Dream of a thousand berries

Twelve kilos of the freshest, most luscious Baguio strawberries, the finest Callebaut chocolate and the culinary artistry of a nautical engineer make for a dessert table that is a glutton’s wildest dream. The spread is so visually and gastronomically tempting you won’t know where to start.

But wait a minute–did you say nautical engineer? You heard right: the fabulous spread you see on these pages is the handiwork of a nautical engineer who, fortunately for us, never set out to sea.

Rolando Macatangay was waiting for his sailing papers after obtaining a nautical science degree from the Philippine Merchant Marine School when he decided to get a job in the meantime. He found his way to The Manila Hotel as an apprentice in the pastry kitchen and before too long, realized that he enjoyed the work and discovered a natural aptitude for it to boot. Besides, Chef Mac confesses, "Mama’s boy ako. Everytime I thought about going off to sea, nagna-nightmares ako!" His father wasn’t too pleased about his wasted college education, but his mother was certainly happy enough about his being land-bound.

Guests at the Westin Philippine Plaza’s restau-rants and catered functions certainly are happy too, as they enjoy Chef Mac’s sinfully delicious concoctions. And some not so sinful as well, since he has an array of sugar-free dessert creations that are just as pleasing to the taste buds, but kinder to waist lines and blood sugar counts.

Chef Mac learned on the job, under European chefs at The Manila Hotel and later at the Makati Shangri-La, where he worked for ten years. His stint at The Manila Hotel gave him valuable and memorable experiences, as they frequently catered functions at Malacañang for royalty, heads of state and other international dignitaries during the term of President Cory Aquino.

He moved to the Westin about a year ago, the country’s first Filipino executive pastry chef of a five-star hotel. With a staff of 35, Chef Mac conceptualizes and executes all the pastry and bread requirements of the hotel’s food and beverage outlets, as well as functions in the hotel, including those at the newly opened Harbor Garden tent, a popular venue for product launches and other events, such as last week’s Oscar-glam Film Academy of the Philippines awards night. Chef Mac also oversees the pastry needs of the hotel’s catering jobs, such as the recent gala dinner for the Inter-Parliamentary Union held at the Coconut Palace.

The amiable and easy-going chef has pulled out all the stops for the ongoing strawberry festival at the hotel’s sumptuous dinner buffet. From juicy, red, fresh strawberries with whipped cream to a delicate strawberry mousse served in shot glasses, from a nut and raisin strawberry-chocolate confection to a surprisingly light cheesecake, from strawberry pistachio tarts to berry-topped Black Forest cakes, Chef Mac has brought the strawberry to its full delicious potential.

It must be the engineer in him, or the artist behind the engineer, but Chef Mac is very particular about presentation, making sure that each tasty item is as beautful as it is delicious. Thus from zen-like, minimalist creations on large white platters to a cheesecake ostentatious with strawberry toppings and crowned with a spiral of white chocolate, guests tend to sit and admire the desserts before eating them, often commenting that they are far too pretty to eat!

For the lunch buffet, Chef Mac has set up an inviting chocolate fountain at the dessert station, where fruits, butter cookies, even marshmallows can be dipped and coated with silky smooth Belgian chocolate. The sight of that fountain continuously dripping dark chocolate is enough to send even a marginal chocoholic into frenzy.

Chef Mac, however, confesses that he does not eat dessert. "Ay, yan nalang ang nakikita ko the whole day I’m here!" he laughs. "Pero sa bahay, sometimes nakikipag-agawan pa ako sa mga anak ko. Maski na chocnut, nagaagawan kami!"

For sure, guests at the Westin’s popular buffets–which now reside in the Cafe Plaza 2 extension while the regular outlets are undergoing a six-month total make-over–will be queueing up at the tempting dessert station, but fortunately they don’t have to fight for their portions. Chef Mac and his staff see to it that there’s enough for everyone–and then some!