At the summit of flavorful imaginations

Filipino cuisine means home. Comfort. But what happens when it is reimagined?

This is precisely what Café Summit, the all-day dining brand of Robinsons Hotels and Resorts, is offering through a limited-time culinary initiative.

For two months starting 9 June, all six Café Summit locations — Greenhills, Tagaytay, Cebu, Naga, Tacloban and General Santos — will present a special menu titled “Reimagined Filipino Cuisine.” The concept brings together six regional chefs, each contributing a dish that takes a familiar staple and transforms it into something new — without losing its soul.

Each day from Monday to Saturday, one reimagined dish will be featured across branches. On Sundays, all six will be available at once.

The lineup begins with Crispy Lechon Kinunot (crispy pork and tuna belly) by Chef Maurito “Mau” Dominguez of Café Summit Galleria Cebu. On Tuesday, Maya-maya, Kahel, at Lukban by Chef Francis “Kiko” Joseph Tugnao of Café Summit Naga blends fresh snapper with tropical fruits.

Wednesday presents Chicken Hinatukan, the eastern Visayas dish interpreted by Sous Chef Ricky Norcio of Tacloban. Thursday highlights Shortribs Kinamatisan Ravioli, the brainchild of Executive Chef Arvin Ace Barsaga from the Greenhills branch, who drew inspiration from Pangasinan’s Kamatisan while reworking its form.

Friday’s entry is Beef Bulalo Riyandang, a hybrid of bulalo and the slow-cooked Minang-style rendang by Chef Remie Malicy of General Santos. Saturday closes the week with Crispy Hand-rolled Palabok, a deconstructed approach by Chef Ernie Baculio of Tagaytay, reassembling the components of the classic noodle dish into crisp, handheld portions.

Wherever you are in the country, a Café Summit near you offers a chance to experience these dishes — each one a reinterpretation of regional heritage.

What unites Filipino cuisine across islands is its adaptability. Though rooted in history shaped by Malay, Chinese, Spanish, and American influences, its identity lies in the way communities mold traditional recipes to their context. This initiative does not stray from that lineage. Instead, it extends it.

Rather than replace tradition, Café Summit’s chefs choose to reinvent it. Each dish remains anchored in Filipino culinary techniques. What changes are elements of form, texture, or presentation.

The goal is not novelty for novelty’s sake, but respectful reinvention that honors heritage while acknowledging modern tastes and methods.

“This is one of the areas we want to highlight and share with everyone. We communicate and collaborate closely when it comes to the menu, so we can deliver the best possible experience to the public. What you see in the menu now reflects that effort,” said Cecille Padilla, RHR’s corporate director for food & beverage.

Barun Jolly, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts SVP and Business Unit general manager, added, “You see, we use the key word re-imagine. First of all, re-imagining means it’s a dish — but with a twist. I want you to discover it when you taste it. In one dish, the recipe is very authentic, but the meat used is different. In another, it’s the presentation that changes — how you would normally expect it to be served. And in a third dish, it’s the garnish or the accompaniments that are altered.”

He explained, “So, re-imagining is about keeping one core element completely intact. For example, in a curry, the ingredients remain the same. The method of preparation — whether it’s being sautéed, boiled, or ground — stays true to tradition. But the twist comes from changing an element, like the meat or the garnish. When you try these dishes, I promise you: with the first spoonful, you’ll know it’s a Filipino dish. But with the second spoon, you’ll begin to sense what makes it different — what makes it re-imagined from what you’re used to having every day.”