Cooks rule

MANILA, Philippines - I never upset my husband Claude (Tayag) in the kitchen because he says the food is cooked right or best when the cook is happy, while I say it’s because he holds the knife. And he who holds the knife (naturally) rules.

I am positive that is what Anthony Bourdain meant when he wrote to Claude, “Cooks rule” in his book, with a corresponding drawing of a very pointed knife. Gentle Claude says it is the only explanation why mothers cook best. “It is seasoned with love,” he says. “That is why mothers do not need culinary diplomas or toques.”

Recently the International Wine and Food Society (IWFS) Manila ladies’ branch paid tribute to Glenda Barretto, the doyenne of Philippine cuisine, and announced the winners of the Doreen Fernandez Food Writing competition. Five lady chefs deserving of feathers in their toques happily volunteered to cook for love of Tita Glenda.

The five cooks who ruled that evening: (Seated) Chefs Jessie Sincioco, Glenda Barretto, Penk Ching and Myrna Segismundo; standing) chefs Nieves Ong and Jill Sandique.

It is very easy to love Glenda B. She is very generous with compliments and gladly shares her knowledge and sources. Twice she has eaten at our Bale Dutung and listened to my food anecdotes and stories as if she were learning. Of course I cannot possibly know more than her. But that is Glenda B. — she knows how to make people feel good. She will not rain on your parade.  And I have never heard her say anything bad about anyone, especially about other chefs. For that, she earns my utmost respect.

My favorite story of hers is when she was staying in a small hotel in a small town in the south. She was ordering breakfast but was told by the lady staff member that they did not serve food. “But I saw you bring breakfast to the other room,” Glenda said. Sheepishly the lady said, “Ma’am, utos po kasi ng boss namin huwag kayong ipagluto (Our boss instructed us not to serve you food).” Instead of getting upset, Glenda was amused.  She called for the cook and asked her what dishes she knew how to cook and what ingredients she had in the kitchen. She then taught her what to do. It turned out to be a delicious breakfast,” Glenda narrates with amusement. “Marunong yung kusinera.” It would be wise for that small hotel now to serve that breakfast dish.

SThe ube roll of chef Jill and tinola flan of chef Nieves, which is getting its 15 minutes of fame

The very well-attended affair was held at Chef Jessie’s at Rockwell. As soon as you entered the door you were met with fine wine, fish roe canapés and oysters. Many of us from Luzon came to acquire our taste for oysters from Glenda’s Via Mare oyster bars, where fresh oysters are flown in daily from Roxas City and served still reeking of the saltiness of the sea. Somehow I expected to see oysters and I was not disappointed.

Soft and not so purple ube bread by chef Jill Sandique was served as IWFS’ charming president Nana Ozaeta welcomed the guests. Jill said we would have loved it more had she used ube from Bohol, which is darker and better, but all that ube was taken by an ice cream company. That is chef Jill, she gives you information, at times, more than you can handle. If you see these five chefs together, the one who is animatedly talking and giggling is certainly Jill. Known for her packed cooking classes attended by celebrities and her luscious pistachio sansrival, I look forward to the day I can try her scones, which I heard are extraordinarily good.

The first dish served was from chef Nieves, the loyal chef of Glenda, who has been with her from day one. She made a mean, gingery tinola flan. Really, it was not only worth trying but also worth remembering. Imagine tinola with all its flavors served and eaten like the Japanese chawan mushi. As chef Nieves said, “I hope it gets its 15 minutes of fame.” Paired with a 2009 Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, I think it was gone in 15 seconds.

Chef Jessie Sincioco looks best in her chef’s uniform. If I ever become a chef I would like to have her bearing and neatness. With her almost cropped haircut, she exudes authority and much confidence. Her balut surprise that evening was indeed a delicious surprise. It was cooked with bulalo broth espresso with tender slivers of beef mixed with the balut soup and diced balut yolk and chick and served so piping-hot it will burn your tongue. This is a cholesterol shooter and I thought I saw the room spin, but it is amazing how she successfully put it together. I could have had a second serving of it.

The balut surprise of chef Jessie Sincioco was to me the most delicious surprise that evening.

If you see the four lady chefs rolling in stitches, chef Myrna must be telling them a hilarious story. Many know her from her TV show and cookbooks but not her cooking, because she is as unreachable as the stars she cooks for as the executive chef of the exclusive ABS-CBN fine-dining restaurant 9501. The good news is that now she has opened a private dining room in New Manila, strictly by reservation. That is still a lot better than strictly by invitation. I was invited once and she served us a nice, garlicky molo soup and the best beef kaldereta I have ever tasted. She has also perfected the art of making crispy turon. A proud Batangueña, I imagine hers is the best place to bring a Batangas balikbayan to have traditional Batangas food.

And hopefully you get to experience how she entertains with wit and humor. For example, she calls her starter of three kinds of ukoy, trikoy. (To book, call 0922-839-6461.)

That night Myrna’s famous lechon roulade was served with paella wrapped in a bok choy leaf and in red wine liver sauce (yes, sarsang lechon na may red wine). I remember her telling Claude that this is the best way to cook and serve lechon if you have only a small group. She de-bones the entire suckling pig and stuffs and flavors it before rolling it into a roulade and roasting only what is needed. The rest could be put in the freezer. And best of all, the crispy skin is evenly distributed.

Our sit-down dinner ended sweetly with Jill’s double-yummy canonigo and hot chocolate. Glenda was seated at the table right in front of us. As always, she was coiffed and very regal. She looked very happy and touched and at one point I saw her slightly emotional.

As the evening was about to end, I was still waiting for the fifth chef, the multi-awarded Penk Ching. Penk has a gentle face and is the most feminine of all the five chefs, more so in her pink chef’s uniform that night. Known for her wedding cakes for the rich and famous, I have always wondered what her intricately designed cakes that have won her medals here and abroad taste like. Suddenly she came out onstage, saying, “I am for you to take home,” which elicited laughter. At home, I carefully ate the moist little cake with Via Mare logo on thick white fondant accompanied by hot tsokolate with gatas kalabaw. I just wished I had a photo so I could have a Penk Ching cake in my album.

It was a lovely evening indeed. Kudos to Glenda B. Kudos to the five cooks who ruled that night as they cooked with love. No wonder none of them had to don a toque that evening.