Featured

Level Up Your Cooking Game With AICA’s Culinary Classes

Who says you can’t learn to make restaurant-grade dishes at home? AICA’s short courses will have you channeling your inner Masterchef.

In life, learning never really stops. There are many iterations to this quote, penned by greater minds than me. However it’s put, it’s good advice. Any opportunity to learn is one that should be taken. So when an invitation to an AICA cooking class came along, I jumped at the chance.

I’ve always been interested in cooking, although my training consists mostly of cooking shows and YouTube tutorials. (Of course, getting to dine out in the city’s best restaurants does a lot for food appreciation.)

For a home chef like me, the chance to learn at the Academy of International Culinary Arts was something that’s hard to pass up. Founded in 2004, AICA has consistently produced world-class graduates, many of whom are now working in restaurant kitchens around the world.

In any case, we found ourselves in the middle of a professional kitchen one Saturday afternoon. Together with our good friends Karlo Lim and Vanessa East, we were ready to learn how to whip up a restaurant-grade three-course meal.

The filling for the spinach ravioli in progress, which has the vegetable mixed with ricotta cheese and some herbs and spices.

The Class

In-house instructor Chef Tim gave us the feel of a restaurant kitchen even before we entered it. We were given strict orders to put on our aprons correctly, tie our hair back, and wash our hands thoroughly–and then we were escorted inside.

Once that was done, the afternoon’s menu was handed out to us. On paper, the lengthy recipes seemed a little daunting to us amateurs–the sheer number of steps told us that the day’s meal would take hours to make. In any case, we were ready for a challenge.

For the starter was spinach ravioli–the homemade pasta was probably the trickiest to make that afternoon. Rolling it out into the perfect thickness (without ripping the dough) took some teamwork, and a lot of elbow grease.

Running the dough through the pasta maker served to be one of the biggest challenge. The trick is to start with the widest setting, and work your way down to get the best size.

Roast chicken was up for the main course. The secret to a great tasting chicken, apparently, is in the seasoning. A generous coating of salt, pepper and herbs is all you really need to amp up the taste. This was paired with creamy mashed potatoes.

Wrapping up the meal was the panna cotta, which was actually one of the first things we had to make. Chocolate was melted, mixed into cream, poured into shot glasses, then placed into the freezer for serving.

The afternoon ended with a sit-down dinner, wherein the professional chefs plated our less-than-professional creations. Each bite was delicious–whether that’s because it actually was, or because I had made it myself, we’ll never be sure of.

Karlo Lim and Vanessa East working on their pasta dough.

For the Kids

This summer, AICA offers the same experience for the young ones. The school designed a cooking class especially for kids and teens–Kiddie Cooks for kids aged 6 to 8, and Teens in the Kitchen for 9 to 14-year-olds.

AICA’s chef instructors promise hands-on training in a safe and fun environment, which will teach kids the value of fine ingredients and appreciation for the culinary arts.

The Gallery, Juan Luna Ave. corner Golam Drive, Kasambagan, Cebu City
For inquiries on available schedules and reservations, call +63 32 268 5636 or email aicacebu_marcom@yahoo.com

Events

An Ocean of Flavors: The Bada Opens Their Second Branch

A trail of white smoke, along with the scent of roasted pork and the sizzle of the flaming grill will welcome you once you enter the tinted doors of the second branch of The Bada Korean Restaurant.

A trail of white smoke, along with the scent of roasted pork and the sizzle of the flaming grill will welcome you once you enter the tinted doors of the second branch of The Bada Korean Restaurant. Located at A.S Fortuna, Mandaue City, The Bada is sure to leave you with a satisfied appetite and a full stomach.

The name “bada,” which is Korean for ocean, was used since it started out by selling more seafood items than meat. Later on, the restaurant pursued on selling more meaty items on its menu. Although, no different than their first branch, The Bada gives its customers the opportunity to experience Korean food culture at a fair price of P299.00 only per person. With that, you already get an unlimited amount of the coveted samgyeopsal. But what makes the second branch much better than the first one? The A.S Fortuna branch is more spacious, well-ventilated, and vibrant; perfect for when you want to take some selfies or Instagram-worthy photos.

More than that, The Bada offers a round up of your favorite Korean dishes such as gimbap (seaweed rice roll), samgyeopsal (grilled pork), bulgogi (which literally means “fire meat”), bibimbap (mixed rice), and the like. Pair all of that with some soju and you’re good to go!

What makes them different from other Korean restaurants in the metro, owners and brothers Paul, Mason, and Min Ho Kim say that it’s their marinated bulgogi. While other Korean restaurants offer it just as it is, theirs is made with a special Korean marinade sauce; a recipe created by their own mother.

And while the Korean cuisine, in general, may be a bit foreign to our Filipino palate, The Bada’s bulgogi gives a slight familiarity to the taste.

“We’ve got [Korean] food that Filipinos also like,” says Paul.

What to do when you get there

Since the The Bada is an all-you-can-eat restaurant, we recommend you to bring your coworkers, friends, or family since they serve a generous amount of food (remember, they’re unlimited).

Getting there may take you on a few rides should you choose to use public transportation, but all that will be forgiven once you enter the brightly lit and steamy room. You’ll find yourself hungry for a decent amount of meat after taking in the sweet and savory scent of sizzling samgyeopsal. Take your time in choosing from an unlimited choice of Korean food, there’s no need to wait since the friendly staff will serve them almost right away with a smile.

Once the food arrives at your table, you’ll find yourself with an array of side dishes, lettuce wrap, and, of course, the meat. Start off by grilling the meat on the stove to your desired doneness. Once cooked, put one or two pieces on a lettuce wrap, add some side dishes, and wrap them all up. In one big satisfying bite, expect a burst of different flavors will definitely hug your taste buds.

Make sure to also try their bibimbap, gimbap and their authentic seaweed soup, you’ll surely feel satisfied after doing so. And what is Korean food without the famous kimchi, right? The Bada’s kimchi is unforgettable with just the right and balanced blend of fermented vinegar and spice, the perfect pair for your orders.

With its promising and delectable menu, The Bada will surely feed the Seoul-ful foodie that’s inside you.

The Bada opens from 11 A.M. to 12 M.N.
Visit them at A.S Fortuna, Mandaue City, right beside Benedicto College.

Featured

Bringing businesses together: Lalamove paves way for SMEs across the globe to “Make a Winning Move”

The local episode #LalamoveItToWinIt to support MSMEs across PH

To inspire businesses around Asia and Latin America, Lalamove has launched a regional branding campaign “Make a Winning Move” to showcase its various B2B services, strong driver-partner network, and wide-ranging fleet for fast and reliable delivery solutions. Locally, the on-demand delivery platform has kicked off the campaign by inviting its patrons, old and new, to #LalamoveItToWinIt.

Now more than ever, businesses are focusing their efforts on an experience-led customer journey. With deliveries as undeniably crucial for businesses to fulfill their services and win over customers, the central creative idea behind the regional campaign revolves around such scenarios where Lalamove’s services and B2B features help entrepreneurs stay ahead of the intense competition.

Lalamove, as the trusted delivery partner, has been servicing businesses of all sizes in the Philippines. Lalamove’s corporate clients can enjoy the on-demand delivery platform’s variety of business solutions, such as multi-stop delivery, API integration, real-time GPS tracking, a wide variety of fleet for on-demand, same-day, long distance, and last-mile delivery, and a dedicated account manager.

“The Philippines has more than 900,000 businesses, over 99% of which are MSMEs. What Lalamove offers businesses of all sizes is faster, easier, and a more seamless delivery experience to help them save time and costs. Our dedicated partner drivers, the economic frontliners of today, are here to deliver to an even wider reach across Luzon and in Cebu. This campaign is the visualization of what we can do to help businesses jump over hurdles – simply put, just ‘Lalamove It to Win It!’” remarked Dannah Majarocon, Lalamove Philippines Managing Director.

First-time users of the Lalamove mobile delivery app can get up to Php 150 off when they sign up and use the code LALAWINIT. New corporate clients, on the other hand, can also receive a welcome bonus of up to Php 1,200 when they sign up and top-up their Lalamove corporate wallet. Moreover, with Lalamove Rewards recently launched, each delivery for every user is now made even more rewarding.

Find out more about what Lalamove offers by visiting www.lalamove.com/lalamoveittowinit, or follow the official Lalamove Facebook page, Instagram account, and TikTok account for more information.

***

ABOUT LALAMOVE

Launched in the Philippines in late 2016, Lalamove is an on-demand logistics company that matches drivers with customers and SME businesses to fulfill same-day deliveries. Lalamove’s mission of making local deliveries faster and simpler across North, Central, and South Luzon, and in Cebu is achieved through innovations such as instant order matching, real-time GPS vehicle tracking, 24/7 services, and a driver rating system. Lalamove also allows businesses to scale their deliveries and operations at an accelerated rate. Lalamove now operates in over 30 markets across Asia and Latin America. Visit Lalamove’s website: http://lalamove.com

Featured

King-size Treats Await Dad this Father’s Day at Seda Central Bloc

Misto Restaurant at Seda Central Bloc

King-size Treats for the King!

by Ryan Daniel R. Dablo

Seda Central Bloc celebrates the hardworking hero and steadfast lynchpin of the home with its offerings for Father’s Day weekend.

At the Misto, Seda’s restaurant, Dad gets to sample the delicious international cuisine for free when dining with five full-paying adults. If an evening dine-out is more the family’s speed, the Straight Up bar offers a dinner buffet with a continental menu and mocktails, all enjoyed amid a backdrop of excellent cityscape views from the rooftop. Staycation at the hotel comes packed with perks for the weekend as well, such as complimentary lunch at the Misto, drinks at the Straight Up bar, and breakfast for two.