The Asian Table

Eating is one of life’s pleasures, and Filipinos certainly love food. With this comes our love for entertaining.

Sharing food on the table with family, friends, and even strangers is an age-old tradition. It is this distinct Filipino hospitality that sets us apart from many other countries.

Entertaining is more than just a sharing of food; it is an opportunity to express one’s aesthetics – creating the right mood and ambience to complement the dishes. A Japanese flower arrangement, Thai vegetable and fruit carvings, Czech crystal, bone China, abaca placemats, Irish linen and German cutlery – these are just a few essentials to make the perfect table setting.

Last Nov. 23-25, eight different and very unique table settings were displayed by restaurants and famous personalities at the World Trade Center on Roxas Blvd. during the Asian Ethnic Food Fest. Sponsored by the Asia Society Philippine Foundation Inc., the "Asian Table" featured the traditional and contemporary tablescapes of Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Raj, a modern Indian restaurant, took an oxymoron approach to its setting with a "stark opulence" theme. A huge table of concrete was used, contrasted by plates and other accent pieces in rich colors of purple, gold, burgundy and orange. What made this setting unique was that the center of the table was filled with water.

People’s Palace presented a setting that is in complete contrast to the traditional Thai table. As a focal point, the table was illuminated by a fluorescent light underneath. Benches covered with fake fur were used in lieu of chairs.

In Thailand, benjarong means "five colors." It is also the name of a unique type of Thai porcelain renowned for its intricate patterns. In contrast to the very modern setting of People’s Palace, the Benjarong Royal Thai restaurant of Dusit Hotel Nikko went very traditional and adapted the benjarong theme by using these authentic porcelains and complemented these with exquisite Thai silks in rich colors.

Makati Shangri-La’s Inagiku Japanese Restaurant showed a fusion of traditional Japanese and modern design, which is minimalist in approach yet refreshingly cosmopolitan in feel. The setting evoked the feeling of tranquility evident in Japanese design.

Kassa Inc., a company that sells authentic Indonesian furniture and accessories, did a setting that was inspired by the traditional puppets of Indonesia. No chairs for this setting as Indonesian dining requires everyone to sit on pillows.

Other settings reflective of different Philippine lifestyles were displayed as well, interpreted by Asia Society members: Weekend Getaway, The Entertaining CEO, Dining in a Condominium, and Filipino Nostalgia.

Lizzie Zobel’s Weekend Getaway took diners to a relaxed and laid-back setting on a day at the beach or the countryside. Zobel’s ingenious use of gabi leaves as placemats lent this setting a natural feel. The table was covered with pandan mats and seats were made of woven abaca. Most of the items used were from Yola Perez Johnson’s Soumak.

The Entertaining CEO by Doris Magsaysay Ho and Tina Maristela-Ocampo was as sophisticated and elegant as the name suggested. In this setting, the usual plates and cutlery were eschewed; instead bento boxes from B at Home and chopsticks were used. Ho and Ocampo explained that the use of boxes was intentional for hassle-free dishwashing. Moreover, the boxes have partitions which make it convenient to serve appetizer, the main course, and the dessert all at the same time.

Dining in a Condominium by Geni Psinakis and Francisco Delgado depicted the modern and easy lifestyle of young couples. The setting was refined and uncomplicated, essential in today’s fast world.

Former CITEM executive director Ely Maria Pinto-Mansor recreated her setting, which appeared in Design and Architecture’s Lamesa (The Filipino Table) by Reynaldo Gamboa Alejandro and Josephine Labrador Hermano, against a backdrop of rusted metal. Gray clay dinnerware from Cagayan de Oro was set on a molave dulang (actually a daybed) from Casa Viejo. A piña shawl by Josie Natori and potted orchid from Purificacion Orchids provided soft counterpoints to this rustic yet elegant setting.

The settings were truly a visual feast for the soul.