Chef, banker and swordsman

CEBU, Philippines - At age 23, he dropped his coat and tie from working in a bank for the chef's hat when he opened Café Ysabel in San Juan, in Metro Manila. His gene for cooking was inherited from his grandmother who hailed from Sulipeña town in Pampanga. She, with eight assistants, ran the kitchen to prepare the food for Manila's elite, consisting of government officials, European royalty, foreign dignitaries and the rich and famous, who would travel all the way to Sulipeña, to feast on her cooking.

Chef Gene Gonzalez had later written the book "Cocina Solipeña: Culinary Gems from Old Pampanga" to immortalize the town's centuries-old recipes. Also, in 2000, he founded the Center for Asian Culinary Studies (CACS) to professionalize the training of applicants in his restaurants in Manila. The training center later branched out to Davao (in 2007) Cebu (in 2015) and Pampanga (just this year). Recently, select members of the local media were invited to lunch at the CACS-Cebu Bldg, along Gorordo Avenue (behind the QC Pavilion).

Chef Gene has been my colleague in the gourmet club La Chaine des Rotisseurs for the last 21 years and I always value every invitation he extends, filled with excitement because the dishes he prepares I consider to be a contribution to Philippine culinary repertoire.

In the recent lunch, the welcome drink was Watermelon Pandan Slush. The first course was the Baked Crab with Infused Vietnamese Butter Noodles, an equivalent to Rellenong Alimango tweaked 200 percent with freshly plucked crabmeat instead of using the meat from stale, unsold whole steamed crabs in the market.

With Chef Marty Villarica assisting, the second dish was served: Sulipan Style Parrot Fish al Gratin with Roasted Vegetables. Chef Gene would always insist on using the freshiest of ingredients - with reasonable pricing - and he was one of the first to use parrot fish (molmol) in his cooking, because of its delicate but firm white flesh. It was delicious; my plate was wiped clean (I was right in skipping breakfast in anticipation of the more delicious food coming at lunch).

Then Kiwi Sorbet was served, followed by Argentinean Entrana Steak with Mofongo, Carmelizied Red Wine Sauce and Balbacua Sauce. This was the point when Chef Gene became quite playful and innovative, because as they had cooked the balbacua earlier, they used the extra sauce, mixing it with the red wine sauce to cook the steak.

By the way, Entrana is a muscle in the diaphragm which powers the animal to breathe, while Mofongo is a dish from Puerto Rico using unripe green banana, fried and mashed with garlic, salt and oil (similar to the Cebuano 'linusak'). With the Foie Gras top of the steak, the result was one great delicious meat dish.

Dessert was Antebellum Crepes, Tocino del Cielo and Burnt Sugar Ice Cream. I saw my colleague Aissa dela Cruz, the desserts expert, glow upon seeing the Tocino del Cielo from a 200-year old recipe.

By the way, Chef Gene is, excuse me, also a swordsman and he has been a regional champion in fencing! (FREEMAN)