“It’s time for Filipino cuisine to take center stage,” shared Ms. Cleofe Albiso, Managing Director of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, the Philippines’ largest homegrown hotel chain with 4,000 room keys and 11 properties across the country. As a proud homegrown brand, Megaworld aims to showcase the best of Filipino flavors.

Jan Bernadette Clemente, MHR Managing Director Cleofe Albiso, NCR Regional Director of DOT Sharlene Zabala-Batin, Chief Operating Officer of Megaworld Corporation Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso, NCR Supervising Tourism Operations Officer of DOT Ivan Agote, and Group Director for Sales and Marketing Lynette Ermac

Victuals inspired by the flavors of Northern, Central, and Southern Philippines

Baguio: Raisin Bread with Strawberry Cream Cheese Butter

The feast opened with a tribute to Baguio. For the first bite, guests enjoyed a freshly baked soft raisin roll topped with crispy quinoa and the dark sweetness of molasses. It was served with cream cheese and softened butter flavored with locally picked strawberries all the way from Baguio City. Aklan came next through a unique pasta dish cooked with fresh crabs from the province and the famous chorizo of Boracay’s “choriburger.” The pasta’s flavorful sauce was made from seafood consommé and saffron cream spiked with spinach tuile from a local harvest.

Aklan: Crab Chorizo Tortellini with Seafood and Saffron Cream with Mushroom Tuile

The chefs then brought everyone to Bicol with the Laing Espesyal, a classic Bicolano fare enhanced with scallop and prawn paste for a flavorful and rich taste. This well-loved dish is further given a twist by adding prawns and lechon kawali. La Union followed with its “pugita” or octopus, given a Spanish twist by poaching it until it is fork-tender, then searing it “a la plancha” or grilled on a metal plate.

Features three specific regional flavors namely Bicol’s Laing Espesyal, La Union’s Pulpo ala Plancha, and Cebu’s Chicharon Crusted Diver Scallops

Cebu came next with a flavorful dish of stir-fried Bantayan Island scallops with crusted Carcar chicharon, served with purple yam and corn puree with chorizo oil and Sriracha cheese. Guests had a sampling of Mindanao with Davao’s Calderobo with Cacao Cheese. It’s caldereta and adobo combined using sous vide beef cheeks stuffed with Wagyu beef fat, then braised in calderobo sauce. Elevating the richness of the flavors are homemade carabao’s milk cheese infused with cacao compote and heirloom vegetables.

Showcasing Davao’s Calderobo with Cacao Cheese and Nueva Ecija’s prawns, pumpkin, and Edamame

The dinner then transported guests to Nueva Ecija, the “rice granary” of the Philippines. The dish consisted of tiger prawns cooked in a vacuum container, then served with pumpkin-infused risotto, nutty and earthy edamame pods, topped with Parmegiano Reggiano.

Bulacan: Pastillas Macaron, Macapuno Truffle, Espasol Praline, and peanut Brittle Chicharon

As the first of the sweet ending, the flavors of Bulacan came next with a serving of pastillas macaron, macapuno truffle, espasol praline and peanut brittle chicharon. This set of four exquisite bites inspired by the delicacies of Bulacan is a delicious fusion of classic local ingredients presented European-style. Iloilo’s sweet treats made the final touch with the finest cheese made from their carabao dairy farms, sweet jam made from batuan, and the famous mangoes of Guimaras skillfully transformed into a silky compote.

Iloilo: Local Artisan Cheese, Batuan Marmalade, Guimaras Mango Essence

“LaMeza” was the result of a Culinary Conference conducted by Megaworld Hotels and Resorts which saw the likes of Chef Philip Golding from the Center for Culinary Arts, Chef Reggie Aspiras, Chef Buddy Trinidad of Pastry Alliance of the Philippines, the Group Director of Finance of MHR Ms. Ederlinda Decano, and Bistro Group’s executive chef Josh Boutwood.

Chef Francis Tugnao of Belmont Hotel Manila, Chef Alejandro Bartolome of Belmont Hotel and Savoy Boracay, Chef Victor Barangan of Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Chef Chrisopher Yu of Hotel Lucky Chinatown, Chef Angelo Chubby Timban of Kingsford Hotel Manila, Chef Ariel Castaneda Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, Ivan Agote of DOT, Cleofe Albiso the Manager Director of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso the Chief Operating Officer of Megaworld Corporation, NCR Regional Director, Sharlene Zabala-Batin, Ernie Teston of DOT, Chef Tristan Carlo Galang of Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, Chef Kris Espinosa of Savoy Hotel Manila, Chef June Fernandez of Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown, and Chef Noli King-King of Twin Lakes Hotel

At the end of the evening, due credit and recognition was then extended to MHR’s executive chefs whose passion and creativity made the evening a delectable experience: Chef Francis Tugnao of Belmont Hotel Manila, Chef Alejandro Bartolome of Belmont Hotel and Savoy Boracay, Chef Victor Barangan of Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Chef Chrisopher Yu of Hotel Lucky Chinatown, Chef Angelo Chubby Timban of Kingsford Hotel Manila, Chef Ariel Castaneda Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, Chef Tristan Carlo Galang of Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, Chef Kris Espinosa of Savoy Hotel Manila, Chef June Fernandez of Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown, and Chef Noli King-King of Twin Lakes Hotel.

For more information about stays and dining reservations, kindly email salesinquiry@megaworldhotels.com or visit www.megaworldcorp.com/hotels. You may also inquire about your future stays through Megaworld Hotels and Resorts’ and any its properties’ social media pages.