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A famous chef is opening a restaurant in Cebu, and we couldn’t be more excited!

Cebu’s dining scene just keeps getting better and better! Zee Lifestyle gets an exclusive preview of Ñ, a brand new dining concept spearheaded by a celebrated Spanish chef who runs one of the 50 best restaurants in Asia.

VASK Tapas Room's Chef Luis "Chele" Gonzales

VASK Tapas Room’s Chef Luis “Chele” Gonzales

Chele Gonzalez is no stranger to the Zee Lifestyle crowd.

Last year, the talented Spaniard was the guest chef at the Bohol Break, the kick-off festivities for this publication’s 20th year anniversary. While the highlight of that event was a fashion show featuring the latest collections of Jun Escario and Mia Arcenas, the food was equally memorable, with people singing praises about the Wagyu ribs and the scallops with black ink risotto.

When we heard that Chef Chele was working with Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan to offer a unique dining experience in Cebu, we couldn’t resist hopping on a plane for an exclusive preview. The patience in dealing with a three-hour delayed flight and Manila traffic paid off when we finally stepped into the cool industrial-chic interiors of VASK Tapas Room in BGC.

Decked in his chef whites, Chef Chele was all smiles and waved off our profuse apologies for our tardiness. “The Spanish eat late!” he exclaims, bidding us to settle in our seats. Assuming correctly that we were starving, Chef Chele wastes no time in serving us our individual plated amuse bouche alongside a glass of champagne. He gestures a preferred eating order—Crispy Oysters with Spicy Paprika Mayonnaise and Cilantro first, followed by the Jamon and Parmesan Mousse Pinxto, and ending with the Croqueta de Txipiron, a black ink squid Spanish croqueta. Those three small bites alone signaled that we were definitely in for an extraordinary dinner.

VASK Tapas Room in BGC

VASK Tapas Room in BGC

It’s hard to imagine anything topping those appetizers, but we were quickly proven wrong with the arrival of the Wagyu Carpaccio with Parmesan Ice Cream and Pine Nuts, which was deemed an instant favorite among the Cebu guests. The thin slices of Wagyu beautifully offset the burst of flavor from the ice cream and the texture of the nuts. Next came a series of other appetizers, each of them impressive enough to make everyone look forward to Chef Chele’s new dining concept in Cebu.

Wagyu Carpaccio with Parmesan Ice Cream and Pine Nuts

Wagyu Carpaccio with Parmesan Ice Cream and Pine Nuts

“It’s going to be part of Crimson’s new expansion,” shares Crimson Resort & Spa’s PR & Marcom Manager Mia Mae Sy over servings of Vieras Gratinadas and Pulpo a la Gallega, the latter of which being a grilled and smoked octopus with a potato emulsion and crispy paprika that everyone will say was their favorite dish at the end of the evening. For the past few years, the resort has been undergoing extensive renovations that sees the addition of a new swimming pool and a new Crimzone (the current kid activity center will be converted into a café). Chef Chele’s new restaurant, to be called Ñ, will replace Tempo. 

With a culinary degree from Arxanda, Bilbao and an extensive career working in some of the world’s most respected restaurants, it’s easy to see how Chef Chele quickly propelled VASK Tapas Room into a cool 39th ranking among Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants of 2016. It takes serious skill to create authentic Spanish cuisine with a modern twist, and yet he does so quite impressively that Cebu should definitely be excited he’s choosing the Queen City as his next home. 

Hayde Quiñanola of Cebu Daily News, Patty Taboada of Zee Lifestyle and Sun.Star Cebu's Luis III Quibranza (rightmost) with Crimson Hotel Filinvest City's Corporate PR and MarCom Manager Mawi de Ocampo, VASK Tapas Bar's Patricia Kirkpatrick, and Crimson Mactan's PR and MarCom Manager Mia Mae Sy

Hayde Quiñanola of Cebu Daily News, Patty Taboada of Zee Lifestyle and Sun.Star Cebu’s Luis III Quibranza (rightmost) with Chroma’s Corporate PR and MarCom Manager Mawi de Ocampo, VASK Tapas Bar’s Patricia Kirkpatrick, and Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan’s PR and MarCom Manager Mia Mae Sy

Paired with a glass of chilled white wine, the ‘Lechon’ Tacos were served. Tender Carnitas were mixed with Mango Salsa Jalapeño Frijoles Mousse and Sour Cream, and while it was good as it is, we’re interested to see his take on it with Cebu lechon—a suggestion Chef Chele took with enthusiasm. The 62’C Organic Egg, Porcini Mash, Foie Gras, Truffle and Crispy Jamon Iberico was also a hit among the guests. Breaking the poached egg and having the yolk mixed with the red wine sauce is a unique sensory experience, with its interesting flavors and textures.

“You aren’t even at the main courses yet!” Chef Chele laughs amid our proclamations that we were getting full. This was met with almost-comical flabbergasted stares, prompting the man of the hour to reassure us that we only had a few more dishes to go, and most of them were for sharing. Red wine was poured to go with our Rabo al Vino Tinto, which was a slow-cooked oxtail with red wine and potatoes. We also had the Pescado con Refrito de Ajos, grilled catch-of-the-day with garlic, sherry vinegar and potato; and the Foie and Porcini Risotto. Despite our initial claims, we couldn’t help but go back for seconds anyway—the oxtail was amazingly tender, and the risotto heavenly. 

Rabo al Vino Tinto: Slow-cooked oxtail with red wine and potatoes

Rabo al Vino Tinto: Slow-cooked oxtail with red wine and potatoes

Considering how much we’ve had to eat, it’s amazing that we could even still make room for dessert. As it is, we couldn’t resist a helping of Torrija, brioche dipped in milk with Anise ice cream. You’d think that at this point we’d be overwhelmed with all the flavors, but the delicate sweetness of that dessert was just what we needed to end the night. 

Vieras Gratinadas: Baked scallops with Bechamel sauce and cheese

Vieras Gratinadas: Baked scallops with Bechamel sauce and cheese

The dining scene in Cebu has seen so much development in the recent years. Existing establishments have reinvented themselves, while new concepts have been introduced—all to adapt to a more sophisticated palate. Ñ is set to be a dazzling addition to the scene, and with everything we’ve tasted so far (all dishes mentioned above will be offered in Cebu), all we can say is it’s going to be a game changer.

Ñ will open at Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan later this year.

CRIMSON RESORT & SPA MACTAN
Seascapes Resort Town, Mactan Island
website | Facebook

VASK TAPAS BAR
5F Clipp Center, 11th Avenue,
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Manila
website | Facebook

Contributed photos.

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Arts & Culture

Chaos and Clarity: Zen Aesthetic in Oj Hofer’s Art

by Jing Ramos |

Oj Hofer, our fashion contributing editor, is a Fine Arts graduate from the University of the Philippines. Though he began painting at the age of eight, his artistic journey took a transformative turn in 2013. While volunteering as a costume designer for Siddhartha: The Musical, he encountered Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s One-Stroke Calligraphy, sparking a deep devotion to Japanese sumi-e painting and kanji calligraphy. Over the years, he refined his craft, using his art to share the Dharma through exhibitions while supporting the Hsing Yun Educational Foundation. In 2022, his spiritual path deepened at Nan Tien University, where he embraced Zen and Humanistic Buddhism, shaping his artistic philosophy.

“Plum Blossoms in Moonlight.” Serigraphy on abaca.

In his recent works, Hofer merges traditional calligraphy with serigraphy, drawing inspiration from his friend Charles Lahti—an internationally recognized New York-based painter and printmaker. Lahti, known for his collaborations with post-war American artists like Robert Rauschenberg, Donald Judd, Andy Warhol, and LeRoy Neiman, introduced Hofer to silkscreen techniques. Through a workshop Lahti conducted in Cebu—arranged by their mutual friend Greg Urra—Hofer integrated silkscreen into his Zen artworks, particularly those on abaca.

“The Circle of Harmony” Serigraphy and Calligraphy on abaca.

Hofer’s cross-disciplinary approach challenges conventional Zen aesthetics. His layered paintings on abaca may seem far from tranquil at first glance, but closer contemplation reveals a meditative core. His serigraph of an Enso circle, for example, initially appears chaotic, filled with Tang Dynasty poetry and overlapping, repetitive forms. Yet, by focusing on a single calligraphic element, the viewer experiences a moment of clarity—a glimpse of awakening within the visual complexity.

“Monkey Mind” Serigraphy and Calligraphy on abaca.

Even more engaging is his diptych Monkey Mind. At odds with the traditional Zen emphasis on negative space, this piece is deliberately busy, reflecting the restless nature of the mind. A distracted viewer may struggle to find a focal point, but one attuned to emptiness and presence will perceive clarity amidst the seeming disarray.

Ink and intention—creating calligraphy in support of one of my advocacies.

By fusing Zen philosophy with the discipline of serigraphy, Hofer invites his audience to look beyond surface impressions and discover stillness within movement, balance within complexity. His art does not merely depict Zen—it embodies the paradoxes at its core, offering a path to mindfulness through the act of seeing and the experience of doing.

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Arts & Culture

What is Sappia? The Rice Myth Goddess of Bohol Who Helped Feed the People During a Great Famine

by Emma Gomez

The story began when the people of Bohol started to experience hunger and famine. All the livestocks were inedible and the fields were dried out leaving only weeds planted on the ground. The people prayed to the goddess of mercy, Sappia, to ask for food.

Sappia, the rice myth goddess of Bohol

Sappia, from the heavens, heard the cries of the people. She saw the dense population of weeds and offered to help them. Sappia thought of nourishing the weeds to be edible and healthy for the people of Bohol. Straightaway, she sprinkled the weed with milk from her bossom. She emptied each breast until blood came out. Before she left, she whispered to the weeds that they may be nourished and be able to feed the people.

When harvest season came, the people of Bohol quickly gathered the nourished weeds. They observed that the ones sprinkled with milk were white, while the other were red. They called the new plant rice and they replanted these in honor of Sappia, and for the people to devour.

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Arts & Culture

Kimsoy’s Canvas of a Lifetime in Full Display

by Diana Gillo

There is nothing more fascinating than seeing an artist’s lifetime of work in one room. Such is the experience in Jose “Kimsoy” Yap’s third solo exhibit entitled “Kimsoy: Episodes of Mastery,” at Galerie Raphael Cebu. This serves as the truest form of homage to his enduring journey, showcasing works that span over decades.

Kimsoy with his student and muse, Zhara Rivera Mercado, at the entrance of Galerie Raphael

The exhibit speaks greatly of Kimsoy’s evolution as an artist, with his shifting mediums and remarkable variety of subjects. His creations range from heartfelt portraits of individuals he encountered along his journey to detailed landscapes inspired by the different walks of his life. The room’s layout carries the weight of his years of craft with one wall lined with pastels, another with watercolors, and another with oil painting. 

As the River Flows Onward by Kimsoy Yap 2020 | Oil on canvas | 82×48 inches

The exhibit transcends beyond just the commemoration of Kimsoy’s masterful periods. It wanders more into a sense of intimacy reflecting Kimsoy’s life’s journey—from his roots as a young boy in Negros Oriental, through his pursuit of greater artistic mastery in New York, to his prominence in Cebu’s art scene. All his work freehanded, created both with his left and right hand, depicts the ways in which we all leave traces of ourselves in our work and in the world.

A Friend of Mine 1979 | watercolor on paper | 24×18 inches

In a Relaxed Mood 1977 | water color on paper | 16×19.5 inches

The opening ceremony featured Ambassador Jose Mari Cariño, alongside special guests Ivy Ang Gabas, Paolo Li, Angbetic Tan, Laurie Bouquiren of the Visayas Art Fair, and Valerie Go of Galerie Raphael Cebu. The exhibit is open until March 21, 2025.

 

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