By Marilen Fontanilla
A menu is defined as a sheet of paper or cardboard on which the names of all dishes available for ordering at a dining establishment is written. Older bills of fare (escriteau) of French towns circa 1600s are a far cry from our current versions, since these earlier menus laid out only the […]

By Corinna Arcellana Nuqui
Photo by Mary Rose Peña
To make pies and tarts, learn with both hands and heart
“Mettre la main à la pâte.” There is a French saying, which applies to all endeavors, but it is apt for the pastry arts. One learns by putting one’s hands to work, by learning the […]

By Corinna Nuqui
Photo courtesy of Enderun College
How a Filipino chef translates native sensibility onto the plate.
He walks in looking like a Filipino everyman, in jeans and a t-shirt and sneakers, and the untrained eye might never know that this is Ron Bilaro, a Chicago-based chef who operates like a trained pilot: intuitive, responsive to the […]

By Rommel Gerodias
The living dangers in food preparation: choose sources wisely, watch out for toxins, and for goodness’ sake, wash your hands.
Every day we prepare and consume different types of food. Some are presented in different ways, and some are prepared longer than the others. While food flows from receiving, storage, preparation and cooking […]

Choosing which grains to put into a bread product, as well as which recipes to develop, is an art. Many producers prefer to have their own customized blends, such as Petra’s and Rizal Dairy Farms’ Jacqui Alleje, who sources organic ingredients, and Bread Basics’ Noemy Hernandez, who has particular recipes like Ampalaya bread, which used […]

By Peachy Galias
Summer may have already passed and storms are already entering our country, but there is still this special place in the hearts�

Glass
Glass has become one of the most versatile and used material sin catering. It lends a modern and edgy feel to the table, leaning towards a more Japanese way of presentation. Even major hotel buffets have caught the trend. Appetizers are served in bespoke glass platters in different sizes, colors and patterns. In one particular […]

Beautiful to look at, delicious to eat, classic yet sophisticated, you too can create utterly delectable bars in timeless black and white�

By CJ Juntereal
Dimsum n’ Dumplings:
In an industry that feeds on fads as much as it does on the familiarity of institutions, Dimsum n’ Dumplings is over fifteen years old and still growing. Andrew Masigan started the business in 1991, straight out of college, when he realized that the salary he was earning at a Japanese […]

THE BEST OF THE YEAR THAT WAS
The countdown begins for the Philippines’ best new products launched by restaurants in 2006.
By Adolf Aran, Jr.
The year 2006 was full of exciting new products for the restaurant business, from quick service or fast food, to casual dining, from bakeshops to fine dining restaurants based in hotels. For consumers […]