Sofitel Philippine Plaza pays tribute to Moms this Mother’s Day, 12th of May, 2013. Spiral’s Master Chefs paying homage to their mother’s cooking. The Chefs will be featuring their personal favorites of their mother’s signature dishes.
Executive Chinese Chef Mok Chee Wah is presenting his mother’s signature dish “slow cooked chicken with Chinese herbs wrapped in lotus leaf” which is part of her family’s tradition growing up in Guangdong. Chef Mok says, “As Mother’s Day is fast approaching, I would like to thank my Mom, San-Ahnooi, for her kind and caring heart. Every time when I’m sad my mother would cook her signature dish, also one of my favourite dish to cheer me up. Today I also prepare it for my children.” Chef Mok explains that his Mom believes that Chinese herbs are good for growing children since it is healthy. This dish is special because it takes 3 to 4 hours to make.
Executive Chef Eric Costille is presenting his Mom Claudine’s best dish a fusion of French and Italian cooking, “Rabbit cocotte with rosemary and olives, gratinated parmesan polenta.” He explains, “My ancestors came from Italy and migrated to France early 1900s. My mom was born in France but at home, the food was Italian. Rabbit is almost as popular as chicken in Italy and France. My Mom serves it with polenta and I have fond memories of her cooking it for us during our family reunion on Sundays.
Indian Chef Halim Ali Khan is presenting his childhood’s favourite dish, “Egg Biryani”. Biryani is a typical rice dish from India and most of the varieties come from Hyddrabad where he comes from. Chef Halim relates, “As per the tradition of a Muslim family, my mother, Habetun, always emphasized on the food prepared on special occasions like Eid, Ramadan, weddings etc. and for our family she used to cook this regularly on weekends especially on my school holidays. She makes this dish unique by her masterful use of garam masala with basmati rice, egg and ghee which also makes it very nutritious and flavourful rather than heavy or rich. I have fond memories of my Mom preparing this for our extended family gatherings.”
Japanese Chef Hiroaki Yamaguchi is preparing “Nikujaga” a Japanese beef stew considered by the Japanese as comfort food. This is because it evokes a strong feeling of nostalgia with memories of their mothers making it for them. Nikujaga is a dish that has potatoes, thin beef slices, onions, ginger, dashi soup stock, sugar, sake and sesame oil. As the saying goes “ofukuro no aji” meaning “mothers flavor”.
Chef de Cuisine – Western Anne Cecile Degenne, will prepare her mother’s version of “Paella”, a traditional rice dish from Spain. Having been raised in Bordeaux, near the Spanish border, she used to spend all her summer holidays in Spain where many of her mother’s familly lived. To relive their fond memories of the country, her Mom cooks paella when she misses Spain. Chef Cecile says, “She taught me all the secrets in making a good paella at our outdoor kitchen during the summer. It is the same paella that I’m making now in Spiral.”
Goat Caldereta is what Chef de Partie and Filipino Chef Jojo Babierra recalls as one of the signature dishes that is passed to him by her mother, Consuelo. At a very young age, Chef Jojo was already exposed in the kitchen with his mother who used to own a small restaurant in Lucban that serves authentic Filipino dishes. Goat Caldereta reminds him a lot of his childhood and is one of his comfort food. The dish according to him also reflects her mother’s dedication and precision in cooking.
Chef Tweet Obsequio, our Master Chocolatier fresh from winning the Gold medal and Lássiette Dór Trophy for pralines during the recently concluded Chefs on Parade will be preparing Jasmin praline which is a dark chocolate infused with jasmine tea. Jasmin tea has always been served to Chef Tweet growing up with her Mom Rose, who is Filipino – Chinese. Her Mom always told her that drinking Jasmin tea is a beauty secret in her family passed on from China because it makes the ladies beautiful – as it is a good anti-oxidant, good for slimming, reduces fat and cholesterol absorption. Chef Tweet loved the lingering fragrant smell of jasmine from her Mom’s perfume and reminds her of her home and that’s why for Mother’s Day, she is making a jasmine praline.
A special fashion show featuring the summer holiday collections of Pia Gladys Perey fresh from the L.A. Fashion week and international Formula racer driver and designer Mark Bumgarner. will highlight celebrity mother – daughters and sons namely actress Rhian Ramos and Mom Lay Ramos, Tacloban councillor Cristina Gonzales – Romualdez, actress Giselle Toengi – Walters and daughter Sakura, model and beauty queen Maggie Wilson – Consunji, model and journalist Georgia Schulze Del Rosario and daughters, actress Gwen Zamora and Mom Therese Agnese, beauty queen Patty Betita and son Emilio Ejercito, Patricia Bermudez – Hizon.
I was able to visit Spiral last month, three months since I last went there. This time around I was toured by Blessy Townes, Director of E-Commerce for Sofitel Manila. She showed me the hidden/secret rooms wherein guests can use for intimate gatherings.
A room with a view… of the chefs in action that is.
I like that there’s a seating area where guests can chat in a very laid back setting. Perfect for kids too since they prefer to lounge and play.
Here’s another room.
Meanwhile, here’s a closer look at the dessert area of Spiral which I hadn’t taken photos of during our anniversary date. Check out the lovely creations of Chef Tweet Obsequio (as seen in photo), Spiral’s Master Chocolatier that won the Gold medal and Lássiette Dór Trophy for pralines. How lovely and unique are here pralines? My favorites are the bag and bahay kubo pralines.
Cutie animals and mini Eiffel tower are all made of chocolates.
Spiral’s Mother’s Day sweet treat. Awww, I would love to have a box of that Mother & child chocolate.
Because sweetness is my weakness. I want to own a cold dessert drawer just like this.
Spiral has one of the best chocolate chip cookies EVER. Topped it off with milk & dark chocolates and you’re good.
Spiral’s 21 Ateliers:
Salad and Appetizer
Fresh locally grown produce and organic colorful vegetables freshly picked from our garden will be tossed for you by our chefs with your choice of home made salad dressings.
L’Écailler
Jewels from the sea from oysters, salmon, prawns, crabs and other seafood sourced from all over the world prepared with fresh organic vegetables and your choice of sauces from white wine, vinegar or zesty lemons. Indeed, the world is your oyster, this time, its freshly shucked oyster by the l’écalier.
Sushi Sashimi
A raw bar with all the fresh sushi and sashimi prepared for you by our sushi chefs. Japanese rituals abound at this cold stone counter. Temakis and nigiri are in abundance.
L’Epicerie
Meat and Cheese lovers will be on seventh heaven in this room where one could feast from a wide variety of premium aged hams, charcuterie, smoked fish, artisanal cheese from France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Switzerland creamery products. Pair them with olives, herbs, sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, sauces and condiments for a real gourmet experience.
Hot Japanese
From a delectable choice of fresh natural ingredients, Japanese cuisine never ceases to amaze one with its simplicity and artistry. Enjoy a selection of traditional grilled sea food, meat and vegetables cooked at the robata or at the teppanyaki.
French Stove
With every dish meticulously prepared, authentic French dishes are a labor of love. Savour home-made seared foie gras, luscious roasted meat and carving, seafood, grilled food and regional French cuisines that will surely impress every gourmand.
Rotisserie
The aroma of roasted meats triggers the sense of taste and brings back the time honored traditions since 1400 in Paris. Slow cooked meats give you a chance to try a selection of home – cooked lamb, chicken and pork with its rich natural juices blended with various marinades and herbs from the secret recipes of our chefs.
Wood fired oven
Pizza with pizzazz – just as the Italian “Mama” makes it at the traditional wood-fired oven with fresh ingredients.
Churrasco
Savor a variety of mouthwatering juicy skewered steaks and sea food with matching hot sauces and your choice of herbs straight from the churrasco which originates from Brazil. Ask the chefs that move around to grill what their fine meats and seafood are on offer that day.
North Indian
Inspired by maharajah of Northern India, your taste buds are in for a fiery and spicy treat. Discover the pomp and pageantry of Indian cuisine – North (naan and tandoori) and South Indian cuisine (dosa and chutneys) at its best. Lavish and homemade dishes include tandoori-spiced meats with Indian and Asian breads and sauces. Vegetarians will surely have a feast with a selection of dal, paneers and chutney.
Asian Noodles
Hand pulled Asian noodles prepared many hours before; with a variety of broth, sauces and an extensive range of condiments and soup stocks to choose from. If that is not enough, ask the chef to make your own noodle recipe. Try the authentic steamed and fried dimsum from different parts of China.
Peking Duck Oven
Roasted to perfection, enjoy peking duck, one of the Chinese atelier’s star dishes which goes back to the tradition of the Emperors Palace in Beijing during the Imperial times. Also on offer are Chinese barbecue.
Chinese Wok
The sight of flames, the sight and sound of the Chinese master chef cooking stimulates one’s appetite. Let him entice you to try his signature dishes reflecting all parts of China whether Cantonese, Hunan, Sichuan and regional. Also choose from a selection of Wok cooked Chinese dishes.
Steam Baskets
Savor endless authentic steam and fried dimsum from siao long pao, siomai, dumpling and wonton from all over China.
Filipino
Warm your palates with a delectable array of traditional Filipino dishes like beef tapa and adobo with its unique sauces from coconut base and dashed with spices. These can be paired with your all-time favourites such as the mouth-watering kare kare with its peanut based sauce and the amazing crispy pata among the many which will want you to crave for more. Surely just take the culinary adventure and try the Filipino dishes with homemade and heirloom recipes from our notable Spiral Chefs.
Thai
Fiery flavors of Thai cuisine beckon you with its fabled soups and curries. In contrast to the chili dishes Thailand is known for, Thai food infuses a lot of zesty lime, kaffir and basil to its rich flavors.
Korean
Sizzling plates and freshly tossed vegetables await Korean food aficionados. Korean dishes like dakdoritang (spicy chicken stew) and changjorim (soy braised bean), kimchi, bulgogi , beef short rib barbeque, chili chicken barbeque, pork rib barbeque, squid chili barbeque, bibimbab , five kInds of kimchi and five kinds of namal will be on offer for you.
La Boulangerie
Follow the smell of warm and freshly baked baguettes, pain au chocolat, croissants and you end up at the La Boulangerie right at Spiral where you can choose from a selection of freshly baked breads – all hand rolled. Healthy choices include rye and gluten free breads.
La Patisserie
Sweet endings are the perfect way to end a memorable dining experience – succumb to the temptation of freshly baked French pastries of all shapes, fillings, textures and sizes.
Chocolaterie
Chocolates are the stuff sweet dreams are made of. Indulge in artisanal chocolates, truffles and pralines intricately designed whether dark, white or milk chocolate from the best cocoa in the world and all freshly made for you by our chocolatiers. One bite of these devilishly good chocolates will surely send you to seventh heaven with its intense flavors and colors.
Creamery
Imagine sweet temptations – all types of ice cream at the tip of your tongue from your favourite fruity and citrus flavors along with dark chocolates and toppings.
Oh my, just reading about the 21 Ateliers made me hungry, if this doesn’t get you to try Spiral I don’t know what will. While typing this, I am reminded of the buffet I had when I visited Sofitel Manila for my treatments at Vietura Aesthetic Lifestyle Center.
The Mother’s Day Brunch on May 12., 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm is at Php3,250++ for adults and for children 5 years old to 11 years old at Php 1,600++, kids 4 years and below free.
Go ahead, treat Mom this Mother’s Day at Spiral Sofitel Manila. She will definitely appreciate it. 
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