Making your home your oasis implies adding a touch of luxury all through. For exactly, a home bar is barely sufficient luxury to take your space to the following level. Also, the best news? You needn’t bother with a great deal of room to make a stunning home bar that is ideal for engaging. Regardless of whether you need an underlying home bar or you basically need to devote a niche in your family room to your number one spirits, there are possibilities for each home.

Check out some of the best ideas to help you create a cocktail bar you don’t need to leave the house to enjoy.

A Place for Champagne Glasses 

Any extraordinary home bar has a lot of shelving where you can put glasses and drinks. This can be useful when you need to make the New Year’s toast. A model is the bar space in the photograph above. This in-vogue design even shows some appealing finished backsplash work behind the shelving. An intriguing part of this design is the set-in counter region along the wall. Designs like these are incredible for New Year’s celebrations since they offer a space for setting out party platters and different snacks directly by the drinks. A smaller than expected ice chest is likewise an advantageous touch. 

Two-Tier Bar for Eating and Drinking 

A double-level or two-tier bar has two different surfaces – one at typical table tallness, and one at standing bar stature. This design permits the region to be utilized for eating, drinking, or easygoing discussion – all simultaneously. It’s a flexible utilization of room that functions admirably if you like to incorporate a tidbit buffet alongside your drinks, or if you’re apprehensive there just will not be sufficient horizontal surface space with a conventional bar.

Home Bar with Wine Rack

A well-known expansion to home bars is the implicit wine rack. In the photograph above, you can see the cubby framework that holds wine over the counter space. It’s an extraordinary method to hold wines you would prefer not to cool or bottles you are keeping until the vintage is older. It’s a decent spot for having wine directly within reach while serving, as well. The home bar above is additionally a genuine illustration of a smooth, dull design that functions admirably in temporary or contemporary spaces. The white countertop adds to the obvious look of the style by adding some contrast against the dark cupboards. 

Match Bar Stools to Bar Top 

The commonplace bar top stands 41 to 43 crawls from the floor. Bar stools at that point need to stand 29 to 32 crawls from floor to situate, which ought to oblige a great many people. If the bar approaches 46 inches tall, the bar stools should be 30 to 36 crawls in tallness. We lean toward bar stools that have in any event a little back for help, yet with such countless styles accessible, you ought to have the option to discover seating that functions admirably with your bar. If you are lacking in space, avoid the stools and make the bar top simple to incline toward with adjusted edges.

Combine Classic Pendant Lighting and Recessed Lights

Pendant lighting swinging from the roof is a customary strategy for lighting bars. A home bar looks especially great with a group of three or four pendant lights focused over the bar, sufficiently high so nobody knocks their head. Pick lower wattage bulbs and delicate lights to give your bar region a bar like a climate. Additionally, think about recessed lighting. The beverage prep region needs great lighting, very much like kitchen prep regions. Under-bureau lighting additionally functions admirably in bar territories. With the present super adaptable LED lights, you can introduce lighting where you please, and change the light color to modify the temperament. 

Casual Bar 

If you’re not seeking go for a major remodel, you can in any case utilize a brief choice that can look tasteful. A model is an independent plate in the photograph above. A little emphasis like coordinating with pruned plant or another little stylistic theme piece on the plate can help it seem as though it’s important for your natural style, as well. Plate bars sit effectively along walls and make drinks open all through the home. They can likewise be acceptable choices for setting nibble plate along the walls, as well. Also, when you’re finished with the gathering, they fold straight up and can return into storage.

Choose a Durable, Beautiful Bar Surface

Try not to hold back on the bar surface! It’s the most obvious and dedicated piece of your bar. The works of art are incredibly wagered here: Granite and marble sections are very costly however will give top-tier bar appearance and will keep going forever (tile isn’t as amazing on a bar, yet it is a reasonable other option). Dull, beautifully grained wood is a hotter look and more in accordance with customary bars. Modern, exploratory bars are additionally utilizing hardened steel, glass, and butcher square as bar surfaces. Avoid surfaces that are effectively damaged or that may strip or break over the long run. 

Rustic Space with Television 

At the point when visitors come over on New Year’s, individuals should watch the enormous ball drop or another programming. The photograph above is a genuine illustration of how you can fit a level screen behind a bar in any home style. You can use Your Metal Buildings or Outdoor Garages for rustic space. Indeed, even this rustic space isn’t reduced by a modern TV. The style additionally shows how well a natural wood-finished complement wall works behind a home bar space. Since numerous individuals are confronting that wall naturally, it’s an incredible spot for an eye-snatching accent wall. You may attempt wood like in the photograph or go for a profound, immersed tint. Simply try not to put a brilliant, astounding shade around a TV, as that can be difficult for visitors to gaze at as they stare at the television.

The post Best Home Bar and Furniture Remodel Ideas for a Complete Guide appeared first on Village Connection PH.

It already has two stores in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi although it wants to expand in other areas of the Middle East where there are huge concentrations of Filipinos.

Binalot was created by Rommel Juan (and some partners from college days) because of their fond memories of Filipino comfort food wrapped in banana leaves. They put up one in their residential condominium delivering orders obtained by phone personally to the nearby offices until they grew big enough to rent a store space in Jupiter Street and buy motorcycles for deliveries of orders.

Juan came from a family of entrepreneurs (the mother runs a school in Malabon and the father owns his automotive business) which they would discuss over lunches or dinners in their residence in Alfonso, Cavite where the family also had a farm. The children naturally grew to love entrepreneurship because of the stories their parents shared. Even during elementary and college, they sold whatever they could to classmates and others.

“They were always joyful stories although my parents also warned us of the challenges but they also told us that there is always a solution to such challenges. So we grew up thinking it is good to be in business, it became automatic to us upon graduation to put up our own businesses,” Juan reminisced.

First outlet

The very first Binalot was actually a residential condominium in Makati. They took orders by phone and delivered on foot until they put up a store in the commercial area in Jupiter Street , bought motorcycles and then we entered the malls. We had organic growth until 2004 every year we grew by one store until I went into franchising I n 2004.

“Our main expansion strategy is still franchising so I am always on the lookout for effective partners. I always believe that having a franchise is having a business for but not by yourself,” Juan said.

Our job is to support these franchisees so that their businesses will be successful since we cut the learning curve (because if you start your own business chances are 85 percent of new businesses fail in the first three years but by franchising with us you have 95 percent chance of surviving the first four years).

Our franchise fee is P550,000 (inclusive of use of brand, training and initial inventory) but total investment (with construction and site selection) is P1.5 to P2.5 million per store. The average size of a store is 60 square meters for standalone and for food court is 22 square meters.

Their bestsellers are the traditional Filipino adobo, sinigang (eaten in the store), an ongoing debate of which is the national food. Every month we change our offering. Salted eggs are in all our meals, he added.

Even our franchisees are happy with their investments and a lot of investors are coming in. But we are more discriminating with sites, Juan stressed.

He gets his banana leaves from a community (of 30 families) they organized in Nagcarlan, Laguna through a program DAHON, his CSR, since Nagcarlan has 700 hectares of wild banana farms. He has been getting 80 percent of the leaves from this place. Wherever we go we try to find communities we can support.  

Products

Per store, the average food line is 12 (as quick service restaurant you must stay lean in your offering) so with the combinations, it is a total of 40 lines.

Most of our customers are dine- in (with 20 percent take out) and deliveries. We are beefing up our logistics to boost our deliveries, where we started.

He would like to think that Binalot is still an SME (the advantage of being small is you are nimble and can react fast). He already has a commissary in Paranaque which has a walk-in freezer and walk-in chiller now. The commissary supplies the provincial branches by boat for mixes but meats and veggies are sourced locally.

In the Visayas Binalot has branches in Iloilo, Bacolod, in Mindanao we are in Davao and looking at Dumaguete.

Juan said Luzon still has a lot of potential with so many malls and food parks rising. Stores in Metro Manila comprise 90 percent.

Growth areas

In next three years, we are focused on domestic growth although we want to go to foreign countries with a lot of Filipinos like Singapore and other Middle Eastern countries (Qatar, Saudi Arabia).

Our belief is we service the franchisee (our customer) and their end customer is theirs. A lot of their franchisees are professionals, ex-IT professionals, and fresh graduates.

This year we are looking at five company-owned and 10 franchised stores. Our target is to grow 20 to 25 percent a year.

By: Rose de la Cruz

The post Binalot to Open More Branches as it Eyes 20-25% Growth appeared first on Village Connection PH.

By Mitzi Ilagan, The Village Connect |

Cocohut sounds like a combination of “bahay kubo“ and coconut, doesn’t it? Well, when you happen to pass by one of its branches, you’ll definitely agree. Upon entering its Jupiter- Makati branch, you’ll be welcomed by the island vibes as seen from the restaurant’s interiors. Cocohut’s interiors include coco lumber and rustic decorations, giving you a laidback feeling as you dine in, as Ms. Maureen Quiambao, Cocohut’s Marketing Manager describes. “It’s like having a quick island vacation as you enjoy the sumptuous meals.”

Cocohut Fried Chicken and Fish is a restaurant serving Filipino favorites, on a next level. Some of its specialties are derived from the resto’s name itself, Cocohut = coconut. Its “coco-fied” dishes are Lechon Coconut Fritters, Coconut Calamares, Buko shake, and Coco Gulaman. On your first or next visit to Cocohut, here are specialties to try:

1. Lechon Kawali- Who would not know Lechon Kawali? It is a portion of crispy fried pork belly served with liver sauce.

2. Lumpiang Shanghai-This is a Filipino-style spring roll filled with ground pork, red onions, garlic, onion leeks, and spices which is fried to a golden brown crisp.

3. Lechon Kawali Kare-Kare-This is one of Cocohut’s best sellers, a fusion of two Filipino favorites. This is the usual kare-kare with thick peanut sauce and vegetables, but the meat consists of deep fried lechon kawali.

4. Poor man’s fish-This is Cocohut’s version of deep-fried galunggong tossed in leeks and chili served with spicy soy vinegar sauce.

5. Tahong Soup-Cocohut’s tahong soup isn’t your usual tahong soup. They use New Zealand mussels which are as twice the size of the mussels found in local markets and then cooked in ginger-based broth.

This restaurant is one of the best alternatives to fast food, especially for lunch-outs with officemates or Sunday gatherings with the family. The restaurant’s dishes gives us and even foreigners access to Filipino food which isn’t in food chains or diners. Pinoys who crave for Filipino food on random days would surely love the meals here because aside from the nipa hut-homey vibes, the food tastes much like home-cooked meals. After all, home is where the hut is.

The Cocohut Jupiter branch is open from 6 AM to 12 MN, where you could dine in or grab meals from breakfast until midnight snack time. Cocohut is also available at Glorietta.

The post CocoHut: Taking Your Pinoy Favorites to the Next Level appeared first on Village Connection PH.

Things like ‘finding places to visit’ and ‘what is best about the place’ can wait during a trip for some hours or even a day, but reaching the finest places to eat is the first priority of a traveler. Although tasting cuisines of a place is a great way to explore its culture, one should only eat at a restaurant which is known for its quality food and hygiene facilities, and avoiding these factors can lead to various health issues which further may spoil a trip. Although it is nearly impossible to have three life-changing meals everyday during a tour, there is a high chance to gulp down tasty, healthy and cost-effective food. Here are some foolproof tips that may help a traveler in finding the best restaurant to satisfy the foodie inside them in any city around the world and have a great travel experience:

Leave Hotel and Explore   

One of the best ways to know a place and reach its cool places to eat is moving out of a hotel where one is staying during his holidays. Nothing will happen without leaving the hotel. Exploring the area and talking to people can lead one to a great place to eat. An individual must ask the local people to find best restaurants near his area. The exploration will not just take one to a good and decent place, but may also allow them to understand the city and its people.

Read Reviews  

Although one should not be fully dependent on technology and the Internet to find the best restaurants around them during a trip, some restaurant apps could be thoroughly studied to get an idea about restaurants and places that exist near the hotel. In addition, one can read reviews in local magazines and newspapers to determine the quality of a restaurant. It is better to trust reviews on Internet than apps.

Social Media   

One can also trust social media apps, such as Facebook, to ask people about good local restaurants to eat. Facebook has a special feature which allows one to ask his friends about nearby hotels.

Consider Budget

It is necessary to decipher how much one is going to spend on their meals during their trip. This could be decided by considering days one has planned to spend in the city and what other activities they have planned to perform there. After making a decision on budget, one can look for restaurants where they can eat budget-friendly, yet delicious foods. The traveler can use online apps of a restaurant near him to know about the foods it serves and cost of food items.

Take A Chance  

Sometimes, it becomes very hectic and time-consuming process to find a good place to eat sumptuous dishes. To understand about best cuisines of a place, it is essential to take chance and try various restaurants nearby. There is a chance that one will land at a great restaurant. Whether it is a good or bad meal, a traveler will get to know if he should eat at that place again or not. 

The post Effective Tips to Find Good Restaurants While Traveling appeared first on Village Connection PH.

In this food option, the food is packed in containers or paperboard which customers can carry along with them to their places. Offering people, the option of take away food items comes with various kinds of advantages for restaurants.

Some of those benefits are:

• Cost-cutting: A restaurant with only take away food option can save money whereas other restaurants who offer eating at restaurant option have to invest in buying crockery, cutlery and serves. To provide good services to customers at restaurant, the operator is required to hire manpower and invest in seating arrangements.

• No Delivery Cost: There are restaurants too around the globe that have home delivery options for their customers. While offering this facility, restaurants are required to hire delivery guys and vehicles to deliver ordered food at the designated place. In addition, phone call facility and attendants to take orders on phone and staff members may also require ensuring that the order is ready on time. These things are not necessary in case when there is only the option of take away food from the restaurant.

• No Special Software: Some online food-ordering restaurants allow their customers to order food through their website or an app. In addition, they also need special software to manage orders.  But a restaurant with only take away facility does not require these things, which means there is no requirement of any special software.

• Investment in Other Important Things: Instead of investing in online order and home delivery food, a restaurant can use that money in making its food services and quality of food better for customers. In addition, they can also use this money is making their restaurant more popular by printing broachers and pamphlets and using other beneficial services. These restaurants can hire leaflet distribution companies to reach more people in the neighborhood. Plus, the money can be invested to make the menu more interesting and add more items to it. Apart from that, packing services can also be improved by giving good quality carry-bags and food containers.

• Flexibility: Take away food option is a flexible service to adopt and use. In addition to increased revenue, these restaurants can use their money in making their services more flexible and easy to use. These services can be modified in a manner that customers can easily get their food even when it is peak dine time.

Apart from restaurants, customers can also avail the benefits of take away food option. Here are some of them:

• No Wait for Food: When it is about take-away services, customers do not need to wait for their food. Anytime, they can take their food and enjoy at their place.

• No-extra Charges: In this scenario, customers do not pay for food services, such as home delivery. They get their food packed in a container and eat whenever they want. They do not have to pay for delivery guys who deliver food to their doorsteps after a long time.

The post Take Away Food: Why It’s a Beneficial Option for Restaurants And Customers appeared first on Village Connection PH.

The 4 Waterfront hotels serve up a combination of refinement and comfort like no other. The rooms represent impeccable accommodation designed to pleasure the senses. Each expresses elegance with handsome furnishings, exquisite interior design details and state-of-the-art amenities. All of the well-appointed accommodations are equipped with creature comforts such as plush beds, handsome furnishing, tasteful details and decor, a large flat-screen TV with cable connection, and free Wi-Fi to provide a most exceptional leisure and business experience.

Being truly at the “center of it all”, the four Waterfront Hotels and Casinos are conveniently situated in locations that are easily accessible to business, entertainment, leisure and cultural destinations in the cities they are in.

Waterfront Pavilion Hotel & Casino Manila is located near the central business districts of Makati and Taguig which are easily accessed through the light rail transit. It is also a short ride away to the commercial areas of downtown Manila and Chinatown. Adjacent to Rizal Park, it is situated close to such historic and cultural destinations as the National Museum and National Library, the walled city of Intramuros, the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex, the Manila nightlife, and the U.S. Embassy.

At the Queen City of the South, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino lords it over the landscape. This sprawling complex combines the old world charm in its interiors and rooms, the relaxing presence of nature, and modern amenities. What’s even more advantageous is its location which offers convenience to travelers on business, or tourists who simply want to enjoy the city’s lifestyle scene. Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino is cradled in a lush garden a few minutes away from the Cebu IT Park and Ayala Center, making it an ideal place for business seminars or brief meetings.

Just a stone’s throw away from the Cebu International Airport, Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City is the perfect hotel for business travelers on the go. Here, they can simply walk out of the airport, hold their meetings or seminars in any of the hotel’s function rooms, and leave on the next flight out. But for those who wish to stay longer and experience the beauty and excitement of Mactan Island, the hotel is the best jump-off point to the numerous white-sand beach resorts lining the coast.

Picturesque Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao faces the Davao Gulf and makes an ideal setting for family vacations, reunions, a romantic honeymoon, or even a corporate convention that mixes business with pleasure. It has jetty port that services trips to the beautiful Samal Island and its white-sand beaches. It is also just a few minutes away from Davao City’s burgeoning commercial and business district where SM Lanang and the SMX Covention Center are located.

All these Waterfront properties are likewise equipped with other important facilities such as spacious ballrooms and conventions centers for private functions and business seminars, business centers, executive lounges for those staying the executive suites (at the Waterfront Manila and Cebu hotels), swimming pools for children and adults, and fully-equipped gyms for the health- and fitness-conscious.

The post Waterfront Hotels & Casinos: At the Center of it All appeared first on Village Connection PH.

Gourmets will enjoy exquisite indulgences at Seasons in Waterfront Pavilion Hotel & Casino Manila. The a la carte menu for lunch and dinner lists a host of mouthwatering specialties especially created by the chef and his talented culinary team. Its extensive buffet for breakfast and special occasions only offers international and homegrown culinary treats. At the Patisserie, rich cakes, breads fresh from the oven, and a scrumptious array of pastries make it a haven for those with a sweet tooth. Excellent coffee and tea selections, and fresh juices provide the refreshing beverages.

Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino boasts of 4 main dining outlets that give diners a wide array of scrumptious choices. UNO presents a delectable line-up of international buffet and a la carte menu. Mizu is a sleek and elegant Japanese dining address that features choice authentic Nippon delights. At La Gondola, diners will get a feel of what it is to dine in a Venetian café. The backdrop of gondolas painted in a mural sets the mood for a hearty Italian feast. Tin Gow makes the royal setting for traditional Chinese treats.

Other places to hang out are: the easygoing vibe of Treff for drinks and cocktails. Fresh-from-the-oven pastries, coffee and tea can be enjoyed at Madeleine. Even at the magnificent Lobby Lounge, foodies can have their fill of local and international ala carte menu. Meanwhile, the Pool Aquarius, located at the center of the swimming pool, offers a great assortment of international refreshments and snacks.

Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan serves fine culinary selections at its main restaurant, UNO featuring international buffet and a la carte menu. Filipino and international a la carte headlines the culinary offering at the hotel’s Lobby Lounge. Verandah serves a lip smacking selection of light snacks and refreshments, and an assortment of drinks.

At Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, guests can have their fill of flavorsome gastronomic delights in the hotel’s many F&B outlets – UNO presents a variety of delicious goodies in its breakfast and lunch buffet, and all-day a la carte menu. At Pizzaiolo an array of variations on the pizza, freshly-baked cakes and pastries, and a la carte menu is sure to satisfy cravings for great-tasting culinary creations. For dinner, La Parilla fires the appetite for succulent grilled seafood freshly-caught from Davao’s seas, and barbecues grilled to golden perfection. After dinner, one can head to the famous Vinta Bar for special cocktail concoctions and assortment of tasty bar chows.

The post Sumptous Culinary Journey with Waterfront Hotels & Casinos appeared first on Village Connection PH.

Have you been wanting to reserve a table at your favourite restaurant but are worried of the credit card charges?

Or does it seem a little hassle for you to still print a coupon after securing a restaurant promo online?

Well good news, foodies! Cut all those nuisances with this new app having a brand-new way of offering dining deals and discounts.

With BigDish, users can enjoy up to 50% discount at fantastic restaurants in Manila. All they have to do is 1) download the app, 2) search a restaurant 3) select the time and the discount 4) enter the reservation details to confirm. The customers then have to present their SMS confirmation to the staff upon entering the restaurant. It’s that simple!

After its launch in the Philippines in 2016, BigDish has been able to expand in Indonesia and Hong Kong in less than six months. With hard work, BigDish CEO Joost Boer believes the company could also reach other countries in the Asian region.

Meet the CEO

Joost Boer originates from the Netherlands. At a young age, he has always been passionate in creating and discovering new things, which led him to pursue activities like drawing, painting, and later on running and growing a popular video games website.

Boer even explored other South East Asian countries including Australia as he felt it was important for him to immerse himself into a different culture and to learn about them.

Boer took up his Bachelor’s Degree in International Business and Management at the University of Groningen in 2007 and his Strategic Management Masters at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam in 2011, both in Netherlands.

Having worked at the restaurant industry for quite some time, Boer recognized the need to address the problem in the seating capacity of restaurants during their off-peak hours.

“Restaurants are a type of business that is dealing with a perishable inventory. A perishable inventory means tables have seats which are not taken by people, so whenever a restaurant is opening up and there are few visits, it is basically losing money.”

“So the idea came from solving an extremely important problem for the restaurant industry – filling up the seating capacity. It is similar, for an instance, to an airplane which is taking off with empty seats. It is equally harmful for a restaurant to go in an evening with the capacity only being at 30% or 20% full.”

Boer emphasizes how BigDish addresses the need. “What is not there is an application that specifically helps the restaurants bring people in those times when they need them or at off-peak hours.”

Boer says this process is called yield management, which has already been done by the airline and hotel industries. BigDish now attempts to apply this within the restaurant industry. “If you look at the hotel and airline industries, we would see that they could reach their capacity at 70%, whereas the restaurant industry’s capacity would only be at around 30%. There are lots of room to improve the capacity management of restaurants, and with that, to also increase their profitability and revenue.”

The BigDish app

In the BigDish app, a user could filter restaurants based on distance, an A-Z list or cuisine-type. They could check out the restaurant, tap the discount and choose the number of people they want to dine with. They can then click the OK button and confirm their reservation booking.

“The users never have to worry about printing a coupon or a voucher. No need to put credit card details, no need to buy for anything upfront. They simply make the booking, walk into the restaurant, they dine and get the discount automatically applied at their food bill. That’s it!” Boer says.

Boer says BigDish does not only feature expensive or fine dining restaurants but is now currently working with popular brands and local restaurants in the Philippines. Asked if the company is aiming to achieve more, he says he feels that there are no real limits to the number of countries where BigDish can be in, and that they are opening their eyes towards the Asia Pacific region.

Tips for start-ups

Boer believes a person can create much more impact in start-ups than in an organizational structure. “If you are somebody who likes to build stuff, who likes to see things grow and build something from nothing, then a start-up is an extremely exciting thing.”

Thus, BigDish makes the point to hire smart people for them to tell the company what to do. Their inputs and opinions are highly appreciated.

Boer says start-ups are not for the faint of heart. “If you are going to work in a start-up, you need to be a self-starter who works very hard, who does not complain and who cares a lot about the business. I think the attitude is the most important thing.”

Boer states what to avoid in start-ups. “I think the biggest “Don’t” in start-ups is to create a product that nobody really wants. The number one reason why start-ups fail is that there is not a proper product market fit.”

Despite being an achiever, Boer still believes in life outside of work. He enjoys Muay Thai, reading books, playing video games and watching movies.

For Boer, success means reaching the point in his life where he is satisfied with who he is, with what he does, and being satisfied and happy with the people around him.

The post BigDish: A Win-Win for Users and the Restaurant Industry appeared first on Village Connection PH.

Culinary and hospitality leaders shared valuable insights during the food conference hosted by CCA, Manila

Filipino restaurateurs, culinary purveyors, and world-renowned Michelin-star chefs gathered together for the “Future of Food” conference recently at the University of the Philippines’ new campus in Bonifacio Global City. The momentous event was hosted by CCA, Manila and was part of the premier culinary school’s 20th year anniversary celebration.

The powerhouse line-up of speakers shared emerging trends that are shaping the culinary and hospitality industry, valuable insights on critical issues and the role of chefs in the fast-paced and technology-driven world.

Modern gastronomy

The internet has changed the way people cook and eat. “Historically, recipes get handed down from one generation to the next but many Gen Xers and Yers were skipped,” said Eileen Borromeo, Planning Director of McCann Worldgroup Philippines. “Children are now digital natives who are Youtube-taught rather than mom-taught. There are a hundred and one reasons why children are not allowed in the kitchen but that is slowly changing.”

Another point Borromeo touched on was the rise of dining collectives and pop-ups such as Mercato Centrale and start-ups like Plato PH, an online platform that enables chefs to connect and serve customers in their own homes. “These channels can be used to pilot an idea and eliminate the need to shell out a big investment,” she described. More opportunities meant more industry players and the need to stand out from the rest has resulted to bolder interpretations of traditional Filipino cuisine.

“I’ve been coming to the Philippines for the last 20 years and the whole of Manila has grown. Everyone’s enjoying the variety,” said Chef Alvin Leung, the man behind 3 Michelin-starred Bo Innovation in Hong Kong. The chef, known for his style dubbed X-treme Chinese Cuisine, talked about bringing traditional techniques into the now. “As a chef, you want to create a modern dish that will eventually become traditional. If you do that, you would have done well,” he said.

Filipino food and culture on the global stage

Outside of Manila, culinarians like Nicole Ponseca are championing Filipino food through her restaurants, Maharlika Filipino Moderno and Jeepney Filipino Gastropub both found in New York City.

Ponseca started her inspiring talk with an illustration of New York back in 1998, a time when the only Filipino restaurants were mostly located in Queens and limited to small mom-and-pop places that served expats and the first wave of immigrants. This lack of representation for Filipino cuisine is what emboldened her to venture into the industry. “I was an ad executive by day and dishwasher, host and server at night for 12 years so I could learn the craft,” she narrated.

She attributes her success to one thing: owning who she was as a Filipino. She went against what was popular and went back to what was authentic. She recalled the times her dad would eat with his hands and this served as her inspiration for the immensely popular Kamayan Night at Jeepney. “Respect that we have our own mother sauces. There’s no room to water down patis, bagoong, and salted egg. That’s exactly what has kept us behind,” Ponseca emphasized. Maharlika has been dubbed as one of the greatest restaurants around the world by Conde Nast Traveler.

Taking it further than food is The Filipino Kitchen, a community of Filipino-Americans who organizes the Kultura Festival in Chicago. The carefully curated festival aims to highlight the best in Filipino-American food and arts to appeal to those who personally identify with Filipino culture and also to the merely curious. Modern interpretations of traditional cuisine serve as the highlight of the festival, which included dishes like Kare-Kare meat pie, chilled pancit salad, kinilaw tacos, duck confit adobo rice bowl, and the much-talked-about Cristal Ube Golden Donut by Chef Bjorn Delacruz.

“We want to make Filipino food accessible by combining it with elements that are familiar to everyone,” said Natalia Roxas, co-founder of The Filipino Kitchen. The unique culinary creations were complemented with cultural workshops on batok (traditional hand-tap tattooing), baybayin, and martial arts. “Pushing Filipino food to the global stage does not just entail one aspect – it involves our whole culture,” Roxas said.

Achieving sustainability through locavore

The most pressing issue addressed during the conference is the subject of sustainability and how it can be achieved in the kitchen and beyond.

Michelin-star chef Christian Tetedoie reminded the chefs in the audience about the importance of waste management and encouraged everyone to change the way we consume food. “Excessive consumerism leads to huge amounts of leftovers. We need to eat better and not more and opt for good quality and presentation over quantity,” he said.

Sourcing ingredients is another key aspect to achieving sustainability. Part of respecting and conserving fresh ingredients are using only what’s in season to achieve the best taste, maximize health benefits, and keep costs low. Chef Tetedoie illustrated this aspect using one of his original dishes – lobster and veal head braised in carrot juice – which he recreates every season according to what’s available on the market.

Consuming local ingredients is a simple yet radical way of preserving them. “If you want to preserve something, you have to eat it because when you eat it, you give it commercial value and keep the farmers in business,” said restaurateur and author Amy Besa. When she started sourcing ingredients for her restaurant Purple Yam in Malate, she looked for the unknown, ignored and undervalued, an approach she hopes other restaurateurs and chefs will follow. She shared her experience of foraging in the Batulao Forest in Nasugbu, Batangas, one of the last natural stands in the Philippines that’s abundant in indigenous herbs and fruits like tibig (local dates), wild passion fruit, and wood sorrel.

“We are influencers and we must use that in a positive way,” said Spanish chef Chele Gonzales of Gallery Vask, an art space and restaurant in Bonifacio Global City considered as one of the best restaurants in Asia. “At Vask, we use 95% locally sourced ingredients while our seafood is 100% local and responsibly caught,” said Chef Gonzales who has worked at no less than legendary El Bulli and El Cellar de Can Roca before settling in Manila.

Social entrepreneur and author Chit Juan shares in the stand for preserving indigenous ingredients through an organization called Slow Food, a global movement that aims to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions by promoting heirloom species, varieties and preserving biodiversity. Slow food is not a method of cooking over slow fire but refers to good, clean and fair food. “We want to fix the broken food system because the farmer gets the least and the consumer gets the worst,” Juan said.

Chef Gonzales also stressed the preservation of the country’s marine life. “Seafood is a luxury and we must not take it for granted.” More than using high-quality ingredients, it is the chef’s role to ensure that these ingredients, particularly seafood, were obtained through eco-friendly methods.

The role of the chef

What is the future of food? It lies not just within the kitchen but outside of it as well. Chef Chele Gonzales sums it up: “As chefs, we cannot be inside four walls all the time. We need to go out and get in touch with nature, with traditions and culture. I travel around the Philippines because the most important thing for me is knowledge.”

“The Future of Food: Business Directions for Hospitality & Culinary Leaders” conference was powered by Courage Asia and supported by Kenwood Kitchen Appliances, JOLLY Mushrooms, Good Life, Nestle Food Service, San Remo, Tabasco, ScanPan, Fronen and Hershey’s Kitchen.

The post Future of Food: Trends, New Cultural Truths and Roles in the Modern Culinary World appeared first on Village Connection PH.

The Village Connect |

A new Filipino-hispanic restauratant, Agos opens at the SM Mall of Asia. Agos explores the culinary exchanges brought by the galleon trade and beyond.

Set in an elegant 120-seater nautical and early American colonial themed enclave, Agos is the perfect setting for history and gastronomy to come together.

Celebrity Chef, TV host and best-selling author, Chef Tatung Sarthou heads the restaurant. He explains that the concept developed from his desire to deepen the discourse on Filipino Food, shifting perspectives from being purely indigenous, into a cuisine with a centuries-old global tradition.

Chef Tatung’s passion is indigenous cooking methods but he is also at the forefront of innovation in Philippine cuisine, the creative mantra that drives Agos: Local re-imagined.  Dishes featured in Agos showcases these, like the Pollo con Salsa Tsokolate or Chicken braised in Dark chocolate sauce, a rediscovered recipe from turn of the century Philippine kitchens or his Zarsuela Marina in Black Tausug curry sauce, inspired by the chicken Pianggang, which uses the tribal burnt coconut as the base of the curry paste.

At Agos Chef Tatung not only highlight the cookery, but the produce from local farmers and purveyors of sustainable natural, endemic and indigenized ingredients to aid him in telling his story.

Agos is located at the ground floor of the north wing of the mall near IMAX and facing Manila bay. The new restaurant also leads to the Manila-Acapulco Galleon trade museum that will open early next year making Agos a one of a kind dining destination in Manila.

Agos is open every day from 10am to 10pm and can be reached through landline (02) 8891462 or mobile (0916)2393273.

—

Chef Tatung who heads the Agos culinary team, is also the host of The Food That We Are; a documentary on the evolution of Philippine cuisine on Lifestyle Channel, also has his own cooking segment on Umagang Kay Ganda every Monday.

He was also just one of two featured Filipino chefs at the Madrid Fusion 2016.

The post Chef Tatung’s Agos opens at SM Mall of Asia appeared first on Village Connection PH.