The cuisines of Alain Ducasse

Enderun Colleges welcomed Alain Ducasse, probably the world’s most celebrated and popular modern French chef and founder of Alain Ducasse Formation, Enderun’s academic partner for Culinary Arts. Ducasse was the youngest chef to ever receive a three-star Michelin rating and has three Michelin star-rated restaurants in three cities.

In his 38-year career, Ducasse — chef, restaurateur, hotelier and teacher — developed a unique expertise in the art of living and eating. He established Alain Ducasse Formation (ADF) as a center for the transmission of culinary knowledge. In 2007, Enderun Colleges partnered with ADF to elevate culinary education in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia.

Ducasse’s two-day visit had activities such as a wine dinner and a participation at the industry forum where he talked about ADF and the partnership with Enderun Colleges. He was joined by Enderun’s corporate culinary head chef See Cheong Yan and ADF’s international development manager Thomas Nommer.

Ducasse unveiled the Enderun Culinary Center and gave a short talk before a dinner named Les Cuisine d’Alain Ducasse, un Hommage à la Nature (The Cuisines of Alain Ducasse, A Tribute to Nature). The four-course wine dinner attended by 160 guests was inspired by Ducasse’s Michelin-starred restaurants. The dinner was orchestrated by two of ADF’s chefs — Nicolas Navarro and Timothy Briggs, who flew in with him.

The menu consisted of wild salmon a la nage with green olive oil dressing, spiny lobster in white bean puree and chutney, rack of lamb with simmered vegetables and black truffles and Louis XV au Croustillant de Pralin (crusty praline bar covered with ganache) from his first establishment, the Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

The first two courses were paired with a crisp fruity white Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2005 Napa Valley; the main course with a Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Knights Valley; and the last course paired with Echeverria Late Harvest Saivignon Blanc 2005. The pairings were done by the ADF and Enderun chefs in cooperation with Happy Living Fine Wines.

Ducasse visited Farmer’s Market on his second day and was joined by local food columnists Claude Tayag, Mickey Fenix, Nancy Reyes-Lumen, Nana Ozaeta and Bel Castro.

Ducasse’s visit to the Philippines culminated in Industry Forum: Before Cuisine, There Was Nature, in which he was the keynote speaker. With Enderun’s Provost Dr. Lance Masters as host, the forum featured notable speakers in the hospitality industry: member of Enderun’s F&B faculty Bel Castro; Makati Shangri-La, Manila GM Reto Klauser; executive chef of Cirkulo and Milkyway restaurants and director of Les Toques Blanches Philippines J Gamboa; and owner of the Purple Yam restaurant in New York and author of Memories of Philippine Kitchens Amy Besa.

Sponsored by Makati Shangri-La, Manila, Les Toques Blanches Philippines and BMW, the events were a celebration of food, history, culture and how nature shapes cuisine. All chocolates used for the dinner came from Felchlin. Floral styling was by Fiori di M by Margarita Fores. Co-sponsoring wines during the Industry Forum was Espa-Fil. The Industry Forum was also supported by Alliance Française de Manille and Lifestyle Network.

Get into the groove with HSBC

HSBC launched its latest credit card acquisition promo that brings color and music into one’s life with each newly-approved HSBC credit card. This card gives one a whopping 20 percent discount at participating Power Mac Centers on the latest 8GB 5th generation iPod Nano at zero percent interest for 24 months.

The latest iPod Nano packs lots of new features and comes in colors such as purple, orange, black, silver, blue, green and pink. It has a built-in video camera and can store up to eight hours of video. It comes in a polished anodized aluminum finish, has a larger screen, can store up to 2,000 songs and even has a built-in Pedometer, making it the perfect companion for working out. The latest iPod Nano also has built-in FM radio and Live Pause, which allows you to take a quick break while listening to your favorite radio station and get back to listening to it again with just one click. Live Pause also allows you to rewind as far back as 15 minutes, then fast-forward to catch up to the live broadcast.

Head of Personal Financial Services for HSBC Philippines Ron Logan says: “At HSBC, we’re always on the lookout for new and exciting deals for our customers. With this latest promo, new cardholders can look forward to enjoying waived annual fees for the first year, a branded, valuable premium item such as the iPod Nano, plus a broad suite of rewards and perks complemented by HSBC’s international acceptance and 24/7 service.” Cardholders will also be given a “Bounce Back Coupon,” which gives them a 15 percent discount on iPod accessories on their next visit to Power Mac Center. HSBC’s iPod Nano promo is valid until May 1. Redemption period will end on Sept. 30.