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Madrid Fusion Manila 2016, The Manila Galleon: East meets West

Its really an honour to be part of Madrid Fusion Manila. And its my first time to attend the event. Its our second time to host the world’s most anticipated gastronomy event. Madrid Fusion Manila 2016 places the Philippines in the limelight, positioning it as a centre of modern gastronomy in Asia. This years theme is all about The Manila Galleon: East Meets West.

Here are the highlights of Madrid Fusion Manila 2016.

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Singer, Songwriter Joey Ayala started the first day of Madrid Fusion Manila 2016 with the National Anthem and a more personal anthem about what it means to be a Filipino. Then Followed with a Welcoming Remarks by Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr.

During his speech, He admitted that he’d never heard about Madrid Fusion until Asia’s Best Female Chef, Margarita Fores told him about it. He googled Madrid Fusion and discovered a heavy treasure of information: “Madrid Fusion is an event where the world goes to learn the future of food.” he said.

During my Day 1 experience at Madrid Fusion Manila 2016, Chefs talked about the importance of food, its flavour and techniques.

Mexican Chef Enrique Olvera of Pujol in Mexico, ranked no. 16 among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants said, “Being in Manila is a huge opportunity to understand my own culture.” He also noticed walking through Filipino Market that there is a similarity produce here and in Mexico from watermelon to bananas to mangoes.

A 24 Karat treat by Mexican Chef Enrique Olvera cooked his Tamal de Oro at Madrid Fusion Manila 2016. He said this is considered as a Celebration Food in Mexico.

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Chef Nordin Topham of Nur Hong Kong talks about Nutrition and Gastronomy during the Madrid Fusion. He talked about his passion of organic, sustainable super foods and their effect on the body. “Food has the ability to influence our state of mind, the way our brains function and longevity,” he said.

Top 5 Chef Season 5 contender Chef Leah Cohen, who’s half-Filipino, serves her takes on beloved Filipino dishes at her restaurant Pig and Khao in New York City. She serves Bellychon, Filipino Paella and Quail Adobo. She is also trying to introduce Filipino cuisines in a new way that is approachable to the American palate. “Filipino is such a great cuisine and misunderstood,” she said.

The Best Chef in the World: Chef Joan Roca of El Cellar de Con Roca, no. 1 in  San Pellligreno World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

He said, “We always wants to innovate and most important, have fun doing new thing”. Roca talked about the modern techniques he employs the most: dehydration, sous-vide and perfume cooking, steam ovens, freeze-drying, electrical small pipes, super cooling and even the importance of custom-made flatware. He demonstrates his award winning techniques with our local ingredients like conchinillo with langka, calamansi and labuyo chill; sous-vide fish with green mole and a tortilla shaped to look like the Mayan calendar and a sheep’s milk dessert.

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Ofcourse my Day 1 experience at Madrid Fusion Manila 2016 will not be complete without trying the food that is served during the Regional Lunch. The theme for Day 1 Regional Lunch Luzon is all about “Panlasa”. Curated by Ms NIna Daza and Angelo Comsti.

My favourites were; Chef Kalel Chan’s Itlog na Maalat +++ (Salted Egg), Chef Margarita Fores’ Pata Negros, Macaron, Smoked Kesong Puti Mousse, Chef Him Uy De Baron’s Bringhe Balls with Taba ng Talangka and Grilled Suahe in Chili Coconut Sauce and Pepita’s Kitchen Sisig Rice stuffed de leche.

Now let’s talk about Day 2 (highlights).

The first speakers were Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan. They have been in the restaurant business in New York City for the past 20 years. They opened Cendrillon, a Filipino pan-Asian restaurant in SoHo, Manhattan in 1995, closed it after 13 years and reopened as Purple Yam in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn in November 2009.

During the Madrid Fusion Manila, they presented The Galleon Trade was an exchange and not a one way street. They focus on cooking method that was brought over from Mexico to the Philippines and two ingredients that are both loved and eaten in both the Philippines and the Latin hemisphere. The mango which we got from India and sent to Mexico. The other fruit is the Mexican jocote and its subsequent variety that exists in the Philippines today; the sineguelas.

Yoshihiro Narisawa was named the “Most Influential Chef” at Madrid Fusion 2010. He believes in “sustainability and gastronomy’. His signature Narisawa dishes proved that natural ingredients like wood and soil can be eaten.

During the Madrid Fusion 2016, he presents various dishes using the Cherry Blossom Flower.

Chef David Thompson is renewed as a world authority on Thai Food. He has won major cookbook awards and been voted among the top ten best cookbooks. He opened Nahm at the Metropolitan in Bangkok, making it different from his previous restaurants by using uncommon local ingredients to attain a much higher level of cooking.

His presentation during the Madrid Fusion Manila 2016 is how to use long leaf coriander: oak chii farang: Culantro. He used “Culantro” for this Thai Jungle Curry.

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Chef Michael “MIko” Aspiras, a Pastry Chef at the Tastless Restaurant Group and became an Esquire Chef of the Year. His presentation during the Madrid Fusion Manila 2016 focus on “EsSense”. He presents two dishes, one that will focus on his creativity in making plated desserts, inspired by his childhood.

“Laro” – play or juego in Spanish. He plated Santan frozen meringue, sweet infused distilled caramel and rust infused burnt white chocolate.

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The Plate that focus on a confection that is very dear to his heart. And the very first Filipino dessert he learned how to make – Polvoron. Squid Ink Milk from Palawan, Oriental Mindoro”s Green Honey, Calamansi Flour, Sweet Corn and Wheat Flour, are just some of the ingredients he used.

Ofcourse Day 2 Regional Lunch: Visayas. The theme is all about “Almusal” (breakfast). Curated by JJ Yulo. We had Chef Chona Ayson from Homemade Treasures’ Classic Ensaymada, Mango Ensaymada and Chorizo Ensaymada.

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And Chef Jeremy & Chef Jen Slagle of Mr. Delicious’ Applewood Smoked Bacon Fried Quail Egg with pickled Ampalaya on a Smoked Lardo Pandesal then dip it to the Barako Red Eye Gravy…Yum!

We also had Chef Jayme Natividad’s Champorado, Eggs over Eggs, Chef Rob Pengson Tropical Fruits, Chef Margarita Fores’ Tapa, Egg Yolk Cream, Rice Cracker, and more.

I’m not talking about the Congress but will talk about The Regional Lunch instead. Because its my favourite thing is the world “StreetFood”. Curated by Alicia Colby Sy. Here are some of the food during the Day 3 Regional Lunch.

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Chef Justin Golangco’s Keosng Puti and Aligue on Pan de Sal Crostini.

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Street snack from The Moment Group, Binatog. Roasted yellow corn in coconut fritters, cured egg yolks, cheese pimiento, house made cheese whiz salt and latik.

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Your Local’s version of Empanada. It is made of Vigan and Cabanatuan Longganisa Mousse, ripe mango jam, laksa foam topped with dehydrated cilantro and garlic roots.

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Our favourite childhood street food snack,  Dirty Ice Cream Pandesal by Chef Margarita Fores. A sourdough pandesal with chicken liver pate, cerveza negra ice cream, topped with barquillos powder, calamansi mustard, cadenza de amor flowers and duldol salt.

Aside from the Congress and Regional Lunch, other highlights of the event are the special exhibitions of fine food, gourmet products, food equipment and Madrid Fusion Manila Trade Expo. There is also a Food and Beverage Tunnel which features tatsing of spirits, wines and more.

Madrid Fusion Manila is the “most important gastronomy congress in the world”. I’ve learned a lot and enjoyed my first experience at Madrid Fusion. The exchange of our culture thru food, ideas and how the Galleon Trade connected the ports of Manila and Acapulco. Philippines has influenced international cuisine through the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. And for me learning should not stop especially for food. And Yes, “eating will never be the same again”.

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Madrid Fusion Manila, April 7-9, 2016, SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, Manila, Philippines

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Food for Tata • April 30, 2016


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