World-class mixologist visits Manila

Shingo Gokan, founder of Speak Low in Shanghai, was in Manila recently to share his expertise at Raging Bull Chophouse and Bar at Shangri-La at the Fort in Taguig City.

Friends and fans gathered for an exclusive tasting of Shingo’s sumptuous rum-based drinks and a master class.

Shingo, who is based in New York and has a new bar called Sober Company, won the Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition (BLCC) in 2012 and has been one of the most sought-after Bacardi ambassadors in the world alongside the great rum master David Cordoba.

Now, it is time for BLCC to take centerstage once again. Until the end of September, Bacardi will be accepting registrations for the next Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition.

This highly regarded event has nurtured the passions of innovative bar professionals from all over the world. The rewards are always unique including lots of travel and hands-on training. Unrivaled experiences for the winner of this global competition are also guaranteed.

Now on its ninth year, BLCC has garnered so much attention from the cocktail industry as it has produced such notable winners like Shingo, Tom Walker of the American Bar at the Savoy in London and Franck Didieu of the Red Wood Bar in Lyon, France.

(For more information on the ongoing Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition, e-mail [email protected].)

Retirement bliss

Who wouldn’t want to enjoy and find bliss in retirement? After working for most of our lives, it would be great if we could flourish in our golden years and treat this as a happy time of our lives.

Recently, AXA Philippines launched its first retirement plan “Retire Smart.” The cruise-themed launch was designed to make guests imagine an enjoyable retired life.

Present at the launch  to welcome guests were AXA Philippines president and CEO Rahul Hora, wealth management segment director Tony Isidro and chief customer officer Amor Balagtas. 

Hora noted, “Here in the country and in other parts of Asia, retirement remains a neglected part of life. Our aim at AXA is to educate people on the importance of retirement and of planning for it as early as possible by offering the right solutions.”

Special guests, who talked about their thoughts, plans and tips for retirement, included writer and retired advertising executive Barbara Gonzales, chef JP Anglo of Sarsa, young mom and Happy Skin Cosmetics founder Jacqueline Yuengtian Gutierrez and former broadcast executive and chief designer and lifestyle curator of Monchet y Compania Jose Ramon “Monchet” Olives.

Isidro said, “Aside from being purposely designed to help you strategically build a future fund for retirement, Retire Smart also has life insurance. You can avoid adding to your family’s financial burdens in case something happens to you.”

Aside from the lively discussion, fun-filled activities were enjoyed all around the venue. There was a relaxing massage station, virtual reality activities, a cruise photo booth, and an exciting social media contest on board. These activities allowed guests to envision what they want to do when they retire.

With the launch of Retire Smart, more people can set sail towards a wonderful retirement.

At home at Jing Ting

City of Dreams Manila recently launched Jing Ting, the 92-seater quick and casual dining restaurant specializing in authentic Northern Chinese cuisine. One of its exciting features is an open kitchen where one can see how dishes are prepared.

Jing Ting means “a little house” or resting place inspired by Northern Chinese hutongs. Hutong is part of Beijing’s rich history and culture wherein the community gathers to catch up and strengthen relations in a lane formed by rows of gray-tiled houses and buildings.

Chef de cuisine Yang Chen Fei, also known as Chef Allan, recently joined City of Dreams Manila to helm Jing Ting’s kitchen. Chef Allan brought with him more than 15 years of culinary experience and his expertise on Northern Chinese cuisine. He trained under the famous Chinese master chef Cheng Hui, the chef of China’s former President Hu Jintao. He is so eager to introduce authentic Northern Chinese cuisine to Filipinos that he can swiftly prepare a bowl of hand-pulled noodles in only two minutes, as well as create 600 dumplings in an hour.

Some popular dishes on the menu include “Genghis Khan” beef short ribs, “Xinjiang Style” spicy lamb skewer with cumin spices, fried rice “Beijing Style” with cabbage and pork belly, hand-pulled noodles in beef broth and sweet soy noodles with pork and assorted vegetables. Among these sumptuous dishes, the beef ribs and the dry pork mushroom noodles are my favorites for now. *

(The restaurant is located at the upper ground level of City of Dreams Manila’s retail area. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. For inquiries and reservations, call 800-8080, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.cityofdreamsmanila.com.)

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)