Celebrating France
Anthony Jude Violago, or AJ to his friends, together with Michele Boccoz, Ambassador of France to the Philippines, held a dinner to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations of the Philippines and France and to also celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of AJ’s parents, Oscar and the late Olympia Violago.
No less than three-star Michelin chef Alain Passard of the legendary Parisian restaurant L’Arpege and Asia’s Best Female Chef 2016 Margarita Fores prepared the Arpege/Passard menu for the night.
L’Arpege has maintained its three-star Michelin rating since 1996. Passard shocked the food world when in 2001, for the first time in a three-star Parisian Michelin restaurant he created a menu eradicating meat from his restaurant and made vegetables the star of his menu.
He has now put back seafood and meat on his menu and served an amazing seven-course dinner that included his iconic Hot and Cold Egg with Maple Syrup, a warm poached egg yolk with a cold spice and cherry-infused cream topped with maple syrup. This legendary egg dish has been on his menu for over 30 years.
Also brought and served from France were Normandy duck foie gras with Perigord truffles, French blue lobster from Chausey (served with three sauces prepared by Margarita: lemongrass, aligue [crab tomalley], and guava), and Charolais beef, one of the best French cattle breeds.
As he still specializes in vegetables, the “Gardener’s Colour Palette” was served. This other famous dish of his was served with local blanched vegetables with a simple sauce of emulsified olive oil with lime and honey. As someone not fond of vegetables, this dish surprised me and would probably end up as one of my favorite dishes that night.
The meal ended with an apple tart and a selection of French cheese. Alain and Margarita were assisted by Alain’s son Louis and L’Arpege commis Alex Guerraz with the Filipino team of Raul Fores, Jorge Mendez, Valery Anthony, and Miko Calo.
Guests included a lot of members of the diplomatic corps and two French actors who were in Manila for the French Film Festival as well: Lucas Bravo, who is widely known as chef Gabriel in the show Emily in Paris, and the iconic and legendary Isabelle Huppert, one of the greatest French actresses ever. Singing and dancing took place after the speeches and dinner, as well as more photo ops with the star chef and the French actors as they graciously posed for photos.
Here’s to more years of friendship between the Philippines and France!
* * *
Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.
- Latest
