Birds of a feather cook together
Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly. —MFK Fisher
Eating is a universal act that is both practical and soulful. It’s one of those few things in life that are so beautiful in its essential quality. While it started out as a basic biological necessity — we all must eat to live — it develops throughout civilizations as a wonderful perk of nature where we can truly live to eat.
Breaking bread with someone is like revealing a part of your soul. One can’t easily feign table manners, gustatory preferences and often, showered in some glasses of wine, hide matters of truth and opinion. It is when we sit at the dinner table that we realize how much we do or don’t appreciate a person. For that brief moment, where social obligations chain you to your personal square meter of chair and cutlery, where you cannot make an excuse to go to the bathroom or refill your empty glass by the bar to extricate yourself from unpleasant company, sharing a meal is as exposing and vulnerable as can be. Most of the time, it is enjoyable or simply passable, sometimes unbearable, but every so often, amid the clinking glasses, clanking spoons and passing of salt, you’ll cross a true kindred spirit.
Last Friday morning was tough. After a full week of festivities, showing around foreign guests, making sure they had the time of their lives (which meant champagne, shots and dancing on ledges) I had to put on the game face and get up for work. With one ton of concealer and an equally heavy amount of blush to fake a happy, healthy, rosy glow, I came to the restaurant charged on caffeine. A car pulled up and out came two supermodel-looking ladies. Both tall and lithe, the brunette, Ruthie Rousso — chef, food columnist and judge of Iron Chef Israel — was friendly and cheerful; the blond, Michal Ansky — gastronomist, celebrity cook and judge on Master Chef Israel — was a little aloof and distant. My initial thought was that she was a bit of a diva, perhaps. However, after five minutes of chatting we quickly realized we were both guilty of the same thing: hangover.
After recounting our (mis)adventures of the evening past, we all started working on the demonstration, laughing and sharing stories and shopping tips like old friends. They may be huge stars in Israel (think of Giada de Laurentiis and Padma Lakshmi Canaan-style) but extremely down-to-earth and happy to get their hands dirty in the kitchen (even in a cocktail dress and heels! As they did on Saturday — definitely birds of my kind of feather.)
Their food was simple, clean, fresh yet exciting. It may not be that fancy, blow-your-mind kind of grub, but more significantly it was the kind of food you’d want to eat every day. The kind of food I aspire to make. The test of a true cook and food lover — accessible deliciousness, daily indulgence. Michal prepared a shawarma salad, grilled chicken, lemony rice, fresh green pepper and bright cilantro leaves — it felt healthy, happy and extremely comforting. Chicken and rice, the most classic combination made young and bright.
Ruthie roasted a fat, large eggplant, which Madame Ethi, the dear wife of Ambassador Menashe Bar On of Israel, so lovingly brought from Tagaytay. Like a well-traveled ensaladang ta-long, she served it so beautifully plain with tahini, tomato pulp, green peppers and olive oil. These two dishes were so wonderful I went straight home to cook them for a casual Friday-night barbecue. Saturday had us eating Israeli tuna sashimi with radishes and chili, hearty lamb kebabs roasted with freshly baked pita bread, and a fragrant Sahleb pudding, made a la minute in the kitchen.
Their energy was warm and infectious. From our Friday night after-hours, where they sat in my garden, sipping on rosé, chatting with friends about their first impressions of the Philippines, sharing secrets about Parisian dining … no one gushed like fans but easily welcomed them like friends. And on Saturday, they took over my little restaurant — along with Madame Ethi, whose exuberance and generosity is astonishing, and our local female celebrity chef Jackie Laudico — and filled the air with a touching femininity. There were hugs and kisses, exchanged recipes, corks popping, fragrant rosewater and a smuggled pomegranate from which the seeds were picked and cherished like precious rubies.
The night ended in the aptly girly Salon de Ning, dancing to Gloria Gaynor, Abba and J. Lo. Pink bubbles in hand, surrounded by eclectic opulence, we danced up a storm. From kitchen to dance floor, these were my kind of people: strong and powerful, yet open and generous. Extremely capable and yet not close-minded. Worldly and sophisticated but appreciative of elegant simplicity. Fashionable, sexy and incredibly in love with life and food. As Michal posted on Instagram, “Last night in Manila — what a city … I’m in love with this place.†Well, rest assured that Manila definitely reciprocates!
