The creative and talented kitchen team of Richmonde Hotel Iloilo bagged this year’s championship award of the recently concluded “Funlasang Pinoy Elite Chef Challenge 2018” by the Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) in Iloilo City.
With an “Innovative Pinoy Ulam” theme, Richmonde Iloilo’s Chefs de Partie Rey Parreño II and Jorwen Botea, assisted by Commis 1 Rene Paul Loriega and guided by Sous Chef Jeffrey Ticao, whipped up two original Filipino dishes using UFS products, giving each tasty and imaginative twists to classic favorites.
The first dish was the Tri-flavored Lumpia Mille-feuille with Pearl Caviar Sauce which is a fresh European-inspired take on the lumpia. It features chicken inasal, native pork adobo, and smoked salmon marinated in sinigang brine, layered with a medley of sautéed vegetables, topped with sweet chili plum and caviar-like garnish made of Unilever rock sugar mixed with hoisin sauce, covered in Molo wrappers that resemble French mille-feuille pastry.
The second winning dish was the Salted Egg-Infused Crispy Beef Kare-Kare with Corn, Bulalo Gelee and Consommé which is a contemporary adaptation of the kare-kare sa mais. Preparation is a two-step process with the beef shank first boiled and simmered like bulalo, then deep fried, crispy pata-style. The beef is paired with warm beef consommé and a firm jelly made from the broth reduction, and served with corn, a variety of buttered vegetables, and a savory mash of sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, potatoes, bell pepper, and kaldereta concasse infused with salted-egg.
These two dishes bested the entries of the other competitors representing different hotels and restaurants in Western Visayas, with Richmonde’s chefs winning P20,000, a trophy and gold medals. Criteria for judging were mis-en-place, professional preparation, taste, presentation, and teamwork which were all rated by the distinguished panel of judges that included celebrated chefs and culinary masters Fernando Aracama, Jose Amadeo “Menoy” Gimenez, and Gerhard Oscar Gendrano.
Visit Richmonde Hotel Iloilo’s The Granary, BizBar and Zabana Bar and sample the creations of the hotel’s skilled chefs. Richmonde Hotel Iloilo is located at Megaworld Boulevard corner Enterprise Road, Iloilo Business Park, Mandurriao, Iloilo City. For inquiries and reservations, call (6333) 328-7888. For more information, log on to www.richmondehoteliloilo.com.ph or visit the hotel’s official Facebook page www.facebook.com/RichmondeHotelIoilo and Instagram account, @Richmonde.RHI. (PR)