the Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD), Bahay Pag-asa pulls out

juveniles from jails, and gives them a holistic development program.

The La Salle Brothers are helping the youth spiritually, and some volunteer teachers educate the kids.

Scholarships—all the way to college level—are also given. Moreover, the kids engage in livelihood activities, including planting crops and raising poultry.

Another interesting component of the program is the microfinance for the family of the youth; Bahay Pag-asa partnered with ASA Microfinance in this aspect. Pangilinan believes that transforming the child doesn’t stop by giving him a holistic program; the environment where the child belongs should also be, in a way, transformed.

Bahay Pag-asa in Bacolod has been operating for almost seven years.

The next facility is slated to open in Antipolo, Rizal. PLDT’s vision is to have one house for every region, and eventually one for every province.

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right on the money Despite the global economic crisis, the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Society of the Philippines believes that a good investment is still possible with the help of a chartered financial analyst.

Financial analysts are primarily service professionals, which, according to Financial Web, are “trained to advise on the risk and return characteristics of investments and in the management of investment portfolios.”

The CFA Institute, as the global association of investment professionals, administers the CFA and the Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM) programs.

In the Philippines, charterholders continue to uphold what the CFA Institute started with the formation of the CFA Society.

The society, says founding member Alexander Gilles, “expands great effort to promote best practices and practical learning, via the CFA

Study Program.”

The program was introduced here in 1995 as a benchmark for financial analysts, but the CFA Society only began in 1997. The CFA Study Program is a continuing education for investment specialists.

CFA Society president Mark Yu explains that aside from the study program, the group holds the Intercollegiate Finance Competition (ICFC) and the Investment Research Challenge (IRC) for undergraduates.

The CFA Society hopes to deliver its expertise to the investing public by positioning itself as a leader in the industry. Yu shares that it is the financial analysts’ duty to serve their client with competence and integrity. “Our role is not to encourage investors to invest more, but rather, to lead them where to invest,” he adds.

Sources: www.cfainstitute.org, www. cfaphilippines.org, www.finweb.com

/insights

A U T H O R M a r i e L a u r i c e D . L u p o y / i l l u s trator f i n n e ss c a l a c a l

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bfad: in the line of defense

For 43 years and counting, the country’s Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) is ensuring the public’s safety, purity and quality of foods, drugs, devices and cosmetics being made available in the market.

A Brief History Formerly known as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it was initiated by the late Department of Health (DoH) Secretary Francisco Duque Sr. in 1962 to carry out the provisions of Republic Act No. 3720, which was later known as the “Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.” Its offices and laboratories were first established at the DOH San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila with Luzonica Pesigan as its first administrator.

In 1982, the FDA was abolished via Executive Order No. 851, Section 4 and later

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renamed as the Bureau of Food and Drugs. Catalina Sanchez was appointed as its first director.

Five years after, it obtained new facilities including state-of-the-art, analytical instruments and a modern experimental animal laboratory with the US$12-million grant from the Japanese government through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). BFAD also relocated its office to Alabang, Muntinlupa.

What They Do Today, the Bureau of Food and Drugs’ main purpose is to protect public health and guarantee the safety, efficacy, purity, and quality of all the products it regulates. They do it through the efficient and proficient implementation of national policies consistent with international best practices. It supervises the control of the manufacture and sale of

processed foods in the market, where the major concerns are adulteration and mislabeling of food products. It is also responsible for the surveillance of imported food product.

The agency also regulates different products such as drugs, processed food, cosmetics, and household hazardous substances.

BFAD determines the appropriate documentary requirements for submitting applications to establishment licensing or product registration. After this, it is only then that establishments involved in the manufacture, packaging, re-packaging, importation, exportation, distribution, and retailing of foods, drugs and cosmetics can secure a License to Operate (LTO) from BFAD. This process is referred to as establishment licensing. The establishment will be evaluated

to make sure that they are in compliance with the bureau’s standards and requirements.

BFAD shall also be the one to investigate and verify reports of violations by manufacturers and sellers. It will also apply appropriate administrative sanctions against the violators or file a criminal case against them. For instance, BFAD was currently investigating six brands of energy drinks after reports circulated that some of the brands contain cocaine. They conducted various tests and found the six brands negative.

A few months back, BFAD was investigating different infant milk powder products to avoid Melamine from China. It has included 25 milk brands from China in its blacklist.

With the BFAD on guard, the public will be assured that their health will be protected at all costs.

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A U T H O R a n n a o p o s a / i l l u s trator f i n n e s s c a l a c a l

cavite

Fish and Order When a local government official (who shall remain unnamed) was asked about the peace and order in his municipality, he replied in all seriousness, “Well, maraming fish at dumadami ang nago-order.”

61 Business and the beans Legend has it that a retired Japanese soldier authored a best-selling book on his war experience in the Philippines back in the 1950s. He lived between Batangas and the highlands of Cavite for over a decade. His book had an entire chapter dedicated to the “dream coffee” he drank every morning.

According to him, the coffee’s unique

scent and bitterness made him feel like he was in heaven.

This variety of coffee is known as Barako, which means “wild boar”.

Although the Barako trees can be found in Vietnam and Indonesia, we should take pride that these beans are indigenous to the Philippines. The province of Cavite is home to two of

Never mind the malapropism; his statement had truth in it anyway.

Cavite has a shoreline that stretches about eighty-five kilometers, covering eight municipalities and one city. Its fishing industry employs some 15, 863 fisherfolks. The major species that satisfy the palette are tuna, mackerel, tanigue, lapu-lapu, tamban, and tansuyo. Seafood lovers can also depend on Cavite for prawns, milkfish, mussels, and oysters. The farmers and fishermen of Bacoor and Cavite City are engaged in marine life, aquaculture development, and genetically improved farming. They culture oysters, mussels, seaweed, and tilapia. Despite the lack of capital to buy equipment for fishing operations, they take initiative to create income-generating projects. the four kinds, Liberica and Robusta.

Liberica has the biggest beans while Robusta has the highest caffeine content and is usually used to make instant coffee. Apolonio Belamide of Silang, Cavite has been selling his Robusta coffee beans to Nestle for 31 years. He admits that the soil is not as fertile it used to be and there are pest problems every now and then, but Nestle’s agricultural department is helping the resuscitation of coffee trees and production of organic fertilizer.

The local government has recognized the potential of coffee production as a lucrative industry.

After all, seven municipalities including

Tagaytay City and Amadeo are major coffee producers. It gives work to 10, 105 farmers. The municipal government of Aguilando, Cavite, has signed an agreement with Cavite State University and Figaro Coffee Co. to develop the production of coffee in their town. The mayor even lent his own property so the local farmers would have a site of a demo farm for the coffee beans. There is also an ongoing Coffee Revitalization Project intended to boost seed production and coffee bean trade. Give it a few more years and Cavite coffee may be on its way to overtaking commercial coffee shops. / 89

/regions

baguio

A U T H O R r o d a l y n m a s i n a g / p hoto g ra p h e r i s a c r u z

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The Highlands “We all have [memories of ] Baguio in our minds... They are so unique.

And if you don’t know Baguio, you would never imagine there’s a place like this in the country.”

—Heiner Maulbecker, managing director of Camp John Hay Manor While other summer hotspots attract tourists with newer and more luxurious treats, Baguio City remains to identify itself as a leisure destination for building memories. A mere mention of the city’s name evinces a flashback of memories that are uniquely Baguio such as riding your first pony, paddling at a mini-lagoon, going out with lolo for ice cream, playing mini golf, and dining out for flap jacks and milkshakes.

And with the best that Baguio City has to offer, no other place can always reinvent itself as the Philippine’s summer capital where one can only think of the next time you can enjoy the cool breeze, get away from it all over again, and rekindle the old memories of a beautiful city unchallenged in its heritage and diverse culture.

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THE MANOR

Amid the luxurious developments in the city, The Manor at Camp John Hay continues to provide a comforting abode as it manifests the camp’s colorful history, tradition and continuous growth. Blending seamlessly with the towering pine trees, it is a landscape of Baguio’s natural beauty with the Cordillera Mountain Range as its backdrop.

Designed by Recio+Casas, it boasts of a unique architectural concept using natural ventilation, taking advantage of the mountain city’s cool air and verdant surroundings. “The hotel’s distinct architecture brings the mountain range and the pine forest nearer to the guests. Its design uses natural cedar wood logs, shingle roofing, and natural Baguio stone for its exterior cladding which blends in with the towering pine trees that abound the development. Knick-knacks, indigenous artwork, and preserved photographs from the mountain region give a unique and local touch to the interior treatment,” Arch. Carmelo Casas said.

Aside from its design, what truly sets The Manor apart is the unique feature of the bedroom units, with the inclusion of an additional full toilet and bath instead of the standard powder room located in the living/dining area. The living area can also be converted into an additional sleeping area with its built-in trundle or sofa bed.

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Camp john hay

when one is craving for a little adventure while getting a whiff of fresh mountain air, Camp John Hay is surely the best place to visit.

Built in 1903 for the US military, which withstood the war-stricken year of 1945, the former American military reservation camp has retained the warm and friendly atmosphere the camp has always been known for. If one wishes to explore the serene surroundings, one can go hiking along the eco-trail and immerse with amusing butterflies at the butterfly sanctuary. Or if there’s still energy to spare, horseback riding is another option. And with the reopening of the 18-hole golf course and the completion of Camp John Hay Trade and Cultural Center, there is more to meeting everyone’s pursuits.

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T H E B IG R E N O V A T I O N With the rising demand for more a t t r a c t i o n s i n B a g u i o C i t y, d e v e l o p m e n t plans are being carried out which will provide guests something to look forward to on their next vacation.

Fil-Estate Group of Companies c h a i r m a n o f t h e b o a r d M r. B o b Sobrepeña, disclosed that sometime next y e a r, a g r o u p o f l o c a l v i l l a g e s w i l l b e relocated to the forest preserve within the complex, giving tourists a first hand view of the villagers’ daily living.

For horse lovers, John Hay is currently developing a horse trail with imported h o r s e s , a n d c o w b o y s t o r u n t h e f a c i l i t y.

Also set to rise within the complex i s a c o m m e r c i a l c e n t e r, a m o v i e h o u s e , a c a s i n o , a s k a t i n g r i n k , a b o w l i n g a l l e y, a n d a c a b l e c a r f a c i l i t y. “ I t w i l l b e s i m i l a r t o a s k i l i f t , b u t i t ’s e n c l o s e d a n d i t ’s s o l a r p o w e re d , ” Sobrepeña added.

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A U T H O R ILLAC DIAZ / p hoto g ra p h e r s h e l d o n c l e m e n t s e n s e n g

bacolod

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Behind the Masskara Those lucky enough to have visited Bacolod for the annual MassKara Festival can honestly say that one has not truly partied unless one experiences this event. In no blasphemous reference to the original “holy trinity” of festivals—the Ati-Atihan in Aklan, Sinulog in Cebu, and Dinagyan of Iloilo— the ante for the grand and colorful Bacolod celebration was definitely upped this time.

Originally conceived in 1980, the Masskara was a show of resistance against the twin tragedies that faced the island that year: the global market slump of sugar, but more strikingly, the sudden demise of many prominent members of the Negrense community with the sinking of the Negros Navigation ship, Don Juan. Not allowing misfortune to dampen the naturally positive disposition of the people, the festival of masks— which were all deliberately crafted with smiling faces—was born. More than just a way to lift morale, it was a testament to the resilience of the island and the ability of its people to weather any downturn in economy or temporary loss of destiny’s favors.

The event has undergone a complete revamp, ushering in new concepts and ideas to distinguish this year’s festivities from the rest.

The festivity used to be held in the more 92 \

constrained venue of the Central Plaza, but has now become accessible to everyone, extending the entire length of Lacson Street, which cuts clean across Bacolod City. Like small rivers converging, hundreds of thousands of revelers pour from the numerous side streets to drain onto the main avenue and unite with the dancers in a spontaneous human wave, undulating to the syncopated rhythm of powerful drumbeats. A token event just two years back, one which many locals have sheepishly admitted to almost never attending, it is now a premier event with 135 food stalls and ten large stage areas—where those same naysayers have ended up dancing and drinking all night.

There is no switching off the passionate, exuberant Negrense once festivities begin. The city turns into a hotspot of dusk-to-dawn activities with an endless retinue of parades and parties. A new tourism spectacle launched was the Electric MassKara, an evening parade where the dancers, earlier decked in an array of colorful feathers and masks, continued their performance into the night by switching on the cleverly concealed bulbs in their costumes. From above, the moving pinpoints of light that looked like a constellation of stars had suddenly descended and was feverishly working on building another Milky Way along the streets

of the capital. The effect was so hypnotic that despite this being the first run, the exhibition of these starlit dancers was impressively world-class.

The organizers of Masskara 2008 also set themselves apart from other festivals by putting forward an ecological message as its banner theme. The elaborate costumes used in the street dance featured predominantly recyclable, reusable materials that had to undergo an approval process.

On closer look, one is amazed that much of the beadwork are actually colored seeds painstakingly placed together. Many costumes were even made from ingeniously crocheted plastic bags, with masks crafted from papier-mâché and molded pieces of clay. The added carbon-neutral requirement to MassKara also served as a grassroots workshop for the 13 high schools and 22 barangays from around the island to learn a bit more about sustainable practices as well as climate change.

No wonder this has attracted thousands of local tourists and foreign nationals to make a beeline to the annual October festival. With lastyear’s impressive show, the tagline “Bacolod, City of the World” not only proves that MassKara is a world-class event, but also that, as City Mayor Evelio Leonardia says, “We have never forgotten that we are responsible citizens of the world.”

67 ‘the greatest show on earth’

Clockwise from top left: A performer shows off her colorful garb. / This reveler is indifferent to the weight of the elaborate headdress. / At the MassKara, people take the party to the streets. / Dancers showcase stamina as the celebration lasts for hours.

magazine / 93

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A U T H O R h a n n a h m a r i v e l e s / p hoto g ra p h e r a j o m a n d a c

Based on records from the City Hall, there are 209 restaurants currently operating i n B a c o l o d . O f t h a t n u m b e r, close to 48 percent are familyowned—that is, not a fast food establishment, or some other franchised restaurant.

In the recent years, there is an increasing popularity of the chicken dish people inevitably link to Bacolod: the chicken inasal. The myth surrounding the origins of the chicken inasal has been around at approximately the time when the first chicken kebab was served in Bacolod. And with the way chicken i n a s a l o u t l e t s h a v e b e e n s p ro u t i n g i n t h e c i t y, i t i s e v i d e n t t h a t p e o p l e h a v e embraced this tasty dish.

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A U T H O R a n t o n d i a z o f o u r a w e s o m e p l a n e t. c o m

Hyatt manila’s

Makati shangri-la’s

Li Li Dimsum Buffet (PHP 1,342 net) at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila is one of the best Cantonese dimsum buffets in Manila. With its menu created by five highly skilled master chefs from Hong Kong, you are ensured of the culinary quality and authenticity that the Hyatt is known for.

Li Li definitely provides you with a wonderful dining experience. First, you’ll be given a dimsum menu (Note: it changes everyday) that you can check out. The food is cooked right after you order it. The buffet comes with free-flowing iced tea, soft drinks and local beer. Go easy on the drinks, though. It is better to order hot tea throughout the entire meal.

Circles in Makati Shangri-La is best known for pioneering the Interactive Theatre Kitchen, where the chefs get to interact with the people and accommodate customized food requests with a smile. You can request for any dish that you want at any time of day as long as it is not impossible to get the ingredients.

The best time to eat at Circles is during its special themed buffets. You can choose from Filipino Fiesta Wednesday Dinner Buffet (PHP 1,640 net), Seafood Friday Dinner Buffet (PHP 1,904 net), Barbecue Saturday Dinner Buffet (PhP1,904 net), and Sunday International Brunch with Iced Tea Buffet (PHP 1,904 net).

The International Buffets include Japanese and Seafood Appetizers, a Healthy Salad section, a Continental, Indian and Chinese Main Dishes section, Pizza and Pasta, and an extensive dessert spread, including Halu-Halo.

Li li dimsum buffet

Dusit thani’s

Crossover sunday brunch The Family Crossover Brunch Buffet is the best buffet deal in town every Sunday. You get to try the best Thai, Japanese, and Italian cuisine in Makati for PHP 1,450 net from Dusit Thani’s specialty restaurants — Benjarong, Umu, and Tosca, respectively. The continental buffet in Basix restaurant is also included but it takes a supporting role, providing the Peking duck, prime ribs, shawarma, and other common dishes one would expect in a hotel buffet.

Since you have to cross over to other restaurants, you need to decide where your home base is during the brunch buffet. For families, reserve the private rooms or the tables facing the mini-garden and koi pond. For couples, Benjarong has an Asian romantic ambiance while Tosca offers a formal, romantic setting.

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circles buffets

Hotel sofitel’s

Spiral buffet Spiral is a multi-cuisine restaurant with the biggest buffet in town, the widest array of dishes and several live cooking stations.

It has a winning structure that makes dining more interesting. Its main attraction is the spiral staircase at the center of the restaurant which is connected to the main lobby, accented by the spiral art centerpiece.

Spiral at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza takes pride in providing more ingredients and different variations than other hotel buffets in town. It is setting the trend for offering healthy dishes and light versions of buffet desserts with its Cuisine Vitale campaign.

/best hotel bu ffets Spiral, Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel Breakfast Buffet Monday to Friday (6:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)

PHP 1,250 net adults, PHP 625 net Children 6-12years old, FREE < 6 years old Breakfast Buffet Saturday to Sunday (6:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)

PHP 1,496 net adults, PHP 748 net Children 6-12years old, FREE < 6 years old Lunch Buffet Everyday (11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.)

PHP 1,828 net adults, PHP 914 net Children 6-12 years old, FREE < 6 years old Dinner Buffet Sunday to Thursday (6:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.)

PHP 2,073 net adults, PHP1,036 net Children 6-12 years old, FREE < 6 years old Dinner Buffet Friday to Saturday (6:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.)

PHP 2,319 net adults, PHP 1,160 net Children 6-12 years old, FREE < 6 years old For Reservations, Call +632 551-5555 Circles, Makati Shangri-La Everyday Lunch Buffet (11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.) and Dinner Buffet (6.30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.)

International Lunch Monday to Saturday PHP 1,424 net adults, PHP 712 net children 6-12 years old, FREE < 6 years old International Lunch Every Sunday PHP 1,904 net adults, PHP 952 net children 6-12 years old, FREE < 6 years old Filipino Fiesta Dinner Every Wednesday PHP 1,640 net adults, PHP 822 net children 6-12 years old, FREE < 6 years old Seafood Dinner Buffet Every Friday Barbecue Dinner Buffet Every Saturday PHP 1,904 net adults, PHP 952 net Children 6-12 years old, FREE < 6 years old For reservations, call +632 840-0884 or 8138888 ext. 7588/ 7599 Sunday Family Crossover Brunch, Dusit Thani Every Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

PHP 1,450 net adults, PHP 775 net Children 6-12 years old, FREE < 6 years old For reservations, call +632 867-3333 Yum Cha Dimsum Buffet, Li Li Restaurant, Hyatt Manila Every Sunday 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

PHP 1,328 net adults, PHP 664 net children 6-12 years old, FREE < 6 years old For reservations, call +632 245 1234 Morning to Midnight, Renaissance Hotel Buffet for lunch – PHP 1,381 per person (except Sundays); Buffet for dinner – PHP 1,504 daily.

For more information and reservations at M2M & Cinnabar, call the Renaissance Makati City Hotel, Manila at 811-6888.

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/best hotel bu ffets

Renaissance hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

M2M

Another certified innovative food outlet has just opened at Renaissance Hotel, banking on a fashionable lifestyle dining venue with a modern vibe.

M2M, or Morning to Midnight definitely offers an outstanding food and wine experience.

Open all day and night, the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main attraction is its impressive buffet with six interactive live kitchens, featuring top quality seafood on ice; crisp salads & tantalizing appetizers; a Japanese sushi & sashimi corner; authentic Italian pizzas right off an earth-stone oven; tailor-made pasta dishes; roast prime rib; Asian specialties; and Continental favorites. An awesome dessert selection caps the brilliant meal.

Considered as the nucleus of dining and social activity in the hotel, M2M has an elegant Wine Room, stylish Private Dining Room and cool Bar Lounge, which are perfect venues for exclusive dinners and parties. Menus can also be tailor-made for each occasion.

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Clockwise from top left: Japanese Buffet / Noodle Buffet / Desserts / Appetizers

/R&R Hotel Celeste provides patrons with their very own Personal Chamberlain who assists the guest from the time he arrives at the airport until his departure.

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Hotel Celeste is a breath of fresh air

Although only a few blocks from the jungle of concrete and steel that has defined Makati, the newly-opened Hotel Celeste is a far cry from the cold and contemporary trappings of the nearby business and shopping district. The 30-room boutique hotel—brainchild of jewellers and hoteliers Bert and Cely Sarabia—is a study in luxurious interiors, modern Filipino art, and exquisite dining. Located where the old Mars Disco used to stand, Hotel Celeste is equal parts cozy and cool, a plush and private oasis for relaxation.

Its lobby’s entrance is flanked by the two halves of executive chef Cyrille Soenen’s own Restaurant Ciçou. The menu, like almost all of the hotel’s elements, is a fusion of modern and traditional French cuisine, and highly reliant on fresh, local products. “Everything is a house specialty, because I will be the one cooking,” laughs Chef Soenen, pointing out that “my favorites will be what people tell me are their favorites.” Filled with ingredients and dishes the chef himself loves, Ciçou’s opening menu is a creation that firmly establishes Soenen’s culinary 100 \

ideals, an introduction of sorts between chef and guest.

The restaurant’s wood and iron furnishings are evidently functional pieces of art, in line with the hotel founders’ dreams of creating a working gallery within the establishment.

From the cocoon of an elevator that takes guests to their rooms, to painter Gina Bocar’s hand-painted walls and murals that adorn every space, a guest would be hard-pressed to keep himself from spending hours on end studying the various artistic flourishes on every surface. No two rooms are alike, but all subscribe to designer Andy Galutera’s vision of modern European elegance. Lush fabrics, dark woods, and touches of bevelled glass come together to create a warm but edgy assortment of rooms filled with rich, sometimes oversized furniture that could have come straight out of the guests’ own homes. Its embellished pillows, Baroque-inspired lamps, and studded and embossed leather pieces are in stark contrast to the tasteful but nondescript designs that have come to be associated with top business hotels in the country.

“It’s a luxurious, stress-free experience without the heavy traffic of people. We want guests to feel at home. We’d like to give them a good experience—and a different experience— every time,” says general manager Evangeline Mayuga.

Although Hotel Celeste lacks amenities such as Olympic-sized swimming pools, in-house spas and salons that most hotel guests look for, it more than makes up for it by making personalized chamberlain service available to its guests. From picking guests up at the airport to unpacking bags to doing a guest’s shopping, the fully-trained staff is on-call and ready to cater to guests’ every need.

“The Sarabias are really involved with jewel creation, and they like to consider Celeste as a gem,” says Mayuga. “They have a vision of creating gems, and we want to build a brand out of Hotel Celeste.” With the hotel’s packed booking list and the excited murmur of eager guests and diners, Hotel Celeste is steadily proving that luxury, innovation and style make for a potent combination.

A U T H O R G A B Y I G NA C IO / photo g rapher IAN C A S TA 単 A R E S

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/R&R History highlight: Manila Pavilion was christened manila Hilton International in 1967. The hotel tycoon and Hilton chain founder himself, Conrad Hilton, together with then First Couple, Ferdinand Marcos and wife Imelda, graced the grand opening.

World of Gustatory delights National Artist Federico Alcuaz is one of its long-staying guests. He practically lives in the place, turning his room into an art gallery of sort. Other luminaries like worldboxing champion Muhammad Ali, the Jackson 5, Matt Monroe, and 1969 Ms. Universe Gloria Diaz had been among its celebrity clients in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.

The Waterfront Pavilion Hotel, more popularly known as Manila Pavilion, has indeed highlighted its long history with glamour, prestige and innovation, catering to highpowered guests, providing five-star services, and openly embracing changes throughout the decades. Even first-timers who come and dine in are ultimately surprised.

Manila Pavilion is now owned and operated

by Waterfront Philippines Inc., the largest Filipino hotel chain in the country owned by the Gatchalians. Even with the new owners, Manila Pavilion maintains the world-class service that has continued to charm and attract its loyal clientele.

One can start the day by heading to the Patisserie. It boasts of a French-style theme beckoning guests to sit back and just enjoy the mornings. The Patisserie is popular for its Continental breakfast, a selection of light meals,

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delicious pastries, and other baked goods. But if one is to ask guests what keeps them coming back over and over again, the answer would lie in the restaurant’s famous ensaymada. The sheer size is extraordinarily huge and flavors come in ube, cheese, chocolate, ham and cheese, and salted egg with cheese. The Patisserie is open from 6 a.m. to midnight.

The Rotisserie, on the other hand, is Manila Pavilion’s premier fine dining establishment trapped in an Old World setting. It boasts of dark wood panels, paintings by Alcuaz, deep carpets, and soft lighting that are at first intimidating, you’d think twice before stepping inside. Rotisserie reminds one of the glory days of old Manila, which shouldn’t be surprising as it is, supposedly, one of the preserved rooms in the hotel. It is, in fact, as old as the establishment itself. Try the delectably delicious, juicy, and tender prime rib of roast beef considered among Manila’s best. The Caesar salad is also another must-try.

A first in the country, Peony Garden serves Malaysian-Cantonese cuisine amid contemporary oriental environs. Stepping into the restaurant, one readily observes where the inspiration of the designs come from, mostly the kind of food that will be served. The materials are mostly

wood, giving off that feeling of airiness and weightlessness that contrast and complement the mood of the guests that are sometimes serious and at other times fun and loving. Peony Garden is also spacious enough that it can sit about 118 guests. One should not leave the restaurant without trying the Hainanese Chicken Rice.

Considered among the best in the country, the dish boasts of a delicious plate of chicken rice, sauces, soup, and vegetables.

Manila Pavilion’s sports bar, Boulvar, has plenty of entertainment choices to spend the night away: a bar for those hard drinks, resident and popular performers, a plasma TV meant for live sports feed. It sits about 80 to 100 persons and serves excellent beer chows.

While the Season’s Coffee Shop offers an arrray of gustatory delights amid a very interactive setting. It is buffet style, serving some of the best cuisines in the world From French to Japanese. Depending on your mood, you can choose where you want to dine according to season: Spring Room, which offers glass paneled walls and ceiling in a private nook; Summer Room, which you will hardly miss as it is located right in the middle of the restaurant; Autumn Room, set on an elevated stage at one side of Season’s; and Winter Room, the smoking area.

A U T H O R d i a n a u y / photo g rapher Is a cr u z

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A U T H O R & photo g rapher ph i l i p a b a d i c i o

Did you know that the city of Paris has the most number of museums (roughly 130) than any other city in the world? In addition, the first ever truly public museum was the Louvre Museum in Paris which was opened in 1793 during the French Revolution.

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French Food Trip Restaurant Les Ambassadeurs is one of the most prominent restaurants in France.

It is located in the Hotel de Crillon, the hotel commissioned by Louis XV as one of his Parisian palaces and was later acquired by the Count de Crillon in 1788. It remained with the prominent family until it was transformed into a palace hotel in 1907.

Imagine how it felt to have been invited to lunch at Les Ambassadeurs and meeting its acclaimed head chef, Jean-Francois Piege.

He has developed a culinary style that meshes traditional with nouvelle cuisine and has brought Les Ambassadeurs into the 21st century.

He captivates the imagination, enhancing sensory pleasures and thus, making your culinary experience a never-to-be-forgotten one.

The entire tasting menu prepared by Chef Jean-Francois Pege was Langoustines/ croustillantes/ maki/ bouillon/ caviar golden d’Iran (crispy Dublin bay prawns with broth and topped with Iranian caviar). These were followed

by Homard bleu avec pommes de mer au sel fume (Brittany blue lobster with salted potatoes) and paired with a bottle of Mercurey Premier Cru 2005 Chateau de Chamirey. The last savory course was Volaille de Bresse avec gratin de macaroni et truffe noire (Bresse chicken with black truffle sprinkled macaroni). We finished the meal with a Comme un vacherin, banane, citron vert et noix de coco (Vacherin style banana, lime and coconut dessert).

Restaurant Les Ambassadeurs, Hotel de Crillon, 10 Place de la Concorde 75008 Paris, France. Tel – 33(0) 1 44 71 15 40. Fax – 33(0)

1 44 71 15 04. www.crillon.com. Average lunch price including wine is €300 per person.

Restaurant Laurent has one of the most beautiful tables at the heart of the ChampsElysée’s garden, a stone’s throw away from the Elysée Palace, official residence of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. King Louis Philippe tasked architect Jacques Hirtorff to arrange the Avenue des Champs-Elysée and to restore this open-air café.

The restaurant functions like an upscale cafeteria for the country’s political and social elite. Old-school power brokers come to eat Alain Pégouret’s nostalgic cuisine such as spider crab in jelly. The chef executes a menu designed by his predecessor, Philippe Braun.

This includes fresh anchovies on a bed of freshtasting vegetable brunoise, duck liver set atop black beans fired up with hot chilis, and a superb veal chop set off by tender hearts of lettuce in a savory jus.

Dishes such as steamed scampi, pigs trotter with potato purée or forest berry waffles are particularly high-class. It’s worth another winter trip to brave the icy air for another bite from the Season Menu consisting of slightly-browned frog legs, seasoned with tomato vinegar and chorizo royale; caramelized loin of baby lamb from Pyrenees, stuffed artichokes and potato soufflé with eggplant caviar. There’s also Mandarin fruit and ginger muslin wrapped in a thin, crispy biscuit.

Restaurant Laurent, 41 avenue Gabriel 75008 Paris, France. Tel – 33(0) 1 42 25 00 39.

E-mail: info@le-laurent.com. www.Le-laurent.com.

Pavillon menu for lunch or dinner is €80 per person excluding drinks. A la carte menu starts at €150.

Located at the posh 16th arrondissement and quite near the Philippine Embassy along the Avenue Foch is another well-known restaurant, Bon (which means “good” in French). The restaurant, designed by Philippe Starck, was an example of his quirky yet charming architecture. There are walls filled with books painted on them, a gargantuan chandelier that looks like it had melted, carpets with a wood plank design and his signature invisible chairs made of clear plexiglass.

Even the owner, Philippe Amzalak, seems to be Starck’s playmate by surprising his clients with an unexpected menu full of international influences and Far East flavors. Best to savor the foie gras de canard laque (pan-fried duck liver with spinach and shiitake in teriyaki sauce) and the black cod c’est bon (cod marinated in soya and sake vinegar). We tried the assortiment de raviolis (mixed dimsum of duck and shrimps), spicy crab spring rolls mayo soja (soya mayonnaise), Chinatown crispy duck and Saint-Jacques grilles tom yam (grilled scallops with tom yam sauce).

For dessert, they served a lusciously decadent petti baba rhum coco ananas, a moist sponge cake made to absorb Jamaican rum, topped with fresh cream, coconut shavings, and pineapple compote.

Restaurant Bon, 25 rue de la Pompe 75016 Paris, France. Tél - 01 40 72 70 00. Fax - 01 40 79 66 30. www.restaurantbon.fr. Lunch and dinner prices from €50.

--With Additional Reports from Francois Roizard • Send your thoughts to rpa@rpa.com.ph

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A U T H O R & photo g rapher O W E E S A L V A

Despite being the second largest consumers of tea in the world, the British have a special fondness for coffee shops. London coffeehouses became known as “penny universities” because people then were charged a penny to get in. many believed that you could learn more in a coffeehouse than at school.

(The London Stock Exchange also started out as a coffeehouse).

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Viva La Vida 1 1 The 150-yearold Big Ben built in Neo-Gothic style stands side by side with one of the c i t y ’s m o re m o d e r n buildings. / 2 Pedestrians cross the Millennium Bridge, also known as the Wobbly Bridge, to reach the opposite bank of the River Thames.

It Is inspiring how Britons have such passion for life. They infuse art with everything from their fashion sense to their store window displays.

London is where street entertainers are welcome replacements to beggars, and graffiti is recognized as an art form.

It had originally been a three-day business trip.

But since it was my brother-in-law’s first time in the UK, he planned to make his conference meeting a side trip and took my sister, nephew, and me along to explore London with him.

It was easy to lose oneself in this vibrant city. With perfect weather during our entire two-week stay, walking was the best and most productive way to get around.

The lampposts and windowsills lined with flowers were hard to miss, and so were the red telephone booths and iron postboxes, and curiously vintage-looking London taxicabs. It was amusing how they take tourists who are 106 \

used to keeping right into consideration, with reminders to “look left” or “look right” painted on the pavement.

With UK’s sky-high taxes that can take up to 40 percent of one’s salary, the citizens seem to have deemed it best to maximize their public property. Weekends were spent at their vast, well-manicured parks and riverbanks with friends and family. They get together for a rollerblading showdown. Some spontaneously join tango lessons under the stars. Others meet at a park gazebo to dance samba. Some people, on the other hand, enjoy their solitude, picking a lonely spot under a tree to practice playing the saxophone. We caught sight of a teenager alone in a square, painting a huge mural. Though they each did their own thing, it was like spending time with the entire community. One would never feel left out, because even being a spectator to all these activities was a treat in itself.

On bright, sunny days, classes are held outside

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the school, at the local park. Some take a power jog at high noon! It was not uncommon to see women in suits ride bicycles, and businessmen, students, and college professors all together at a garden square just outside the offices with their take-away sandwiches. While traditional English food is not all that flavorful, the fusion of cuisines from all over the world available there more than makes up for the blandness.

With commemorative statues, stones and plaques dotting every corner, it was where each monument is a tangible form of the nation’s collective memory. It was where people take time to remember their countrymen’s sacrifices, with memorial services regularly held to honor their soldiers and squares in every town dedicated to the nation’s heroes.

The future and history are welded seamlessly, as seen in landscapes that feature both The Tower of London and The Gherkin, in old chapels that have been

converted to restaurants, and in factories that have been turned into museums.

Everybody takes his share of the fruits of the nation’s ancient plunder, with treasures like Cleopatra’s Needle, the sphinxes, the Rosetta Stone, and countless Roman sculptures in public view.

Clearly, the United Kingdom is where living is the career. It is where one would feel right at home not only because kababayans are everywhere, but also because of the warm professional service of hotel personnel and how the small shop owners treat visitors like an old friend.

Though we were only there as tourists for 14 days, the London way of life easily rubbed in on us.

We stopped to smell the flowers, drank tea every other afternoon, and brought home reminders that working is not everything and that there is more to quality time than watching TV and visiting malls. m

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1 Ubiquitous, big, red buses line the streets of London. / 2 Rare, blue skies serve as backdrop to the London Eye.

The beginning of autumn,

which was when this photo was taken, usually brings dark and dreary clouds. / 3 Afternoon s u n l i g h t d r a p e s t h e B r i t i s h M u s e u m t h ro u g h i t â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magnificent glass ceiling. / 4 The details of the Westminster Abbey facade are well preserved. / 5 The likes of controversial graffiti artist Banksy use abandoned halls as canvass for their artwork.

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A U T H O R & photo g rapher TO M E P P E R S ON

Mongolian Barbecue originated from Taiwan, and its cooking style is patterned after the Japanese teppanyaki. an authentic Mongolian barbecue dish called khorkhog is prepared differently, which involves cooking meat over heated stones inside a metal container.

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Rustic Bliss

Mongolia is as daunting as the countenance of Genghis Khan, but I never knew that before embarking on this trip. In fact, my knowledge of this country used to be limited merely to the man and his empire as fashioned in history texts. What I knew for sure was that it was miles away from my comfort zone, wanting of photographers like myself who are endlessly searching for their idyllic playground. I said â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;? to Mongolia, even before Vernon, my travel companion, could even finish his sentence.

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When -24 degrees Celsius instantly ripped through my skin after getting off the train from Ulan Bator, I started asking myself what the hell was I doing in this country. The weather was freaking cold. The next thing I learned, as we were navigating through mad crowds, was that nobody spoke any English. Communication was reduced to hand gestures or to pointing at illustrations from our guidebook. I must have been out of my mind.

What I soon discovered was that Mongolia was far from what could ever be imagined. The vast breathtaking sceneries stretch beyond the boundaries of sight. When we climbed up the sand dunes, the whole vista below us seemed like an artificial canvass from a computer-generated image. It was almost hard to believe that any of it was real. What finally convinced me that we were in fact in the Gobi were my throbbing leg muscles after the tedious hike.

The abundance of space was overwhelming.

If you had ever been on a boat, and had been out at sea without seeing land for weeks on end, that feeling of not knowing where you are or where you are headed was pretty much the

same experience for us, except for the fact that we were on land. We were constantly searching for civilization, as every path we took seemed to always be in the middle of nowhere. It was part of our daily routine to start the day early, so we could reach the nearest town at our next stop in time and find a place where we can eat or have our car repaired in case it breaks down. Once we found shelter from warm, there were caring nomadic locals who willingly and generously shared their homes with us. We would stay there from about 5 p.m. to about 9 a.m. the next day, as no person in his right mind would dare traverse Mongolia’s rough, uncharted terrains at night.

The fearsome quality of the roads in Mongolia is evident even during the day.

Rarely would you see a paved road following a well-defined path. What they call roads more likely resemble movable lines in the sand that could easily be erased by a sudden weather change. They crisscross each other and head to various directions. Apparently, the roads lead to somewhere because we survived.

Another fascinating discovery I made in Mongolia was its bizarre weather patterns and

changing landscapes. The coarse desert panorama you are seeing one minute would suddenly be replaced by an immense view of snow in the next.

You travel a few more kilometers then, in an instant, you find bushes of lush greens without any snow. You move a little further and you’d find yourself in a blizzard. You could literally walk to one side of the road without a blizzard, and move to the other side of the road where there’s a blizzard. It was weird, and there’s no other word for it.

Although its rustic appeal makes Mongolia seem somewhat forgotten by the rest of the world, the only thing that is worth forgetting about it is the food. Everything else is disarming.

It is definitely one of the few places, which has remained virtually unchanged in the last thousand years that you need to see before you die.

The nomads of Mongolia are a gift to the world. Their warmth was the salve that reassured us travelers that we deserved to witness the captivating beauty of their land. Through them, the wonders of Mongolia will be remembered, through the lens and beyond. / 113

/R&R One of the most popular ceremonial Balinese dishes is the Babi Guling, a roast suckling pig that is usually ordered several days in advance. The pork dish served in rice is also being sold at night markets and local restaurants like the famous Ibu Oka in the Ubud area.

Bali may be small in sizeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;you can drive around the entire coast in one long dayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; but its prominence as a destination is huge, and rightfully so.

Named after a place of refuge in Sanskrit, Ayana Resort and Spa offers complete sanctuary and immersion in Baliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mystical culture, while breaking new ground in luxury accommodation.

Perched on cliffs above the Indian Ocean, the 77-hectare property with majestic views, secluded setting and proximity to the airport is inspired by the Balinese concept of Tri Hita Kirana or living in harmony with god, man, and nature.

Previously known as The Ritz-Carlton, Bali Resort & Spa, this stunning property is now under the management of US-based West Paces Hotel Group, which is led by Horst Schulze, a founding member and former president-director of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

A long bougainvillea-lined drive marks the entrance to manicured grounds abloom with red and pink frangipani. The four-story main building exudes little Balinese flavor but is nonetheless pleasant with its elegant lines and striking sea views. Heading outdoors from the lobby, guests descend a grand staircase before skirting promenades lined with statuary and fountains. The dramatic bi-level pool has water cascading down marble stairs, massage pavilions, and oversized hot and cold plunges.

The Ocean Beach Pool contains seawater, pumped up from the bay through filtration and antimicrobial apparatus.

Two beautiful but craggy beaches await guests. One is close, and the other requires shuttling, but both are good only for sunning and demand some strenuous walking. Three lighted tennis courts, an 18-hole putting green, billiards, table tennis, and a wading pool with a water-slide appeal to active guests. Excursions can be arranged, including a unique bicycle tour to local homes.

Beautiful marble-floored guest quarters, each with its own furnished terrace or lanai, are graced with gold-toned fabrics, ornate but

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A U T H O R ph i l i p a b a d i c i o / photo g rapher i s a cr u z

mass-produced furniture, and comfortable beds with soft pillows and charming hand-carved headboards. Desks with parchment blotters, enticing easy chairs with ottomans, fine Balinese art, and fresh flowers and fruit add to the opulence. Ceiling fans, TVs, minibars, safes, and phones with data ports add convenience and comfort. The lone detraction is the dearth of full-length mirrors. Marble baths have robes, stall showers and very deep tubs.

Villas also offer butler service and access to the club lounge for a fee. Service everywhere is stellar. The expanded spa boasts the largest thalassotherapy facility in Asia and an entertaining seawater-filled Aquatonic exercise pool and spa that is more fun than a barrel of seahorses.

The resort offers guests the best of both worlds: the seclusion and space of their own Balinese-style villa or room, and access to the facilities and services of a world-class hotel. The beautiful four-story design follows the basic Balinese architectural principles that no building should be higher than coconut palms. Alangalang thatched roofing, brightly colored Balinese doors, limestone carvings, intricately woven mats, slate and marble floors are part of the hotel’s distinctive Balinese design. Antiques and artifacts from other islands in Indonesia— Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Lombok, Maluku, Irian Jaya—decorate the public and private areas.

Romantic dinners are big with various private locations around the grounds. Most interesting is the opportunity for one couple to dine alone on the pier, which extends out beyond the cliffs. If eating seafood under the stars with the sound of the waves gets you in the mood, book in advance as it’s a popular and exclusive option. Failing that, a floating meal served by your butler in the private plunge pool of your villa might just make an acceptable second best.

Accessible to all is the mighty Thermes Marins Thalasso spa. With twenty two treatment rooms, the world’s largest Aquatonic Seawater Therapy Pool, a gym, putting range, tennis, cycling trips, Jacuzzi, and sauna, it’s possible to put yourself into overdrive. The spa treatment menu is so extensive you need to study it carefully in your room before you head down there. All rooms have 42-inch flat screen TVs, Wi-Fi access, and air conditioning.

Club rooms, suites, and villas also have iPod docks and DVD players. Both villas and rooms are spacious and romantic, with mosquito nets and flower filled-baths and finished with plush overstuffed sofas and cushions.

A visit to Bali means that you are in the most visitor-friendly island of Indonesia. From a cold Bintang at sunset to an epic night clubbing in Kuta, your social whirl is limited only by your own fortitude.

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/R&R The fastest plane ever built officially is the SR71 Blackbird, by Lockheed. It could go as fast as 2,200 miles per hour. However, faster planes have been flown by the U.S. military. Also, the unmanned NASA Project Boeing X-43 was known to have reached a speed of 7,546 miles per hour.

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Wanna Go for a Ride?

Suddenly, I heard what sounded more like a warning than an invite: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you ready for a little spin?â&#x20AC;? the captain said. Before I could even think, I found myself being pushed back tightly into my seat as if I was taking off for the moon.

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A U T H O R I L L A C DIAZ / photo g rapher E R I K L ION G O R E N

I sat down waiting in Clark Airbase’s Hangar 7230, as I was about to interview someone who has found a perfect job in bringing out man’s primal urge for speed. In fact, he is probably one of two in the Philippines who holds the fastest speed record for horizontal speed and vertical ascent.

I met with Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAIR) director Nick Gitsis, who, together with partner Iren Dornier, own and fly the fastest private jet in the Philippines—a spanking new Dornier Dassult Alpha Jet. Now we all have our own encounters as adrenaline junkies. Some get their kick in buying the latest running shoe, some scavenge for racing bikes, and some are addicted to fast cars. But Gitsis’ jet was by far the ultimate speed machine, short of strapping oneself to a rocket ship. Reading the specs of the Dornier Dassult Alpha Jet already raised the hair on the back of my neck—a maximum speed of 621 mph, which is nearly the speed of sound; and a ceiling of 50,000 feet. “It’s like flying from Manila to Boracay in 15 minutes,” explained Nick who had taken special training just to operate the jet.

The jet is part of the latest innovation of the SEAIR group, which they established 12 years ago

with just two LET 410 turbo prop planes flying a pioneering route to El Nido. In a bid to capture customers with the taste for extreme adventure, and money to burn, they will soon offer the possibilities for subsonic aircraft rides. The Alpha Jet has two pilots seated behind each other. But because of the good ergonomics, there is only a clear view of the flight path ahead with no back of heads blocking the view.

“You’re sitting on two rockets basically.” I heard the captain’s voice who was sitting in the cockpit of the jet. As we started to taxi out into the main runway, I could not agree more, as I felt tied to what seemed to be a giant-coiled spring. It felt as if the whole aircraft was waiting to bolt out like a wild animal struggling to be unleashed. After a few instructions from the main tower, the plane accelerated to 150 knots down the Clark taxiway.

Seconds later, I had a vague awareness of my orientation as in one instance I was looking at the vast sky and in the next, I could see the patchwork of farms of Pampanga above my head.

“The scariest incident [I had] was [during our] beginning flights when one of the burners suddenly went aflame,” Nick radioed into my earpiece, as if rushing up 3,000 feet-per-minute

was not nerve-wracking enough. “ Although we were all briefed on ejecting out of the plane, it’s an option you don’t want to do at high-speed flight.

Luckily, we were able to extinguish the flame and get back in one piece. It was a small defective part which never gave us trouble again [after being replaced].”

Suddenly, I heard what sounded more like a warning than an invite: “Are you ready for a little spin?” the captain said. Before I could even think, I found myself being pushed back tightly into my seat as if I was taking off for the moon.

As we stared our inverted decent, I looked through the clear rood, beyond the break in the clouds at the crater of Pinatubo, which I had only seen in the small oval window of an airplane, and realized I had a full 180 view of the landmass. In minutes, we were upright and touching down on the pavement of Terra Firma.

“How was it?” asked Nick Gitsis in one of those I-told-you-so looks. I could only grin, dumbfounded like the Cheshire Cat who had just come back from Wonderland. Truly, the Alpha Jet was the ultimate toy and to me, Gitsis was one of the luckiest guys on Earth to fly this unbelievable plane anytime he wished.

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/R&R Contrary to popular beliefs, the Spanish rice dish, paella, is not Spain’s national dish.

Spaniards regard it as a regional dish from the Valencian region. It originated during the 19th century near the eastern coast of Valencia, Spain. It is one of Valencians’ identity symbols.

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Alba’s & Everything After It isn’t easy finding a chef that moonlights as a philosopher, but Don Anastacio de Alba can, at 83, manage to make the seemingly paradoxical combination look effortless. In the lounge of Alba Restaurante Español’s branch in Bel-Air, he—surrounded by wispy clouds of cigarette smoke—waxes poetic about everything from paella to progress.

The latter subject is one that Señor Alba has much to say about. Change, after all—just like love, death, and taxes—is one of those unavoidable things in life. Candles and oil lamps have long been replaced by electric lights, while trains and ships have made way for planes and automobiles. But progress brings with it a faster, often more complicated, way of life that leaves little time to spend on anything but keeping up.

“These microwaves, these preservativos are not good for you,” he laments. Almost conspiratorially, he adds, “The multicapitalismos have to sell us what they produce. Families used to dine together. Now you eat alone, out of a Tupperware from the freezer.” He shakes his head in disappointment. “But,” he says, “you cannot deny progress.”

Alba himself is no stranger to change.

Credited with taking the Philippines’ Spanish cuisine from home kitchens to the echelons of fine dining, he moved from his hometown Avila to Manila in 1952. “I never thought I would travel as far as Filipinas,” he says. “When I came here, it was beautiful. There were only 15 million people here when I arrived.”

And it truly was a beautiful reception when he arrived. The Filipino elite welcomed the rich, comforting Spanish cooking he first offered at the Casino Español. The elite then quickly followed when Alba opened his first restaurant, Alba Cocina Española, on what is now United Nations Avenue. A succession of restaurants came 118 \

soon after, and where Alba went, disciples of fine food followed suit.

“There were many Filipinos who had the custom of cooking cocido, paella and other things on Sundays and special days. The focus was on home cooking than on professional skill. When I arrived in 1952, I was the first professional Spanish cook who came to the country,” he explains.

His love for food and people is an aspect of his personality that makes it easy to understand why Alba has become such a culinary name to be reckoned with. His restaurants offer fine dining in the Spanish tradition—comfort food to many Filipinos—in an atmosphere that begs for good conversation over plates of homemade cheese, chorizos, and a variety of tapas.

Alba casually tells anecdotes whose characters are namesakes of some major thoroughfares in Metro Manila. He narrates the time he made Una Noche de Adas’ a dinner he prepared for then-Prince Juan Carlos of Spain, who visited Manila with his wife Sofia early in Alba’s career. Another dish he made then, Pollo a la Reyna Regencia, was in honor of the wife of Chino Roces; he goes into the exquisite detail of a chicken tenderloin and rice dish still served at Alba’s. “I was so enthusiastic, because I was a foreigner who came to the Philippines from Spain. I was a cook; I didn’t have a name or a title, and to associate with presidents and statesmen was something great for me.”

Despite tales of kings and luminaries, Don Alba still remains very traditional and down-to-earth regarding food, cooking, and life. “Simple is still the most beautiful,” the chef and philosopher says. “When you cook, and when you love what you are doing, you become a spirit. Like a painter or a musician, your spirit shows when you cook for people you love.”

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Being the “roof of the world,” Tibet has an average height of 16,000 feet. The Chinese administered nation is considered to be the most elevated region on earth.

78 Diet from a highlander Beauty and fitness experts have come up with ways and means to slow down aging. From rejuvenating creams and treatments to mind and body regimens, scientists would seem to bend over backwards to get the best way for people to look several years younger and to stay that way.

Less might sometimes be more if we wish to slow down aging. Case in point is the simple lifestyle of Tibetan Lamas. Striving to be pure in all aspects of their lifestyle, these spiritual leaders follow a specific diet that helps them stay young by keeping their energies properly stored.

Writer and adventurer Peter Kelder explains it in his book Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth. He said that one key to properly utilize one’s energy is to take one food item at a time in a meal.

”Different types of food—starches and proteins for instance — require completely different digestive processes in the stomach. So if a starch such as bread is eaten together with a protein such as meat, each one interferes with the digestion of the other. Hence, neither the bread nor the meat is fully digested; and a good part of the food’s nutritional value is lost.

Bloating and physical distress occur; and valuable energy is depleted in the process,“ Kelder elaborates.

Mixing of food items such as carbohydrates and proteins indicates a continuous stress on one’s digestive system and consistent misuse of valuable energy. Our body’s nourishment is maximized at a much less amount of energy in digestion if a meal taken consists of all vegetables at one time or all types of meats at another time. Of course, eating each type of food for each meal should be done in moderation or just enough calories for our daily activities.

Kelder mentions that although butter or similar sources of fat may be eaten with either carbohydrates or with protein, it should be eaten sparingly and should be taken from non-animal sources, such as seeds, grains, and vegetables. Also needed in small quantities are typical chicken eggs since each egg contains half of the elements required by our brain, nerves, and body organs.

He also discusses the importance of eating slowly, so food gets broken down properly for our body to absorb or digest it. Surprisingly, protein foods require less mastication than those of starch.

Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth stresses that in having the right food, in just the right amount and combination, we’re on the road to staying young.

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/R&R Physicist Nicholas Kurti and physical chemist Hervé This came up with the term “Molecular and Physical Gastronomy” in 1988. The term was eventually shortened to “Molecular Gastronomy.”

A U T H O R K R I S T Y ANN T E X ON / photo g rapher i s a cr u z

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It’s afternoon at the New York lounge-inspired Zenses restaurant in A.Venue, Makati, and Chef Johann Santos is in his routine of chatting with the customers. He carries a silver bowl as he does the rounds. With eager anticipation, he gives out instructions: “Hold out your hand, and pop into your mouth whatever it is I’m going to hand you.”

The move is fast, but there is just enough time for the customers to realize that they’re holding seemingly ordinary popcorn. Still, being the sports that they are, they do as they are told. Popcorn in mouth, each customer spews smoke; those who are more learned in the art of smoking exhale the smoke through their nostrils. For a moment, everyone looks like they’re ingesting something wickedly fun and illegal.

A laughing fit ensues among the group until Santos explains what just happened: liquid nitrogen was poured onto ordinary popcorn to create an amusing snack. A supposedly minor tweak has entirely changed the way the customers saw popcorn, and this is what chefs do with the dishes at Zenses.

Co-owners and chefs Santos and Isis Yau think beyond their comfort zones to create out-of-this-world offerings. But when the chefs explain the science behind their odd fusion of ingredients, they manage to make everything sound sensible. This is because they have got cooking down to a science.

Zenses is the first restaurant in the country to consciously apply Molecular Gastronomy, a discipline that explores the science behind the common cooking methods. By understanding the scientific principles in cooking, chefs are able to come up with the appropriate results. Santos says Molecular Gastronomy heightens the flavors of each dish. The result of their efforts is a menu laden with new concepts, like Crab Lychee Tempura and Dragon’s Breath Chicken.

One of their intriguing dishes is the Ocean Memory, which is described on the menu as “sea grapes with the sound of the ocean, bubbly citrus, and

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L E F T: Chef Johann Santos extracts liquid nitrogen from the tank.

1 Nitrogen ice cream is the most popular item on the Zenses menu. / 2 Santos is surrounded by smoke as he whisks the nitrogen ice cream in a bowl.

coconut air.” Anyone who orders this dish is handed a large seashell, so that he can listen to the ocean waves while enjoying his meal. And although the idea is novel, not everyone is willing to attract attention by putting the shell to his ear.

The chefs admit that some of the concepts need getting used to; that is why they have chosen to use Chinese food as a vehicle for their odd offerings. This makes it easier for the chefs to deconstruct and reconstruct the dishes. Since Filipinos are familiar with Chinese food, they are more likely to give Zenses a shot.

While Chinese food is familiar to the locals, few Chinese restaurants here offer Shanghainese cuisine. This fact struck an inspiration for Santos and Yau to bring Shanghainese food to the country. Eventually, this restaurant offering neo-Shanghai cuisine was born.

“We are trying to change the perception of Chinese food,” says Yau. Most Filipinos equate Chinese food with large quantities of food. At Zenses, they pay attention to the quality rather than the quantity of what they serve.

That is not to say that the portions are small; the servings are just enough to keep the customers happy.

Eating at Zenses is an experience in itself, but half the fun lies in watching the food get prepared. Santos puts on quite a show when he makes their bestseller, the nitrogen ice cream. In a large bowl, he pours the dairy concoction and the liquid nitrogen. The process is the stuff magic shows are made of; wisps of smoke rise from the bowl. Customers gasp in awe as the liquid mixture turns to slush—and then ice cream—before their very eyes.

Such is the strategy of the chefs to make the concepts more understandable. They show people how it’s done; they then explain the mechanics. And although Santos points out that it takes time for people to accept the avant-garde, customers are surely embracing what Zenses has to offer. After all, people need not be rocket scientists to recognize good food.

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/st y l e + d es ig n There are no hard and fast rules about which instruments are used for food styling.

Raymundo uses paintbrushes and kitchen, dental and electronic tools to fashion food.

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Sprouting Horns ‘If the Divine Creator has taken pains to give us delicious and exquisite things to eat, the least we can do is prepare them well and serve them with ceremony.’

—Fernand Point, Father of modern French cuisine (1897-1955)

“Food stylist ako, hindi ako si God,” young chef, restaurateur and food stylist Eugene Raymundo once said to a client who had unreasonable requests. Raymundo is all for making food more appealing, but he is cautious not to make everything too stylized. He does not aim for perfect-looking food; rather, he leans towards the quirky when fashioning a dish.

While Raymundo sometimes resorts to self-deprecating jests, his creations are nothing short of divine. The food looks heavenly, but ironically, they somehow traipse on the devilish side—well, sort of. To put it quite literally, his works sprout horns.

Raymundo is known for the “sungay.”

This, he says, has been his trademark. Even back in the days when he was under the tutelage of Chef Gene Gonzalez, Raymundo would always add elements to the dish that reinforced height.

Friends and colleagues found this penchant for height rather amusing, and thus the peculiarity earned the moniker “sungay.”

Ten years into his craft, Raymundo still rocks the horns every chance he gets. And while the trademark is inevitable in almost every piece he styles, Raymundo manages to make his work 132 \

unpredictable. During a photo shoot at AdPhoto, the horns were there, represented by thin slivers of chocolate delicately positioned near the glass rim. The effect is subtle, but the horns added enough character to the deconstructed black forest. Deconstruct he did; the plated dessert looked nothing like the familiar cake.

Raymundo’s style is edgy; the food is visually appealing without him resorting to the overplayed fanfare. There are no rosettes, and—as Raymundo once was quick to point out to yet another client—he does not use parsley for garnish. He treats food like a mason would an edifice; he pays attention to structure, angles, and forms. The result is a well thought-of composition that is close to a small architectural masterpiece—a fitting output from someone like Raymundo. After all, he once considered becoming an architect. Providence has a funny way of marrying Raymundo’s interests, as he is now able to make the odd combination of food and architecture work.

Raymundo has been in the food industry for a decade, but he still remains grounded despite the recognition he has received. “It’s always my first project,” he says. By constantly

believing that he needs to impress the client, he steps up his game. This mantra also saves him from ridiculous bouts of psychological hydrocephalus.

But then again, Raymundo is impressive even when he’s not in front of the clients. At home, he holds spur-of-the-moment gatherings.

Trust Raymundo to have a skewed perspective of spontaneity; he narrates one of the times he hosted an impromptu dinner for his friends. He did not have a stash of hotdogs in the freezer, a seemingly ubiquitous household staple. He did, however, have enough ingredients for a feast of couscous and steak. Sometimes, Raymundo even goes as far as styling the food he cooks at home.

Although it seems that things are looking up for Raymundo, he chooses not to rest on his laurels. He is looking for new endeavors and still wants to accomplish “a lot”—these include doing food styling outside Asia, writing a book, and venturing on another business that’s not related to food. If his feats give any indication of how things will turn out, then Raymundo does not need to worry about these plans. Raymundo conquers such challenges, as he seems to grab life’s bulls by the horns.

A U T H O R k r i s t y a n n t e x o n / p hoto g ra p h e r S s h a i r a l u n a & g - n i e a r a m b u l o

86 STYLE GUIDE

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After tweaking with the food several times, Chef Eugene Raymundo presents his creation, the deconstructed black forest.

Clockwise from top left: Raymundo uses a small blowtorch to caramelize the icing. / Finishing touches are put on the plate. / P a i n t b r u s h e s a re a m o n g R a y m u n d o â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s variety of tools. / Raymundo peels off the hardened caramel off the sheet.

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Tradition meets pop culture It HAs been said that the more things change, the more they remain the same. In fashion, a trend can literally come and go in five minutes. The ability to innovate and stay true to one’s artisan roots is a challenge best left to the dedicated and passionate few.

How does one do things the old-fashioned way—read: no compromises or short cuts allowed—and yet manage to stay current? Admirable as it is to be steeped in tradition, the very predictability of it can become a bore.

Moreover, with money being tight nowadays, buying into the latest trends seems somehow unfashionable. The nefariousness of investment bankers and blue chip institutions has not only put a choke hold on our shopping funds, but has practically erased the joys of conspicuous consumption.

Research into a brand’s integrity, history, craftsmanship, value for money and “wow factor” now requires scrutiny. Louis Vuitton Malletier or LV, the French

luxury fashion and leather goods company, is known for its musthave bags and trunks. It is also perhaps the most imitated brand in the world.

Louis Vuitton, who was a former apprentice of Monsieur Marechal, founded LV in 1854.

Marechal was a reputed layetieremballeur—a term used to define makers and packers in the 1800s.

Vuitton, emboldened by being Empress Eugenie’s favored layetier, started his own luggage company catering initially to royalty. A hundred and fifty years later, and with over 340 stores the world over, LV has since become the jewel of the global portfolio of the luxury group Louis Vuitton Moet and Hennessy (LVMH).

Collaborating with prominent figures for marketing and design such as American designer Marc Jacobs, Brazilian Supermodel Giselle Bündchen, style and music icon Madonna, and Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami has kept the brand at the forefront of innovation and fashion.

A U T H O R l e i c a r . c a r p o / p hoto E x h i b i t i o n © MURAKAMI at T h e G u g g e n h e i m M u s e u m B i l b a o , F e b r u a ry 2 0 0 9

89 Trendsetting travels LV’s pioneering edge is evident in its extensive catalogue: The Wardrobe—a vertical trunk created to spare travelers the chore of unpacking; The Steamer Bag—designed to be packed flat; and The Keepall—the precursor of all travel bags. Ensuring that groundbreaking designs came with good looks, the bags’ plain waterproofed canvas exteriors were transformed first with the checkerboard Daimier pattern, and then with the famous monogram.

This was the four-petal flower motif created in 1896 during a craze for all things Japanese.

Due to LV’s uncompromising eye for detail and its ability to keep up with trends in travel, architecture, art and design, LV followers soon expanded beyond Europe’s crowned monarchy across the continent, and then to socially prominent families like the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers and Hollywood’s own royalties.

Despite its comfortable niche using celebrity endorsers in its advertising, LV is also fearless

in breaking from tradition. In its August 2007 campaign, LV announced that the former USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev would appear in an ad campaign along with Steffi Graf, André Agassi, and Catherine Deneuve. Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz shot the series. The brand’s ability to balance street and runway trends while maintaining its standards of luxury makes it one of the fickle fashion world’s solid barometers.

Keeping a step ahead of its competition and counterfeiters through constant innovation is LV’s mission.

The art of stylish travel— integral to LV from its inception— has taken a step further with collaborations with the world’s leading contemporary artists such as Cesar, Rosenquist, Chia, Arman, Isozaki, Sol LeWitt, Stephen Sprouse, and Takashi Murakami.

Melding Japanese pop culture with a chic French brand may seem like a stretch, but this collaboration seems inevitable with the brand’s DNA of craftsmanship and luxury.

Business tags along a certain kind of lifestyle, and 100 offers you a glimpse of that. In every issue, we bring you 100 topics under one businessrelated theme. 100 highlights economic hubs and rising businesses. We feature the lives of entrepreneurs and executives beyond the boardroom. We list down the brands that they patronize, the recreational activities that they do, the style that they uphold. As the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first and only business lifestyle magazine, 100 documents the current business environment and the way of life that goes along with it.

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A U T H O R e l k a k ry s t l e r . r e q u i n ta

THE OPTIMIST “Everything is happy,” enthuses Vince Padilla, whose piece, De Kahon, hailed him the Juror’s Choice at the 2003 Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards.

“I never see things as difficult because Bobby Valenzuela (former curator for Hiraya and Boston Gallery) taught me how to be appreciative about life’s challenges.”

This uncanny source of happiness shows through the graceful strokes in his bright, light-hearted paintings that are rich in political flavor. Art critics Tino Tejero and Nat Rondina have described recent shows on isolation—Pilliar and Oubliette—as “at once deeply humorous and profoundly political” and “like seeing social realism melt into ethereal symbolist art,” respectively.

Padilla’s sold-out solo shows do not keep him from being six units away from finishing his masters degree in Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. This will eventually allow him to teach in his alma mater, and maybe even abroad.

“Teaching is my second passion,” explains Padilla. “It not only keeps the pressure off painting as a main source of income, [the experience] is also another form of inspiration for my works.” His teaching stints also led him to his new gallery, when a former student’s parent offered her den as a space for him to paint.

Of the future, Padilla says, “It is now up to me to keep it that way or perhaps move a few more levels higher. I just need to do the things I need to do, without rushing. The important thing is that I’m in my studio, doing my art.” p hoto g ra p h e r t r i c i a g o s i n g t i a n

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dallying with serendipity Lyle Buencamino likes to leave everything to chance.

“Malaking bagay ‘yung chance in [my life and] works. I did not know what I wanted to be so I took whatever came my way,” says Buencamino. “Ganun din sa works ko, which are more like layers of really simple ideas that I come across at different times, hoping it turns into something compound.”

The “Lyle style” seems to be currently fixated on piles of just about anything. Several pieces from his inaugural show at the Finale Art Gallery last year showed a lot of piles referring to his earlier works, plus layers of witty text that lean on the narcissistic.

This was best illustrated by “Painting is a toilet on the happy hour of a good idea,” an oil on canvas mixed media depiction of a girl vomiting in the toilet coupled with neon lights. The painting was sold just recently. “There was this issue before about me not signing my earlier works, so I dedicated one show entirely for that. Besides, pare-pareho naman tayong lahat na narcissistic,” quips Buencamino, who has joined the esteemed roster of exhibiting contemporary artists in SLab—the painting, drawing and sculpture arm of Silverlens Gallery along Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati.

Buencamino is currently working on his third solo show. Other than that, he refuses to divulge plans that take longer than a year. “I don’t think there is such a thing as long-term [plan]. Realistically speaking, one can only plan for a year,” Buencamino says. p hoto g ra p h e r p r a n z k a e n o b i l l o n e s

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bookreviews brilliantly mordant

Delectably risqué

Dubbed as Ralph Ellison’s “tour-de-force” which indubitably made him one of the most respected voices against black racism and segregation, The Invisible Man narrates the journey from the deep South to Harlem, New York in the 1940s of a nameless protagonist as he intractably battles to define his own “blackness”, and identity. Written with vigor and snap reminiscent of Dostoevsky, Bellow and Tolstoi, this book proudly weaves immensely rich idioms, folklore, music, and voices of the blacks using symphonic and descriptive language that evokes vivid imagery and a poignant understanding of what it means to exist on the fringes of an unforgiving society. Finally, the author’s brilliant, sardonic, funny, blunt and most often mordant tone ushers readers to experience a gamut of complex emotions that ranges from the shocking to the horrifying and yet, makes us unwillingly face our own many alternate selves and the myriad of ways we react and deal with the racial or minority divide. This book cuts to the bone.

“To the table or to bed, you must come when you are bid”—a delectably risqué prologue to Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate, a gastronomic prose that burgeons with mouth-watering exotic Mexican recipes, consuming passion, filial subservience, and matriarchal grit. This book recounts Tita’s story: a love forbidden by an unfairly rigid custom and an equally dogmatic mother and how the strong-willed and spirited heroine fights and ultimately submits to the perils of Eros. Special mention should be given to the rich inviting ingredients added to the array of scrumptious dishes: rose petals, chile mulatos, chiles anchos, anise and saffron and Caracas and Maracaibo chocolate. Esquivel’s intimacy with her characters, situations and the marvels of the human heart is spectacularly organic, mystical, stunning and almost obscenely palpable. Like Water for Chocolate is truly a heady and satisfying concoction of irrepressible carnality, copulating aromas and tastes begging to be swallowed. An ineffable and lyrical discourse about life, love and the choices we make. More than just a pleasurable read, this tome is a sensual feast that puts Esquivel ahead of her game.

A U T H O R j u n e d e l a r o s a / i l l u s trator r a y z a p a n t a

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A U T H O R GINO DE LA PAZ / i l l u s trator r a y z a p a n t a

FILMFOODCHAIN Devour these drool-worthy movies.

death&allhisfriends

THEscienceofsarcasm

'Une Affaire de Gout' (A Matter of Taste)

'persepolis'

In a rather peculiar career move, a young, knowledgeable waiter, Nicolas Riviere (Jean-Pierre Lorit) accepts an offer from eccentric multimillionaire Frederic Delamont (Bernard Giraudeau) to become his personal food taster. Delamont cannot eat cheese or fish—the result of a traumatic childhood—and needs someone in his entourage to lead him away from potential gastronomic distress.

Despite the insane sum of money he eventually receives for this bespoke service, his boss who becomes increasingly obsessed with his employee’s vitality slowly manipulates Riviere. In a homoerotic relationship eerily similar to the one between Montgomery Burns and Smithers from The Simpsons, Delamont and Riviere go on a power-hungry psywar with each other. The unconventional set-up, previously linked by a love for fine food, becomes the backdrop to a messy murder story.

With one foot in Iran’s tyrannical past and the other in a young girl’s highly-stylized dream world, Persepolis is a comingof-age narrative like no other. Using writer/director Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographic graphic novel as a spring board, the full-length animated feature follows the adventures of a Muslim girl, Marjane (Chiara Mastroianni), who travels to Vienna, Austria during a rather politicallycharged moment in her country’s history. Somewhere between childhood and university, she finds her advocacies and learns to stand up for herself.

Framed using her own family’s history, Marjane’s carefree grandmother was pivotal to her belief system. Persepolis is hauntingly eloquent in its humor and sarcasm. The film’s stark black-and-white color palate, an expressionist flourish that can be traced to Soviet animation of yore, adds another poignant layer to the protagonist’s subsequent exile to France.

'elephant'

'super size me'

A disturbing reimagining of 1999’s Columbine massacre, Gus Van Sant’s Elephant is a voyeuristic view of typical high school students caught in a harrowing situation. Plucked from a cast of unknowns, Eric (Eric Deulen) and Alex (Alex Frost) are best friends who plot to randomly annihilate the students and administrators in their school. As unremarkable as they seem on the outside, the two are apparently unique; they are incessantly bullied and they watch Nazi programs on TV to glean inspiration for their master plan, which they eventually carry out with weapons purchased online.

Van Sant’s use of uninterrupted tracking shots to tell the story from different perspectives is foreboding; the serenity is a façade that contrasts with the juvenile killing spree at hand. A docu-drama that lures an audience into a false sense of security, the subtly-titled Elephant refers to psychological issues all teens wrestle with but adults somehow choose to ignore.

Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock took the adage “You are what you eat” quite literally and subsisted on nothing but fast food for a month. His method-directing resulted in a significant spike in his blood pressure and 2004’s Super Size Me. Turning himself into a human lab rat, Spurlock gorges on fast food from McDonald’s for 30 days to find out why most Americans are overweight. In the process, he also examines how the food products are made and how they are—or in the case of French fries, not broken down by our digestive system. Unlike his contemporary, Michael Moore, Spurlock is not biased and heavy-handed in his approach. But don’t be fooled. How light Super Size Me seems to be is how mammoth the problem of obesity really is.

'control'

For all the music newbies who need to know, Joy Division was a band from Manchester, England that got serious attention in the late 1970s and early 1980s with their throbbing guitars and doom-laden lyrics.

Joy Division’s ascent to post-punk superstardom ground to a halt, however, with the death of the group’s troubled 23-year-old frontman, Ian Curtis, who hanged himself in his apartment in 1980. He was emo even before the term was invented.

Recreating the memoir Touching From A Distance penned by Curtis’ widow, Deborah, director Anton Corbijn’s Control is a minimal masterpiece that sets the story against a well-researched mise-en-scene. Newcomer Sam Riley plays the ill-fated lead singer, transmitting a depression brought about by epilepsy and a tumultuous marriage with convincing stoicism. That said, prior knowledge of Joy Division is helpful but not completely necessary when watching Control, as its theme of existential turmoil is universal.

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TVreviews

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tastyofferings

cookingitupinRP

Food in all its visual glory is definitely television material.

Apart from coming in different colors, from veggie greens to vibrant neons of kiddie desserts, food also involves presentation.

A huge chunk of television viewers are interested in watching shows on food, whether they involve the history of a particular food product or enumerate the best, weirdest and, of course, tastiest.

Food preparation also has a huge following. In the US, the typical cooking show involves a chef who, apart from having solid cooking experience, Michelin star awards and a series of cookbooks and restaurants worldwide, should possess wit, personality and camera-friendly looks too.

The perfect example is Chef Bobby Flay with numerous restaurants and cookbooks attached to his name. Debuting on the Food Network in 1996, his ladies’ man/man’s man appeal has enthralled foodies with shows like BBQ with Bobby Flay, Grill It! with Bobby Flay and the Emmy Awardwinning Boy Meets Grill.

Other personalities who will keep you glued to your screens include The Naked Chef ’s Jamie Oliver, easy-on-the-eyes Nigella Lawson, hilarious and accent-heavy Wolfgang Puck, and always chatty, energetic and grinning Rachel Ray. Hot on the boob tube are reality-based cooking competitions. The popular Japanese original-inspired Iron Chef America has Food Network personalities and celeb chefs battling it out in the kitchen. Then there are those tagged as Survivor for chefs: Top Chef, where contestants compete in weekly challenges and people get voted off until the best chef is left standing, and the concluded Hell’s Kitchen, which is much like the former except it features Gordon Ramsay—known as the devil in the kitchen— giving the contestants hell.

When it comes to the local scene, it’s pretty safe to say that we haven’t gone far; we’re still stuck in the old way of doing cooking shows.

We haven’t really graduated from the generic cooking show that features celebrity moms enumerating the ingredients, reading the procedure from the idiot board and then doing some stirring.

Realizing that celebrity is power, cooking shows in the country can’t seem to live without including someone popular: a movie star promoting his latest flick, a recording artist out with her new CD, a has-been who is trying to revive his career. Take, for example, some of the shows aired on free TV channel QTV 11. Quickfire, a cooking show that features recipes one can do in around ten minutes, may have chef Rosebud Benitez as a host, but she always invites a celeb guest who for a change doesn’t just try to sauté onions or press the blender’s buttons, but focuses on tasting and commenting on the cook’s creations as well. There was also the defunct Chef To Go, hosted by chef Rob Pengson (and also by actor/restaurateur Marvin Agustin for one season), which incorporates celeb guests—society figures, models, starlets, TV personalities—as the host’s chat mates, and as tastetesters, of course.

The channel also has a sprinkling of other food-related programs, from True Confections, where two pastry chefs and celeb Sam Oh teach viewers how to whip up desserts, Secrets of the Masters, hosted by Issa Litton, where the country’s culinary figures demonstrate their food wisdom and expertise.

Most of today’s TV offerings on food may be tasty and filling, but some more nutrients would definitely do the viewers—good.

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A U T H O R p h i l i p a b a d i c i o p hoto g ra p h e r Z i g M i r a s o l & A i l a F a d e r a

PEOPLE&PARTIES

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the rebirth dusit thani manila

Allow me to breeze you into the whirlwind of parties in the Philippines. My prom date and I ended up at Coco Banana after our high school prom in the late ‘70s. I’ve partied in the most memorable places during the ‘80s like Stargazer, Louie Y which eventually became Isis, Rumors, Culture Club and hang out at the iconic bars like Penguin in Malate and Rock Ola across the Sheraton. The nights of the ‘90s were filled with Faces, Mars, and Subway. And so it goes on and on. The endless party hearties and shindigs are as much of what makes merry Manila as it had been and as it still is.

In the ‘80s, the Manila Garden Hotel was known for a disco called Altitude 49. My friends and I would hop from nearby Where Else and dance till dawn. It became the Nikko Hotel Manila in the ‘90s and the disco was gone but the Japanese restaurant Benkay would make us come back again and again to the hotel. That outlet is gone too and the hotel is once again rebranded as the Dusit Thani Manila.

Dusit Thani Manila was officially launched recently at the hotel’s Grand Ballroom. The programme was hosted by Filipina supermodel Rissa Mananquil. Mr. Octavio Gamarra, Dusit International senior vice president, and Mr. Gerhard Kropp, president of Philippine Hotelliers Inc., owning company of Dusit Thani Manila, gave the welcome remarks and updated more than 500 guests about their new acquisition in the central business district of Makati, the most prestigious and expensive area in the Philippines.

The highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the hotel’s new name on the topmost floor facing EDSA, which was then uncovered to show to the applauding guests who were watching on giant screens in the ballroom.

Another highlight was the fact that the food was overflowing, with all three walls covered by buffet spreads. Each restaurant prepared a buffet spread of the best dishes it offers: Benjarong showcased the best of Thai cuisine with phad thai, shrimp cake, and Thai spring rolls. Tosca offered the best of Italian cuisine like antipastis and pastas. Umu Japanese restaurant had assorted sushi, sashimi, ebi, and vegetable tempuras and teppanyaki. Basix Café offered an international spread and seemingly endless desserts and Fiesta San Miguel offered Filipino dishes including lechon. My mouth still waters when I remember the heaps of fresh lobster and oysters plus melt-in-your-mouth foie gras which were seared onsite for you.

The eat-till-you-pop event lasted until midnight. Spotted enjoying the show were Alex and Marixi Prieto, photographer Rupert Jacinto with wife Tina, Greative’s Manoling and Sandie Poblador, mega advertising lady Vicky Perez de Tagle with husband Ping, Asia’s fashion czar Pitoy Moreno with sister Virgie, RPA & Communicate’s Carlo Sumayao, Beth Day Romulo, and Philippine Consul to Monaco Fortune Ledesma. Seen wining and dining were dance diva Becky Garcia, Oh No It’s…Johnny Litton, RJ and Frannie Jacinto, Tourism Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque, Thai Airways Nivat Chantarachoti, SGV’s Washington Sycip, Tita Trillo, United Kingdom Ambassador Peter Beckingham, and the country’s hostess de jour Mellie Ablaza with husband Consul to Zambia Louie Ablaza.

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privateviewing

rupert jacinto's mixed media exhibit

“I never followed any book on how to compose or take a picture,” says Rupert Jacinto, international portrait photographer of society men and women of the Philippines and international jetsetters. He takes his artwork up a notch by working with various media in creating “Private Viewing.”

In 1978, Rupert Jacinto was invited to do his first exhibit called “15 Women” at the Hotel Intercontinental Manila where he photographed 15 high society Filipino women including Chito Madrigal-Collantes and Imelda Cojuangco. The show was written as the “biggest show this side of the world” by the local and foreign press. This led to a yearly exhibit at the Peninsula Manila and international exhibits in New York, San Francisco, Palm Beach, and Paris.

Formal portraits became Jacinto’s forte and his subject became regular clients. These have included international society figures Deeda Blair, Virginia Vanderbilt Burke, Monica Greenberg, Ivana Trump, Kimberly Rockefeller, Jennifer Gucci, Nina Griscom and the Countess Camille Chandon, plus local bigwigs Imelda Marcos and President Gloria Arroyo.

“The biggest compliment for a photographer is to see his work on display at the subject’s home,” relates Jacinto. His goal for every formal portrait is to capture the moment and bring out the inner glow in every person.

The multi-talented artist creates new forms of artwork to give more depth to his style. Rupert Jacinto’s mixed media exhibit, “Private Viewing,” was held recently at the main floor of Aquaknox restaurant with a ribboncutting led by Guests of Honor and Rustan’s President Nedy Tantoco, socialite Ching Cruz, Consul to Gambia Agnes Huibonhua, and Patrick Jacinto. The “glitterati’ crowd in attendance included former Prime Minister Cesar Virata and Joy Virata, Dee Zobel, renowned artists Betsy Westendorp de Brias, Juvenal Sanso and Lulu Coching, Dr. Jaime Laya, Arch. Philip Cruz, Ching Montinola, Bambi Harper, Consuls Mellie and Louie Ablaza, who came with their son, Marc, Consul Fortune Ledesma, Consul Evie Costa, Letty Syquia, Baby Cruz, Cristina Caedo, Marivic Vazquez, Mario Katigbak, Nini Licaros, Nene Leonor, Margarita Sison, George Sison, Ramon Zaragoza, and Jun Cruz of Hewlett-Packard (HP) among others.

Twenty-five mixed media artworks were presented in a “New Yorkstyle” installation by Jaime Ponce de Leon. The frames were specially designed by Johnny Soriano. Mark Jacinto provided a few musical numbers with his original compositions.

The “Private Viewing” exhibit was sponsored by HP, Aquaknox and Ralph’s Wines and Spirits and presented by RPA & Communicate.

Send your thoughts to rpa@rpa.com.ph

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1 Rupert Jacinto, posed with his mixed media works at Aquaknox. / 2 (At Dusit Thani) Frannie and Ramon â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;RJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Jacinto / 3 (At Dusit Thani) Philip Abadicio, Yasmine Hidalgo and RJ Ledesma / 4 Marissa Fenton, Pitoy Moreno, Rupert Jacinto, Becky Garcia, Noel Gonzales and Arch. Gerry Contreras / 5 Jaime Ponce de Leon, Joe Mari Trenas, Marivic Vazquez, Cory Quirino, Becky Garcia, Virginia Lane and Marc Ablaza / 6 (At Dusit Thani) Johnny Litton, Frank Grassman, Washington Sycip and Tita Trillo

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The American Wagyu Beef Last March, Shangri-La Hotel had a taste of the American Wagyu Beef, a close semblance of the original meat produced from breeding the Japanese Wagyu. SRF Sales Director Terry Reynolds, David Wolf and Maryanne Meily. / Summer in Greenbelt 4 Breezy, light and elegant Spring/Summer 2009 Collections by top brands like Burberry, Gucci and Marc Jacobs were unveiled in the Fashion Preview held at Greenbelt 4. Bvlgariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mario Katigbak, Ayala Malls Ad and Promo Manager Maricris Bernardino and Marsha Morato / HSBC Assistant Vice President for Business Alliance Angelica Martinez and Greenbelt 4 Advertising and Promotions Associate Mitch Hernandez / The Peninsula Manila General Manager Jonathan Crook, The Peninsula Manila Special Events Director Stephanie Chong / Samsung Ultra Touch S8300 The newest addition to the touchscreen technology, the Samsung Ultra Touch S8300 was launched in a huge and star-studded party over at the Embassy SuperClub.

Samsung product manager Raine Javelera aand Samsung head of mobile phones Fe Varilla / RIGHT: The 10th Travelers Palm Awards: Amidst the Pyramids of Egypt Five-star hotel Pan Pacific Manila celebrated an Egyptianthemed top accounts appreciation night where guests enjoyed games and prizes. Dubbed as the 10th Travelers Palm Awards: Amidst the Pyramids of Egypt, members of the different departments paraded in an array of colorful and exotic Egyptian clothing.

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L I F E S T Y L E

100 editor-in-chief Carlo Velasco, ‘Urban Zone’ host Daphne Osena Paez, designer Hans Brumann, GMA Films president Annette Gozon-Abrogar, designer Joey Yupangco, Go Negosyo’s Ted Francisco, and Big Buddha Restaurants managing director and 100 executive editor Richie Yang

In a distinctive purpose to portray a premier side of business lifestyle, the launch edition of 100 magazine invited everyone to relish in its first “list” of points and pieces, people and places—from the country’s celebrated business icons, to influential brands and reputable creations, 100 lists down topics that influence both the Filipino entrepreneur and consumer.

100 First Edition: The List comes out with a selection of two cover personalities. Committed to improving the lives of the less fortunate by giving them employment opportunities, Rafa Alunan came from the food industry and then worked for a business process outsourcing giant as the director for business development for Asia and the Pacific. The female cover personality is Ms. Feli Hung Atienza, a stockbroker-turned-educator and the current president of the Chinese International School Manila.

Top executives, rising entrepreneurs, and creative minds like Amina Aranaz Alunan, Joey Yupangco, Puey Quiñones, Hans Brumann, Annette Gozon-Abrogar, and Marvin Agustin shared their stories and business insights.

100 magazine not just highlights the professional lives of tycoons, entrepreneurs, and up-and-coming executives, but goes beyond the technicality of business with a personal touch on the importance of culture and an evolving society. It features the

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amazing service of Amanpulo; the rich heritage of Vigan, Ilocos Sur; the advocacies of Ronald McDonals House Charities, Go Negosyo and Millenium Schools Foundation; and the treasures of One Town One Product. The list also dissects the minds of artistic innovators such as creative company Team Manila, artist Ronald Ventura and Los Angeles-based Filipino fashion designer Donny Barrios.

This magazine also provides you a fresh perspective on what the Filipino entrepreneur has to offer, with a message that, “You shouldn’t be afraid of business!” 100’s executive editor is Richmond Yang, the managing director of Big Buddha Restaurant Inc., which operates renowned casual dining restaurants such as Super Bowl and Big Buddha. 100 magazine editor-in-chief Adrian Carlo Velasco, on the other hand, is also the executive editor of college lifestyle magazine BOUNCE and the president of creative group Cult Creations.

Photographers Tom Epperson and Jake Verzosa, CSR man Illac Diaz, and fashion stylist Anne Bella are some of the magazine’s senior correspondents.

100 magazine is published by October Eighty Publications (O80), the creator of original local titles such as BOUNCE, PlayGround, ROAM, TSuper, Cradle, and Flow.

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You’ll always find paradise in Boracay, where sparkling whitesand beaches are just one path to vacation bliss. Discover lush accommodations and personalized service in a remarkable variety of locales—from tropical coastal areas on Bulabog Beach to mountaincradled retreats to lively nightscapes. Allow yourself to be swept away here.

7Stones Boracay Suites is the latest. It offers the most spacious accommodations in Boracay. Its designer-furnished rooms and apartments offer nothing less than the exclusivity of a luxurious home away from your beautiful home. Professionally managed by Fuego Hotels, you will enjoy impeccable personal service and the ultimate level of luxury accommodation in the island.

Wake up to elegance and exclusivity in a family suite complete with three bedrooms and two living rooms and verandas. This 164-square-meter suite comes with complete facilities and amenities, designer bathrooms with tub and Jacuzzi, fully equipped kitchen, open-plan dining area, bedrooms with king-size beds and furnished

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with 42-inch LCD televisions and home theater systems together with a large en-suite bathroom and Jacuzzi. Relax on your outdoor terrace and enjoy the pool and sea views.

7 Stones Boracay Suites is on Bulabog Beach where you can enjoy the famous Boracay kiteboarding and windsurfing as well as breathtaking sunrises. The resort is on a prime location in the middle of Bulabog Beach, Boracay Island. Centrally located, 7Stones Boracay Suites Resort is within easy walking distance to Boracay Island’s main shopping strip, D’Mall, where you can enjoy a leisurely meal, enjoy the luxury of a massage on Boracay Beach or shop for local and imported goods.

It’s up to you to do everything or nothing at all. Boracay has a reputation worldwide for the beauty of its powdery white sand beaches and pristine waters plus fun-filled action including sailing, forest walks, parasailing, golf, yoga, kayaking, mountain bike riding and helicopter flights. Whatever your pleasure, Boracay is an active environment that replenishes the spirit.

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With a name apt to its vision, Lusso (which means “luxe” in Italian) is a champagne and gastro bar located perfectly at the posh Greenbelt 5 complex. Born out of restaurateur Margarita Fores’s love for Old World elegance, Lusso brings its diners back to an era of glitz, glamour and of course, good food.

Banking on the motto “luxury with a conscience,” Lusso brings an opulent dining experience similar to chic European hotel and restaurant dining without breaking the bank—a very novel idea especially in this recession-clad climate where luxury is seemingly becoming less and less of an option.

Having traveled the world in search of recipes to bring back to Manila, Fores introduces a very interesting and minute menu to her

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guests. The menu features various comfort food from countries like Italy, France, and the United States. From paper-thin potato crisps, vanilla truffle gelato, sandwiches, to the quintessential American mac and cheese and hamburger and fries, Lusso’s menu is an array of food we love to eat, all equally touched and vamped with luxury.

With its intentionally small number of meal choices, the gastro bar assures its guests surprise and satisfaction with every dish served. This is evident in entrées like the Lobster & River Prawn Roll and the Foie Gras Brulee, Lusso’s signature dishes, and in the Lusso Demi Pound Burger (a foie gras burger bathed in cambozola and filled with prosecco onions) and Luxe Mac and Cheese that are fast becoming a top choice by its diners.

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On the other hand, Lusso’s drink selection is far from small. With wines and champagnes ranging from the best—Moets and vintage Dom Perignons—to spirits from the world over—Patron, Belvedere, Macallan—to the locally brewed San Miguel Premium, Lusso wasn’t called a champagne bar for nothing.

The lap of luxury doesn’t end with the food and beverage but is made consistent by the overall design and feel. The gold color palette is arrestingly evident in the whole interior and made prominent in the furnishings, inspired primarily by Fores’s grandparents’ house in Caloocan. The chairs were replicas and the large, dark wood drawer lined with velvet on the inside was an actual piece from the house and is now prominently placed al fresco. The waiters, too, don’t skip a beat and

are fully clad in Brione-tailored white suits. But it is probably the perfect juxtaposition of the vintage Murano chandelier from the Peninsula Manila and the malachite framed mirror that ties the whole feel of luxury together.

Fores even riffled through her own china pieces to add some more personal touches to Lusso. The elegant silver canisters that hold the potato crisps are apparently from Fores’s personal stash and costed a mere P25. The concept obviously has the restaurateur’s personal imprint on them.

One need not fly off to Italy or France for a lavish dining experience.

Just a quick drive to Makati and an experience like no other awaits. If the Italians have Café Viarenna and the French have Café de Flore, then here in Manila, we have Lusso.

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Combining the powers of a digital camera with the easy usage of a full-touch screen, Samsung Pixon M8800 offers the ultimate in camera phone technology.

The 8-Megapixel Samsung Pixon matches its advanced camera phone technology with a stylish yet user-friendly design. Its large 3.2-inch LCD with 16M Color TFT enhances your phone experience, while the full-touch screen keeps everything easy and simple.

Its Intelligent Imaging features, such as Fast Advanced Shake Reduction, Face Recognition, and Auto Contrast Balance can help even the most novice shutterbugs take clear, sharp images with stunning colors. The Pixonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Photo Browser function also categorizes snapshots by time, color tone, and composition, making photo browsing easier and faster.

For the more adventurous auteur, advanced camera features are available. Take beautiful landscape shots with the Automatic Panorama Shot, and snap perfect profile photos every time with the Smile Shot and Blink Shot features. Keep photos organized and in sync with your phonebook contacts through the Face Tagging service.

In its 13.8- millimeter casing, the Pixon is a camera phone powerhouse that easily fits the palm of your hand.

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Beer Below Zero (BBZ), the coldest beer in the world, is proudly made in the Philippines.

It is served ice cold at -2 to -6 degrees Celsius but is not frozen. Ordinary beers are served at a chiller temperature of 8 degrees.

This cult beer, which started in Bakbak, Davao, has invaded Manila after eight months of experimentation from beer connoisseurs Luigi Nunez, Vinson Co Say, and Jay-Jay Angala.

The best way to enjoy this beer is to sway it to get a frosty effect called amag or tisay. You can drink it straight from the bottle to experience how cold the beer is and feel the numbing effect in your throat.

Most people prefer to tap the bottle, which releases the carbon dioxide and turns the beer into slush almost immediately. This magical tapping process never fails to impress and it has become a legend in the drinking stories around Manila.

The secret behind this famed beer is the patented freezing process, which includes putting beer in the freezer, rotating the beer and having a scientific understanding of different freezing points of alcohol.

For the best experience, order BBZ with stronger alcoholic content and pair it with barbecue or steak.

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S h o p npay visa card

Bearing in mind that accessibility, ease of payment, and efficiency are the key ingredients in creating the perfect banking mix, the Sterling Bank of Asia has come up with the ShopNPay Visa Card.

Depending on the requisite of the customer, the ShopNPay Visa Card comes in a line of breakthrough product variants that offer a revolutionary method of financial management. The Debit Card, a gray-colored card embedded with the EMV chip, allows the holder access to his Sterling Bank account when making purchases providing full control over oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spending.

The ShopNPay Visa Card also comes in a variety of prepaid card options.

The Blue General Purpose card is a nondeposit based reloadable card that can be used for payroll accounts, and is easily acquired without opening an account with the bank. The yellow one is the Loan Card, a smart replacement to the loan check where loan proceeds are credited/loaded.

Being an affiliate of the iRemit Global Remittance Company, the Sterling Bank also co-branded with iRemit for the re-loadable ShopNPay-iRemit Visa prepaid card available for OFWs and their beneficiaries. Aside from the abovementioned cards, another variant is the ShopNPay Visa gift card, a novel and innovative card which functions like a gift check.

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Inside the chic Adora store lies a hidden treasure. To some, it may be just a simple café but to others, Adora Cafe is an oasis in the middle of a massive retail store.

Run by restaurateur and chef Margarita Fores, Adora Café was inspired by her travels and her love for food. She noticed that Manila has not yet seen and experienced what it feels like to be in an elegant café inside a department store such as the Goodman’s Café at Bergdorf Goodman in New York. Thus, Fores decided to bring that idea here and the charming café was born.

Adora Café’s menu is very French. It offers an array of light meals such as tartines, salades, desserts, and boissons, all highlighting the

scents found in the store.

“We have tartines, open-faced sandwiches just like what they have at French cafes. Of course, we also serve coffee, champagnes and Prosecco,” shares Fores.

Adora Cafe offers a very calming ambiance. Its cushioned chairs and low tables spell elegance. When asked why the café is located in an almost-hidden location, the restaurateur said that it was pretty much on purpose. “It was kind of the intention. That is why you can find a lot of people here sort of escaping with a book or a laptop. It is a retail hideaway.”

Adora Café is located at Adora, 2/F Greenbelt 5, Makati City.

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Thai Airways International continues to be a global flying ambassador.

It carries the warmth and traditional welcome of the hospitable Thai people to over 70 key destinations across five continents.

Its Royal Orchid Service delivers outstanding standards of comfort, dining and entertainment pleasure for both the business and leisure traveler. The Royal First Class represents the ultimate in traveling luxury. This exclusive style of travel reflects the traditional warmth of Thai hospitality in a club-like atmosphere providing supreme comfort and dedicated service. Every detail aims for perfection, with gourmet cuisine and a degree of privacy appropriate for honored guests.

The Royal Silk Class, with its segregated cabin, state-of-the-artentertainment and in-seat laptop power, delivers an exclusive treatment to frequent travelers. This treatment begins with priority flight reservations and continues onboard with shell seats offering maximum privacy.

The airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest service concept, Premium Economy class,

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has been created to provide a new dimension in passenger choice over the airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest route, from Bangkok to Los Angeles, non-stop. It has the most advanced interactive Audio Video On Demand system and laptop power outlet, alongside the gourmet menus and fine wines being served to its passengers.

More than its luxurious services onboard, Thai Airways also makes travel more rewarding. It offers Royal Orchid Plus, its frequentflyer program to earn miles and redeem a diversity of awards, to complement its excellent flight services.

Thai Airways continued upgrading and improvement for every aspect of service to its valued customers has maintained its image of excellence. The welcome is always genuine, with extra personal touches which come naturally from their Thai staff, for whom friendly service is more than a duty.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Suit Up! Bottega Veneta’s 2009 Men’s Collection boasts a handful of timeless hues animated with flashes of irreverence to give off a clean and classic overall effect. It plays with perhaps the most versatile item in any man’s wardrobe, the jacket that works from day to night. / A Tropical Haven in Bataan For those who wish to have a quick getaway without having to hop on a plane, the northern beaches of Camaya Coast is an easy two-and-a-half hour drive from Manila, which is made even easier with the new Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). Log on to www.camayacoast.com for more details. / Going Green The Spring-Summer 2009 Salvatore Ferragamo Bag Collection presents Eco Ferragamo, an entire line of bags created using an innovative ecological tanning process that uses natural elements developed exclusively for the brand. This technique creates biodegradable, water-resistant skins that are soft and beautiful. / Water Babies Mexx has taken the idea of underwater romance to create a collection of inspiring print detailed skirts, white denim pieces, and graphically enhanced shirts. Definitely, the tranquility of summer love heats up their newest collection.

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i l l u s trator a l d y a g u i r r e o f a n g i n k

Even though the Philippines is world-famous for the lechon, its origin is still unknown. In the 13th century, roasted pig dishes existed in Southeast Asian countries with large Chinese populations, hinting that the lechon may have come from the Chinese. However, the term “lechon” itself means “pig” in Spanish and such a dish also exists in Spanish-speaking countries like Puerto Rico and Cuba, which may suggest that it was introduced to us by our Spanish colonizers.

Index Adora 3rd Floor Greenbelt 5 Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines ALBA RESTAURANTE ESPAñOL Tomas Morato Cor. Lozano, Quezon City, Philippines (632) 925-1912 / 411-7052 Ayana Resort and Spa Jl. Karang Mas Sejahtera, Jimbaran, Bali 80364, Indonesia (062) 361-702222 Fax: (062)361-701555 www.ayanaresort.com E-mail: info@ayanaresort.com BACKSTAGE STORE 2C-18 2/F Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Philippines (632) 915-274/ 0917-9285779 E-mail:backstage_store@yahoo.com BAHAY PAG-ASA YOUTH CENTER Mrs. Desiree Tongson Bahay Pag-Asa House Supervisor (034)703-8988

CAMP JOHN HAY MANOR Loakan Road, Baguio City Philippines 2600 (074) 424-0931 to 43, (074) 424-0945 to 47, (074) 424-0950 to 53 local 1003/1004 E-mail:reservations@cjhhotels.com CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYSTS SOCIETY OF THE PHILIPPINES Secretariat of CFA Philippines: c/o Ms. Rizchelle Sampang 22/F Taipan Place Bldg.

Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines E-mail:secretariat@cfap.cfasociety.org (632) 397-1010 / 397-1011 BENJARONG ROYAL THAI RESTAURANT Mezzanine Level Dusit Thani Manila Edsa cor. Pasay Rd., Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines (632)867-3333 ext 3352 BIG BUDDHA 2/F Greenbelt 3 Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines (632) 757-4480

BISTRO FILIPINO Net One Building, The Fort Taguig City, Metro Manila, Philippines (632) 856-0634 CHILI’s BAR AND RESTAURANT 2/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines (632) 729-2862 CIBO 2nd Level Gateway Mall Araneta Center, Quezon City, Philippines (632) 911-9277 CIRCLES EVENT CAFÉ Lobby Level Shangri-La Hotel Makati Ayala Ave. cor. Makati Ave. Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines (632) 813-8888 / 840-0884 DUSIT THANI MANILA Edsa cor. Pasay Rd. Ayala Center Makati City , Philippines (632) 867-3333 / 810-0141 FIORI DI M Adora Greenbelt 5, Makati, Philippines (632) 703-0370 / 0917-3509446 E-mail:fioridim@yahoo.com GLOBAL CULINARY AND HOSPITALITY ACADEMY 2F Amber Square, Don Escriva Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1600 Philippines E-mail: info@globalacademyph.com (632) 638-5949 HOTEL CELESTE 02 San Lorenzo Drive cor. Arnaiz Avenue San Lorenzo Village, Makati City, Philippines (632) 887-8080 K BY CUNANAN CATERING (632) 632-71109 / 632-711 0952 E-mail: greatfood@kbycunanancatering.com KRISPY KREME SM Megamall Ground Level, Bldg. B, (632) 638-8426 / 637-9728 LI LI 5th Level, Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila, 1588 Pedro Gil cor. M.H. Del Pilar, Malate, Manila, Philippines (632) 245-1234

LOUIS VUITTON 1st Level Greenbelt 4, Makati Avenue cor. Legaspi St., Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines (632) 756-0637 MORNING TO MIDNIGHT Renaissance Hotel, Esperanza St. cor. Makati Ave, .Philippines E-mail: www.fudlinkz.com MAX’S RESTAURANT 70 Jupiter St., Bel-Air Village , Makati City, Philippines (632) 897-2065 to 67 / 896-8171

SPIRAL Sofitel Philippine Plaza, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd.Pasay City, Philippines (632) 551-5555 / 832-6988 SUPER BOWL OF CHINA 2/F, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines (632) 757-4231 / 757-4593 THE PENINSULA MANILA Corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues 1226 Makati City, Philippines (632) 887-2888

MYTH 2nd flr Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines (632) 757-0162

THEODORE’S G/F Quadrant 4, Bonifacio High Street 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Philippines (632) 856-3571 / 856-1635 / 0916-6274786 E-mail:theodoresthestore@gmail.com

NO CURFEW Shangri-La Plaza, 5th Level, Shangri-la Plaza Mall Edsa/Shaw, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

TOSCA

RESTAURANT BON 25 rue de la Pompe 75016 Paris, France.

01 407270 00 / Fax - 01407966 30 www.restaurantbon.fr.

RESTAURANT laurent 41 avenue Gabriel 75008 Paris, France.

33(0) 1 42 25 00 39.

E-mail: info@le-laurent.com RESTAURANT LES AMBASSADEURS, Hotel de Crillon, 10 Place de la Concorde 75008 Paris, France 33(0)144711540 / 33(0)144711504 www.crillon.com.

ROLLS ROYCE Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. , The Drive Westhampnett, Chichester West Sussex PO18 0SH United Kingdom 44 (0)1243 384000 / 44(0)1243 384100 SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION 40 San Miguel Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550 Metro Manila, Philippines www.sanmiguel.com.ph SAVORY 347 Del Monte ave., Quezon City, Philippines (632) 363-7852 / 410-4056

Mezzanine Level Dusit Thani Manila Edsa cor. Pasay Rd. Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines (632) 867-3333 ext. 3310

UMU Ground Level Dusit Thani Manila Edsa cor. Pasay Rd., Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines (632) 867-3333

WINE DEPOT Westgate Corporate Center, Commerce Ave. cor. Filinvest Ave., Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines (632) 771-9463

YATS CLUB Clark Freeport, Pampanga, Philippines (045) 599-5949 / 0917-520-4401

ZENSES NEO-SHAGHAI CUISINE Ground Level A. Venue Mall, Makati Ave. cor. Gen. Luna St., Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines (632) 729-0043 / 703-4988 7 Stones Boracay Suites Bulabog Beach, Balabag, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan 5608, Philippines (036) 288-1601 / Telefax (632) 813-7740 www.7stonesboracay.com

margarita forÉs

yields her harvest of stories

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