An Evening with Chefs Yannick Van Aeken and Louise Bannon

 

WE'RE READY FOR THE WORLD

Published on Manila Bulletin Lifestyle Section on March 27, 2014

 

There are so many people to thank for making this dinner happen.

 

First, Aleth Ocampo who welcomed our group of 27 people into her beautiful home.

 

 

 She set up the place tastefully with white tiffany chairs and pretty blooms
 that she arranged herself.  

 

 

 Aleth is, I quote Pio Goco, "the Nigella Barefoot Contessa" of Manila. 

  

Then there are the two big-hearted people who organized the unforgettable affair - Glen Raemakers and Robby Goco, who have both been actively and passionately championing Philippine products, Glen by promoting our local ingredients in Belgium where he resides, and Robby in his restaurants Green Pastures and Cyma.  

And there would be no food on the table if not for the husband and wife tandem Chefs Yannick van Aeken and Louise Bannon, formerly executive sous chef and pastry chef at Noma. 

Yes, Noma. The No. 2 Best Restaurant in the World.

 

 

 It's been my dream to go there, and now they've come here! And they are with me in this photo!!!

L-R: Glen Raemakers, Chef Yannick van Aeken, Chef Robby Goco, Chef Louise Bannon,
Jin WhoStillCannotBelieveIt, Aleth Mapa and Julie de Block :)

 

 

It was a joy to see Chef Louise having fun with our national fruit. 
I believe Philippine mangoes are incomparable. They are gold standard.
I was delighted that the Irish chef thought the same.

 

 

Watching the chefs work in the kitchen, I spotted these handsome clay
pieces and found out later on that they were handmade by Aleth. Wow. 

 

 

Dinner was a BYOB event and guests were requested to bring Philippine wines and liquors
so the Belgian chefs may try our local intoxicants :)

 

 

Kalel concocted my mojito using Manille Liqueur de Calamansi 

 

 

Alkaline water loaded with fruits, and a tropical fruit drink for the more wholesome guests 

 

 

Chef Robby spoiled us with some amazing appetizers to warm up our tummies.

 

This scallop-uni creation was a winner! It was like I swallowed the ocean with a shot of booze.

 

 

First, you drink the broth made with tupay and shrimp head essence, and then
you take in the scallop and sea urchin together. So simple yet so wildly delicious.
Aileen's smile says it all.

 

 

Eggplant relish with pine nuts, feta cheese, garlic and Greek olive oil served with ube and
kamote chips. Addicting stuff!

 

 

And it wasn't just me. Gaita also went back for seconds. ;)

Gaita Fores of Grace Park, Cibo and Lusso is also a big supporter of our local farmers, 
and together with Chefs Yannick, Louise and the Cibo di M team, she hosted a 
Yolanda Fundraising Dinner at the CVC Rainmaker's Lounge the very next evening. 

 

 

I tried to stop myself and save space for dinner, but I was defenseless against this next appetizer. 

 

 

It was taramosalata, a dip made with fish roe, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil,
and topped with dulong and capers.

 

 

Chef Yannick came out and saved me from emptying the bowl.
Thank you!!!

 

The young and talented chef explained that the inspiration for our dinner menu was their trips to the markets and provinces of the Philippines. They saw so many beautiful fruits and vegetables, but noticed that the 3 main ingredients used in Filipino cuisine are rice, pork and chicken. (Fourth is sugar. Lol!) They wanted to focus on fresh local produce that are often neglected.

 

 

Angel Wings, Beans, Kalamansi, Coconut Vinegar
This was so simply prepared, allowing the sweet diwal to take center stage - the best way to serve
good quality, fresh seafood in my opinion. The bitterness of the sigarilyas and tanginess of the
sinamak and calamansi dressing brought a refreshing, cleansing and entertaining counterpoint
to the dish. 

 

 

Pumpkin Sauce, Mussels, Kalamansi
Again, the plump local mussels were presented simply, this time on a bed of skillfully balanced
roasted pumpkin puree and pork broth, topped with fiddlehead ferns and crunchy chicharon.
It was straightforward, honest, and absolutely delicious.

 

 

Pork Dashi, Egg, Malunggay, Seaweed, Daikon
The sweet and crunchy radish together with the eggy and creamy yolk balanced the saltiness
of the local kelp and bacon consommé. Beautiful harmony in flavors and textures.

 

 

Letting you peek into my 62-degree yolk :)

 

 

Ube, Kriek, Oats, Rice
Local red rice served on an ube-beer mash with pickled shallots and oatmeal crisps

 

 

The ensemble was paired with a shot of Belgian cherry beer

 

 

Cabbage, Kimchi
Grilled cabbage smeared with a sauce made with tomato and smoked fish
from Bacolod 

 

 

Dessert is my favorite part of a meal and I couldn't help sneak into the
kitchen to see what the chefs were preparing for us. They worked with
so much calmness and even managed to talk with guests while their 
hands were full. It was almost therapeutic to watch them in action.

 

 

Coconut, Mango
How utterly amazing that something as simple as mango, coconut water, coconut-calamansi
ice cream and bits of fresh thyme could taste incredible together. It takes admirable technique
to make an uncomplicated dish so remarkable, and Chefs Yannick and Louise displayed theirs
masterfully in this young coconut husk. 

 

 

Gaita, her eyes twinkling, said it was "SUPER SARAP!!!"
And that gave me the very little push I needed to go for the extra serving.

 

 

PLEASE LOOK AWAY NOW. LOL!
I meant to share the extra blessing with Anton, but "accidentally" forgot to pass him the buko.
Sorry, Anton! :P

 

 

For our bonus dessert, dark chocolate truffles with reduced coconut cream fudge sprinkled with
latik and served with saba chips

 

 

Biting into the truffle will make you think that a latik factory just exploded in your mouth.
Seriously, treats this intense should come with a warning label. 

 

 

 Because life is too short to eat only 2 desserts, we also had these yema balls by
Heny Sison. I am renaming them Yema Bombs because they are the bomb!

 

 

Erwin Romulo, Usec Berna Romulo-Puyat, Glen Raemakers, Angelo Comsti.
Bravo to Department of Agriculture Usec Berna for always playing a major role in promoting
Philippine products locally and internationally!

 

 

Anton Diaz, Aileen Anastacio, Pixie Sevilla, Manny Torrejon, Chinky Apostol

 

 

Chef Jayme, Margaux Salcedo, Adam Lieber
Jin Lovestoeat, Margarita Fores, Teddy Montelibano, Micky Fenix, Claude Tayag

 

 

The night ended with Kalel's "Kryptonite Lambanog" which involved fresh
lemon, a shot of local coconut wine and a magic berry that made everything
sweet… magically!

 

 

And an ice cream party care of Adam Lieber, the ice cream man himself. 

 

 

You just cannot enjoy a wonderful evening with kindred spirits and not go home happy.
Look how everyone was smiling ear to ear! :) 

 

 

Thank you, Robby, for hosting! And Pio for inviting! :)

 

It was an eye-opening experience for all of us. Between all the oohing and aahing throughout dinner, one fact is evident. 

The Philippines is ready.

Our homegrown ingredients are on their way to take on the world.

As we were saying our goodbyes, Glen promised that this collaboration will not be the last. I am already looking forward to exciting times ahead! 

 

 

See related posts: 

A Taste of Noma in Manila on Our Awesome Planet

Dinner by Two on Coconuts Manila

Five Minutes with Chefs Yannick van Aeken and Louise Bannon of Noma on Spot.ph

Hayop na Degustacion at Pepita's Kitchen ♥ ♥ ♥

 

The "ber" months always signify these happy things to me: relatives visiting, visiting relatives, Thanksgiving, hairy crabs, noche buena, Christmas songs, Christmas, Christmas trees, jingle bells, chestnuts roasting on open fires, Hong Kong, reunions, cold weather, overeating, and lechon.

And it's that time of the year again. Yay!!! :)

 

My first lechon meal this season was at Pepita's Kitchen. And it was a first meal that will destroy
all other stuffed lechon meals I will be having until the end of the year. Okay, maybe until
February 2014. 

 

 

It was not just any lechon dinner.
It was a HAYOP na Degustacion dinner with 13 courses which
included two lechon de leches. Don't worry, I went prepared.

 

  

Dedet has mastered the art of entertaining at home. Her table centerpieces
were simple yet tasteful, the atmosphere relaxed... 

 

 

And most importantly, she made everyone feel right at home

 

 

That's Dedet's daughter Lileya explaining to us how to work the pink fluffs in the martini glasses

 

 

You pour the lambanog into the cotton candy and...

 

 

Ta-Da! You have Pepita's Magic Potion!

 

 

Dedet assured us that she used tendon instead of fat to make the
next appetizer - Tendon Chips and Dip 

 

 

I was amazed that something so delightfully crunchy and sinfully good did not
come from delightful and sinful origins such as fat. I felt zero guilt after devouring
 it topped with a generous smear of the sour and creamy gabi sinigang mash.

 

 

Hiplog = Hipon (shrimp) and… wait for it… ITLOG!!! (EGG!!!)
And not just any egg, but my favorite salted egg yolk. I've had too many versions
of this dish and I have to say this is one of the very few unforgettable ones.
To this day I still fantasize about it… on top of rice, on pasta, on the dining table, 
on the couch, in the shower… LOL! You get the point. :P 

And what's better than this piece of hiplog is a whole tray of hiplogs!
You can now order this for your parties, potlucks, or for your own personal consumption.
(I won't judge.) See Pepita Kitchen's Food to Go Menu below.

 

 

Bone Marrow with Oxtail Marmalade and Special Salt
Special salt was chicharon crumbs. How brilliant was that??? 

 

 

I loved eating all three elements together for that sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy, tender, and 
fatty sensation in my mouth 

 

 

The Salad Surprise looked unbelievably simple but offered in taste a very complex and exciting
experience with the peppery arugula, creamy yogurt cheese, incredibly nutty cashew butter,
and the surprise - watermelon rocks that went pop! pop! pop! in my mouth.

 

 

Sipit Sarap. CRAB CLAW cooked in CRAB FAT and COCONUT CREAM. Enough said.

 

 

But I just want to say that this cholesterol-on-cholesterol-on-cholesterol dish was soooooo good
it will be worth the heart attack, if ever. 

 

 

Lucky You was sotanghon tossed in herbed oil. Loved it. Can eat bowls of this.

 

 

Lambada. A lamb kaldereta so spicy that, according to Dedet, mapapa-lambada ka sa anghang.
I, on the other hand, say mapapa-lambada ka sa sarap. 

 

 

Tamarind sorbet palate cleanser

 

 

I highly recommend Pepita's Kitchen for that meal to welcome balikbayans, celebrate special
occasions, gather the whole family together, or catch up with the best people - the food-loving
kind! With me are my favorites, Leslie of Shoot First, Eat Later, and Fran of Frannywanny. :)
(Photo grabbed from Fran) 

 

 

During the meal, you can also enjoy a very relaxing shoulder and back massage by Liyora
to get you ready for the main event 

 

  

THE MAIN EVENT

 

 

Look at all the attention the derriere was getting :P

 

 

Liyora is not only a terrific masseuse, she is also a pro at lechon-cutting.
This little pepita made it look like a breeze when it was really one tough job. 

 

 

Than Long Lechon stuffed with garlic noodles. And that bowl over there held crab garlic
butter that you drizzle over the innards. 

 

 

The meat was very tender and tasty it needed no sauce

 

 

My favorite was the skin, the thin and crunchy glorious skin. So thin and crunchy it felt like
eating very porky potato chips. And there was no other way I would eat very porky potato chips
but attack it with my bare hands. 

 

 

 The standard Hayop na Degustacion comes with one lechon, but that night Dedet wanted
us to try another one of her newest creations, The Ham Lechon. 

 

 

Proof that I excelled more in eating the pig than cutting it up

 

 

Pork on pork always works

 

 

Look at Leslie's big and happy ham lechon smile. Such pure
and unadulterated joy is the real essence of ber months! :) 

 

 

My plate of lechon with Chinese ham and sweet ham glaze. I liked this much better than
the Than Long version. :) 

 

 

Okay, this was the whole plate situation. He he he.
At Dedet's, there's free chocnut for everyone!  

 

 

Our first dessert, the Cholesterol Sweeper, was a shot of oatmeal
with Ghirardelli white chocolate. I enjoyed this sweet treat... 

 

 

But not as much as I enjoyed this excellent Guinataan Brûlée with
Carabao Flan! Really, this mommy Pepita is an Einstein in the kitchen! 

 

 

Heaven till the very last bite

 

 

Thank you, Dedet, for the marvelous feast, and Spanky for getting all of us together :)

 

 

The Lechon and The Lechon Diva! 

 

 

12-Course Hayop na Degustacion Menu

 

 

Food-to-Go Menu

 

Starting next year, you don't need to go to Pepita's Kitchen, because Pepita's Kitchen can come to you! Sit back and let the Lechon Diva take care of your catering needs. It's gonna be an exciting 2014 for all of us! :)

 

Pepita's Kitchen
Tel: +639178660662, +632-425-4605
Email: pepitaskitchen@gmail.com 

Lechon Degustacion at Pepita's Kitchen Facebook Page