MAKATI -- Discovery Primea’s executive chef Luis Chikiamco and Beso Beso chef Rob Pengson heats up the Makati hotel’s restaurant Flame for a one-night only four -hands dinner.
Discovery Primea’s executive chef Luis Chikiamco and Beso Beso chef Rob Pengson. Jeeves de Veyra
The culinary event dubbed "Elements of Flavor" was put together by Chikiamco and the hotel’s general manager David Pardo De Ayala.
An accomplished chef himself, Pardo De Ayala was already a celebrated name in the industry when he worked with Chikiamco back in Soleil in 2004.
In "Elements of Flavor," Chikiamco’s Asian flavors come together with Pengson’s Filipino-Spanish sensibilities. Together, they’ve come up with dishes that make full use of the high temperatures of the hotel’s charcoal Josper grill, of which Discovery Primea has the bragging rights of being the first hotel in the country to have this top-of-the-line grill in the country.
The dinner is meant to celebrate the end of summer, and the dishes are very well thought out with flavors that either remind one of the heat of summer or cool down the palate from all the heat.
Here are some select bites that await diners.
This creamy and buttery financier with Manchego cheese and chutney could have been a dessert. But with the saltiness from a bit of prosciutto, it becomes a savory amuse bouche.
The duo’s version of tuna kilawin was refreshing and delicate with dabs of mango, lemon and coconut cilantro cream.
One can smell the tomato as this gazpacho is served. This version is a nice combination of texture, temperature, brightness and pleasant heat coming from the tomato sorbet, piquillo peppers with the saltiness of an anchovy strip to round out the flavors.
One can think of this as the first main course. This was a fiery soft taco with char-grilled tiger prawns spiced up by chipotle mayo, red onion salsa, and chili garlic.
Perfectly cooked medallions of lamb shoulder with barely a tinge of gaminess dressed up with curried carrots, pickled daikon, cucumber, and lamb jus
An upside down mushroom paella served with the socarrat on top makes a great plate for beef cooked two ways -- as steak and as a beef marmalade braised in red wine. The beef with seared scored oyster mushroom and gochujang madeira mirin sauce ends the main dishes on a high note.
The dessert may look elaborate but the best way to have it is break the chocolate shell into pieces to get a bite with the coconut bavarois, coconut cake dipped in tres leches, grilled pineapple, and coconut sugar crumble.
The Elements of Flavor four-hands dinner will be on June 1 and is priced at P3,500++/pax. A wine pairing option is also available for an additional P1,500++.