Inspired by mom's cooking, Sofitel chefs whip up special dishes

In Filipino culture, the mother is known as the "ilaw ng tahanan" or light of the home, signifying her role in nurturing her family and creating warm memories for everyone. 

 

Memories of their mothers' signature meals are what Sofitel's chefs draw from in the dishes they whipped up especially for the holiday. This is their own way of thanking their moms, honoring them this Mother's Day season by articulating the inspiration they've imparted through delicious food.  

  Just like mom made it  

May 12, 2013 marks Mother's Day. A time when families celebrate mom's love and selfless dedication. 

 

Sofitel Philippine Plaza celebrates the occasion with special dishes in the popular Spiral buffet restaurant, as well as an exclusive fashion show by Manila-based international designer Pia Gladys Perey and professional race car driver Mark Bumgarner.

 

Executive Chef Eric Costille's Rabbit Cocotte with Rosemary and Olives served with Gratinated Parmesan Polenta is a recreation of a French-Italian dish his mother used to prepare in their small farm in Cannes. 

 

"Sometimes [people] have the idea that French cuisine is very composed on the plate, but it's not always like that. When we eat at home, we really enjoy sharing a big dish, [which is placed] at the center of the table," says Chef Eric, who left home at 14 for culinary school. He adds that the dish is very much like our very own adobo. 

 

"'Dob' in Provencal, my dialect, means 'stew.' It's exactly the same but in the Philippines, you use soy sauce while in France, we use white wine and olive oil."  

Anne Cecile Degenne, Chef de Cuisine-Western, will whip up her mother's version of Paella, which she enjoyed growing up in Bordeaux, near the Spanish border. The saffron-infused rice dish is chock-full of seafood, and is rich enough to be a meal in itself.

Since you like food so much. . .  

Executive Chinese Chef Mok Chee Wah's Slow Cooked Chicken with Chinese Herbs Wrapped in Lotus Leaf is a traditional dish eaten both for flavor and health benefits. Made with eight kinds of Chinese herbs and slow-cooked for three to four hours, the dish reminds Chef Chee Wah of his childhood in Kuala Lumpur, learning how to cook from his mother. 

 

"When I was a child, I would always go to the kitchen," he says. "My mom would be cooking, and I would pick food, eat, and run. One day my mom said, 'Since you like food so much, I'll teach you how to cook.'" His lessons included early morning trips to the market every day, where he learned how to pick the freshest items for the most reasonable prices.

 

When Indian Chef Halim Ali Khan was growing up, his mom prepared Egg Biryani during weekends and special occasions. This Mother's Day, Spiral guests will get to taste one of his favorite childhood dishes. Since Chef Halim comes from a Muslim family, the dish is halal.

Meanwhile, Chef de Partie and Filipino Chef Jojo Babierra will showcase one of his favorite comfort dishes, the classic Goat Caldereta, which reminds him of his youth, spending time in his mother's restaurant in Lucban, Quezon, where he got his first taste of the culinary lifestyle.

 

Japanese Chef Hiroaki Yamaguchi will present a Japanese beef stew called Nikujaga, which is made up of potatoes, onions, and thin slices of beef cooked in dashi stock flavored with ginger, sake, and sesame oil. He admits that he and his brothers used to fight over the dish whenever his mother would serve it in their childhood home in Kyoto. 

 

"Even when I grew up and moved to Tokyo, I would still look for this dish," he says. "[Japanese men] choose wives who can make Nikujaga that tastes similar to their mothers' version, so it's very important to [the culture]."

 

Chef Tweet Obsequio, Sofitel's award-winning master chocolatier, appeals to every woman's quest for beauty with her Jasmine Praline, which is dark chocolate infused with jasmine tea. Jasmine tea is Chef Tweet's mom's beauty secret, a potent anti-oxidant that is believed by the Filipino-Chinese to reduce the body's absorption of fat and cholesterol. Chef Tweet also loves the scent of the jasmine flower, which reminds her of her mom's perfume.

These special dishes highlight how much a mother's love continually inspires her children, and how food and family time is an integral part of the growth of even the most talented men and women.

 

Diners enjoying brunch on Mother's Day will also get the chance to sneak a peek at Pia Gladys Perey and Mark Bumgarner's Homage to Mom Holiday Summer collection, modeled by celebrity mothers and their kids. – KDM, GMA News 

 

The Mother's Day Brunch at Sofitel's Spiral is on May 12, from 12 noon to 3 p.m. is priced at P3,250++ for adults (includes free-flowing champagne and mojitos from 12 noon to 2pm), and is P1,600 for kids 5- to 11-years-old.

 

Send an email to H6308-FB12@sofitel.com for inquiries and reservations.