Europe is stereotypically known as the continent of good food and Europeans have made a name for themselves as some of the best chefs in the world.

Last September 12, 2018, a number of European chefs put their best foot forward once again for Culinaria as part of the European Culinary Week 2018.

The European Culinary Week is a weeklong celebration of European cuisine, showcasing European Geographical Indication produce (mostly food and beverage) to the Philippines.

Culinaria, one of the events of the European Culinary Week, showcases the creations of 6 award-winning chefs in an open kitchen style, providing guests a high-end European gastronomic experience by way of a walk through dinner.

Upon signing the registration, each guest is presented a passport. They were then ushered to the Grand Hyatt’s ballroom 1 for cocktails. While waiting for the event to start, guests were entertained by circus performers with acts such as juggling and unicycling.

Once everything was set, guests transferred to ballroom 3, where they were greeted by Guenter Taus, President of the ECCP and Chairman of the EPBN Steering Committee. Grand Hyatt Executive Chef Mark Hagan then declared the kitchen open.

What followed was a short but breathtaking performance that involved fog machines, strobe lights, kitchen equipment, and fire. After that, it was finally time to eat!

There was no order as to which chef to visit first though it seemed wise to go from one side the next in order. Each chef made two dishes each, and each dish is meant to be partnered with some sort of alcoholic beverage. Once the guest has tried a creation, their passport gets stamped.

Four of the chefs, namely Chef Francesco Brutto, Chef Santiago Guerrero, Chef François-Xavier Lambory, and Chef Gavin McDonagh all served savory dishes, with a focus mainly on seafood.

On either side, just before the main kitchen was Chef Laetitia Moreau and our very own Chef Miko Aspiras serving desserts.

In the middle of the room was cheese after cheese, cold cuts, and various European beers from countries such as Spain, France, and Switzerland.

It’s no secret that Europe is a culinary paradise and Culinaria provided the proper avenue for these chefs to show what they can really do.

Article was originally posted on September 14, 2018 at the Philippine Primer online