Something wonderful at the Chef’s Table

CEBU, Philippines -  Select members of the Cebu media were invited to the Chef's Table at the Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu (SergingOsmeña Blvd. Corner Juan Luna Avenue; phone 4029900) to introduce the new head honcho of the culinary team, Executive Chef Frederic Cyr.

This French-Canadian hails from Quebec and at an early age of 12, acquired the skills of the trade from his father, Chef Renaud Cyr, at their family's restaurant. He brings to Cebu his expertise from his experiences in international cruises like the Silver Sea Cruise, La Compagnie Du Ponant and Orion Expedition Cruise and top hotels like Hilton, Spa Eastman, and Sofitel in Montreal and Manila.

More new executives of Radisson Blu Cebu were later introduced like Ramon Makilan (Director of Food & Beverage), Princes Anderle (Director of Marketing and Communications) and the General Manager, Nishan Silva. Whew, so many new faces and the only executive I knew was Ann Olalo (Director of Sales and Marketing).

It is difficult for your favorite food critic to join a sumptuous lunch because of self-imposed limits on alcohol consumption (only after 6 p.m.!). When Western dishes are served, wines usually accompany these dishes and the totality of taste sensations is best experienced when both are taken together.

A six-course lunch was going to be served and I decided to skip the appetizers or the Amuse-Bouche. At that lunch, I wanted to taste what Executive Chef Frederic Cyr himself had painstakingly prepared, because usually the preparation of the entree is entrusted to assistants.

Second course was the Tuna Tartare, Mango Avocado Mousseline accompanied by a white wine, the Villa Sandi Blanc de Blancs, Italy. Tartare means minced meat (fish or mammal) served raw. It is an acquired taste for many Cebuanos because many people here do not eat raw food. True, we eat "kinilaw," but the fish is "cooked" by the vinegar.

The third course served was the Steamed Lapu-Lapu, Parmesan Cheese Custard, Tomato and Lemon Jam, Sauce Nantua, paired with the Charlotte Street Semillon Chardonnay, Australia, 2011. The taste of the Lapu-lapu was enhanced by the Nantua sauce which consists of Crayfish butter (or shrimp butter) and cream with basic Béchamel sauce. It is the naturally occurring glutamic acid found in shrimps or crayfish that is transformed by heat into monosodium glutamate or what we know as "vetsin."

Red wine, Mont Gras Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile, 2012 was poured (except in my glass!) and the Tournedos Rossini, Beef Tenderloin, Duck Foie Gras, Wine and Truffle Sauce, Rosti Potato were served. This is a classic French steak, and tournedos means beef filet mignon while Rossini refers to the composer Gioachino Rossini for whom the steak was created by a French Chef, Carêmeor Escoffier. When prepared by an ordinary chef, it can taste good; but as prepared by an Executive Chef like Frederic Cyr it is a truly, excuse me, a truly magnificent dish.

To draw the curtains for this wonderful lunch, we had the Mango and Apple Tatin Sister Tart, Caramel & Cream and the Mignardise (Mango Macaroon and Caramel Praline).

By the way, while surfing the internet I came across the topic of man-made fake chicken eggs and wondered if my beloved readers have heard about it.