Solaire serves Michelin cuisine as it turns 12
Solaire Resort Entertainment City marks its 12th anniversary this year by featuring three Michelin-starred chefs.
Chef Jun Yukimura, the owner of the three-Michelin-starred Azabu Yukimura in Tokyo, brought his mastery of the tradition to Yakumi on the first anniversary week with a bespoke nine-course Kaiseki dinner with each dish is complemented by premium sake and crafted Cocktails from award-winning mixologist Shingo Gokan. The celebrations continued the following week at Waterside with Chef Sun Kim, the owner of Meta, a two-Michelin star restaurant in Singapore known for its seasonally inspired and produce-driven Menu. Drawing on his diverse international experience and cultural roots, Chef Kim offered a contemporary dining experience with Korean influences. The dinner featured a six-course tasting menu paired with Tea Master He Jia’s tea creations.
Perhaps the most anticipated was when Finestra welcomed to its kitchen Chef Heinz Beck, one of the most notable “masters” of gastronomy in the world. The German chef is a founder of The Order of the Knights of Italian Cuisine and is also the author of best-selling book “L’Ingrediente Segreto” (The Secret Ingredient), which delves into the art of selecting ingredients and crafting innovative flavors. He owns eight restaurants (including Tuscany and Sicily) and the only three-Michelin starred restaurant in Rome — La Pergola.
I was lucky enough to be able to try his creations and it certainly was a dream as I could never dream of eating at La Pergola where reservations are pretty hard to get and prices are quite steep.
He prepared an unforgettable six-course dinner at Finestra, which included marinated amberjack with celeriac in seawater and oxidized chocolate, scampo with sweet peppers and green gazpacho, sedanini with red prawn and smoked aubergine coulis, pumpkin risotto with amaretti, pistachio crust veal, and red fruit ice sphere with tea cream and crystallized raspberries. Some of the dishes he prepared were dishes served at La Pergola and he told me that he actually brought here some of the ingredients he used from Italy.
Solaire’s vice president for Culinary Sebastian Kellerhoff said “For the past three years, we’ve had the privilege of bringing the world’s best chefs to celebrate our anniversary. Beyond offering exceptional service and unparalleled dining experiences, we also prioritize convenience by bringing Michelin-starred chefs closer to our guests. This allows the Filipino audience to witness firsthand how these culinary masters craft their menus and share their unique flavors, influenced by diverse cultural inspirations.”
(Experience world-class dishes at Solaire Resort Entertainment City. Check out https://sec.solaireresort.com/ or Solaire’s Instagram and Facebook pages.)
A book for a birthday
Atouching moment from Dioceldo Sy’s 67th birthday bash was the unveiling of a children’s book written in his honor and authored by his daughter, Denice Sy. “Dioceldo’s Big Dream” captures the inspiring journey of Ever Bilena Cosmetic Inc’s founder and CEO and starts from his childhood to his remarkable achievements in the cosmetics industry.
Denice shared that her father is widely known as a businessman, mentor, and friend but at home, he is also a loving grandfather. Inspired by his recent interviews and his love for children, she wanted to preserve his story in a way that would inspire young readers, especially her son, Jake, who was the first recipient of the book.
Co-authored by Ivan Arlantico and illustrated by Angelica Valdez Agulto-Pulido, the book draws inspiration from biographies like “Big John” (about John Gokongwei), “A Letter to My Grandchildren” by Waltermart founder Wilson Lim Jr., and the biography of Manila Bulletin’s Emilio Yap. Denice said that “Dioceldo’s Big Dream” is not for sale but was created as a family keepsake, ensuring that her father’s legacy lives on for generations.
The book was unveiled as part of a surprise birthday celebration at Sage Grill in Makati Shangri-La Hotel, where over 100 of Dioceldo’s closest friends and family. Hosting the event was his brother and Ever Bilena’s COO Silliman Sy. Silliman’s daughter, Sabrina, also presented Dioceldo with a hand-painted Levi’s denim jacket featuring an eagle design, symbolizing his resilience and vision. The party was spearheaded by Dioceldo’s life partner, Christine Codrington, and his children, Denice and Donway Sy.
Other guests spotted Luis Yu of Landers Philippines, retired Bloomberry president and COO Thomas Arasi, Miss Grand International 2021 1st Runner-Up Samantha Bernardo-Moore, actress Ara Mina, boxing champion Gerry Peñalosa, and Greek Ambassador to the Philippines Ioannis Pediotis and his wife, Aliki Pediotis.
Happy birthday, Dioceldo!
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