As a perfect gift for Dad, try their special deluxe Chocolate Mango Truffle – a delicious amalgamation of dark chocolate and mango mousse, replete with mango cubes, rum infusion, and chocolate ganache. You can pre-order on or before June 17 in time for picking up for Father’s Day weekend.
Cheers to our fathers! Happy Father’s Day!
+639190836768
hospitality.ceb@marcopolohotels.com
Gastronomic adventures await at Café Marco! For inquiries and reservations, you can call (032) 253-1111. For real time updates, like the Facebook page at facebook.com/marcopolocebu or follow on Twitter at @5StarInCebu. Visit the website at www.marcopolohotels.com.
For inquiries and reservations, call 253-1111 or email hospitality.ceb@marcopolohotels.com.
]]>From September 11 to 15, eat and drink Italian at the hotel’s poolside restaurant. This is in collaboration with Giuseppe Pizzeria & Sicilian Roast where together with Marco Polo Plaza’s culinary team, we will feature the delectable Italian culinary masterpieces of Chef Giuseppe Genco and Chef Luca Genco. Enjoy traditional Sicilian comfort food and indulge in delicately prepared Italian pastas such as Spinach Ravioli, Rigatoni Pasta, Farfalle Seafood pasta, Penne Pesto Genovese and Italian Sausage Cannelloni.
Hand-made and wood-fired cooked pizzas are a must try together with different kinds of Sicilian Roasts. Of course, this fete would not be complete without a glass of Italian wine to complete the Italian experience.
The La Dolce Vita menu will be available at El Viento Restaurant & Pool Bar from September 11 to 15. Discover more gastronomic adventures here at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu.
For inquiries and reservations, call (032) 253-1111 or email mpplaza@marcopolohotels.com. Like facebook.com/marcopolocebu and follow instagram.com/marcopolocebu to stay updated on all hotel activities and promotions.
]]>From November 7 to 10, come and enjoy delectable Indian dishes at Café Marco as it explores India through Khana. Khana means “food” in Hindi, and India has one of the world’s most colorful and diverse cuisines. Bringing her repertoire of skills and experience to the Café Marco kitchen is Culinary Consultant Ms. Judeline Murjani who has been doing this with us for 3 years now. Together with Café Marco’s award winning chefs, they will create a delectable Indian feast served on top of the restaurant’s international buffet spread.
Savor delicious and authentic Indian dishes like chili pakoora, pulao biryani, the succulent lamb shish kebab and Raan. Dig into this fest for the senses and be tempted with several Indian sweets at the dessert buffet. So come up to Nivel Hills and gather your friends and family to celebrate the Festival of Lights and experience a wonderful culinary journey featuring the authentic taste of India, only at Cebu City’s finest, Marco Polo Plaza!
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Cebu Goes Culinary happens every two years and the participants are different hotels, schools and establishments that are members of HRRAC – Hotel Resort & Restaurant Association of Cebu.
Bagging the Overall Champion award in the professional category, the hotel garnered medals and diplomas in 18 out of the 20 categories that they participated in.
The highest award of Gold with Distinction was given to the hotel’s team who participated in the category Table Setting. Restaurant Supervisor Loren Paul Escalante said that his work was inspired by how his grandparents would do traditional dinner dates. They are the only team in the entire competition (including all the other categories) to have received the award Gold with Distinction which means all judges awarded them 100 points. “It feels amazing since it is so difficult to achieve a perfect score in Table Setting. The judges are very technical and traditional in terms of table appointments,” said Loren Escalante.
Other categories that Marco Polo Plaza received awards are the following – For gold: Entremetier, Happy Hour, Cocktail Mixing, Pralines and Baby Chocolate Cake. For silver: Modern Chef, Soup Bowl, Coffee Concoction, Plated Desserts, Food Styling & Photography, Creative Cake Deco, Flairtending, and Klasika Kulenarya. For Bronze: Pantry Chef, and finally for Diploma: Napkin Folding, Wedding Cake and Chef Wars.
Marco Polo Plaza General Manager Brian Connelly shared a heart-warming message to the participants immediately after the awarding. Here’s an excerpt: “Team, as you know I am not one for a loss of words. However, tonight I am struggling to find superlatives to describe my intense pride, sincere appreciation and professional respect for all of our associates who worked so hard to make this happen. A team is made of selfless individuals and leaders who together create a sum that is greater than the parts. Please allow me to extend my genuine heartfelt congratulations to all of those individuals who made today a hotel memory that will never be forgotten. After almost 30 years of being a General Manager, you have all made me the proudest I have ever been to be in a hotel team. Salamat.”
Stay tuned as Marco Polo Plaza features some of the award winning drinks and dishes at the hotel soon.
For inquiries and reservations, call (032) 253-1111 or email mpplaza@marcopolohotels.com. Stay tuned for more updates through our social media accounts. Like facebook.com/marcopolocebu and follow instagram.com/marcopolocebu to stay updated on all hotel activities and promotions. You may also call (63 32) 253 1111 or email mpplaza@marcopolohotels.com.
]]>As an experienced hospitality professional, she has filled managerial positions for a number of hospitality companies including Kempinski Hotels, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, Rotana Hotels and Resorts, Aleenta Resorts & Spas, in UAE, Austria and Thailand.
“I wanted to work again in a business hotel while still being able to visit the beach every now and then and Cebu City could offer me both. I love the warmth, the smiles, and the hospitality of this city,” Ms. Priesner said on why she proceed her career in Cebu.
Ms. Priesner studied at the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute finishing with a Hospitality diploma, and started her managerial career in Embassy Suites by in Sharjah, UAE. She is an experienced, outgoing, customer focused manager with a successful history of working in the leisure, travel & tourism industry.
Ms. Priesner is looking forward to get to know the community and the Cebuanos.
“It’s an honor to be a part of this amazing team. Marco Polo is a true landmark in Cebu City,” she added.
]]>The purple yam is definitely a staple at Filipino potlucks. Most of us will instantly recognize the taste of ube, and non-natives will associate the taste as an amalgamation of pistachio, vanilla and coconut. Despite the comparison, ube has a unique flavor that has helped create its own identity in the midst of all the outrageous food trends floating around on the internet.
Dubbed the “new matcha,” ube is gaining stateside attention for its striking color and earthy flavor—you don’t really need a technically refined palate to be able to enjoy it. Now, with the marriage of western influences to its eastern roots, ube is used as a base for artisanal gelato, combined with other ingredients in cakes, as icing on doughnuts, or even in savory pasta dishes.
Ube is fast becoming a versatile ingredient, experimented with in innovative ways that stray far from traditional Filipino cuisine. One simple ingredient, many ways to make use of it. Some of Cebu’s celebrated chefs showcase their take on the humble purple yam and elevate it to its highest potential.
WILLIAM STRINGFELLOW
Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
Chef William gives off a meticulous aura when he prepares what he needs for his ube recipe. He continuously hones his expertise through his experience working in many countries in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the USA. He divulges that he continues to learn as he travels, and shares his knowledge with other people. He had previously worked with a Filipina pastry chef named Ceding before, claiming that she makes the best ube pastries he’s ever tasted—his recipe is an adaptation of hers, with a bit of personalization in the final design.
Ube macapuno torte
On the outside, the torte looks extravagant as it’s topped with various kinds of chocolate—swirls, chips, shavings, you name it—their colors contrasting with the vibrant purple of the cake. Chef William works quickly to build the garnish, seeing as the cake doesn’t do well in warm temperatures. On the inside are rich layers of mousse that melt the moment they touch your tongue. What’s more interesting to note is that every time Chef William creates the ube-macapuno torte, it always looks completely different.
MARVIN JIMENEZ CONCHA
Movenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu
Having been a pastry chef for six years now, Chef Marvin is no stranger to the vibrant purple yam. His inclination is to create modern trends of cakes and varieties of flavor combinations, infusing art and creativity in every piece of work. His tenure as a pastry chef shines through as he easily whips up not one, but seven different ube recipes. He definitely doesn’t let his experience go to waste, also imparting his knowledge to others as an instructor at one of the well-known culinary schools in Cebu.
Maja ube
The Mövenpick property in Mactan is well-known for its maja ube, which is popular among locals and tourists alike. The earthy sweetness of the ube is perfect when combined with the rich coconut cream. Toasted coconut tops the ube maja, adding depth to the texture with its crunch.
Halo–halo cake
One of the ways to enjoy ube is by having it in halo-halo. Now imagine the key ingredients in this beloved Filipino treat, but in a cake! The recipe has layers of ube cake, macapuno and leche flan. It’s garnished with a flower made out of white chocolate and makes for an aesthetically-pleasing treat, on top of being a pleasing and familiar combination of flavors.
STEVE SHRIMSKI
Circa 1900
Steve Shrimski had become an executive chef at just 23, and has since spent the next 30 years working throughout Australia and beyond. He shares that he likes taking on challenges, and that he always thinks of how to create dishes that are healthy just as they are tasty. In fact, he admits he’s excited to work with ube—ube is an antioxidant that offers immunity-boosting and cancer-fighting properties. After all, Chef Steve believes that a creative chef should be able to produce something no one else has tried or succeeded at.
Ube and malunggay puff pastry vol–au-vent
This recipe calls for fresh ube that’s been poached, dehydrated then ground into a fine powder. Vol-au-vent, or a small hollow case of puff pastry, is taken out of its traditional box and modernized by adding ground ube and malunggay. This creates a major twist, making it healthy. Keeping with the modern Filipino style, it’s filled with adobo-flavored foie gras parfait, which is light and fluffy. It’s garnished with balsamic-caramelized onions to offset the adobo’s acidic flavor.
Ube ravioli with coco–dobo
Another dish of traditional Filipino flavors with European influences, this incorporates ube into the ravioli dough, giving it a vibrant purple color. It’s filled with coco-dobo (coconut-adobo sauce), crispy shredded Circa lechon, and garnished with crispy lechon skin on alugbati and poached ube discs.
GEOFFREY BROUTIN
L’Artisan
As he’s married to a Filipina, Chef Geoffrey has a fair amount of encounters with Filipino food. Having met her in Dubai, they came to Cebu for a vacation and saw the opportunity to open their own restaurant. He shares that his wife is the one who gave him the idea for his recipe—it’s the first time he’s tried cooking it outside the traditional way, and he’s so pleased with the outcome that he plans on putting it in L’Artisan’s next menu.
Ube and corn cheesecake meringue
With its layers of decadent ube and creamy corn, Chef Geoffrey’s cheesecake shows the immense thought put into it. A coating of crushed macadamia nuts surrounds the cheesecake. and delicate puffs of toasted meringue top it off. It’s garnished with a candied lemon and a single blue pea flower, which is edible and adds a bright pop of color.
ROBERT LEONHARDT
Soho Park
Warm and always smiling, Chef Rob excitedly talks about the ube dish he’s prepared for us. The recently opened Soho Park is his first venture into the dining scene in Cebu. Starting out in the industry as a dishwasher when he was 15, he has spent the past 17 years working his way up and eventually calling Cebu his home. He shares that not having ube on their menu wasn’t an option—in fact, the dish he presented is based on one that’s already on their menu, and even pairs it with a matching ube drink.
Ube waffle with confit duck leg and foie gras
It may not be a typical Filipino pairing, but Chef Rob’s recipe is based on the popular chicken and waffle dish in the West. He’s incorporated ube into the waffles, giving it vivid color and a subtle flavor that sets it apart from the typical waffle. Its sweetness complements the saltiness of the duck leg so well, making it a marriage of sweet and savory flavors. The pairing is topped with a fried egg, corn puree and corn-fed foie gras, which adds a hint of luxury. On the side, there’s a choice of using either maple butter or mashed avocado to round out the dish.
Ube and white chocolate mocha latte
Soho Park’s barista Red Tuico whips up this creamy latte that’s straight off the menu. The sweetness of the use is elevated by the addition of white chocolate, and can be served hot or iced.
Originally published in the Zee Lifestyle October 2017 edition.
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Happening on Sunday, July 30, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu continues its merry tradition as the acclaimed Café Marco celebrates this event over a Sunday brunch. Starting from 11:30am onwards, get ready to come together with a delightful company with some of international friends.
The event will also be graced by the honorable presence of the First Secretary and Consul of the Embassy of Switzerland to the Philippines, Mr. George Fristche.
Of course, along with this milestone of life, a fabulous Swiss buffet spread is ready for everyone. Plus, great entertainment, fun and some exciting raffle prizes are up for grabs.
With Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s admiration of journeys, one can experience everything Swiss from July 30 to August 4. Explore the rich culinary goodness of Switzerland at Café Marco—be it for lunch or dinner, make time to know-how its cuisines evolve. World-class chefs are there to recreate Swiss goodness from A to Z – from Alpine-dried beef to chocolates, cheese fondue, sausages and Zurich-style sliced meat. Enjoy all these alongside Café Marco’s international buffet favorites.
So come up to Nivel Hills, celebrate the Swiss Alpine Festival and experience the wonderful week of ultimate goodness of Switzerland!
For inquiries and reservations, call 253-1111 or email mpplaza@marcopolohotels.com. You may also visit our local website . Advanced reservation can be done through the Hospitality Desk or emailing fb@marcopolocebu.com.
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Highlights Lounge
The Highlights Lounge at the top floor of the Harold’s Hotel is the perfect place to take pleasure in after a long day. Savor top-of-the-line Asian fusion cuisine, enjoy good music, and unwind with cocktail drinks while enjoying the city view.
Harold’s Hotel
Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City | Website | Facebook
Scape Skydeck
The new Scape Skydeck in Mactan, with its menu of gastronomic delights, presents a new angle to Cebu. Scape Skydeck offers the most beautiful view of Cebu’s unlimited skyline in an angle that depicts the ageless Queen City of the South.
Azon Residences
M.L. Quezon National Highway, Pusok, Lapu-lapu City | Facebook
Blue Elephant Sky Lounge
Situated atop the Apple One Building in Cebu Business Park, Blue Elephant provides a picturesque view of the city’s booming business district while offering an interesting selection of Asian fusion cuisine. Their dining area is both comfy and chill, making it the best place if you want to escape street noise from the city.
Apple One
Cebu Business Park | Facebook
Blu Bar and Grill
From sunset to moonlight, enjoy superb grilled favorites and award-winning cocktails thousand feet high. This is an ultimate experience offered by Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, making nights extra special.
Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills, Cebu City | Website | Facebook
(All photos are from the wires)
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As bikini season arrives, it’s a routine to take cover with Hot Cheetos in hand and let the lazy girl ways get the best of us. But what we really need is enough motivation and the right guidance. Which is why we curated a list for the ultimate guide to running – as a beginner, that is.
Walk
Yes, you read that right. Starting slow by walking and then slowly picking up your pace is key especially when you’re just starting out. Also, remember do to some stretches so prevent muscle tears.
Listen to your body
When your mind is telling you to stop, it’s time to listen to your body. Do you feel a burning sensation on your quads or glutes? Are you breathing heavily but steady? If yes, you’re doing a good job. Keep running.
Get the goods
Ah, finally something fun, right? Having the good running shoes is just as important as running itself. It differs from each person, so it’s best you go to your local running store and have them watch you run on a treadmill. They will be able to help pick the right shoe for you.
Estimate accordingly
Know where to go ahead of time and plan accordingly. The most common mistake is thinking you could run a full distance of your longest run. Only to realize 1/3 of the way, you couldn’t. Run at a distance you’re used to and build endurance by slowly increase distance every time.
Learn to run the correct way
It’s not just fast walking. Running actually needs practice and it is important to nail a good form. Remember to keep your head straight, don’t hunch your back, keep your arms at 90 degrees and breathe deeply and rhythmically.
Eat
Eating right and having a clean diet is half the marathon for being healthy. Pack on some fruits, load up on protein and learn to love the vegetables. Save the Hot Cheetos for the next cheat day.
Run for Fun
Workouts can be just as fun when you’ve got people to do it with. This April 30th, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu will host their second installment of Run For ERUF, a run the supports Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation’s undying effort in serving the community. With 4 distance categories: 12k, 6k, 3k and 1k, you will surely find a spot appropriate for you. For more info, you can email the hotel’s Hospitality Desk at runforeruf@marcopolocebu.com.
So, what are you waiting for? Run girl, Run!
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