Six-hands dinner introduces a new dining destination
Chefs Alexandra Cacho, Sau Del Rosario and Francis David crafted a sumptuous menu that demonstrated the promise of a relatively new hotel
Daily TribuneChefs Alexandra Cacho, Sau Del Rosario and Francis David crafted a sumptuous menu that demonstrated the promise of a relatively new hotel
Chef Francis David busy preparing a dish.(Photographs by Roel Hoang Manipon for the Daily Tribune)
The boundaries between kitchen and dining area vanished as chefs and their assistants worked and intermingled with diners for the
Six-Hands Dinner organized by Brittany Hotel's Origine, Spanish Cuisine in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
The gastronomic event featured a nine-course menu created by three chefs — Alexandra Cacho, Sau Del Rosario and Francis David. It was a way of fostering the reputation of the hotel as a dining destination. Brittany Hotel, which is owned by the Villar family, has four dining outlets with another one in the planning, more than enough for a hotel of its size. Moreover, the building was once a culinary school with ample kitchen facilities.
Origine is one of its restaurants, dedicated to Spanish and Spanish
-Filipino cuisines and inspired by the Philippines' colonial history. Cacho, a Spaniard who spent a large part of her life in the Philippines, trained the culinary team of the restaurant as well as helped craft the menu. She is known for her restaurants, Tapella and Gaudi, which she closed down after the death of her Filipino husband. She returned to Spain and now she is back again. Fans of her restaurants now have a way to satisfy their cravings.
The Six-Hands Dinner on 19 October was also a way to introduce David to the dining public. The chef, who has worked with The Bistro Group, Antonio's Restaurant, Amorita Resort and the Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social in London, is the hotel's executive chef.
On the other hand, Del Rosario is well known for his sophisticated twists on Filipino dishes and his promotion of the cuisine of his home province, Pampanga. He will be at the helm of a Filipino restaurant the hotel is planning — Sawsawan.
For the dinner, he concocted the delightful sopa de ajo with poached egg, jamon Serrano chips and black garlic espuma for starters to go with Cacho's pan con tomate y jamón Ibérico, and David's salad of beets, manchego and Pedro Ximenez balsamico, which diners raved about for its medley of textures and flavors.
The entrée consisted of arroz meloso con su gamba (Cacho); ensaymada with chorizo and manchego (Del Rosario); and calamari, roasted peppers and salchichón (David); while the mains were grilled bacalao, potato confit and mojo sauce (David); duck a la Catalana with lentils and prunes (Del Rosario); and entrecôte frito with a touch of piquillo peppers (Cacho).
The gastronomic experience aptly concluded with Cacho's tocino de cielo, which was popular at her restaurants.
The Six-Hands Dinner was a sumptuous demonstration of their skills and creativity and a promising taste of what Brittany Hotel can offer in the already crowded culinary landscape.