Artistic Taste: The art and food of Chef Ramon Antonio

MANILA, Philippines – “Looks too good to eat”. I think we’ve all heard that line somewhere. Chefs are now tasked to transform properly prepared meals into works of art. Food presentation, with its juxtapositions of colors or layered textures, instantly piques the interest of the diner. For a change, what if you can see an artistic sketch of your meal before being served to you? 

Marco Polo Ortigas presents Chef Ramon Antonio at Cucina for a limited dining experience entitled, “Palette to Palate.” From different continents gaining world-class experience, Chef Ramon Antonio has been a sought-after chef with his contemporary take on Filipino cuisine. His experience ranges from cooking for royalties, heads of states, international celebrities, to heading hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide. He is known to sketch his plating, and transforming his drawings to culinary masterpieces served to his guests. As part of the display, hung on the wall of Cucina are big reproductions of his sketched dishes. He has crafted his skills in Filipino cuisine using fresh local produce and showcasing these to the global scene.

For starters have the Bicolano dish, ginataang santol, with a dinner roll or a crust of bread. The sweetness of the fruit cooked in coconut milk blends with the mildly salty dried fish.

 Sample two types of ceviche from fresh produces. If you prefer fish, take a bite of the kinilaw bisaya or Cebuano mackerel ceviche. For shrimp lovers, sample the unique biyaring or Maranaw style shrimp ceviche.

 Perfect for the cold rainy weather, a piping hot bowl of binakol will warm the tummy. The Ilonggo style grilled chicken is cooked in coconut soup. Cubes of sweet coconut meat in the soup balances the saltiness of the broth.

 Marco Polo Ortigas General Manager Frank Reichenbach shares that both local and  foreign guests of the hotel have shared a strong appreciation for Filipino cuisine. The kalderetang baka is one of the highlights. A fusion of eastern and western cuisine, the tender meat of the slow cooked beef shank is complemented with foie gras-infused liver sauce.

 These and other interestingly executed Filipino dishes are for your tasting until August 31, 2017. Cucina is located at the 24^th level of the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award Winner, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila. Follow the Hotel on Facebook at facebook.com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila or @MarcoPoloManila on Twitter or Instagram. – Rappler.com

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