MANILA -- Gallery Vask and Cross Cultures by Cheryl Tiu brought together five of the world's best chefs to create the perfect dinner to celebrate this year's Madrid Fusión Manila.

Talented hands and brilliant culinary minds Julien Royer of Odette in Singapore, Josean Alija of Nerua-Guggenheim in Bilbao, Ray Adriansyah and Eelke Plasmeijer of Locavore in Ubud, and Chele Gonzalez of Gallery Vask in Manila came together last Saturday for a unique dining experience that titillated and delighted the senses.

The 10 Hands Dinner surpassed expectations with the interactive nature of the night playing a massive role in delighting guests.

To start things off, guests were asked to proceed to Carlo Calma’s Manifesto Gallery on the 12th floor for cocktails and snacks paired with Codorniu Cava and San Pellegrino water and juices. This was their opportunity to meet the chefs behind the dinner, while having a preview of the flavors to be had later in the night.

Odette served a comforting mushroom cappuccino, Locavore offered an amaranth fritter, and Nerua prepared its famous bacalao chicarron. But the obvious crowd favorite was Gallery Vask’s Halo-Halo Kinilaw.

After cocktails, the dinner proper began at Vask’s Curve Room where the menu was divided into three: Appetizers, Mains, and Desserts and Petit Fours.

For the appetizers, Josean Alija’s prawn consommé and Vask’s Kwek Kwek and Ubedashi were truly special. The Ubedashi was an ube-infused, subtle miso soup, while the kwek kwek was heaven in a bite with mackerel, rice and sakura coming together to serve up something surprisingly simple but amazing —“a tribute to the Filipino culture,” as Gonzalez describes it to Metro Society.

For the mains, Nerua’s Kokotxa with cod and cockle shining beautifully in Alija’s pilpil sauce set the tone for wonderful flavors to be expected, while Odette’s 55 degree egg and Pigeon Fabien Deneour were equally a revelation.

Though we had a preview of what the 55 degree egg would be like, as Julien Royer had included it in his presentation at Madrid Fusión Manila, nothing compared to biting into the dish, the chorizo Iberico coming through subtle flavors of smoked potato and buckwheat.

Meanwhile, the ‘Nose to Tail’ Pigeon was a dish of beautifully barbecued pigeon’s breast and leg with a liver parfait, which had everyone raving about it until even much later in the evening.

To finish, guests tucked into the main dessert of Gallery Vask’s Yam Yam, followed by mignardises from each chef: Es Buah from Locavore, Caramel ‘Mou’ from Odette, Pandan Bomb and Bean from Gallery Vask.

Here are some of the dishes served at last Saturday's 10 Hands Dinner.

Mushroom Cappuccino by Julien Royer of Odette. Photo by Daniel Tan

Bacalao Chicharon by Josean Alija of Nerua-Guggenheim in Bilbao. Photo by Daniel Tan

Amaranth Fritters Ray Adriansyah and Eelke Plasmeijer of Locavore. Photo by Daniel Tan

Halo Halo Kinilaw by Chele Gonzalez of Gallery Vask. Photo by Daniel Tan

Kwek Kwek by Chele Gonzalez of Gallery Vask. Photo by Daniel Tan

Charred Pita by Julien Royer of Odette. Photo by Daniel Tan

Kokotxa by Josean Alija of Nerua-Guggenheim in Bilbao. Photo by Daniel Tan

Tomates en Salsa, Hierbas Aromáticas y Fondo de Alcaparras by Josean Alija of Nerua-Guggenheim in Bilbao. Photo by Daniel Tan

Into the Sawah by Ray Adriansyah and Eelke Plasmeijer of Locavore. Photo by Daniel Tan

River Prawns by Ray Adriansyah and Eelke Plasmeijer of Locavore. Photo by Daniel Tan