Why Nora Daza is still in love with Paris

In her heyday, master of food and glamorous octogenarian Nora Villanueva Daza was a lady truly ahead of her time.

At a time when most recipes were passed on orally, she, collected, wrote and published one of the most enduring cookbooks, Let’s Cook with Nora, the best-selling how-to guide that has continued to energize home kitchens to this day.

She was also the director of the Manila Gas Cooking School, the precursor to many of the culinary academies today. The institution introduced the concept of open kitchen. Its all-glass façade, set on the street level of a building, allowed people to peer in to see the preparation of food, and some say vehicular accidents occurred because of the incessant ogling.

The engaging gourmet chef was a tri-media darling, as well. On TV, she hosted Cooking It Up with Nora and Bahala na si Mommy, the very first live show of ABS-CBN. On the radio, she had At Home with Nora and At Home with the Stars. In print, she penned columns for two publications.

Nora has a great love for the Philippines and France, and these very opposite fascinations informed her projects in the ‘70s. Do you remember Au Bon Vivant, her French restaurants in Manila, Makati and Quezon City? It was the place where the Filipino elite celebrated milestones. What about Galing-Galing in Manila? Diners dropped by for comfort food such as kare-kare and the engaging conversation, the latest buzz that kept the city alive.

And Maharlika, the Filipino restaurant on the ground floor of the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York? Aside from being a hot spot for wandering Pinoys who longed for home-cooked Filipino meals, it was the venue where hosts would bring their foreign friends in order to introduce them to our cuisine.

Were you also lucky enough to try the gambas à la Pampanga in Aux Iles Philippines in Paris, France? Actress Brigitte Bardot was a fan. The first time she came over, the staff was worried because all the beauty did was stare at her boyfriend’s face, seemingly not minding the food. BB came back for the fresh lumpia — again and again. Prince René Louis Charles de Bourbon stumbled upon Aux Iles Philippines upon finding the three-star Michelin restaurant Le Bernadin — which was just next door — full. The prince, who was already familiar with the Philippines, scribbled this note in French on its guest book: “An error allowed us to enter here. We leave this place enchanted.” The writer and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir frequented the restaurant, too.

They were definitely hits. Maharlika was hailed as one of the top restaurants in New York City by the well-respected and most acclaimed food critic Myra Waldo, while Nora’s beloved Aux Iles Philippines collected much praise, including the Prix Marco Polo award as one of the top Asian restaurants in Paris as well as high marks from the vaunted Michelin Guide and Gault-Millau Le Guide De Paris.

Through the years, the iconic chef collaborated with other food experts. There were more cookbooks, including Galing Galing Philippine Cuisine with daughter Marites Diaz Enriquez and A Culinary Life with food writer and godchild Micky Fenix. Most recently, Nora released Festive Dishes (Nora V. Daza with Family and Friends), a guide expressly made for parties and large-scale cooking — perfect for the holidays! More than just a collection of recipes from all over the world, from friends and family, the new compilation is filled with many interesting stories about her life, too.

In her long career, Nora has learned many things. For example, “lobster is best boiled or grilled.” This was the unforgettable lesson she picked up during a yachting trip from Rhode Island to Boston. Or when you burn yourself, “oil is the best remedy. It stops air from touching the skin.” When she opened Mai Thai, in partnership with Sylvia Cancio Lim, she also discovered a new kind of cuisine.

“God has been good to me, providing me with a palate that is capable of tasting good food,” she muses. When all has been said and done — and chopped and cooked and eaten, as well — Nora just wants to be remembered as a person “who has contributed something good in cooking.”

Well, this mother of three daughters (Stella, Mariles, and Nina), and two sons (Bong and Sandy), and grandmother of 15 grandchildren has done that and more. Your lola’s and mom’s well-thumbed copies of Let’s Cook with Nora and all the lip-smacking meals and memorable memories that resulted from the cooking bible plus her other succeeding and worthwhile endeavors are testaments to that.

Salamat and merci beaucoup, Nora!

PHILIPPINE STAR: What do you remember most of your first trip abroad?

NORA DAZA: I went to Hong Kong by myself. Two activities stand out: shopping for shoes, bags and scarves. Beautiful! And eating excellent food like the freshest fish steamed with sesame oil and served with slices of ginger and onion. I loved the goose, too. Another early trip is memorable: I attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York for over a year and spent a wonderful summer there. I studied very hard to get in the top 10 of my class. I was also part of the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Who is your ideal traveling companion?

No one. I find that it is best to travel alone. I am a very independent person.

What would you consider a must-do activity in every foreign city that you visit?

Always visit the local market. I get a high from interacting with people, learning new discoveries, finding out how to do things. I look for fresh produce — fresh fish, fresh fruit, fresh everything. I also search for duck liver. Seeing things that I dream about is also an education. It is very important to know how to shop. This is where it all begins. The food you pick up here ends up on your tables.

Describe your most memorable trip.

Every trip to Paris, from falling in love to establishing Aux Iles Philippines. My time in the Loire Valley in Central France comes to mind. It’s called the Chateau Country of France with its spectacular vineyards and the Castle Chambord, the largest chateau in Loire. Excellent food! Superb wine! It is a way of life that must be lived.

What do you miss most when you’re away from home?

My family, my children, and my grandchildren. They are the most important people on earth. I must admit that I long for Filipino food, too.

What is the best travel advice you were given?

Keep a watchful eye over your luggage at all times. In a European airport, I requested a Filipino to watch over my bags. Unfortunately, US$500 went missing. It was no mistake, because I know my money. I found consolation in something that my grandmother used to say — a consuelo in the unfortunate incident: “Thank the Lord and be grateful that you do not have to steal.” He perhaps needed it more. I, however, felt sad. He shouldn’t have done it to me. He was a fellow Filipino at that.

Let’s talk favorites now. Name your favorite city abroad.

Without a doubt, nothing comes close to Paris, my second home. I love everything about it. I can speak the language and, when I resided there, I even drove around in an Austin Mini. It was a total immersion! I love the great food. I adore the lifestyle. I admire the history, art, culture, and fashion, from the little cafés that dot the avenues to the hundreds and hundreds of ornate fountains. It’s easy to move around in the city, especially with the Navigo Pass, a smart card that serves as a ticket for the efficient public transport system.

Name your favorite spot in the Philippines.

My grandfather’s house in old Batangas. The four-hectare property, which was in front of the Capitol Building, boasted a windmill! To this day, whenever I catch a glimpse of a windmill, my heart beats faster, remembering the good memories. I was quite the tomboy. I rode Arabian horses and climbed fruit trees like sineguelas, sampaloc, or cacao. I even went hunting with cousins and discovered nests with blue-tinted eggs. Unfortunately, the property fell victim to the horrors of World War II. Today, my favorite places are the homes of my children.

Favorite airline?

Cathay Pacific. My flights have always been more than just pleasant, bordering on memorable ones.

Favorite airport?

None. Absolutely none! I dislike waiting in airports. I have no love for them. That’s why I go in and out as fast as I can. When I have no choice, I bury myself in my books.

Favorite museum?

The Louvre in Paris. For me, the most beautiful thing is this sculpture of a lady, “The Winged Victory of Samothrace.” It gives me goose bumps whenever I see it.

If you could take home a piece of art, which one would it be?

Anything by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin, say, the pensive “The Thinker” or the more romantic “The Kiss.”

Favorite hotel?

Hôtel George-V on Avenue George V in Paris. Sedated luxury and sheer elegance!

Favorite building?

The Cultural Center of the Philippines. The floating marble façade by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin is iconic. Despite the many criticisms about the actual building of the structure, I am very proud of the CCP and what it continues to represent.

Favorite garden?

Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. I used to exercise and walk around there. And I enjoy the different activities like the puppet shows or watching children play with toy sailboats on the Grand Basin.

Favorite musical or play?

The 1964 production of Funny Girl in New York with Barbra Streisand. The film, which also starred Barbra plus Omar Sharif, was also magical. Barbra’s expressive voice and Omar’s good looks was an unbeatable combination.

Favorite store?

Any of the Hermés shops in Paris — on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, on Avenue George V, or on Rue de Sèvres. The scarves are simply to die for.

Favorite restaurant or bar?

Chez Lipp in Paris. It serves this fabulous German dish of cured pork belly and stewed cabbage sausage. As it is a traditional brasserie, you can pair meals with Riesling or perhaps even beer.

Name an event anywhere in the world you would like to participate in.

I participated in the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Oh, it was a long time ago. I remember it was three days and three nights of alternately attending and watching the events and parades and resting in bed. I did this because my spirit was willing, but my body was too weak! Nevertheless, I admired the great intermingling of different skin colors. They were not afraid of their past. In fact, they integrated it — the history of slavery — in the celebrations. It was an unforgettable spectacle of gorgeous bodies in colorful costumes, of intense dancing, of great feasting, of nonstop drinking. I cannot forget the revelers with kinky hair and blue eyes. How can I? But now, at 84 years old, I am too old to experience it again. I will always have great memories that will forever stay with me.

What are your favorite pasalubongs, inbound and outbound?

Outbound: mangoes, both fresh and dried. These are always appreciated.

Inbound: foie gras and bacalao.

Name a country you wish to explore.

Kenya is my top choice. I have not been to Africa at all. But after reading books about President Barack Obama and some written by him, how I wish I could explore it. Remember, his father was Kenyan. What they say about him and his mastery of words really hits you. He is definitely a remarkable guy.

What would you say then is the worst part of travel?

Sitting on a plane. I don’t enjoy it unless I am traveling in first class.

If you could reside anywhere in the world aside from the Philippines where would it be?

Paris! Let’s just say that, even when they noisily set up the local markets with meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, cheese, and other products at three or four in the morning, it is still music to my ears!