MANILA, Philippines - The exceptional quality and diversity of Metro Manila's restaurants is an important element of its tourism product that's worth celebrating. To this end the European Union Cultural Group made up of the Embassies and Cultural institutes of the European Union and Switzerland launched on 16 May the first European Culinary Season that will run for six weeks till 30 June.
Over 20 participating restaurants and establishments will celebrate European cuisine and food culture in Manila in the manner they know best – through chef demonstrations, wine and beer tastings, special European degustation menus, culinary film screenings and a pub quiz. Everything from the Sublime to the Delicious
And what better place to launch such an event but at the Enderun Culinary College at the Fort which is preparing tops chefs for the hospitality industry in Manila and beyond.
Chef Julian Koberl will set the ball rolling with chef demonstration on the popular baked “Topfenpalatschinken†- cheese curd crepes, Chef Koberl worked in top European restaurants and hotels including in Gasthaus Schasching, Hotel Larchenhof and Sporthotel Royer in his home country, Austria and Fuerteaction Bistro in Spain as well as Joel Robuchon's fine dining restaurant at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore. He joins Enderun Colleges' Restaurant 101 as Chef de Cuisine.
Chefs and owners of participating restaurants offering specialities from across Europe will be presented with commemorative plates by Ambassador Jorge Domecq (Spain), Ambassador Josef Rychtar (Czech Republic), Ambassador Ton Boon von Ochssee (Netherlands) Ambassador Valeriu Gheorghe (Romania) Julian Vassallo, Political Counsellor of the EU Delegation to the Philippines and Chef Thomas Wenger of Enderun Colleges.
They will be joined by cultural attaches from the participating Embassies (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, United Kingdom), and Cultural Institutes (Alliance Francaise, British Council, Goethe-Institut, and Instituto Cervantes).
Restaurant 101 and Enderun Colleges will serve smoked trout on pumpernickel, mussels in sauce verte, graved lax, sardines escabeche, jamon serrano, Spanish croquettas aioli, spinach and goat cheese torellini, individual quiche lorraine, sacher cake and apple beignets to be capped with exquisite wines and beverages. The Bravo's Pivo Praha Czech Microbrewery will provide Czech beers made from a unique mix of imported hops and malt, very soft water and malting process. Pivo Praha beers are brewed fresh, do not have any filtration and contain no preservatives. Dutch Bread Hauz will showcase its special Dutch bread for the occasion.
Enderun Colleges and Restaurant 101 will continue the celebrations by featuring its classic Austrian menus until the end of June while the Dutch Bread Hauz located in Makati City will highlight its special bread during the duration of the culinary season.
The EU Cultural Group will be reaching out to Filipino foodies through a broad social media campaign including a tailor-made Culinary Season Facebook App accessed through the fan page of the EU Delegation to the Philippines. Designed to entice the appetite of the discriminating Filipinos and visitors alike, the App challenges their knowledge of distinctive European cuisine and offers lucky winners a chance to dine for free in some of the participating restaurants.
European Culinary Season sample events
Throughout the season, Picasso's Place in New Horizon Hotel in Mandaluyong will feature a four-course Belgian menu at Php 950 per person (cheese croquettes, spinach veloute, Belgian beef stew and chocolate mousse), Pivo Praha Czech Macrobrewery located in Bravo's Best Food Restaurant in Angono Street in Makati City will have a one-week promotion of Czech beer and Czech Cuisine, with special menu starting on 23 May.
French restaurants will present their exquisite weekly menus and cooking demos from 16 May until the end of the culinary season. Participating restaurants are Aubergine in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Buddha Bar in Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City; Chef Jessie Restaurants in Rockwell Center, Makati City. The Culinary Institute of Aristocrat will hold a special demonstration of French culinary masterpieces on 19 June.
Newly-established Brotzeit in Shangri-La Plaza Mall will join in the fun with its special question and answer on German cuisine with lucky diners receiving special prizes.
Spanish restaurants will take the European Culinary Season to Alba Restaurants in Quezon City, Muntinlupa, Makati and Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City with a promotion on Spanish tapa and sangria; Vask Restaurant in The Fort will have a cooking demo and degustation menu while Spanish romanticism will come in full force when Terry's presents a Conceirto de guitarra in Salcedo Village in Makati City on 23 May; Barcino in Greenbelt presents a Flamenco Night on 25 May while select wines and a special dinner will be presented by Barcino in Greenbelt on 4 June.
The Romanians will showcase their national wines at the Romanian Wine Festival on 29 May.
The British known for their popular English pubs will hold a special quiz night on 11 June in Murphy's in Esteban Street in Legaspi Village, Makati City. The Union Jack Tavern in Festival Mall in Alabang will offer special British highlights throughout the season.
Swiss restaurants Chesa Bianca in San Antonio Village in Makati City and L'entrecote in Bonifacio Global City will present special, traditional Swiss menus from 16 to 30 June.
This European Culinary Season is supported by Eagle Broadcasting Corporation – net 25, www.philstar.com and Travelife Magazine.
Further information maybe found below:
http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/philippines and Facebook: EU Delegation to the Philippines.